maryland juice: purple line

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Saturday, December 20, 2014

House of Delegates Committee Rosters, MD Congressmen Split on Cromnibus & Business Leaders Launch Purple Line Effort

Friends, this may be one of the final few "Juiceblenders" I publish before being sworn into the General Assembly in January. After that, I plan to turn over curation of this blog to a handful of new Juicers. This would be an all-volunteer project and a potentially time-consuming labor of love, but if you're a progressive Maryland politico who might be interested in joining the team, shoot me a note at david---(AT)---marylandjuice.com, and I can explain what this'll entail. In the meantime, I have a few interesting updates for politicos:

JUICE #1: HOUSE SPEAKER MICHAEL BUSCH ANNOUNCES COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS // PLUS: MD JUICE CONSTRUCTS FULL LISTS OF NEW ROSTERS - Below we publish a press release from the Speaker's office highlighting which committees the 58 incoming Freshman Delegates will serve on. Note that the press release only indicates where the new members are headed and where incumbents who are changing committees are headed. As a result, below the Speaker's press release, I've constructed lists of each committee's full membership that includes the incumbents staying put alongside the new committee members.

PRESS RELEASE

SPEAKER BUSCH ANNOUNCES COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS
ANNAPOLIS, MD – House Speaker Michael E. Busch today announced committee assignments for six standing committees in the House of Delegates. In the upcoming session, Appropriations will have 26 members, Health & Government Operations and Economic Matters each will have 24, and Environmental Matters, Ways & Means and Judiciary will have 22 members.

The committees are balanced to reflect the demographic, geographic and party makeup of the legislature.

The following Delegates and Delegates-elect were appointed today. Delegates not included on this list will maintain their current committee assignments.

APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE
Delegate Aruna Miller (District 15)
Delegate Benjamin S. Barnes (District 21)
Delegate-elect Brooke Lierman (District 46)
Delegate-elect Patrick Young (District 44B)
Delegate-elect Shelly Hettleman (District 11)
Delegate-elect Mark Chang (District 32)
Delegate-elect Marc Korman (District 16)
Delegate-elect Michael Jackson (District 27B)
Delegate-elect Carol Krimm (District 3A)
Delegate Andrew Serafini (Delegate 2A)
Delegate-elect Jeff Ghrist (District 36)
Delegate-elect Michael McKay (District 1C)
Delegate-elect Mary Beth Carozza (District 38C)
Delegate-elect David Vogt (District 4)
Delegate-elect Robin Grammer (District 6)

ECONOMIC MATTERS COMMITTEE
Delegate Luke Clippinger (District 46)
Delegate Kris Valderamma (District 26)
Delegate C. William Frick (District 16)
Delegate Jeff Waldstreicher (District 18)
Delegate Talmadge Branch (District 45)
Delegate C.T. Wilson (District 26)
Delegate-elect Mary Ann Lisanti (District 34A)
Delegate-elect Ned Carey (District 31A)
Delegate-elect Benjamin Brooks (District 10)
Delegate Mark Fisher (District 27C)
Delegate Steve Arentz (District 36)
Delegate-elect Christopher Adams (District 37B)
Delegate-elect Seth Howard (District 30B)
Delegate-elect Johnny Mautz (District 37B)

ENVIRONMENT AND TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE
Delegate Kathy Szeliga (Delegate 7)
Delegate-elect Tony Knotts (Delegate 26)
Delegate-elect Clarence Lam (District 12)
Delegate-elect Cory McCray (District 45)
Delegate-elect Carl Anderton (District 38B)
Delegate-elect Andrew Cassilly (District 35B )
Delegate-elect Robert Flanagan (District 9B)

HEALTH & GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS COMMITTEE
Delegate Herb McMillan (District 30A)
Delegate-elect Antonio Hayes (District 40)
Delegate-elect Angela Angel (District 25)
Delegate-elect Erek Barron (District 24)
Delegate-elect Terri Hill (District 12)
Delegate-elect Sheree Sample-Hughes (37A)
Delegate-elect Karen Young (District 3A)
Delegate-elect Matt Morgan (District 29A)
Delegate-elect Sid Saab (District 33)
Delegate-elect Christian Miele (District 8)
Delegate-elect Chris West (District 42B)

JUDICIARY COMMITTEE
Delegate-elect Will Campos (District 47B)
Delegate-elect Will Smith (District 20)
Delegate-elect David Moon (District 20)
Delegate-elect Marice Morales (District 19)
Delegate-elect Vanessa Atterbeary (District 13)
Delegate-elect Charles Sydnor (District 44B)
Delegate-elect Jay Jalisi (District 10)
Delegate-elect Deb Rey (District 29B)
Delegate-elect Brett Wilson (District 2B)
Delegate-elect Trent Kittleman (District 9A)
Delegate-elect William Folden (District 3B)

WAYS & MEANS COMMITTEE
Delegate Mary Washington (District 43)
Delegate-elect Andrew Platt (District 17)
Delegate-elect Eric Ebersole (District 12)
Delegate-elect Darryl Barnes (District 25)
Delegate-elect Diana Fennell (District 15)
Delegate-elect Jimmy Tarlau (District 47A)
Delegate-elect Edith Patterson (District 26)
Delegate-elect Bob Long (District 6)
Delegate-elect Ric Metzgar (District 6)
Delegate-elect Jason Buckel (District 1B)
Delegate-elect Meagan Simonaire (District 31B)
Delegate-elect Haven Shoemaker (District 5)
Delegate-elect Kevin Hornberger (District 35A)
Delegate-elect Teresa Reilly (District 35B)

###

The lists above do not tell you what the full memberships of the new committees will look like, so I went ahead and tried to compile this information. If you see any errors, please email me at david---(AT)---marylandjuice.com.

JUDICIARY

WAYS AND MEANS

APPROPRIATIONS

ECONOMIC MATTERS

ENVIRONMENT & TRANSPORTATION

HEALTH & GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS

JUICE #2: MARYLAND CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION SPLITS OVER CROMNIBUS BUDGET VOTE // WALL STREET WELFARE VS. PASSING A FEDERAL BUDGET? - Last week, members of Congress came dazzlingly close to not passing a budget. But in contrast to past instances of budget showdowns, it was liberal members of Congress (spearheaded by Senator Elizabeth Warren and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi) joined by conservative budget hawks, who were raising a ruckus. The Boston Globe provided a summary of what went down (excerpt below):

BOSTON GLOBE: Last week in Washington was supposed to go like this: The House and Senate would each introduce a $1.1 trillion spending bill to keep the government running through September; Senator Ted Cruz would briefly seize the spotlight with his diva routine; then both houses would pass their respective bills and go home....

Evidently, no one consulted Elizabeth Warren. You’d think by now they would have learned. Warren objected to two provisions slipped into the bill at the last moment. One increased by tenfold the amount of money rich donors can give to party committees. The other unwound a part of the Dodd-Frank financial reforms forbidding banks from gambling on risky swaps using government-guaranteed accounts. Appallingly, as Mother Jones revealed, Citigroup lobbyists wrote the language gutting this protection, a change that will directly benefit the bank.

Warren’s election to the Senate coincided with a change in the way the institution operates that she has masterfully exploited. In the days before crises and shutdowns were standard, senators exerted influence through legislation. But Congress has all but stopped legislating. The current one has passed the fewest bills in 60 years. Today, the senators most effective at influencing the national debate are not Old Bulls like Ted Kennedy but younger figures like Cruz and Warren whose ability to communicate clear, powerful ideas resonates with the public....

Interestingly, Maryland's Congressional Delegation split in half over this vote, with 50% of Maryland House Representative's supporting the budget, and 50% opposing it. The overall vote in the U.S. House was 219-206, and here's how Maryland members voted:

YES ON CROMINBUS

Rep. John Delaney (D)
Rep. Andy Harris (R)
Rep. Steny Hoyer (D)
Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger (D)

NO ON CROMNIBUS

Rep. Elijah Cummings
Rep. Donna Edwards
Rep. John Sarbanes
Rep. Chris Van Hollen

If you want to hear more about the reason for the split on this vote, you can listen to Sen. Elizabeth Warren's floor speech decrying giving more power to big banks like Citigroup:

JUICE #3: MARYLAND BUSINESS LEADERS LAUNCH CAMPAIGN TO PROMOTE PURPLE LINE // READ THEIR LETTER TO GOVERNOR-ELECT LARRY HOGAN - With Governor-elect Larry Hogan's stance on the Purple Line coming down soon, Maryland business leaders have launched an effort to make the case for the project. Indeed, maintaining a predictable business environment, creating thousands of new jobs, and bringing millions in investment to Maryland are all goals pegged to keeping the light rail project on track. Below we publish a letter recently sent by business leaders to Mr. Hogan:

Dear Governor-Elect Hogan:

We are the Economic Partners of the Purple Line, a coalition of developers and business groups working in Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties. We are writing to you in support of the Purple Line light rail project. Many of us have been Purple Line advocates for over the last two decades, and we would like to meet with you to discuss this project’s overwhelming economic benefits to our businesses, our local communities, and the State of Maryland.

