Md. Comptroller Peter Franchot Says He Is Considering A Run For Governor

Governor Martin O’Malley is expected to sign the state’s new income tax hike into law next week. State comptroller Peter Franchot was among those objecting to the tax hike, and recently told reporters that he is considering a run for governor himself. (WJZ-TV)

Governor seeks 'experts' to guide expanding gaming debate

Now that the state budget "do over" is done, Gov. Martin O'Malley is preparing for a second special session to address expanding gaming in Maryland, but not without some expert guidance. (WBAL-TV)

Even gaming is complicated if next session takes up issue

One special session of the General Assembly just ended and plans already are under way for another this summer for lawmakers to discuss an expansion of gambling. But although legislators focused exclusively on the budget this week, the next session could be complicated if counties’ efforts to expand charity gaming resurface. (Gazette)

Delaney: Democrats 'are on the right side of history'

John Delaney, the winner in last month’s Democratic primary for Maryland’s 6th Congressional District seat, was back in Washington County on Thursday. Delaney, the keynote speaker for the annual Jefferson-Jackson Dinner, said the county was friendly territory for him. (Herald-Mail)

Senate president wants budget passed earlier next year

A busy regular legislative session that segued into a special session this week to approve a state budget has at least one leading Democrat wondering whether a change in General Assembly rules is needed to avoid future breakdowns. (Gazette)

Same Sex Marriage Opponent Denounces, Then Supports Obama

It has been one week since President Obama said he supports same sex marriage. Baltimore County Delegate Emmett Burns, who is also a pastor at the Rising Sun Baptist Church in Woodlawn and has been one of the leaders of the effort to repeal Maryland's same sex marriage law, now says he has changed his mind and will support the president's re-election bid. (WBAL)

Will Maryland do another tax hike in 2013?

After voting this week to raise income tax rates on the state’s highest earners, Maryland lawmakers aren’t ruling out more tax increases next year. (Wash. Times)

Pit bull protection could be taken up this summer in General Assembly

Although finishing the budget was the legislature’s top priority this week, there also was a bipartisan push to issue legal protection to a controversial dog breed. (Gazette)

Metro incident triggers new safety plea by Mikulski

U.S. Sen. Barbara Mikulski, an outspoken critic of Metro’s safety efforts in the past, called this week for immediate passage in the House of Representatives of national safety standards for subways after the latest Metro safety mishap in which doors opened on two moving subway cars of a train with passengers on board. (Gazette)

Mayor's Office Responds To McDonough's Warning Of 'Black Youth Mobs'

A state Delegate is taking heat after he sent out a news release under the heading of "black youth mobs terrorize Baltimore on holidays." Ryan O'Doherty, Spokesman for Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, sent the following statement: "Del. McDonough's sad and racially-charged publicity stunt is not deserving of a response and Mayor Rawlings-Blake." (WBAL)

Gaming Operator: Casino Gambling Can't Continue Unchecked Forever

The head of a major development company opening a new casino next month in Maryland admits the expansion of casino gambling can't continue unchecked forever. David Cordish told a major casino conference in Atlantic City that politicians don't understand the concept of saturation. (WBAL)

Donald Fry: Tim Geithner adds his voice to calls for post-recession ‘balance’

U. S. Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner is adding his voice to growing calls among public officials and advocates for “balanced” approaches to policy-making as our nation and our state claw their ways out of a debilitating recession. Others talking about “balance” these days include Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley, who calls his administration’s fiscal strategy of coupling budget cuts with tax increases a “balanced approach.”

Josh Kurtz: Say Cheese

Political Armageddon is upon us. It has major consequences for Gov. Martin O’Malley (D), with potential lessons in store for an array of Maryland political interests. We’re not talking about the special session now under way in Annapolis – though we could be. No, we’re talking about the election in Wisconsin to recall Gov. Scott Walker (R). If the White House campaign is this year’s heavyweight championship bout, then the Wisconsin recall is surely the No. 1 undercard.

