In miniature, April 10

Sine Die edition:

• General Assembly declined chance to fix Sixth District gerrymander, rolling the dice on whether Supreme Court ruling will lead to crisis in mid-summer [Tamela Baker, Herald-Mail (Hagerstown); Samantha Hogan, Frederick News Post; earlier]
• Not only was it a win for well-heeled alcohol interests when the General Assembly snatched liquor regulatory powers away from Comptroller Peter Franchot, but it also pleased some advocates of nanny state controls on alcohol, who also prefer a regime of higher prices and less competition. Bad all ’round;
• Sens. Jill Carter (D-Baltimore) and Michael Hough (R-Frederick County) are right: doing away with statutes of limitations would be an engine of new injustice, and the General Assembly was right not to pass the bill by Del. C.T. Wilson (D-Charles County) attempting to change that [Danielle Gaines, Maryland Matters]
• How’d the Maryland Senate come to *unanimously* approve a late-filed asbestos-suit $$$ grab that even Brian Frosh’s office says could be held unconstitutional? Ask Peter Angelos and Sen. Jeff Waldstreicher [Bruce DePuyt, Maryland Matters, Danielle Gaines (Court of Appeals Chief Judge Mary Ellen Barbera appears before committee “to underscore for you how deeply we oppose this attempt to intrude upon the Judiciary”), more (Frosh)]
• Glad these didn’t pass: “just cause eviction” bill would have impaired property rights and economic vitality in Montgomery County [unfavorable House report; Harvey Jacobs, WTOP]; various restrictions on gun rights, although the Assembly did abolish the handgun permits board to which citizens could appeal adverse police decisions; “source of income discrimination” legislation that would have compelled landlords to participate in the Section 8 voucher program [unfavorable report, withdrawn]; collective bargaining for student athletes [unfavorable report, withdrawn; Bruce DePuyt, Maryland Matters]
• If your Maryland business pays dues to a statewide business advocacy org that didn’t scream bloody murder about the terrible $15 wage bill, time to replace that org’s salaried leadership and prepare to rebuild [Richard Douglas, Maryland Reporter, earlier]

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In miniature, February 7

• “Officials, Lawyers Lament Inability to Root Out Police Corruption” [Danielle Gaines, Maryland Matters]
• And the problems go way, way back, as a new memoir relates (stealing from Sears at Christmastime!) [Fern Shen, Baltimore Brew]
• This might help: “Md. Lawmakers should make police discipline records public” [David Plymyer, Baltimore Sun]
• “If policymakers want their states to be people magnets, they should get their household tax burdens down to 8.5 percent of personal income or lower.” [Chris Edwards]
• In the name of combating human trafficking, a term susceptible of many definitions, Frederick County council gets ready to impose new licensing burdens on hotels, motels, “bodywork” studios [Allan Etzler, Frederick News Post]
• How to densify MoCo [Seth Grimes, Greater Greater Washington]

In miniature, January 12

• The mega-$$$$ in new spending from the Kirwan Commission education recommendations will be solid, the promises of accountability less so [James V. Shuls, Maryland Public Policy Institute; Len Lazarick, Marc Tucker, Lazarick]
• Speaking of which, is the problem with Baltimore schools underfunding? [Jason Bedrick, Cato, 2015] “Baltimore schools spend 27% more than Fairfax County [Va.] schools per student and a majority of the money comes not from the city but from the state and federal government.” [Alex Tabarrok] “The city of Baltimore received over $1.8 billion from President Barack Obama’s stimulus law, including $467.1 million to invest in education and $26.5 million for crime prevention.” [Elizabeth Harrington, Free Beacon]
• Michael Busch as full-time Anne Arundel County recreation administrator, and more problems with letting state legislators work for local governments [David Plymyer, Maryland Matters]
• Tales of Baltimore’s gun buyback [Jazz Shaw, Zuri Davis]
• Maryland’s evolving approach to expert testimony [Derek Stikeleather, Maryland Appellate Blog]
• North Howard St., Baltimore’s old Antique Row, struggles amid zoning constraints and neglect from City Hall [Antonio Grana, Market Urbanism Report]