After many years of hard work and planning, the Purple Line is almost ready for construction, which is scheduled to begin in 2015. Cancelling or delaying this project at this late stage would have drastic consequences, including the loss of almost $1 billion in federal funding and approximately $170 million in state funds that have already been spent on engineering and right-of-way acquisition.

The federal funds come from the Federal Transit Administration’s “New Starts” program, and thus cannot be used for anything other than the Purple Line light rail project. If the project is delayed or canceled, these federal funds may instead fund another transit project in a different state. In fact, Congress recently approved a budget deal immediately appropriating $100 million for the Purple Line, which the state would have to repay if the project does not go forward. Furthermore, because of the “lockbox” amendment, for which many of us advocated, the Purple Line funds already programmed in the State’s CTP can only be used for transportation.

This transit project connecting Maryland’s first-ring suburbs will generate economic activity that far exceeds the initial investment of $2.45 billion in federal, state, and private dollars. It is projected to carry over 70,000 riders a day along its 16 mile alignment, and will connect Metro’s Red, Green, and Orange lines as well as MARC and local bus services. Essentially, it will function as an expansion of the Metro system at much less cost. Some of the economic benefits this transit enhancement will generate include the following:

According to a 2014 study by the American Public Transportation Association, roughly every $1 billion spent on transit generates $3.7 billion in economic activity. Between 2003 and 2013, the expansion of Dallas’ light rail system generated $7.4 billion in additional activity, in return for the $4.7 billion investment—this represents a ROI of 157%.

Increasingly, residents want to locate or live near transit, and this preference is reflected in higher rental rates and land values. Attracting and retaining these younger, professional residents who want to live in urbanizing, transit-oriented neighborhoods is essential to growing our local economy.

The Purple Line will bring jobs to Maryland by making this area more competitive in the increasingly challenging market for federal agencies and private employers. For example, Prince George’s and Fairfax Counties are currently vying for the new FBI headquarters, which would bring 11,000 federal jobs to Maryland.

The Purple Line will be delivered as a public-private partnership, leveraging between $500-900 million in private funding for the project. Because the project will be financed, designed, built, operated, and maintained privately, this arrangement will allow for cost savings as a result of multiple efficiencies in labor management, materials, and scheduling. The fact that four multinational consortia, each consisting of several major construction and engineering firms, are bidding on the Purple Line is a strong indication of the project’s strength and viability.

The Purple Line will better connect the researchers and students at the University of Maryland with the employers in Silver Spring and Bethesda— two of the state’s major job centers.

As you know, success in real estate and business requires long-term strategic thinking. Accordingly, many of our companies have made significant investments and business decisions in reliance on the expectation that the Purple Line would be built after so many years of intensive, detailed study. Thousands of hours have been spent scrutinizing and debating a variety of transit options and routes, and the plan that is now moving forward has been thoroughly vetted by community groups, developers, businesses, and local, state, and federal agencies. In addition, the four finalists bidding on the Purple Line have spent tens of millions of dollars preparing their proposals in response to the Maryland Transit Administration’s RFP process.

We are eager to work with you to ensure the project is delivered cost-effectively, and that the opportunity for transit-oriented development around the stations is maximized. However, halting this project at the eleventh hour would further undermine business confidence in Maryland—and we know this is exactly the opposite of your intention.

In Northern Virginia, business leaders successfully rallied to help secure the funding and construction of the Silver Line, which will bring enormous economic benefits to Tysons Corner and Reston. The existing road network inside Maryland’s Capital Beltway is essentially “built out,” so even if we wished to expand it significantly we would be unable to do so—which means that our innermost suburbs cannot continue to grow or compete with Virginia unless we expand our transit capacity. We are one state, and the continued prosperity and economic vitality of Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties benefit all of Maryland.

We sincerely congratulate you on your victory, and share your goals of improving the state’s business climate, growing our economy, and putting Marylanders to work. We look forward to meeting with you to discuss how the Purple Line can help achieve these goals.

Sincerely,

Thomas S. Bozzuto, Chairman and CEO
The Bozzuto Group

Rob Bindeman, President
Landmark Realty, Inc.

Chris Bruch, President and COO
The Donohoe Companies

Desiree A. Callender, President
Prince George’s County Association of REALTORS

Oliver Carr III, CEO
Carr Properties

John F. Collich, Senior Vice President
B.F. Saul Company

Robert O. Eisinger, Managing Member
ProMark Real Estate Services LLC

Thomas M. Farasy, President
Purple Rail Alliance, Inc.

Doug Firstenberg, Principal
StonebridgeCarras

Greg Ford, President
Greater Capital Area Association of REALTORS

Georgette Godwin, President and CEO
Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce

Evan Goldman, Vice President
Federal Realty Investment Trust

David Harrington, President and CEO
Prince George’s Chamber of Commerce

Lori Graf, Chief Executive Officer
Maryland Building Industry Association

Charles A. Irish, Jr., President
VIKA Maryland, LLC

Ginanne Italiano, President and CEO
The Greater Bethesda-Chevy Chase Chamber of Commerce

Rich Jordan, Senior Vice President
The JBG Companies

David Kitchens, Principal
Cooper Carry

Bruce H. Lee, President
Lee Development Group

Sally T. Modjeska, Executive Director
NAIOP Maryland/DC Chapter

Charles K. Nulsen III, President
Washington Property Company

Richard Parsons, Vice Chair
Suburban Maryland Transportation Alliance

Jane Redicker, President and CEO
Greater Silver Spring Chamber of Commerce

Thomas L. Regnell, President and CEO
The Chevy Chase Land Company

Stacy Spann, Executive Director
The Housing Opportunities Commission

Bob Youngentob, President
EYA

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

AFTERMATH - So Larry Hogan's Our Governor: What Happened Down-Ballot, What's Next & What About the Purple Line?

Below Maryland Juice provides a few thoughts on last night's wild (and disappointing) election returns:

JUICE #1: WHAT HAPPENED IN MARYLAND'S DOWN-BALLOT RACES? - I have to admit, I wasn't quite expecting Larry Hogan to have a shot at winning the Governor's race (known unforced errors notwithstanding). However, I fully expected that several races down-ballot would be hotly contested in the General Election. After all, Maryland's rapidly growing Democratic electorate is geographically concentrated with some tentacles into counties like Howard & Frederick that are adjacent to Blue hotspots. When political demographics shift, wave years for political parties (like we saw this year, in 2010, and during the Newt Gingrich years) can often eliminate incumbent lawmakers who sit in districts that have become home to the opposing party. This year in Maryland was (unfortunately) no different.

The short summary is this: In the House of Delegates, Democrats are facing a net loss of 7 seats, and in the Senate, Republicans will gain 2 seats. Democrats will still hold a solid majority in both chambers. Blogger David Lublin over at The Seventh State framed the consequences accurately: "The Democrats who lost in the General Assembly are almost all moderate or conservative Democrats.... The Democrats will be more liberal and the Republicans more conservative." Heading into the 2015 legislative session, Democrats will hold 91 seats in the House of Delegates, while Republicans will hold 50. But of the 91 Democratic lawmakers, 26% will represent Montgomery County, 25% will represent Prince George's County, and roughly 18% will represent Baltimore City. That means nearly 69% of the Democratic House Caucus will come from the "Big 3" jurisdictions.

In the State Senate, Democrats will hold 33 seats, with the Republicans holding 14. 24% of the Democrats will be from Montgomery County, 24% will represent Prince George's, and 15% will represent Baltimore City. In the upper chamber, 63% of Democrats will represent the "Big 3" jurisdictions.

Below I've noted some of the noteworthy down-ballot election results from around the state. Though it was a bad night for Democrats, some of the races below are Democratic pick-ups:

STATE SENATE CHANGES (GOP NETS 2 SEATS):

D6 (-1 DEM OPEN SEAT): Johnny Ray Salling (GOP) beats Johnny Olszewski Jr (DEM)
D29 (-1 DEM): Steve Waugh (GOP) beats incumbent Roy Dyson (DEM)
D34 (GOP HOLD OPEN SEAT): Bob Cassilly (GOP) beats Mary-Dulany James (DEM)

HOUSE OF DELEGATES CHANGES (GOP NETS 7 SEATS):

D1B (-1 DEM): Jason Buckel (GOP) beats incumbent Kevin Kelly (DEM)
D2B (-1 DEM): Brett Wilson (GOP) beats incumbent John Donoghue (DEM)
D3A (+1 DEM IN 2 OPEN SEATS): Carol Krimm & Karen Young (ALL DEM) beat Paul Smith & Victoria Wilkins (ALL GOP)
D6 (-3 DEM): Bob Long, Robin Grammer & Ric Metzgar (ALL GOP) beat incumbent Mike Weir & 2 Democrats
D29A (-1 DEM IN OPEN SEAT): Matt Morgan (GOP) beats Daniel Slade (DEM)
D29B (-1 DEM): Deb Ray (GOP) beats incumbent John Bohanan (DEM)
D31A (+1 DEM): Ned Carey (DEM) beats Terry Lynn DeGraw (GOP)
D34B (-1 DEM IN OPEN SEAT): Susan McComas (GOP) beats Cassandra Beverly (DEM)
D35A (LOSS ACCOUNTED FOR IN D34B): Kevin Bailey Hornberger (GOP) beats incumbent David Rudolph (DEM)
D38B (-1 DEM): Carl Anderton Jr (GOP) beats incumbent Norm Conway (DEM)
D34A (NO CHANGE): Incumbent Glen Glass (GOP) & Mary Ann Lisanti (DEM) win

NOTE ON DEFEATED DEMS: Del. Norm Conway is House Appropriations Chair; Del. David Rudolph is House Economic Matters Vice-Chair; Sen. Roy Dyson is Senate Education, Health & Environmental Vice-Chair. We can expect some shifting of positions due to these losses.

