State News
March 15, 2007
H/t: GOPCharlie
House moves budget toward a final vote
http://www.washtimes.com/metro/20070314-104821-7700r.htm
House lawmakers gave tentative approval yesterday to the fiscal 2008 budget that includes no tuition increases for state colleges but more than half a billion in increases for K-12 public schools.
The $30.3 billion budget, which starts in July, includes $567 million extra for public schools in the final year of an education-reform plan known as the Thornton Act.
Still, state Republicans said the plan will result in fiscal disaster and suggested a spending freeze.
Such a plan would result in a delay in
"We have large, looming fiscal problems," said Anthony J. O'Donnell,
"If you have a dollar and you add 12 pennies to it, that's not a reduction," he said.
House GOP effort to cut budget falls short
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/bal-md.cuts15mar15,0,7531993.story?coll=bal-local-headlines
House Republicans failed in an effort to force deep cuts in Gov. Martin O'Malley's proposed budget yesterday, a move they said was necessary to prevent tax increases next year but one that Democrats said would diminish public safety and hinder education.
With annual gaps of more than $1 billion between spending and revenue expected in the next few years, Republicans proposed cutting all new spending from O'Malley's $30 billion budget, a reduction of $800 million.
"If we begin to deal with the deficit issue this year, it's manageable," said
House debates $30 billion budget
GOP amendment to freeze 2008 spending at 2007 level voted down Wednesday
http://www.fredericknewspost.com/sections/news/display.htm?StoryID=57923
Three
Delegates Don Elliott, Rick Weldon and Paul Stull were among seven Republicans who joined Democrats to vote down the GOP amendment to a $30.3 billion budget proposal debated in the House.
"Next year local governments will get clobbered," said Minority Leader Tony O'Donnell, R-Southern
Delegate Joe Bartlett is a Frederick Republican who found himself in the minority of those of the eight-member
"We are asking that our government live within its means, just like every family in my district,"
Preliminary budget OK'd
http://www.herald-mail.com/?module=displaystory&story_id=160961&format=html
A Democratically ruled Maryland House preliminarily approved a $30 billion state budget Wednesday, squelching a Republican attempt to limit spending and delay additional school funding.
On the current course, Marylanders should "brace themselves for a massive tax increase next year,"
Democrats argued that the Republican proposal would critically hurt funding in several crucial areas.
A Republican chart showed their proposed 2008 spending increase at 1.5 percent vs. 6.5 percent for the version on which the House voted.
Bid to
GOP Targeted Education Spending
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/14/AR2007031402777.html
The Maryland House of Delegates yesterday gave preliminary approval to a $30 billion state budget plan, turning back a Republican effort to slash education spending, and moved toward passage of an ambitious proposal to reduce the number of Marylanders without health insurance.
House Minority Leader Anthony J. O'Donnell (R-Calvert) called the GOP proposal "a simple solution" designed to avoid even more difficult choices in the coming year. "Massive tax increases," O'Donnell said. "That's what facing us unless we act now."
Indictment of
Prosecutors confront twists and challenges in Bromwell corruption case
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/politics/bal-te.md.bromwell15mar15,0,5271929.story
Five years ago, Thomas L. Bromwell Sr. learned how deeply FBI agents had penetrated his inner circle.
James Eick, a Bromwell friend, had agreed to wear a recording device for federal agents. He was to capture any potentially incriminating conversations with the former
Tougher
http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2007/03_14-01/TOP
On the surface,
Unlike in 28 other states, its a crime to deny access to a public document. Violators can be convicted of a misdemeanor and fined up to $1,000.
But courts rarely impose such penalties, and advocates for open government believe thats partly because its difficult to pursue a case against someone suspected of violating the law.
While we have laws with very nice-sounding titles, theres no teeth to the enforcement, said
Mooney gets call from cardinal
Keeler urges state senator to vote today for repeal of the death penalty
Sen. Alex X. Mooney fielded a surprise call this week from Cardinal William H. Keeler, who urged the Frederick Republican to vote today for a repeal of the death penalty.
Their five-minute chat, though notable because of the caller's position as archbishop of
Jessamy mourns death of intimidation bill
http://www.examiner.com/a-619945~Jessamy_mourns_death_of_intimidation_bill.html
Even though we failed this year, witness intimidation continues to be a very serious problem, Jessamy said.