PressBox launches MarylandGaming.net to focus on state’s gaming industry

PressBox is announcing the launch of MarylandGaming.net, a comprehensive online outlet on gaming in the state that will focus on casinos, the lottery, horse racing and other aspects of the gaming industry. Information on the new website from Center Maryland’s strategic partner is expected to include such topics as how to play new video lottery terminals, the latest on Maryland Lottery games, horse racing updates, political and legislative news related to gaming, and what’s happening at area casinos.

Center Maryland Partners: Corridor Inc., PressBox and the GBC

Visit Center Maryland’s strategic partners: Corridor Inc., at www.corridorinc.com, for more political and business news across the I-95 corridor; PressBox, at www.pressboxonline.com, for the area’s most comprehensive source of sports information; and the Greater Baltimore Committee, at www.gbc.org, for the region’s leading voice for the business community.

Donald Fry: Special session could produce uneven income tax increases

When members of the General Assembly meet next week in special session, they will have a specific “To Do” list crafted by Governor Martin O’Malley, Senate President Mike Miller, and House Speaker Michael Busch. If the income tax proposal includes the conference committee’s most recent proposed tax rates, it would impose substantial tax increases on major segments of the state’s taxpayers.

Clayton Mitchell: The Conservative Doomsday Masquerade

The State Legislature did not raise sufficient revenues during the 2012 Session to avoid the “Doomsday Budget”. When Session ended sine die, many of the Governor’s priorities were in danger of elimination. The Republicans cheered. Meanwhile … on the other side of the Bay … my Eastern Shore conservative friends seemingly embrace the “Doomsday Budget”.

Josh Kurtz: Taxman

The fig leaf comes off Monday. That’s when lawmakers return to Annapolis for a special legislative session of undetermined length for the expressed purpose of raising taxes. Which, depending on your point of view, may be just fine. Without these tax hikes, education, social programs and aid to local governments will be hit by major cutbacks. So bring on the taxes, many people will say.

Poll: Marylanders support Prince George’s gaming location, table games

A majority of Marylanders support adding a sixth gaming location and permitting table games at all of the state’s slots facilities, according to a new OpinionWorks poll. The poll found that two-thirds of Marylanders want the Governor and General Assembly to consider changes to Maryland’s slots program “as soon as possible,” and 84 percent “believe that voters should decide this year whether gaming should be expanded in Maryland.”

MedChi: Many Marylanders with Insurance are Still Unable to Access Quality Health Care

Largely absent from the broader recent debate about health care reform have been questions about the quality of care that those with health insurance receive – specifically, those Marylanders whose legitimate health insurance claims have been denied, or those whose care is needlessly delayed by time-consuming health insurance protocols and paperwork.

Josh Kurtz: Generally Speaking (Part 2)

Looking ahead to the 2014 attorney general’s election, it’s hard to imagine a leading candidate not emerging from the Baltimore region. Baltimore powerbrokers have always been very protective of their political turf, and after 20 years of Joe Curran in the AG’s office, Doug Gansler had to tread carefully.

Josh Kurtz: Generally Speaking (Part 1)

Ever since Doug Gansler started being seen as a serious candidate for governor in 2014 — and that happened right after he was elected attorney general in 2006 — it’s been widely assumed that state Sen. Jamie Raskin, Gansler’s close personal friend, will try to replace him in the AG’s office when the time comes. But it’s interesting: despite the fact that Gansler is almost certain to run for governor in 2014, very few people are talking publicly about their interest in his job.

Donald Fry: Port illustrates value of transportation infrastructure

While the Inner Harbor gets much of the glory when people think of Baltimore’s waterfront, our working port continues to be a major driver of our regional and statewide economies. This was decisively underscored by Governor Martin O’Malley’s recent announcement that cargo business at the Port of Baltimore is surging in a big way.

Josh Kurtz: Charm Offensive

If Martin O’Malley runs for president in 2016, he may have one small but influential voting bloc locked up: the national media. During an appearance before two dozen reporters at Third Way, a centrist Democratic think tank in Washington, D.C., O‘Malley had the reporters in thrall.

Donald Fry: What did state lawmakers achieve before the meltdown?

The so-called “Doomsday” budget that resulted from the 2012 General Assembly’s failure to enact two key pieces of fiscal legislation had some negative impacts on business development. It cut three important tax credits for business growth and also eliminated more than $260 million in state funding initially targeted for education at all levels.