CONGRESS (ALL INCUMBENTS WIN RE-ELECTION): Though every member of Congress in Maryland is headed to re-election, the CD6 race between Rep. John Delaney and Dan Bongino was an interesting one. Here are the final numbers (not including absentee and provisional ballots):

John Delaney 89,318
Dan Bongino 87,152

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY EXECUTIVE (GOP HOLD OPEN SEAT)

Del. Steve Schuh (GOP) beats George Johnson (DEM)
County Council will be 4 GOP to 3 DEM (one of the GOP being a seccessionist)

BALTIMORE COUNTY EXECUTIVE (DEM HOLDS SEAT)

Incumbent Kevin Kamenetz (DEM) beats George Harman (GOP)
County Council will be 3 GOP to 4 DEM

FREDERICK COUNTY EXECUTIVE (DEM WINS FIRST EVER ELECTION)

Jan Gardner (DEM) beats Blaine Young (GOP)
County Council will be 5 GOP to 2 DEM

HOWARD COUNTY EXECUTIVE (GOP WINS OPEN SEAT)

Sen. Allan Kittleman (GOP) beats Courtney Watson (DEM)
County Council will be 1 GOP to 4 DEM

BALLOT QUESTIONS

MD Question 1 - "Transportation Fund Lock Box" was Approved
MD Question 2 - Authorization for County Executive Special Elections was Approved
MoCo Question A - Residency Requirement for District Councilmembers was Approved
PG Question J - Longer Term Limits for County Officials was Rejected

JUICE #2: WHAT HAPPENS NEXT: 2018 ELECTION TEA LEAVES - Last night Maryland Juice was watching election coverage on News Channel 8. Doug Gansler's running-mate, Jolene Ivey, was on-air talking about the election returns, and it sure sounds like Gansler might run again in 2018. Gansler has also since appeared in post-election coverage criticizing the Brown campaign (see eg: WBAL). The other candidate in the Democratic Gubernatorial Primary, Heather Mizeur closed out the General Election with a Baltimore Sun op-ed stating, "our time will come at some future election." Let's also not forget that Congressman John Delaney was polling the Governor's race (with his name included) during the primary. The Baltimore Sun included Ken Ulman in a list of election winners & losers (listed as a winner), with the following statement: "You may have dodged a bullet by avoiding the trap of being Maryland's lieutenant governor, historically a one-way ticket to nowhere.... See you in four years." Lastly, The Sun's list also mentioned Comptroller Peter Franchot, who also flirted with a gubernatorial bid this cycle: "In an awful year for Democrats, Comptroller Peter Franchot actually increased his margin of victory from 2010. He ran strong where Democrats did well, and he ran strong where they didn't." Last night's election results were utterly disappointing, but I guess we'll at least have something to talk about for four years.

JUICE #3: MOVING FORWARD & THE FUTURE OF THE PURPLE LINE - I don't want to spend too much time talking about the Governor's race, but I posted my very brief thoughts on Facebook earlier this evening:

As noted above, I am indeed thinking about how to adjust to the reality of a Hogan administration. Of primary concern are two issues that should not be seen as partisan: 1) funding for severely overcrowded schools in Montgomery County, and 2) funding for transit projects that are near-ready to break ground, like the Purple Line. The transit-focused blog Greater Greater Washington today discussed the impact of a Hogan administration on the Purple Line and included some of my thoughts (excerpt below):

GREATER GREATER WASHINGTON: Business groups supported Hogan because of his message of tax cuts. They also have strongly favored the Purple Line. Will they tell Hogan that it's important to them? David Moon, an organizer who once ran the Purple Line Now campaign and was just elected to the House of Delegates from the Silver Spring/Takoma Park area, said, "You're not going to be able to [win Hogan over] from a regional DC-suburban perspective, or a liberal transit versus roads perspective," or the environment (he ran against a stormwater fee calling it a "rain tax"). But if businesses are willing to stand up for infrastructure that will generate economic growth, he said, that is more compelling....

The interesting piece has generated a decent amount of commentary and debate (see here).

That's all I got for now....

Monday, October 27, 2014

GUEST POST: Warning from Former MoCo Planning Board Chair Gus Bauman on the MD vs. VA Transportation Battle

Former Montgomery County Planning Board Chair Gus Bauman provided Maryland Juice the following guest post on the transportation infrastructure race between Maryland and Virginia. His comments below were sent in two batches to County officials (once in 2009 and later in 2014). You can read his thoughts on the challenges facing Maryland below, triggered by the opening of the Northern Virginia WMATA Silver Line this past July:

GUS BAUMAN (CIRCA 2014): To the County Executive, Council Members, Planning Board Members: Tomorrow, July 26, 2014, at high noon, Montgomery County’s future will, in my judgment, have reached a tipping point. The Silver Line’s first phase to Tysons and Reston opens; five new Metro stations in prime areas of Fairfax County will change everything. Then it’s on to Dulles Airport.

Recently, DC opened a new Metro station at NoMa. Development is exploding there. Alexandria, for its part, is nailing down the location of its new Metro station at the growing urban center of Potomac Yard. In short, as I see it, the economic future of our region is increasingly concentrating along the Blue and Orange and now Silver Lines. The cultural vibrancy of the DC area is rapidly consolidating around places like U St., 14th St., Ballston, Clarendon. Tysons and Potomac Yard will invariably follow.

We must be candid with ourselves. Except for Silver Spring, Montgomery County has no place today that can realistically compete for the attentions and diverse demands of the all-important Uber Generation. I sent off a warning, called A Looming Challenge, about all this 4.5 years ago (see the attachment). We are now 4.5 years closer to our mutual future.

Gus Bauman's 2014 comments are a follow-up to the following letter (aka attachment) he sent county officials in 2009:

GUS BAUMAN (CIRCA 2009): Dear County Executive Leggett, County Council President Floreen and Council Members, Planning Board Chairman Hanson and Planning Board Members; In recent days, I have had the opportunity to tour several major transportation projects being built in the DC region and to review materials related to the forthcoming impacts of those projects. I have come to the conviction that the cumulative impacts of these projects are about to transform profoundly how people will view the DC region and, by extension, Montgomery County's place in it. Because of the geographic positioning of these projects and the singular timing of their arrival, how Montgomery County views its future may well need reassessment.

Consider the following.

Immediately to Montgomery County's west, in Fairfax County, Metrorail's Silver Line is well under construction. In 2013, a little over three years from now, four stations will open in Tysons Corner alone. That is akin to the Gallery Place, Metro Center, Farragut North, and Dupont Circle Red Line stations all opening at once. Simultaneously, the Capital Beltway HOT lanes are well under construction along a 14 mile corridor, centered on Tysons Corner, in northern Virginia. They are scheduled to open in 2012. Tysons Corner is then poised to commence massive redevelopment of its 3,200 acres.

To provide some sense of equivalent comparisons, downtown Bethesda covers 400 acres. The Life Sciences Center encompasses 900 acres. Immediately to Montgomery County's east, in Prince George's County, sits the future city of Konterra. It is ready to begin development once the Intercounty Connector (MD 200) interchanges with I-95. That will occur in 2012. Konterra covers 2,200 acres. Its ultimate scale will be enormous. Thus, just when we will likely have emerged from the Great Recession, the landscape we have been used to for so long will be radically changing on Montgomery County's western and eastern borders. Even before this coming upheaval in the region, looking at just one indicator of the long-current status quo should give one pause in Montgomery County. Already, of the 20 busiest Metrorail stations, fully 18 are in DC, Arlington County, and Fairfax County. Shady Grove is the 14th busiest and Silver Spring the 15th (Bethesda is the 21st). Once the Silver Line starts service in 2013 (and later continues westward to Dulles Airport), a more pronounced shift of the region's economic resources away from Montgomery County can reasonably be expected if current assumptions are not reexamined. And Konterra will likewise be pulling significant economic resources eastward.

Nothing I have stated is to begrudge our neighbors the creative initiatives they have embarked upon. It is all to their credit. But these huge initiatives, centered on imminent alterations to the region's transportation network west and east of Montgomery County, will likely shift the dynamic of growth, and life, within the County as well as the region. Of course, Montgomery County is not standing still. It also stands to gain from MD 200's interchange with I-270 as well as the County's plans for the I-270/MD 355 corridor.