Jessamy testified in February in favor of a House of Delegates bill, sponsored by Keith Haynes, D-District 44, that would toughen
"Green" bills could affect local businesses
http://www.wcbcradio.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=6899&Itemid=35
With a newly elected Democratic governor many observers believe the state of
Should all of
http://www.wcbcradio.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=6898&Itemid=35
Should the state of
Decision to halt horse park brings relief, disappointment
http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2007/03_14-38/TOP
The state's decision to withdraw plans for an equestrian center at the former Naval Academy Dairy Farm in Gambrills has disappointed horse lovers but relieved the dairy's neighbors who are opposed to the plan.
Jim Steele, the chairman of Maryland Horse Industry Board, announced at yesterday's board meeting that plans to build the center on the 857-acre site have been dropped.
Hearing pushed on city raises
Councilman Mitchell says public should have a chance to testify on bill
Baltimore City Councilman and mayoral candidate Keiffer J. Mitchell Jr. called yesterday for a hearing and a vote on proposed pay raises for the city's elected officials, igniting what could become the first political showdown of this election year.
Responding to a proposal pending in the City Council that would give double-digit salary increases to the mayor, City Council president and other officials, Mitchell said the public should have a chance to testify on the bill. He said he does not support the raises.
Capital Notebook
O'Malley to name Brenner to PSC
Few senators at sex bill hearing
Wiretapping on school buses?
National News
Rep. Roscoe Bartlett presented with NAM Award
http://www.herald-mail.com/?module=displaystory&story_id=160957&format=html
Recognizing his strong voting record in support of American manufacturing and a pro-growth, pro-jobs agenda during the 109th Congress, the National Association of Manufacturers honored U.S. Rep. Roscoe Bartlett, R-Md., with its Award for Manufacturing Legislative Excellence during a presentation hosted by Volvo Powertrain North America.
The NAM Award is presented to members of Congress who vote in the best interest of the manufacturing economy at least 70 percent of the time on "key manufacturing votes" as designated by a special committee of
Taking the battle to Congress
A shipbuilding association is pushing to boost the size of the
With the size of the Navy's battle force fleet having fallen to 275 ships - the lowest level since before World War I - the American Shipbuilding Association has called on Congress to significantly increase the money the nation devotes to ships.
And now there's a move afoot to make that increase happen.
The fleet size issue is bound to come up during a hearing today on national defense sealift funding, said Lisa Wright, a spokesman for Roscoe Bartlett, R-Md., the ranking member of the Seapower & Expeditionary Subcommittee.
"He wants to build more ships," Wright said of
O'Malley travels to D.C. with funding requests
Governor gives wide-ranging list to
On his visit to Capitol Hill yesterday to meet with
Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin asked him to consider adding one more: global warming.
"
Signs Of Progress Seen In
The New York Times' David Brooks Says The Democrats'
The White House Says Senate Democrats'
Captured Al-Qaida Operative Khalid Sheikh Mohammed Confesses To Masterminding 9/11 Terror Attacks. "Khalid Sheikh Mohammed cemented his position as al-Qaida's most ambitious operational planner when he confessed in a U.S. military tribunal to planning and supporting 31 terrorist attacks, topped by 9/11, that killed thousands of innocent victims since the early 1990s. The gruesome attacks range from the suicide hijackings of Sept. 11, 2001 which killed nearly 3,000 to a 2002 shooting on an island off
OMB Director Rob Portman Says The Democrats' Path To Balancing The Budget Is "Paved With Higher Taxes, Higher Spending." "The Democratic blueprint fails to tackle the long-term fiscal debacle facing Social Security and Medicare, the federal retirement programs that will be swamped by the upcoming retirement of the Baby Boom generation. ... 'It's a missed opportunity because this is a nonelection year,' countered White House budget director Rob Portman in an interview. Traditionally, Congress is most aggressive on politically sensitive budget issues in such odd-numbered years. 'Their path to balance is paved with higher taxes, higher spending and what can only be characterized as budgetary slights of hand,' Portman said in a subsequent statement." (Andrew Taylor, "Few Tough Choices In Senate Dems' Budget," The Associated Press, 3/15/07)