In miniature, December 21

• MoCo vs. NoVa: “’Our corporate tax rate in Maryland is 8.25%. In Virginia, it’s 6%,’ said Basu. ‘That’s a major factor in these site-location decisions.'” [quoted in Bruce DePuyt, Maryland Matters] Maryland got off lucky in Amazon decision [Eric Stokan and Roy T. Meyers, Len Lazarick, Maryland Reporter, Michael Horney, Free State Foundation and related] “Attract Businesses like Amazon with Lean Government, Not Pork” [Vanessa Brown Calder and Chris Edwards, Crain’s New York/Cato and Chris Edwards on interstate tax migration]
• Poor Baltimore, over-policed and under-policed at once [Scott Beyer, Governing]
• Cash exactions levied on land development should meet constitutional standards whether grounded in official discretion or legislation [Ilya Shapiro and Reilly Stephens on Cato Institute brief in Dabbs v. Anne Arundel County]
• “Manufacturers denounce Baltimore climate lawsuit” [National Association of Manufacturers, background]
• Anne Arundel County man killed by cops showing up to confiscate his guns under Maryland “red flag” law [Baltimore Sun, WBFF]
• “Maryland’s New #MeToo Law May Do Little to Expose Workplace Harassment” [Christopher Humber, National Law Review]

In miniature, November 10

Midterm campaign edition:

• An issue in some races: “Critique of Maryland Congestion-Relief Plan Rests on Very Bad Logic [Austill Stuart] So much for the “Lexus Lanes” epithet: “Congestion pricing is not just slanted toward the elite” [Tyler Cowen]
• Brian Frosh is part of a state-AG task force that subpoenas and investigates private groups and individuals for having promoted erroneous opinions on environmental questions. Which should have been more controversial during the campaign [Mark Uncapher]
• Republican mailers assailed Dems on this issue, yet “supervised injection facilities save lives” [Jacob Sullum, Reason]
• Sen. Ron Young (D-Frederick), at 12:55: stop saying we raised taxes 46 times, I counted and we only raised them 15 times [FNP podcast debate with Craig Giangrande]
• In Maryland as elsewhere, “single payer in one state” is more of a political stunt than a practical program [Todd Eberly]
• Poor showings at Tuesday’s polls for many lawmakers rated highly by Maryland Business for Responsive Government could spell trouble ahead on business issues [MBRG]

In miniature, August 24

• So embarrassing for Maryland that Attorney General Brian Frosh signed onto this turkey of a lawsuit challenging Congress’s curtailment of the SALT deduction [Howard Gleckman]
• I was a guest of Jerry Rogers on WBAL to talk about the showdown between conservative religious adoption agencies and LGBT rights groups and you can listen here (background);
• Baltimore politicos move to save city from non-threat / non-horror of private water supply [Joe Setyon, Reason]
• Sen. Ben Cardin, sometimes painted as cautious or even moderate, throws red meat to Left on Brett Kavanaugh nomination [Bruce DePuyt, Maryland Matters]
• “Among the questions about Mr. Elrich is one he raised himself by pledging to invite the president of the largest county employees union into interview and hiring deliberations ‘for any and all department heads’ in the county. That is an extraordinary promise…also unwise.” [Washington Post editorial]
• How a machine based on the schools lobby ran politics for years in Montgomery County [Adam Pagnucco, The Seventh State]