Yet, I would respectfully suggest that the County's future-thinking needs to focus more on Montgomery's realworld position in a highly competitive region about to change dramatically on our borders. The looming challenge now posed by what is just around the corner should not be permitted to sap Montgomery County's viability within a strong region.

Mr. Bauman's comments mirror Maryland Juice's own worries about Virginia's significant investments in transit infrastructure in recent months.

Friday, August 15, 2014

JUICE: Analysis of Governor's Race Between Anthony Brown & Larry Hogan, MD Transportation Funding Crisis and More!

Below Maryland Juice provides a round-up of news of interest to politicos:

JUICE #1: ANTHONY BROWN VS. LARRY HOGAN ANALYSIS // IS THIS GOING TO BE A CLOSE GUBERNATORIAL RACE? - Maryland Juice had been hearing about a poll for November's gubernatorial race allegedly showing Lt. Governor Anthony Brown ahead by only single digits against GOP activist Larry Hogan. I had not actually seen a copy of the polling memo, but earlier this week Center Maryland columnist Josh Kurtz wrote that he was shown a copy of the results (excerpt below):

CENTER MARYLAND: A recent statewide poll that was shared with me the other day, which was not conducted for either of the candidates for governor, showed Brown with a 46 percent to 40 percent lead over Hogan. The survey was taken by a highly reputable D.C.-based pollster who has vast experience querying Maryland voters. So, a 6-point lead. Not time to hit the panic button, if you’re a Democrat. But nothing to be too comfortable about, either. Could Brown lose? It’s hard to see at this point....

Previous polls in the Brown-Hogan race (as recent as July 2014) showed Brown with dougle-digit leads against Hogan, so I'm slightly skeptical about the accuracy of the supposed 6-digit Brown lead. It's hard to tell where that number is coming from without looking at the turnout modeling and the sample used in the new poll. If you have a copy of the results and care to share them, feel free to send them to david@marylandjuice.com.

RECENT HISTORY OF TURNOUT IN GUBERNATORIAL ELECTIONS: In the meantime, here are a few shorthand numbers showing the difficulties facing the Maryland GOP in November. First, in 2010 (the last gubernatorial General Election), we witnessed a match-up between two candidates who had both served as Governor: Martin O'Malley and Bob Ehrlich. Note that 2010 was a fairly low turnout election year, and we were then in the midst of the national Tea Party wave. Here's how many Democratic, Republican and unaffiliated voters turned out in 2010:

Democrats 993,674 (50.77% Turnout)
Republicans 546,962 (59.09% Turnout)
Unaffiliated 168,634 (35.39% Turnout)

As you can see, even in a bad turnout year for Democrats, Republicans are still far outnumbered -- even if every independent voter who showed up voted with the GOP.

PARTISAN POLARIZATION IN MARYLAND: Has the political world changed enough since 2010 to produce a plausible Republican victory? I am skeptical. For that to happen, there would need to a huge number of persuadable/movable voters within the state's Democratic and unaffiliated voter pools. But one insightful analysis of the 2010 O'Malley-Ehrlich election cycle indicates that Maryland has America's most polarized electorate, meaning that there are hard lines between Democratic and Republican voters -- with very few swing voters that will shift allegiances. In 2011, the Legislative District Index blog highlighted Maryland's unique electorate (excerpt below):

LDI BLOG: Maryland is by far the most polarized state we have come across. Sure, there are other states with districts far more Democratic than the rest, but that is a natural feature - metro areas are going to produce these sort of bumps. But generically, the middle 50% of districts are within a fairly narrow electoral band +/- 10% or so. Now, those districts might favor one party of the other, but the central point is that there is a large swath of the electorate that is of a relatively similar composition - the ability to win them over to your side probably translates into electoral success for your party.

In Maryland however, that middle section is totally absent. I believe the kind of data we're seeing here makes a strong case for campaigning to your base rather than the middle in Maryland, as there isn't a homogenous middle-group to court. It immediately brings to mind some of the ridiculous cynical campaign tactics employed by the Ehrlich and Steele campaigns - fake brochures advertising Republicans as Democrats, ground campaigns to designed to cause confusion and uncertainty within the Democratic base, rather than winning over those middle, "independent", Maryland voters. While their tactics were absolutely indefensible, they were operating them along the only path to victory they saw - bolstering turnout among their supporters, and counting on that huge Democratic base to miss out on election day.....

LARRY HOGAN PIVOT? - We're already seeing GOP gubernatorial nominee Larry Hogan half-heartedly trying to remain in contention with the state's moderate voters. For example, The Seventh State blog noted that a secessionist candidate narrowly won a Republican Primary for the Anne Arundel County Council, and Hogan was quick to distance himself from the crazy (excerpt below):

SEVENTH STATE: Anne Arundel County Council Candidate Michael Peroutka was until recently the rare political bird who refused to talk to the media. When he finally did agree to talk to reporters, one cannot help but think that the original refusal was the better bet....

Peroutka has been active in the John Birch Society but it is his current board membership on the League of the South that has attracted scrutiny. Labeled a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, the League advocates secession from the U.S. Indeed, the video above shows Peroutka asking people to “stand for the national anthem” of Dixie–not the Star-Spangled Banner....

As a result, Republicans have started running for the hills. Gubernatorial Candidate Larry Hogan wisely didn’t wait to disassociate himself from Peroutka and his campaign says that Hogan “absolutely disavows” him. Peroutka now whines that Hogan didn’t “dialogue” with him.....

But is distancing yourself from a local candidate advocating for secession enough to win over Democratic and independent voters in a liberal state like Maryland? I hardly think so.

OTHER FACETS TO THE 2014 GUBERNATORIAL RACE: In contrast to 2010, Anthony Brown (who has been on the statewide ballot twice) will be more well-known by voters than first-time candidate Larry Hogan. Moreover, the 2014 primary turnout differences between Democrats and Republicans were quite vast, even with contested races for both parties:

2014 ELECTION DAY & EARLY VOTE PRIMARY TURNOUT (BY PARTY)

Democrats: 470,528
Republicans 217,707

IMPACT OF FUNDRAISING ON THE GOVERNOR'S RACE: One final note to consider is the fundraising differentials between Anthony Brown and Larry Hogan. The Washington Post's John Wagner recently highlighted the impact of Larry Hogan's decision to use public financing for his campaign (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON POST: The Republican nominee for Maryland governor, Larry Hogan, has become the first candidate in 20 years to participate in the state’s public financing system in the fall election, a move likely to leave his campaign with far less money to spend than his Democratic opponent.

Hogan will receive a grant of about $2.6 million from the state, and his campaign will not be allowed to spend more than that on the race, election officials said Wednesday. The decision cements Hogan’s financial disadvantage in the race against Lt. Gov. Anthony G. Brown, who spent about $9 million this year to win the Democratic primary and has started to replenish his war chest....

One wrinkle to these fundraising dynamics is that since Hogan is receiving public financing, he will have access to cash much quicker than Anthony Brown. The Lt. Governor likely had to spend down the millions he raised during the primary for his battle against Doug Gansler and Heather Mizeur. Indeed, as of June 8th (before the primary was completed), the Friends of Anthony Brown campaign account had only $543,510.55 cash on hand.

So as I see it, to keep the Brown campaign on track to defeat Larry Hogan, our Lt. Governor needs to start rebuilding his cash advantage as quick as possible and should start finding ways to excite the Democratic base in our highly polarized state. But hey, what do I know! Just my two cents.

JUICE #2: BALLOT QUESTIONS THAT WILL BE ON THE NOVEMBER BALLOT // MARYLAND TRANSPORTATION FUNDING CRISIS AND SPECIAL ELECTIONS - MoCo's new political blogger Paul Bessel highlighted two ballot questions that voters will get to weigh in on this November (excerpt below):

PAUL BESSEL: This year (November 4, 2014) there will be two proposed Maryland Constitutional Amendments on the ballot.... That's fewer ballot questions than in many previous years.

The first ballot question asks voters if the Maryland Constitution should be amended to make it more difficult for money in or intended to go into the state's Transportation Trust Fund (TTF) to be used for purposes other than transportation. In the past, this money was sometimes used to balance the overall state budget, not for transportation needs.

If this Constitutional amendment is adopted, in the future any use of this TTF money other than for transportation would first need a formal statement by the Governor that there is a "fiscal emergency" and then 60% of each house of the legislature would have to approve it.

The other proposed Constitutional amendment would allow counties such as MoCo to provide for special elections to fill any vacancies in the office of County Executive, just as now can be done for vacancies on the County Council....

MARYLAND TRANSPORTATION FUNDING CRISIS: Of the two ballot questions, I find the one about the Transportation Trust Fund to be the more intriguing one. By all measures, the United States and Maryland are facing huge transportation funding crises. The Washington Post's Ashley Halsey reported on the political contours of the national infrastructure funding problem (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON POST: Fearful they may lose the Senate in November, Democrats want to force Congress to come up with a long-term method to pay for transportation funding in the lame duck session. Republicans, hopeful they will be in control next year, want to set a May 31 deadline for the task....

