Election: Early and
Secured
Governor Robert Ehrlich vetoed the
provision. The General Assembly overrode the Governor.
The courts said forget about because the constitution only allows
for one day in November. The Baltimore Sun on December 20,
2006 said that lawmakers are trying to come up with a constitutional
amendment to allow for multiple days of voting.
Not too far behind is the issue with the Diebold
machines, that has been to focus of conversation for nearly four
years and three elections. There were many debacles that
happened during the September 2006 primary that involved a flaw with
the e-poll books that is used to check voters in. For the
record, I didn't have any problems on either election day, but then
again, I did my voting at 8:00a.m.
The September problems were resolved for the most
part, but many people opted to vote via absentee. A move that
was being pushed by Governor Robert Ehrlich (R) and Montgomery
County Executive Douglas Duncan (D). My guess is that
lawmakers will come up with a law requiring a paper back up.
Ground Rents
This came about after a series of articles
in The
Baltimore Sun. Ground Rents goes back to colonial times in
the free state where someone owns the ground that your house is
built on, even though you own the house. Ground Rent mostly effects
Baltimore (City and County) along with Anne Arundel County. In
recent years, ground rent investors have filed lawsuits and have
executed evictions for back rent (some for as small as $24.)
Several lawmakers, according to The sun, are trying to change the
law regarding ground rent. Among the idea of bills being
floated about, preventing homes from being seized over missed rent
payments and banning the creation of new land leases.
Slots
Yes, here we go again. Slots were
made legal in Pennsylvania not too long ago and Delaware has had
slots for years. Governor Robert Ehrlich (R) has tried to pass
slots three out of four years, with the closest year was 2005, where
a slots bill passed both houses. The road block that year was
the person who sponsored the slots bill that passed, House Speaker
Michael Busch (D-Dist. 30.) Come to think of it, he has been
the road block the other two years as well. But in the year a
slots bill was passed, there were two different versions which meant
that it would have to go to a conference committee. Busch did
not select anyone to said committee and the slots bill died amid
controversy. Many of the jurisdictions in the bill were either
in Republican strongholds or they were placed in locations that
Ehrlich promised not to bring slots.
Governor-elect Martin O'Malley had said that he
was sick of the issue and felt that it has held the state in moving
forward on other matters. But he did say that he is in favor
for a limited number of slots to save the free state's proud horse
racing industry. But even that will still be a tough sell in
the house. Back on October 30, 2006, Busch told The Capital
that regardless if Ehrlich was re-elected or if O'Malley was
elected, he is still opposed to slots, period. Also opposed at
last check, the delegation from Prince George's County.
The Budget and Taxes
There are future budget deficits
projected. There was one projected for this year, but it looks
like there will be enough reserves to cover it. O'Malley has
stated that he is not looking to raise taxes, but Ehrlich says that
is exactly what is happening. He says that the Democrats are
making the budget picture worse than it is to set up a tax
hike. Remember a couple of years ago, the Democratic
controlled General Assembly wanted to raise the sales tax, but
Ehrlich held the line. |
