O’Malley spars with Franchot over gas tax proposal

BY: Associated Press
POSTED: February 8, 2012
Tags: democrats, gas tax, gasoline, martin O'Malley, mitt romney, new york times, peter franchot, presidential campaign, republican, sales tax

ANNAPOLIS — Perhaps it was the long board meeting.
Gov. Martin O’Malley and Comptroller Peter Franchot, Democrats on the Board of Public Works, gave punchy responses Wednesday to reporters’ questions about O’Malley’s proposal to apply the sales tax to gasoline.
O’Malley, responding to Franchot’s criticism of the plan, described him as “kind [...]

O’Malley testifies for gay marriage

BY: Associated Press
POSTED: January 31, 2012
Tags: gay marriage, General Assembly, house of delegates, legislation, martin O'Malley, religious institutions, same-sex marriage, senate, Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee

ANNAPOLIS — Gov. Martin O’Malley says legalizing gay marriage in Maryland is a matter of protecting children.
The governor, a Democrat, testified in support of his proposal to allow same-sex marriages before the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee on Tuesday afternoon.
O’Malley said the bill will offer certain legal protections to children of gay [...]

O’Malley takes new tack on wind 

BY: Nicholas Sohr
POSTED: January 23, 2012
Tags: agenda, Constellation Energy, Exelon Corp., flush tax, General Assembly, legislative agenda, martin O'Malley, marylands, offshore wind power, religious organizations, same-sex marriage, transportation funding, wastewater treatment, wind power

ANNAPOLIS — Gov. Martin O’Malley’s second try at legislation to foster development of an offshore wind energy farm includes what he has billed as stronger protections for power customers and more palatable requirements for utility companies.
The governor called the new wind bill “a reasonable approach that caps exposure for ratepayers and yet sends a clear [...]

O’Malley to discuss legislative agenda in ‘Tweetup’

BY: Associated Press
POSTED: January 23, 2012
Tags: General Assembly, legislative agenda, legislature, martin O'Malley, off-shore energy, same-sex marriage, tweetup, twitter, wind

ANNAPOLIS — Gov. Martin O’Malley will be outlining his legislative agenda.
O’Malley is hyping his announcements on Monday by touting what is being described as the first “Tweetup” by a Maryland governor. A “Tweetup” is an in-person gathering of people who normally only communicate on Twitter.
The governor’s event will be focused on his legislative priorities for [...]

150 rally at State House for higher gas tax 

BY: Nicholas Sohr
POSTED: January 19, 2012
Tags: AAA Mid-Atlantic, Annapolis, Blue Ribbon Commission on Maryland Transportation Funding, Donald C. Fry, Gonzales Research and Marketing Strategies, Greater Baltimore Committee, james a. russ, kathleen snyder, lon anderson, martin O'Malley, Maryland Chamber of Commerce, Maryland Transportation Builders and Materials Association, Mid-Atlantic Laborers’ Cooperation Trust, Mid-Atlantic Petroleum Distributors Association, rally, state house, transportation

ANNAPOLIS — More than 150 people braved the cold Thursday afternoon to gather in front of the State House and urge lawmakers to raise their taxes.
The coalition of business leaders, transportation advocates, union officials and construction workers called for the state to raise more money to spend on roads, bridges, trains and other transportation projects, [...]

Maryland top earners would pay more under O’Malley budget

BY: Nicholas Sohr
POSTED: January 18, 2012
Tags: budget, e.j. pipkin, infrastructure, martin O'Malley, maryland, online retailers, sales tax, Taxes

ANNAPOLIS — Gov. Martin O’Malley called for higher taxes Wednesday on Maryland’s top earners, new Internet-based revenues, and for counties to shoulder a share of teacher pension costs to support a “difficult” $35.9 billion budget.

The fiscal 2013 proposal is 3 percent larger than this year’s spending plan and would raise taxes on 20 percent of [...]

EDF drops opposition to Exelon-Constellation deal 

BY: Ben Mook
POSTED: January 17, 2012
Tags: Baltimore Gas & Electric, BGE, Christopher M. Crane, Constellation Energy Group, constellation energy nuclear group, edf, electricite de france, exelon, martin O'Malley, PSC, Public Service Commission

Electricite de France, Constellation Energy Group’s largest shareholder and up to now the biggest critic of the company’s planned $7.9 billion acquisition by Exelon Corp., said Tuesday it was now on board with the deal.
The French utility giant had been blasting the deal for months in testimony before the Maryland Public Service Commission, which has [...]

Maryland schools ranked 1st in the nation again

BY: Associated Press
POSTED: January 12, 2012
Tags: achievement, Education, education week, martin O'Malley, maryland, policy, public schools, school, student

Maryland public schools have been ranked first in the nation for the fourth year in a row by a leading education publication.
Education Week gave the state an overall letter grade of a B+ in its annual report, which analyzes state education policies and student achievement. Massachusetts, New York, and Virginia followed Maryland with a B [...]

O’Malley floats 1-cent sales tax hike 

BY: Nicholas Sohr
POSTED: January 11, 2012
Tags: Annapolis, Anne Arundel County, Calvert County, chesapeake bay, democrats, flush tax, General Assembly, hike, martin O'Malley, maryland, Michael E. Busch, Prince George's County, sales tax, Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr., transportation

ANNAPOLIS – Gov. Martin O’Malley floated a 1-cent sales tax increase on Wednesday as another potential remedy to the state’s persistent and widespread money problems.

The idea appeared to catch lawmakers off guard as they gathered in the State House for the start of the 90-day legislative session that will have them debating increased spending on [...]

O’Malley to ask for $372M for school construction 

BY: Nicholas Sohr
POSTED: January 10, 2012
Tags: Annapolis, General Assembly, Germantown Elementary School, martin O'Malley, maryland, school construction

ANNAPOLIS – Gov. Martin O’Malley called for nearly $372 million to build and upgrade Maryland schools on Tuesday but said he has not finished a plan that is expected to seek more money to spend on transportation.
O’Malley has said he will use state building projects in his fiscal 2013 budget proposal to spur hiring in [...]