The issue is of mind-numbing complexity and might be ignored were it not for the fact that, without a temporary funding extension and then a long-term plan to find new revenue, federal money to build and maintain the nation’s roads, bridges and transit systems will begin to run dry in August.

The Highway Trust Fund that relies primarily on fuel taxes no longer brings in enough cash to pay the bills submitted by the states. The White House has warned that it will run into the red next month, requiring an immediate infusion of money to keep current projects going, and then a creative way to bring in more revenue for the long haul....

Indeed, infrastructure funding has never been a sexy priority for policymakers -- until we start seeing levies break and bridges fall (aka after the damage has already been done). But closer to home, the problem for Maryland is one of economic stagnation, especially while Virginia is now kicking our asses in quickly building 21st century transit projects.

VIRGINIA CRUSHING MARYLAND FOR INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT: I truly believe that Northern Virginia's faster build-out and funding of transit projects is a much greater threat to Maryland than their lower tax rates. Virginia, after all, has always had lower taxes than Maryland, but their race to build infrastructure is a new development. Take a look what's going on in the former heart of the confederacy:

WASHINGTON METRO SILVER LINE TO VIRGINIA OPENS: In case you haven't heard, the new WMATA Silver Line to Virginia has opened. The Washington Times provided a hint about the economic development impact of this transit project for the state (excerpt below).

WASHINGTON TIMES: Gerald Gordon, president and CEO of the Fairfax Economic Authority, said the commitment to the Silver Line was crucial to the area economy. “The initial impact of the Silver Line was having major corporations come to Tysons specifically because of the Silver Line and having companies remain in Tysons because of it,” Mr. Gordon said....

The Fairfax Board of Supervisors is expecting almost 100,000 jobs to be added by 2050 as a result of the line, according to a 2010 report. Mr. Gordon said the line will help establish Tysons as a major city — not just in the region but the world. “You can’t be a world-class city unless you have a rail system,” Mr. Gordon said. “Now we can compete with cities that do have a rail system and become a world-renowned city.”

Here's a video about Virginia's Silver Line:

VIRGINIA "METROWAY" BRT SERVICE OPENS THIS MONTH: Coming right off the heels of the Silver Line opening, The Washington Post's Luz Lazo reports that Northern Virginia will this month also open a new "bus rapid transit" system (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON POST: The Washington region’s first bus rapid transit system is set to open next month. The service, called Metroway, will feature bus-only lanes along a five-mile stretch of roadway in Crystal City and Potomac Yard in Arlington and Alexandria. It introduces a new bus experience to the Washington region: buses will travel much of the route traffic-free, they will be frequent, and riders eventually will be able to pay their fare before boarding. Buses will serve stops equipped with shelters, benches and lighting between the Braddock Road and Crystal City Metro stations....

The service will offer faster rides and shorter waits at the bus stop. Buses will travel most of the route in bus-only lanes. Bus rapid transit is viewed as a way to speed public transit without the huge costs involved in building rail lines.... “We are extremely pleased to launch Metroway in the (Crystal City-Potomac Yard) Corridor, a first for Metro and the region,” Metro General Manager Richard Sarles said in a statement. “This new premium service will provide faster commutes, better connection to existing and developing retail areas, and expand economic growth within the Arlington and Alexandria communities along Route 1.”

Here's a video about the Virginia Metroway BRT system:

NORTHERN VIRGINIA STREETCAR PROJECT GETS FUNDING: Lastly, The Washington Post's Patricia Sullivan reported last month that Virginia policymakers have dumped funding into a streetcar project expected to generate a large revenue boost (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON POST: Virginia will increase state funding for the controversial Columbia Pike streetcar project by up to $65 million, the state transportation chief told officials in Arlington and Fairfax counties this week, allowing the streetcar line to be built at least a year faster and without federal funds.... The long-planned streetcar line, which is expected to run from the Skyline area of Fairfax to the Pentagon City Metro station, has been projected to cost about $358 million. Arlington dropped that estimate to $333 million Friday because of the faster completion time. County officials hope it will be done by 2020....

Not using federal funds means that the county can assume its normal inflation rate of 3 percent for the project, not the federal transit agency-suggested 4 percent. Local elected officials say no homeowner-financed general obligation bonds or residential taxes would go toward building the project, although operating costs are expected to be borne by taxpayers.... The project is closely tied to Arlington’s plans for redeveloping the aging corridor, which county officials say will preserve more than 6,000 affordable apartments for several decades.

A county-funded consultant’s study released in March said the streetcar would generate $3.2 billion to $4.4 billion in new real estate value for Arlington and Fairfax counties over 30 years. It also estimated that the streetcar would produce $455 million to $895 million in new tax revenue for both counties over 30 years, attract 6,600 new jobs within 10 years, and increase state income and sales taxes....

Here's a rendering of the Northern Virginia streetcar project:

WHAT DOES VIRGINIA'S TRANSIT PUSH MEAN FOR MARYLAND? - So while Maryland policymakers have fixated on Virginia's tax rates, our neighbors have been focusing on something else altogether: building modern transit infrastructure that will attract investment, boost tax revenues, and provide better commutes for residents.

Notably, Maryland has multiple transit projects on the books (Baltimore's Red Line, the Montgomery County/Prince George's Purple Line, the Corridor Cities Transitway, the Montgomery County rapid transit system, etc). But it seems quite likely that all of Virginia's transit projects will be funded and built before Maryland even breaks ground on any of its new transit lines. Given these facts, can we really afford to pay for these projects (that are critical to economic development), if we continue on the path of voluntarily cutting our revenues (eg: through more tax cuts)?

JUICE #3: FBI DEBATING MOVING HEADQUARTERS FROM DC TO PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY - One bright spot in our regional competition for jobs, is that the feds are thinking about moving the FBI headquarters (and its 11,000 jobs) to Prince George's County. The Washington Business Journal reported on the development (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON BUSINESS JOURNAL: After more than a year of anticipation, the General Services Administration on Tuesday named three sites — one in Springfield and two in Prince George's County — on its short list of potential locations for a new FBI headquarters.

Greenbelt and the Landover Mall in Prince George's and the GSA warehouse in Springfield in Fairfax County made the list, ruling out a range of wildcards such as the Westphalia Town Center and Exxon Mobil's Merrifield campus. The short list excludes D.C. from the running, but many real estate experts regarded Mayor Vincent Gray's proposal, Poplar Point, as a long shot at best.

The Greenbelt and Springfield sites were long expected to be high on the GSA's short list, while Lerner Enterprises surprised many by offering up the former Landover Mall as a contender in January. Lerner Enterprises is owned by the Lerner family, which also owns the Washington Nationals....

The new headquarters, which will house 11,000 employees, must be at least 2.1 million square feet and will cost an estimated $2 billion to build. Sites were required to be no more than 2 miles from a Metro station and 2.5 miles from the Capital Beltway....

Will Maryland beat out Virginia on at least this project? We shall see!

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

ISSUE JUICE: Roll Calls on Transgender, Minimum Wage, Estate Tax & Pot Bills // PLUS: Purple Line, School $, Privacy & More!

Below Maryland Juice provides a round of updates regarding hot button legislation in the Free State:

JUICE #1: ROLL CALL // TRANSGENDER NONDISCRIMINATION BILL PASSES STATE SENATE - After years of stalled efforts, the Maryland Senate passed the "Fairness for All Marylanders Act" (32-15) to provide transgender residents protection from discrimination. 4 Democrats joined 11 Republicans in voting against the nondiscrimination bill, while only 1 Republican voted in favor of transgender nondiscrimination. See the names of lawmakers who broke party lines below:

Democrats who voted against transgender nondiscrimination:

John Astle (D30)

Ed DeGrange (D32)

Roy Dyson (D29)

Jim Mathias (D38)

Republicans who voted for transgender nondiscrimination:

Allan Kittleman (D9)

The measure now awaits consideration in the House of Delegates, where we expect it to pass, given its broad support (eg: 61 members co-sponsoring the bill).

JUICE #2: ROLL CALL // $10.10 MINIMUM WAGE INCREASE PASSES HOUSE OF DELEGATES WITHOUT INDEXING - Last week the Maryland House of Delegates approved an increase in the state's minimum wage to $10.10 an hour. The vote was 89-46 (via Washington Post), but according to a press release from Raise Maryland, the bill was watered down a bit along the way (excerpt below):

RAISE MARYLAND: Key provisions of the Maryland Minimum Wage Act of 2014 were stripped out during consideration of the bill in the House Economic Matters Committee. A proposal to index the minimum wage so that it would rise during to keep pace with the cost of living was amended out of the bill. A measure to raise wages for tipped workers from 50 to 70 percent of the minimum wage has been changed to freeze tipped wages at $3.63, the current rate. This amendment means that as the minimum wage rises, tipped worker’s pay would remain at the current level, giving them a pay cut. Advocates are working to keep address these issues in the Senate version of the bill, as well as an amendment that broadly exempts amusement parks....

