News Clips
Posted April 24, 2007
State News H/T: GOPCharlie
Clean Cars Bill Goes To The Governor
http://wbal.com/news/story.asp?articleid=56805
A
Governor Martin O'Malley will sign bills including the so-called "Clean Cars" bill, which will require tougher emissions standards by model year 2011. The bill does NOT affect current cars, but it could eventually lead to less air pollution.
The bill means
O'Malley plans to sign bills related to the environment today. Also on the schedule is a bill to study oyster restoration.
PSC brings BGE hearing to
http://www.capitalonline.com/cgi-bin/read/2007/04_23-38/TOP
In the last week's round of hearings on Baltimore Gas and Electric Co.'s request for a 48 percent rate increase, the Public Service Commission heard from company officials and electric industry experts, scrutinizing all the factors that hit people's wallets.
And now it's ready to hear from customers. The PSC has scheduled a public hearing in
O’Malley’s Governing by the Numbers seen as national model
http://www.examiner.com/a-691011~O_Malley_s__Governing_by_the_Numbers__seen_as_national_model.html
Gov. Martin O’Malley has been barely been in office three months, but the performance-based governance model he just instituted, StateStat - a version of CitiStat, which he implemented seven years ago as Baltimore City mayor is now being promoted on the national level.
Data-driven policymaking is exactly the medicine we need at this time, said John Podesta, president of a
O'Malley pushes CityStat model in speech at liberal think tank
Government efficiency said to thrive under results-driven system
Measuring the effectiveness of government is the key for progressives to earn the trust of voters and beat out small-government conservatives, Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley said at a liberal think tank yesterday.
Speaking at a seminar on performance-driven government management, O'Malley preached the virtues of CityStat, the high-tech system he employed as
Mayor pressured on crime strategy
City Council President Stephanie C. Rawlings-Blake asked officials in Mayor Sheila Dixon's administration yesterday to outline specific plans for dealing with violent crime, weighing in on an issue traditionally overseen by the mayor.
Rawlings-Blake, who took over the council presidency when Dixon became mayor in January, also introduced a City Council resolution yesterday that calls on police Commissioner Leonard D. Hamm and other city leaders to explain the administration's plan to address crime.
Energy supplier looks to raise
http://www.examiner.com/a-691040~Energy_supplier_looks_to_raise_Maryland_rates.html
Washington Gas Light Co., a Washington-based energy retail business, announced that it has filed an application with the Maryland Public Service Commission to increase its rates and charges in
National News
Lawmakers: Coast Guard can't protect gas plants
http://www.examiner.com/a-691010~Lawmakers__Coast_Guard_can_t_protect_gas_plants.html
Federal lawmakers said they fear a cash-strapped Coast Guard lacks the resources to protect a growing list of liquefied natural gas facilities nationwide, including a proposed terminal on
Elected officials met at a House Coast Guard subcommittee hearing in
We’re stretching and stretching and stretching, but if the resources aren’t coming in like they should be, we’ve got a problem, said Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., the committee’s chairman.
Kelley described the system as burden-sharing, a phrase U.S. Sen. Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., changed to burden-shifting.
We’re training the sheriff to be the Coast Guard by proxy, Mikulski said.
Hearing examines LNG safety
O'Malley, Mikulski, Smith testify at session held in
Gov. Martin O'Malley said the state's billion-dollar economic engine at the
And Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski said she was worried that an LNG plant would create a terrorist target in the
At base realignment meeting, officials encourage cooperation in face of coming influx
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/bal-md.brac24apr24,0,1380775.story?coll=bal-local-headlines
Despite facing huge financial gaps in preparing for the influx of people and jobs coming via the federal base realignment and closure process,
"BRAC has become a very useful vehicle," said freshman Rep. John Sarbanes. "It's teaching us how to cooperate across regional, political and administrative lines," and "jumps the state forward. I'm doing a lot of learning and listening."
President Bush Discusses Emergency War Spending Supplemental After Oval Office Meeting With U.S. Commander In
National Security Council Director For
The President's Identity Theft Task Force Releases Comprehensive Strategic Plan To Combat Identity Theft. "A
Number Of
The Wall Street Journal Argues The State Children's Health Insurance Program Should Be Returned To Its Original Purposes. "Schip was conceived or at least sold as a way to insure children from low-income families that aren't poor enough to qualify for Medicaid. The Bush Administration wants to add $4.8 billion to the Schip budget, bringing it to $30 billion over the next five years. Democrats want to see that and raise by $50 billion to $60 billion. They pronounce Schip 'underfunded' and sure enough, 2007 funding already falls short of covering enrollees in 18 states by about $900 million. But this 'crisis' arose because some states have grossly exceeded Schip's mandate. They are using the program to expand government-subsidized coverage well beyond poor kids to children from wealthier families and even to adults. And they're doing so even as some 8.3 million poor children continue to go uninsured." (Editorial, "HillaryCare Installment Plan," The Wall Street Journal, 4/24/07)