AFSCME: Revenues and gaming expansion must be considered together

When the Maryland General Assembly first agreed to put the question of gaming to the voters in 2007, the action came as part of a special session called by Governor O’Malley to developer a broader revenue package for our state. This spring, if lawmakers come back for a 2012 special session following the sine die collapse of a budget deal, it’s quite clear that an expansion of gaming is a crucial part of a long-term plan to put Maryland’s financial house in order.

Passenger traffic hits first-quarter record at BWI

More than 4.9 million commercial passengers flew through Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport in the first three months of the year, a first-quarter record, the airport said Thursday. (Balt. Sun)

Local officials excited, encouraged by first new downtown Columbia building

Local officials — many of whom have waited years as the redevelopment of downtown Columbia has been debated and discussed, and pondered and pitched — say they are excited that construction on the first new building could soon be beginning, and encouraged by what that building could look like. (Patuxent)

Treasury Secretary Geithner speaks to GBC, tours steel facility

Speaking to hundreds of Baltimore's business leaders in Harbor East on Thursday morning, U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner praised President Barack Obama's handling of the recession and outlined his boss' financial reform wish list, which includes cutting small business taxes and maintaining the federal student loan interest rate. (Balt. Sun)

Maryland names interim labor secretary

Scott R. Jensen, Maryland's deputy secretary of labor, stepped up Thursday as interim secretary, filling a job emptied when Alexander M. Sanchez left this week to become chief of staff to Baltimore's mayor. (Balt. Sun)

Maryland restores money for biotechs, stem cell research fund

For Maryland businesses, this week’s special legislative session resulted in a mixed bag, executives say. Legislators restored funding for the biotechnology investment tax credit program and stem cell research fund, to the relief of advocates for those programs. But legislation was also passed this week that increased tax rates on individuals making more than $100,000 annually and joint filers with incomes exceeding $150,000. (Gazette)

Thurmont Businesses Hope G-8 Summit Will Help Boost Sales

A number of local and independent small businesses in the area of Camp David are counting on an economic boost from the G-8 summit. (WJZ-TV)

TEDCO names stem cell research grantees

The Maryland Technology Development Corp. announced the names of Maryland-based scientists who will receive grants from the Maryland Stem Cell Research Fund’s $12.4 million FY 2012 budget. (Daily Record)

Costco turns to email in fight for Wheaton gas station

Wholesale giant Costco has turned to its list of email subscribers for help in fighting a new Montgomery County zoning proposal that would hinder the company's plans for a gas station in Wheaton. (Examiner)

Baltimore County cuts back on school leadership positions

Baltimore County school officials told middle and high school principals last week that they must limit the number of leadership positions next year to save $814,000, a move teachers say means schools have again been targeted for cuts. (Balt. Sun)

Proposed schools funding level still not guaranteed

There are still no assurances that Carroll County Public Schools will receive $164 million next year as the county board of commissioners continues to look at alternative ways to fund education. (Carr. Co. Times)

Howard school board set to vote again on adequate facilities measure

The Howard County school board is scheduled to reconsider Tuesday a measure that would determine which schools can accommodate new residential development. (Balt. Sun)

Executive: Huge Hit From Teacher Pension Shift

A "huge hit" is how the Harford County Executive describes what impact the decision from the General Assembly to shift some of the teacher pension costs to local governments is having on his area. (WBAL)

Dalglish to head UM journalism school

Lucy Dalglish, executive director of the Washington-based Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, has been named the new dean of the Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland, College Park. She will assume the post on Aug. 1. (Daily Record)

School board lashes out at Baker representative

Prince George’s County Executive Rushern L. Baker III wants to transform neighborhoods, and at the top of his list is creating an “excellent educational system.” On Thursday, Brad Seamon, Baker’s chief administrative officer, offered the members of the school board a PowerPoint presentation detailing Baker’s plans for the initiative. After he finished, the members had few questions. (Wash. Post)

With a wealth of experiences and varied backgrounds, 2012 Harford Community College grads get diplomas

About 300 Harford Community College students of all ages donned blue robes Thursday evening, ready to graduate and begin the next chapter in their lives. (Aegis)