Every Republican Delegate voted against the minimum wage increase, along with 7 Democratic members of the House. See the names of lawmakers who broke party lines below, along with a few members for whom there is no vote recorded either way:

Democrats who voted against a $10.10/hour minimum wage:

Pamela Beidle (D32)

Eric Bromwell (D8)

Norm Conway (D38B)

Kevin Kelly (D1B)

Joseph Minnick (D6)

David Rudolph (D34B)

John Wood (D29A)

Democrats with no recorded final vote on a $10.10/hour minimum wage

Luiz Simmons (D17) - NOTE: Simmons had an excused absence due to the death of his father

Theodore Sophocleus (D32)

MIZEUR AMENDMENT: Delegate Heather Mizeur, a gubernatorial candidate, offered a last-minute amendment to try and revive indexing in the minimum wage bill through a 2% annual increase after the wage reached $10.10. Mizeur's amendment was defeated in a 8-124 vote, but here are the names of the seven other Delegates who supported her effort. Note that Doug Gansler's running-mate, Jolene Ivey, voted for Mizeur's amendment:

Liz Bobo (D12)

Jolene Ivey (D47)

Doyle Niemann (D47)

Shane Robinson (D39)

Mary Washington (D43)

Ana Sol Gutierrez (D18)

Joseline Pena-Melnyk (D21)

The minimum wage increase now awaits consideration in the Maryland Senate.

JUICE #3: ROLL CALL // MARIJUANA DECRIMINALIZATION PASSES MARYLAND SENATE COMMITTEE - Last week the Maryland Senate's Judicial Proceedings committee approved legislation to remove jail time as a penalty for marijuana possession. State Senator Bobby Zirkin (a bill sponsor) issued the following press release explaining the legislation (excerpt below):

BOBBY ZIRKIN: The bill will create a civil fine not to exceed $100 for adults possessing a small quantity of marijuana. In addition, minors who are found in possession are subject to the $100 fine but also must appear in court in front of a judge or a juvenile master. Juvenile offenders could be ordered to participate in community service or participate in drug education programs.

The bi-partisan vote in the Judicial Proceedings committee was 8-3. Here are the Senators who voted for and against the bill:

Senators who voted for marijuana decriminalization in committee:

Jim Brochin (D42 Democrat)

Jennie Forehand (D17 Democrat)

Brian Frosh (D16 Democrat)

Nancy Jacobs (D34 Republican)

Anthony Muse (D26 Democrat)

Jamie Raskin (D20 Democrat)

Chris Shank (D2 Republican)

Bobby Zirkin (D11 Democrat)

Senators who voted against marijuana decriminalization in committee:

Steve Hershey (D26 Republican)

Norm Stone (D6 Democrat)

Lisa Gladden (D41 Democrat)

The measure now awaits consideration by the full Senate and action in the House, though it is worth noting that decriminalization legislation passed the Senate last year. Meanwhile, officials in neighboring Washington, DC have decriminalized pot.

JUICE #4: FEDS APPROVE FUNDING FOR PURPLE LINE // LIGHT RAIL SYSTEM WILL OPEN IN 2020 - Maryland's light rail Purple Line project was approved for federal funding last week. The transit line would run from Bethesda to New Carrolton, with numerous stops in Montgomery and Prince George's counties. The Washington Post's Katie Shaver reported on the development (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON POST: A proposed light-rail Purple Line project has been recommended for $100 million in federal money in the next fiscal year as part of President Obama’s budget released Tuesday.... Just as significant to the project’s future is that the Purple Line was included on a list of seven large transit projects nationwide that the Federal Transit Administration recommends for a “full funding grant agreement,” a longer-term commitment by the federal government to help pay for the project’s construction.... “This is really good news,” said Rep. Donna Edwards (D-Md.), whose district includes part of the proposed Purple Line route in Prince George’s County. “This really keeps the Purple Line on the trajectory we need.” The 16-mile light-rail line would have 21 stations from Bethesda in Montgomery County to New Carrollton in Prince George’s. Maryland transit officials have said they hope to begin construction in 2015 and begin service in 2020.

JUICE #5: ROLL CALL // ESTATE TAX CUT APPROVED BY MARYLAND HOUSE OF DELEGATES - Progressive Maryland and some labor allies launched a campaign to stop a cut to Maryland's estate tax. Last week a Maryland Juice reader reported that Progressive Maryland had even launched calls to voters offering to patch them through to their lawmakers. But the organization reported on Facebook last week that the House of Delegates approved the estate tax cut (excerpt below):

PROGRESSIVE MARYLAND: Maryland House of Delegates just voted 120-13 in favor of cutting taxes for the wealthiest 3% of Maryland estates via HB 739. This vote came just 1 day after the State disclosed that it is in a budget hole and is weighing a $300 million cut to teachers and other state employees' pensions....

Progressive Maryland reported that 13 Democrats opposed cutting the estate tax, and we learned that a 14th Delegate added their name to the "no" votes:

Charles Barkley (D39)
Liz Bobo (D12)
Al Carr (D18)
Jill Carter (D41)
David Fraser-Hidalgo (D15)
Ana Sol Gutierrez (D18)
Carolyn Howard (D24)
Tom Hucker (D20)
Eric Luedtke (D14)
Heather Mizeur (D20)
Shane Robinson (D39)
Jeff Waldstreicher (D18)
Alonzo Washington (D22)
Mary Washington (D43)

The tax cut bill is now awaiting action in the State Senate.

JUICE #6: IN MIDST OF MEDIA AND NONPROFIT CRITICISM, LAWMAKERS ABANDON BILL TO BAN ACADEMIC BOYCOTTS - Maryland Juice previously reported on a controversial bill (HB998 & SB647) pitting the politics of the Middle East against academic freedom. The Washington Post recently editorialized against the bill, as it would prohibit state funding for academics engaged in boycotts (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON POST: When an academic group announced it would boycott Israel’s higher-education institutions, the president of the University of Maryland, like dozens of his peers across the country, condemned the move. “A breach of the principle of academic freedom” said Wallace D. Loh in a joint statement with the school’s provost. We completely agree. However, legislation being advanced by state lawmakers to bar participation in the boycott goes too far and constitutes its own insidious assault on academic freedom. The Maryland General Assembly is considering legislation that would bar public universities from providing funds to academic organizations that support boycotts of Israel.....

Academicians, including those who abhor the boycott, are right to be alarmed by this kind of legislation. The American Association of University Professors argue that the measure would impose a political litmus test on faculty members seeking university support for research meetings and travel.... At a hearing this week before the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee, an official from the American Civil Liberties of Union termed the bill “inimical to democratic principals.” This bill is ill-advised and should be killed. If it advances out of the General Assembly, Gov. Martin O’Malley (D) should veto it.

As a result of the backlash over the bill to ban academic boycotts, at least two sponsors are withdrawing support for the effort. A Maryland Juice reader sent us comments from the offices of two bill sponsors who are now opposing the effort:

OFFICE OF KUMAR BARVE: ... although the delegate co-sponsored HB 998 (Public Higher Education- Use of Funds- Prohibition), he has decided to vote against it if it reaches the House floor.

OFFICE OF MARY WASHINGTON: After further research on the bill, Delegate Washington is no longer supporting HB 998 and has asked to be removed as a cosponsor.

JUICE #7: GOOD BILLS TO SUPPORT // TIME TO PASS BLACK LIQUOR BILL, SECOND CHANCE ACT & PACKAGE OF PRIVACY LEGISLATION - Over the last few years, progressive lawmakers have attempted to pass a few common-sense bills but have been rebuffed time and again.

BLACK LIQUOR: The first bill is a bill to end Maryland subsidies for a dirty energy source called "black liquor" that is produced from wood and paper waste (SB734 & HB747). The Chesapeake Climate Action Network describes the 2014 legislative effort as follows (excerpt below):

CHESAPEAKE CLIMATE ACTION NETWORK: A massive loophole in Maryland's renewable energy law is forcing ratepayers to reward the creation of greenhouse gases and harmful air pollutants. In the 2014 General Assembly, the Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard - Qualifying Biomass bill (SB 734/HB 747) would eliminate that loophole to ensure that Maryland's clean energy is actually clean.

In 2004, Maryland became one of the first states in the country to create a Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS).... However, while fellow Mid-Atlantic States like Delaware and New Jersey get over 70% of their renewable energy portfolios from the wind and sun, these resources make up only 15% of Maryland's portfolio. The primary reason is a flaw in the renewable energy law that supports out-of-state, high-emission black liquor and wood waste facilities that have been in operation for over 32 years on average. These old, polluting facilities are receiving more of our renewable energy dollars than true clean energy sources like wind and solar.

EXPUNGING CRIMINAL RECORDS: The second bill "good bill" we're highlighting is called the Maryland Second Chance Act. This is an effort to allow residents with minor nonviolent criminal convictions to be able to shield them from public view after a number of years (SB1056 & HB1166). The Job Opportunities Task Force provided the following update on the status of this bill:

JOB OPPORTUNITIES TASK FORCE: This Tuesday the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee will consider the Maryland Second Chance Act of 2014. This important legislation would permit the shielding of certain nonviolent misdemeanor convictions from the public. For many Marylanders this means their criminal record would no longer stand in the way of getting a job.