In miniature, July 4

• Hogan vetoes extremely bad teachers union bills, which are dead for now [Sun, Post]
• Good news: Anne Arundel GOP primary voters oust wackypants theocracy buff Michael Peroutka [Chase Cook/Capital Gazette, four years ago]
• From costly new spending pledges to school aid redistribution to his use of the word “uprising,” Ben Jealous’s record will be vulnerable to Larry Hogan on multiple fronts #DontBeJealous [David Lublin, The Seventh State]
• On the radio: I discuss gerrymandering and (as mentioned) Primary Day politics as a guest on Jennifer Charlton’s Success Matters (WFMD), Trump attorneys and Husted (Ohio voter rolls) on WBAL’s Yuripzy Morgan show, and Masterpiece Cakeshop, Justice Kennedy’s retirement with Jerry Rogers on WBAL, and Benisek (Maryland redistricting) oral argument on WBAL’s C4 show
• Sounds like a well-planned-out law: Google suspends running campaign ads in Maryland following enactment of new disclosure law [Michael Dresser, Baltimore Sun]
• Back door Annapolis attempt to get rent control into Montgomery County fails, for now [Adam Pagnucco, Seventh State; HB0995 withdrawn after unfavorable report by Environment and Transportation committee]

In miniature, June 5

• Washington Post editorial board applauds Gov. Hogan’s veto of a shameless power grab by the state’s teachers’ unions;
• Montgomery County might elect a decades-long socialist as its next county executive. Does that matter much? [The Seventh State: Adam Pagnucco, Marc Elrich response, David Lublin, Marc Elrich response]
• Becomes law without governor’s signature: bad measure guaranteeing to union fruits of previous contract even after it expires [Glynis Kazanjian, Maryland Reporter]
• Bill in last assembly session would have required colleges to implement “hate-bias” prevention programs, adopt mandatory training of 1st-years [Aryssa Damron, College Fix; met with unfavorable report from Appropriations]
• Budget-busting disability mandate: “Annapolis should keep hands off local pensions” [Ken Decker, Maryland Reporter]
• MoCo: “Co-Owner of Closing Restaurant Blasts Liquor Monopoly” [Adam Pagnucco, The Seventh State]

In miniature, May 10

• Baltimore city schools, which say they can’t afford to heat buildings adequately in winter, have 44 employees who earn more than Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan [Chris Papst, WBFF] “School bus driver in fatal 2016 crash was involved in at least a dozen collisions or medical emergencies in the five years prior.” [Scott Dance, Baltimore Sun]
• Good question: “Why did Republicans Oppose Free Market Alcohol Reforms?” [Brian Griffiths, Red Maryland]
• Metro’s misery: “ATU Local 689 has fought against firing track inspectors who falsified inspection reports and put public safety at risk.” [David Lublin]
• “Free Speech Index: Grading the 50 States on Political Giving Freedom” Alas, Maryland ranks 46th and gets an F. [Institute for Free Speech]
• College Park, Hyattsville prepare to let non-citizens vote. Illegals too? [Sapna Rampersaud, NRO]
• “Opinion: A tipped server from Seattle says Madaleno’s $15 minimum wage bill cuts incomes” [Simone Barron, Maryland Reporter] “The unintended victims of a $15 minimum wage are small businesses and their employees” [Mike O’Halloran, NFIB]

In miniature, February 18

• Should landlords be legally obliged to provide voter registration materials to their tenants? [HB5, Del. J. Lewis; companion bill HB55, which would impose similar requirements on real estate agents and brokers, was reported unfavorably by Economic Matters]
• Noteworthy Twitter thread on theft of rental cars has Maryland State Police angle [Noah Lehmann-Haupt]
• An unwarranted curtailment of individual choice: bill sponsored by Del. Vanessa Atterbeary (D-Howard) would ban marriage by persons under 18 even with parent/guardian consent [HB 191]
• “Dollar home” programs show mostly sparse results in urban revitalization, especially when regulatory strings come attached [Jared Alves, Greater Greater Washington on lessons for Baltimore]
• Why Baltimore’s Civilian Review Board hasn’t done much to fix its police crisis [J.F. Meils, Maryland Reporter]
• “Maryland Delegate Proposes Regional Pact To Keep Taxpayer Money from Financing Redskins’ Stadium” [Andrew Metcalf, Bethesda Magazine on Del. David Moon (D-Takoma Park) bill]