Feds, police in spat over G-8 summit costs

In a standoff that might require delicate diplomacy to resolve, officials in Western Maryland are pressing the federal government to reconsider its refusal to help pay for local security costs for this week's G-8 summit at Camp David. (Balt. Sun)

New Grand Prix chief has been a big city contractor

Despite financing more than $140 million city contracts in the past 12 years, donating tens of thousands of dollars to Democratic candidates and being a member of Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake's inner circle, J.P. Grant III has largely avoided the limelight. Then this week Grant, a West Baltimore native, stepped into the public glare as one of the latest saviors of the troubled Baltimore Grand Prix. (Balt. Sun)

Balto. Co. Council poised to adopt 'bare-bones budget'

Baltimore County Council members are poised to adopt a lean spending plan that would achieve savings largely through early retirements and reorganizations in a number of government departments. (Balt. Sun)

Washington Co. Circuit Court vacancy narrowed to five candidates

The field of applicants from which Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley will fill a vacancy on the Washington County Circuit Court has been narrowed to five. The state Judicial Nominating Commission announced it had nominated District Judge Dana Moylan Wright, Family Law Master G. Clair Baker Jr., and attorneys Edward L. Kuczynski, Mary Anne Day and Margaret Lynn Williams from the original field of 11 applicants. (Herald-Mail)

Frederick Aldermen vote 4-1 in favor of budget

Aldermen took their budget discussions down to the wire Thursday, reconsidering and compromising on what to do with $1 million of the city's unallocated $4 million general fund balance in fiscal 2013. (News-Post)

Cambridge OKs $10.7M budget, property tax rate will drop

Cambridge There is a little something for just about everyone in the $10.7 million Fiscal Year 2013 budget adopted Monday by the Cambridge City Council. (Star Dem)

Panel: Crisfield financial disclosure stays

Crisfield officials who sought an exemption from a new state ethics law had "a partially successful day" before the Maryland State Ethics Commission on Thursday. (Daily Times)

Funding for new emergency center remains in Harford capital budget

Members of the Harford County Council agreed Tuesday to hold funding for a large portion of the planned Emergency Operations Center replacement in next year's capital budget. (Aegis)

Longtime BBH executive laid off by clinic board l VIDEO

The directors of Baltimore Behavioral Health Inc., a major drug treatment provider in Baltimore, have laid off longtime executive William "Kris" Hathaway, as the once high-flying nonprofit continues to cut costs. (Balt. Sun)

DOJ seeks to tighten Baltimore policy on recording police

The U.S. Department of Justice isn't satisfied with the Baltimore Police Department's recently issued orders on the public's right to record officers. (Balt. Sun)

Md. Transportation Authority ran afoul of open meetings laws

Members of the Maryland Transportation Authority met without giving proper notice. Carroll County commissioners charged admission to a forum held by opponents of Gov. Martin O'Malley's statewide growth plan. Those open meeting violations were the first issued this year by the state's oversight panel on public access to government proceedings, as listed in the Maryland Register. The issues were all raised by members of the public. (Balt. Sun)

Bail set for operators of raided Baltimore County drug clinic

A grand jury indicted two operators of a prescription drug clinic in Timonium arrested in a Tuesday raid on charges of conspiracy to distribute Schedule II narcotics. (Balt. Sun)

Md. doctors probe old cases for lead exposure

A day after the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cut in half the threshold for determining lead exposure in the nation's children, pediatricians faced the task of identifying new cases from thousands of their old files. (Balt. Sun)

At Preakness time, a new optimism

The Preakness Stakes arrives at Pimlico Race Course on Saturday absent one of the event's hallowed traditions. Sure, there will be sundresses and hats, black-eyed Susans, drunken infield revelry and, in a recent addition to the bill, faux-mythological mascots. But what's missing this year is the hand-wringing about whether this Preakness will be Maryland's last. For once, there are some signs of optimism in Maryland's horse racing industry, and not just about the marquee event on Saturday. (Balt. Sun)