Please take a minute to contact your lawmakers and share your support for SB 1056/ HB 1166. Phone calls are best, but please feel free to send an email using templates for the Senate Judicial Proceedings and House Judiciary Committees.

In a press release yesterday, Maryland Attorney General Doug Gansler (a candidate for Governor) announced that he would be testifying in support of the Second Chance Act at the Senate hearing today (TUE 3/11/14) (excerpt below):

DOUG GANSLER: Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler will tour the Community Kitchen in East Baltimore at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday March 11 to learn how the Episcopal Community Services program uses its catering service to train and certify formerly incarcerated persons and prepare them for employment and careers in food service....

Following the tour, Attorney General Gansler will hold a news conference on site at 11:30 a.m. to discuss his support of The Maryland Second Chance Act of 2014 (SB 1056 and HB 1166) before heading to Annapolis to testify in House and Senate committee hearings on the legislation....

ELECTRONIC PRIVACY LEGISLATION: Lastly, civil liberties advocates are promoting a package of legislation aimed at increasing privacy protections for Marylanders. The Cumberland Times-News reported on the effort (excerpt below):

CUMBERLAND TIMES-NEWS: While technology that tracks cellphones and cars has made work easier for some law enforcement officials, a bundle of proposed laws would ensure that the same technology could not violate Marylanders’ protections from unwarranted searches and seizures.

Members of the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland testified last week in the House Judiciary Committee and the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee in favor of four bills aimed at curbing law enforcement officials’ ability to electronically monitor citizens. If passed, the bills would require law enforcement to obtain a warrant before reading electronic communication and tracking a cellphone.

“Your phone can tell the government where you are at any moment,” said Del. Jeff Waldstreicher, D-Montgomery, who sponsored the bill on cellphone tracking. The proposed bills would also limit the ability of police to use drones, and would place parameters on how long law enforcement officials can keep records based on license plate readers. David Rocah, senior staff attorney with the ACLU, said he is concerned that laws requiring warrants did not yet exist when smartphones be-came available to the public.

JUICE #8: MOCO LAWMAKERS RALLY FOR MORE SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION FUNDING AS COUNTY EXEC CANDIDATES JOCKEY - Montgomery County officials have been pushing for increased school construction dollars from Annapolis this year. In response to surging enrollment, MoCo electeds have joined with lawmakers in Baltimore and Prince George's counties to present a united front for increased modernization funds. But The Gazette's Kate Alexander reported a couple weeks ago that the funding push was facing an uphill battle in the General Assembly. Since then, MoCo officials and residents held a rally in Annapolis, and County Executive Ike Leggett issued an action alert calling on residents to contact the Governor and leaders of the House and Senate. Rival County Exec candidate Doug Duncan also released a letter he sent to MoCo's Del. Anne Kaiser and Sen. Jamie Raskin (MoCo's House & Senate leaders) declaring an absence of "strong, local leadership" on school funding. Below we provide a few excerpts from the relevant statements, starting with dueling releases from Ike Leggett and Doug Duncan:

IKE LEGGETT ACTION ALERT

Overcrowding in County Schools Requires More State Construction Dollars:
Pass Senate Bill 927 and House Bill 1323
Montgomery County is working closely with Baltimore County and Prince George’s County to win a state program where every $2 of County money will be matched by $1 in State money. Together, the three counties represent 44 percent of the State’s students and 46 percent of students eligible for free and reduced meals....

Montgomery County is already planning to invest another $1.1 billion of our own County money for school construction – a record high. Over the last eight years, County funding for school construction has increased by 36 percent.

Montgomery County needs the State of Maryland to step up with a matched program for resources over and above what the County normally receives. Investing in our future teachers, doctors, entrepreneurs, and innovators - and our kids' quality education - is absolutely essential for Montgomery County and is a smart investment for the whole State of Maryland.

For more details on this campaign: http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/schoolfunding/

Send messages to:

Governor Martin O’Malley - governor.mail@maryland.gov

Lt. Governor Anthony Brown - lt.governor.mail@maryland.gov

Senate President Mike Miller - Thomas.v.miller@senate.state.md.us

House of Delegates Speaker Michael Busch - Michael.busch@house.state.md.us

Thank them for their past support and tell these State of Maryland leaders why investing in our schools is critically important and why we need Senate Bill 927 and House Bill 1323.

DOUG DUNCAN'S LETTER TO SEN. RASKIN & DEL. KAISER

Dear Senator Raskin/Delegate Kaiser,

I was disappointed to read last week that Montgomery County local officials are already declaring defeat on our number one priority in Annapolis - obtaining additional school construction funding to address the public school’s system’s severe overcrowding. I am writing to ask you and your colleagues to take decisive action and provide the leadership needed to secure this critical funding approved this year - not later as some have suggested.

Montgomery County faces a public school overcrowding crisis, with approximately 2,500 additional students entering the school system each year for the next several years. We owe every child in Montgomery County the opportunity to learn in a clean, safe, modern, and uncrowded classroom.

As you know, during the debate over increasing the gas tax in 2012, Baltimore City delegation members leveraged their support to get more school construction money – funds they will now receive. Unfortunately, largely due to the absence of strong, local leadership, Montgomery County did not secure a similar funding package to address our significant overcrowding. In fact, it appears that effort was given little consideration until just before this year’s legislative session began.

As a life-long resident of Montgomery County and someone who has always made education my top priority, I respectfully ask that you and your colleagues take over where the local officials have failed, and enact legislation that will lead to Montgomery County receiving its fair share of state school construction funding.

Respectfully,

Douglas Duncan

The Montgomery Sentinel's Holden Wilen covered the jousting over the school funding fight, including commentary from some of the figures above (excerpt below):

MONTGOMERY SENTINEL: Doug Duncan and Ike Leggett are finding themselves at odds again, this time because Duncan says Leggett has not done enough to get Montgomery County its fair share of state construction funding....

[Delegate Anne] Kaiser also shrugged off Duncan’s comments about poor leadership, saying “he should know better.” “(Duncan) knows these things take time,” Kaiser said. “There is no question everyone thinks this is important....”

Leggett campaign officials defended the current county executive’s efforts. According to Scott Goldberg, Leggett’s campaign manager, Leggett has helped secure $262 million in school construction funds during the last seven years. “That is $60 million more than the county received under (Duncan’s) previous seven years—during which the economy was booming and budgets much easier...."

Lastly, the Montgomery County Council released a video last week making the case for increased school construction funding:

Thursday, January 30, 2014

JUICE: Beyer vs. Sen. Madaleno, Delaney for Gov, Attack on Purple Line, Patch.com Folding, Domestic Violence in 2014

Below Maryland Juice provides a round-up of news items of interest to politicos:

JUICE #1: DANA BEYER ANNOUNCES CAMPAIGN AGAINST D18 STATE SENATOR RICH MADALENO - This morning two-time D18 Delegate candidate Dana Beyer announced a campaign for State Senate through a column on The Huffington Post (excerpt below):

DANA BEYER (VIA HUFFINGTON POST): Today I am announcing my next campaign for the betterment of my community in Montgomery County.

We are ready for progress. For too long, hardworking Marylanders have waited for economic fairness and equal opportunity. We have asked our elected officials to help bring better jobs to our neighborhoods, build stronger schools for our children, fix our roads and infrastructure and make quality health care an affordable reality.

We are ready to move forward, and that's why I'm declaring my candidacy for the Maryland Senate.

I am a retired surgeon, a mother of two and a progressive activist. I've spent my entire life fighting for social justice and equal opportunity in our community and around the globe. I'm proud of my track record of success on progressive issues, and now I'm seeking the opportunity to serve you in public office....

The Washington Blade's Michael Lavers also covered Beyer's announcement and carried interesting commentary from LGBT advocates in Maryland (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON BLADE: ... Beyer, 61, announced her campaign slightly more than a week after Madaleno introduced a bill that would ban discrimination against transgender Marylanders.... Carrie Evans, executive director of Equality Maryland, which endorsed Madaleno’s re-election campaign late last year, told the Blade the Montgomery County Democrat’s “strong record of accomplishments go beyond the LGBT communities....” Beyer is a former member of the Equality Maryland board of directors.

Lisa Polyak, who stepped down as chair of the Equality Maryland board in 2012, also defended Madaleno. “Although Dana has been a tireless advocate for transgender equality locally and nationally, she doesn’t possess the seniority or relationships that can advance priorities of LGBT citizens of Maryland,” Polyak told the Blade.

Evans said having another LGBT candidate “challenging our endorsed candidate” will divert the “limited resources that we earmarked to help our friends in other races” who supported Maryland’s same-sex marriage law in 2012. She also described Beyer’s announcement that comes less than a week before the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee hearing on the trans rights bill as “ironic.”

“Some might say the timing of her announcement only serves to distract and potentially diminish our chances of passing the bill,” said Evans. “Since this is our top legislative priority in 2014 and transgender Marylanders should not have to continue to wait for inclusion in the state anti-discrimination laws, Equality Maryland hopes it does not...." Beyer would become the first trans person elected to the Maryland Legislature if she wins in November.

