Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Baltimore City has proposed a 15 percent increase beginning in July.
Water service for county residents will not likely cost more despite a proposal by Baltimore City to raise rates by 15 percent. At least not this year. The increase proposed by city Department of Public Works would increase water bills by nearly $24 per quarter for the typical city water customers. The system supplies water to 1.8 million residents in Baltimore City and Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll and Howard Counties. Baltimore County absorbs some costs of the system through a complex agreement with the city. Other costs are paid for through the Metropolitan District Fund that is assessed as a line item on county property tax bills. "Given [the agreement] and the metropolitan fund balance, there was no need to pass this increase on to…
Monday, May 20, 2013
Tuition rates and fees for In-county, out-of-county and out-of-state students will all go up next semester.
Students attending the Community College of Baltimore County will have to dig a little deeper next semester. The college will increase fees across the board by 3 percent. Currently, in-county students pay $106 per credit. Out-of-county and out-of-state students pay $202 and $303 respectively. Under the new tuition rates, those costs will increase to $109, $208 and $312 respectively. General services fees will also increase across the board. Currently, in-county students pay $9 per credit. Out-of-county and out-of-state students pay $18 and $27 respectively. The new increases will bring those fees to $10.50, $20.50 and $30.50 respectively. Registration fees will increase from $40 to $50. Graduation fees will increase from $50 to $75. …
Residency requirements could thwart Timothy Tenne's efforts to get his name on the 2014 ballot
Timothy Tenne has lived in Baltimore County nearly all his life except for the time he spent in the Air Force. The retired Lt. Colonel and commercial airline pilot wants to be Baltimore County Executive but he may need a little help to meet the residency requirements. "There is going to have to be some kind of an opinion from the Attorney General or we're going to need a Charter change," Tenne said speaking of his eligibility. Tenne filed earlier this year and is listed on the Maryland State Board of Elections website as a provisional candidate. "He is provisional until he satisfies his residency requirement of 5 years living in Baltimore County," wrote Katie Brown, director of elections for the Baltimore County Board of Elections. The …
Sunday, May 19, 2013
What advice did the first lady give graduates? Will electricity rates go up - again? Get all the Maryland news with one click on Patch.
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Sunday, May 19
By Patch Staff It was a big news week in Maryland last week, with a visit by the first lady, a commuter nightmare in Montgomery and a heads up for a sixth casino in the state. All the headlines from 48 Patch sites across Maryland: Berliner Calls for Better Electricity Service with 'Utility 2.0' Montgomery County Council Member Roger Berliner asked the Maryland Public Service Commission to require that substantial changes be made to electricity services in the state. Meanwhile, Pepco is asking for permission to raise rates. Michelle Obama to Bowie State Grads: It's Time to Feel Hungry Again In a speech rich with historical references, the first lady reminded the BSU class of 2013 why education is important. Report: Quince Orchard Students…
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Council correction of a $100,000 math error represents the smallest budget reduction in the last three years.
The Baltimore County Council Thursday took a little off the top of County Executive Kevin Kamenetz's third budget. The council cut just $100,000 from Kamenetz's proposed $2.8 billion spending plan for the budget year that begins July 1. That plan includes nearly $1.7 billion in general fund spending paid for with county property and piggyback income taxes. "It's a fiscally prudent budget," Council Chairman Tom Quirk, a Catonsville Democrat, said, explaining that the small reduction taken by the council was a reflection of the weakened economy and sluggish property tax receipts. "There really wasn't a lot to trim," Quirk said. "It's all muscle and bone." The proposed budget contains no furloughs or layoffs and no property or income tax …
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
The New England College poll previewing the 2016 Presidential primary shows Hillary Clinton with a commanding lead.
Gov. Martin O'Malley finished last among a field of 2016 Democratic Presidential hopefuls, according to a poll released by New England College. The poll released Tuesday by the New Hampshire-based college found that former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton led the field with 65 percent of those surveyed saying they would vote for her in 2016. O'Malley finished last among the field of six with zero percent saying they would vote for the two-term Democratic Maryland governor. Rounding out the field is Vice President Joseph Biden with 10 percent, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren with 5 percent, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo with 4 percent and Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick with 3 percent. The college surveyed 314 New Hampshire Democratic …
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
The three-term Democratic senator believes the death penalty should be placed on the 2014 ballot but finding voters to sign the petition might be a challenge.
Getting the signatures required to place the death penalty on the 2014 ballot is going to take a lot of work, according to Baltimore County State Sen. Jim Brochin. "I give it a 50-50 chance," Brochin said during an interview with Jimmy Mathis on WBAL Radio. The trouble, Brochin said, is finding a constituency to support the petition effort to re-instate capital punishment in Maryland. "If you wanted to get same-sex marriage on the ballot, you went to the Catholic Church. If you want to get the gun issue on the ballot you can go get signatures in North County," Brochin said. "If you're gathering signatures for he death penalty, where do you go?" Brochin, the three-term Democratic Senator from Towson, is part of an effort to reinstate the …
The 10-term Republican state delegate will challenge First-term incumbent Todd Huff in the 2014 primary election.
State Del. Wade Kach Tuesday announced he will challenge fellow Republican Todd Huff for the 3rd District seat on the Baltimore County Council. Kach made the announcement on his Facebook page. “When I look at the 3rd District, I see a need for an experienced, tested legislator to deal with the challenges we face,” Kach wrote on his Facebook page. “I believe that by moving from the House of Delegates to the County Council, I can bring the kind of responsive public service that the citizens want and need.” Kach was expected to make the announcement. In March he said he was considering the campaign. Sources who know Kach said the delegate began to consider the race in February after Huff was arrested on drunken driving charges. Huff pleaded …
Monday, May 13, 2013
The two-term Democratic senator's decision comes one month after he said he was considering leaving public office.
Democratic State Sen. Bobby Zirkin is running for re-election in 2014 after all. Zirkin, in a text message to a reporter late Friday, write that he "officially filed for Senate today." The decision to run for a third term in the Maryland Senate comes a month after an interview in which he said he was considering leaving public office. "The most important thing in my life is my family," Zirkin said last month. "I have two small children and whatever decision I make will be all about them. I love the Senate and the public policy debates even when they are controversial. It's hard to juggle all those things, to keep all those balls in the air. The balls I refuse to let drop are my kids. I don't want to miss anything with them." Zirkin said at…
Sunday, May 12, 2013
From crime - hear about the backhoe bandits? - to politics and new places for Mexican food, be well-informed with one click.
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Sunday, May 12
By Patch Staff Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown Kicks Off Gubernatorial Bid In a speech highlighting his military and government service, Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown announced in his home county of Prince George's Friday night that he is running for governor of Maryland in the November 2014 election. Dan Bongino’s Home Burglarized Wednesday Night While Family Slept A spokeswoman says computers, purses and a wallet were taken from the Severna Park home of Bongino, the former Secret Service agent who ran for U.S. Senate in 2012. Report: Anne Arundel County Top in State for Generating Tourism Money The county saw a more than 7 percent increase in money from tourism between 2010 and 2011, according to a new report. Businesses Look to Marketplace Fairness…
Sanchez
10:52 am on Wednesday, May 22, 2013
For the past few years anyone filling taxes could take one of 2 different education tax credits. One year at least it was a dollar for dollar credit. If you spent $1000 on qualifying education you took a $1000 tax credit. then on top of that they will get some or all of their loans forgiven. Double dipping on the taxpayers! more ›