C. Fraser Smith: Teachable moments in Annapolis 

This week in Annapolis, we had the Tea Party arguing that the end is near for our system. We had the Republicans arguing more stridently that the end is near for our system. We had defenders of pit bulls arguing that the end is near for all dogs. There were almost as many of these pro-canine petitioners as there were anti-tax voices and forecasters of doom. We had a few members of the General Assembly attempting to use the special session as a lesson in how government works. And we had others who missed an opportunity to offer the same important message. (Daily Record)

Barry Rascovar: Despite tax hikes, fiscal woes continue

Now that Maryland Democrats have raised state income taxes for the rich and upper middle class to balance the state budget for a year, does this solve our financial problems? Nope.Their actions don’t come close to erasing Maryland’s structural deficit. There’s not even a respite: Come next year, the governor and state lawmakers still face a deficit of at least a half-billion dollars. (Gazette)

Baltimore and bigotry

It is always tempting to ignore the bluster and bombast emanating from the vicinity of Patrick L. McDonough, the Baltimore County delegate and radio talk show host who considers himself a man of the people but mostly is a self-promoting bomb-thrower. His is a career built on angry sound bites and finger-pointing, particularly at minority groups, while his actual legislative accomplishments in Annapolis can be contained in a thimble — with room to spare. (Balt. Sun)

Del. Anne R. Kaiser: The pending referendums--a different perspective

I have every confidence in Marylanders and in their progressive voting history. I believe that our state will send the clear message that we in Maryland value equality. We value liberty. We value education for all. We value privacy. We’ve already demonstrated these shared values at the polls. (Gazette)

Big shoes to fill for police commissioner’s replacement

Baltimore is losing its police commissioner. And what a loss it will be. Frederick H. Bealefeld III will be a hard act to follow. The mayor and her team need to get this one right. (Daily Record)

Selling democracy

Sen. Ben Cardin put his finger on one of the country's biggest political problems when he visited us Monday to talk to the editorial board of The Frederick News-Post -- the amount of money being poured into national campaigns. (News-Post)

Blair Lee: Make me wanna holler

A lot of troubling annoyances — war, taxes, inflation, crime, trigger-happy policing — made the late Marvin Gaye “wanna holler and throw up both my hands.” Well, move over, Marvin, I’m right there with you. (Gazette)

It was a quick and fruitful special session

The rhetoric flew thick and fast during the waning hours of the 2012 legislative session in Annapolis, and to an extent, that continued into the special session called by Gov. Martin O'Malley to complete work on a balanced state budget. (Daily Times)

Special tax deals unfair

The 15-year real estate tax abatement for the Superblock in West Baltimore raises important policy issues that need to be addressed. Specifically, should the city — and in certain cases, the state — grant economic incentives for real estate developments that 1) create competitive disadvantages for existing property owners and 2) reduce the city's property tax revenues from large-scale commercial developments? From my private-sector perspective, the answer to the question is simple: Granting tax abatements that disadvantage existing taxpaying properties is wrong and will lead to an overall loss of tax revenues for the city. (Balt. Sun)

Donald C. Fry: We can’t throw transit under the fiscal bus 

Opponents of proposals to raise Maryland’s gas tax rate or find other ways to increase revenue to address our state’s crisis in funding transportation infrastructure aim particularly vitriolic derision at one element of that infrastructure – transit. It’s largely the fault of costly transit that our state doesn’t have enough money to pay for its highway infrastructure, argue lawmakers and advocates who weigh in against raising revenue to the state’s long-stagnating transportation trust fund. (Daily Record)

We need a war on lead poisoning

The reports that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cut its threshold for lead poisoning from 10 micrograms per deciliter to 5 micrograms were something of a simplification. What the CDC said, after years of study and discussion, was that no level of lead exposure for children is safe. The 5-microgram level was set somewhat arbitrarily as the point at which doctors and public health officials would recommend parents take action to reduce their children's risk, but there is ample evidence to show that levels of 3 or 4 micrograms — and perhaps even lower — are associated with learning and attention deficit disorders later in life. (Balt. Sun)

Neil Ridgely: Public should keep close eye on board

The most compelling reason I recently filed a fourth complaint against the Carroll County Board of Commissioners is pretty apparent: They are using a secret color-coded paper memo system to arrange their votes on issues before acting them out in public. (Carr. Co. Times)