Meanwhile, Sen. Madaleno sent the following email blast today discussing his legislative priorities for the current Annapolis session (excerpt below):

RICH MADALENO: Throughout my legislative career, I have focused on the needs of Maryland’s working families. This year is no different. Below are some of the important initiatives that I am helping to lead in the General Assembly.

MINIMUM WAGE ... As a co-sponsor and strong supporter of legislation recently introduced by Governor O’Malley that would increase the state minimum wage to $10.10 for Maryland employees, I am proud to stand with working families for whom this raise is long overdue....

EARNED INCOME TAX CREDIT ... In his State of the Union address, President Obama additionally announced his support of a key poverty fighting tool that I have been working to expand here in Maryland over the past several years: the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)....

RETIREMENT SECURITY This year I am working with AARP, SEIU, and small business leaders to advance innovative legislation that would establish a state-based retirement savings plan for workers without access to employer-sponsored plans....

PAID SICK LEAVE ... As an extension of my “working families” agenda, this session I am proud to co-sponsor the Maryland Earned Sick and Safe Leave Act, allowing workers in Maryland to earned a limited number of paid sick days....

HEALTHY MARYLAND INITIATIVE ... Last but not least, this year I am a primary sponsor of important legislation that would raise millions of dollars to expand health care access to low-income families in Maryland by increasing tobacco taxes by $1 per cigarette pack.....

JUICE #2: FREDERICK NEWS-POST WEIGHS IN FAVORABLY ON POTENTIAL GUBERNATORIAL CAMPAIGN BY REP. JOHN DELANEY - The editorial board of The Frederick News-Post today issued a piece ruminating on a potential gubernatorial run by Congressman John Delaney. Though the piece isn't quite an endorsement, it seems to come close (excerpt below):

FREDERICK NEWS-POST: ... Delaney, Maryland’s 6th District congressman, was playing his cards close to the vest. While he strongly suggested that he would seek a return to Congress next year, speculation is mounting that he may jump into Maryland’s Democratic gubernatorial primary. The congressman’s refusal to categorically rule out a bid for the Governor’s Mansion adds to the speculation.....

If Delaney does decide to join that race, he could be a formidable contender. Each of the three principal candidates — Attorney General Douglas Gansler, Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown and Montgomery County Delegate Heather Mizeur — has some issues that could work in Delaney’s favor....

We’re not here to plug Delaney as a candidate or to urge him to enter this race. However, we do believe that he would be a good addition to the lineup and give Maryland Democrats more choice in the June primary. He might also have wider overall appeal than Brown, Gansler or Mizeur due to his entrepreneurial and business experience....

JUICE #3: PATCH.COM LAYS OFF HUNDREDS OF JOURNALISTS // WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD FOR LOCAL POLITICAL COVERAGE? - Patch.com has been operating numerous micro-news sites in Maryland, but Breitbart reported yesterday that the publication eliminated hundreds of journalists without warning (excerpt below):

BREITBART: Patch.com laid off hundreds of employees Wednesday morning, without apparent warning, meaning that most of the network's local websites will cease to produce news, local or otherwise. The decision was made by Hale Global, the "turnaround" company that bought Patch.com from AOL earlier this month.... It failed to live up to its early commercial promise, however, and its formal end may be near....

While I am disappointed to see another local news outlet going under, I have been encouraged to see ramped up activity and coverage from non-traditional media sites like Bethesda Magazine, Bethesda Now, Maryland Reporter, Center Maryland, The Quinton Report, Red Maryland and others. But one problem facing local political and policy coverage is that many of us (including Maryland Juice) do not have adequate revenue streams to do anything but sporadic or volunteer-driven reporting. Meanwhile, mainstream media publications that I read frequently (like The Baltimore Sun, The Washington Post and The Capital Gazette) are increasingly adding pay-walls and subscriber-only access for their coverage. I'm not sure what this all means for the future of local political news....

JUICE #4: CHERRI BRANSON APPOINTED TO VALERIE ERVIN'S MOCO COUNCIL SEAT // PLUS: BOE MEMBER CHRIS BARCLAY & OTHERS GEARING UP FOR PRIMARY - As we predicted, MoCo attorney Cherri Branson was selected to fill Valerie Ervin's vacant seat on the County Council. Maryland Juice received the following press release from the Council announcing the decision (excerpt below):

PRESS RELEASE

Montgomery County Council Appoints Cherri Branson as New Councilmember for District 5

ROCKVILLE, Md., January 28, 2014 — The Montgomery County Council today appointed Cherri Branson by acclamation as the new Councilmember for District 5. Ms. Branson will succeed former Councilmember Valerie Ervin, who resigned from the Council on Jan. 3 to become executive director of the Center for Working Families. Ms. Branson will complete the unexpired term, which ends on December 1, 2014.

“Cherri Branson has outstanding civic and professional experience, and the Council looks forward to her service,” said Council President Craig Rice. “We were fortunate to have many excellent applicants, and our decision was a difficult one. We deeply appreciate their willingness to serve the community.”

A graduate of Vassar College (B.A.), Indiana University School of Law (J.D.), and Emory University School of Law (LL.M.), Ms. Branson has held key staff positions in the U.S. House of Representatives since 1989. She is now Chief Counsel for Oversight on the Democratic staff of the House Committee on Homeland Security. She has been president of the African American Democratic Club of Montgomery County. The Council appointed her as a member of the County’s Commission on Redistricting in 2011. She has also served as a member of the Charter Review Commission.

“I am honored to be appointed to the Montgomery County Council,” said Ms. Branson. “I am familiar with many of the key issues facing the County and the Council, and I will work quickly to learn more. I pledge to effectively represent the residents of District 5—and all the people of Montgomery County....”

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Given that Cherri Branson has agreed not to run for the District 5 Council seat in the June Democratic Primary, Bethesda Magazine's Lou Peck provided an update on the status of the looming primary battle (excerpt below):

BETHESDA MAGAZINE: As the County Council Tuesday unanimously appointed congressional aide Cherri Branson as a “caretaker” to serve out the remaining 10 months of the term of former Councilmember Valerie Ervin, the maneuvering to win election to the seat for a full four-year term beginning next December intensified.

Christopher Barclay, a member of the county’s Board of Education since 2006, said this week he is running in the June primary for the Democratic nod for the council seat in District 5.... Meanwhile, another well-known officeholder from that area, two-term state Delegate Tom Hucker, is said by sources to be leaning strongly toward giving up his current position to run for the council....

But, in advance of the Feb. 25 filing deadline, at least five candidates are expected to seek the “long-term” District 5 seat, with Barclay and Hucker joined by Evan Glass, chairman of the Silver Spring Citizens Advisory Board; Terrill North, vice president of Impact Silver Spring, a group formed to provide support services to the community; and Jeff Thames, who heads an organization that seeks to provide opportunities to former prisoners. Thames formally filed for the seat last week....

As the Democratic Primary field develops, Cherri Branson is getting settled into her temporary Council appointment. She sent the following email blast out yesterday (excerpt below):

CHERRI BRANSON: I am honored and humbled that the County Council has selected me to serve you as the new District 5 Councilmember. I am committed to delivering the high level of service that the residents of District 5 expect and deserve. I thank the councilmembers for the tremendous confidence that each of them has placed in me.

I am familiar with many of the key issues facing the County and the Council, and I will work quickly to learn even more. I pledge to effectively represent the residents of District 5 - and all the people of Montgomery County.

I also want to recognize former Councilmember Valerie Ervin for her years of dedicated service to Montgomery County. I plan to continue the work she started on the County Council seven years ago, but I will do it in my own way.

There are many exciting issues as we move into 2014 including a full capital improvements budget for the next six years, the fiscal year 2015 operating budget, and the White Oak Science Gateway Master Plan....

JUICE #5: TOWN OF CHEVY CHASE HIRES BROTHER OF KEY REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN TO FIGHT PURPLE LINE - Maryland Juice previously noted that The Town of Chevy Chase was debating whether to spend hundreds of thousands of local tax dollars to fight the Purple Line. The Washington Post's Katherine Shaver has a follow-up to the story, noting that the Town has hired the brother of a key Republican Congressman to battle a top transportation priority for Montgomery & Prince George's Counties (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON POST: One of the lawyers hired by the Town of Chevy Chase to evaluate potential legal challenges to the Purple Line light-rail project is the brother of a key congressional committee chairman, leading some transit advocates to question whether the town is trying to buy political influence.

Robert L. Shuster, an attorney with the firm Buchanan, Ingersoll & Rooney, is the brother of Rep. Bill Shuster (R-Pa.), who chairs the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. The town hired the law firm in December on a monthly basis, so far paying a total of $40,000 for two months. The town council is scheduled to vote next month on whether to award an 18-month legal contract for $360,000....

Ben Ross, a longtime Purple Line advocate and former president of Action Committee For Transit, said “The whole thing stinks....” Tracey Johnston, another Purple Line advocate, said of the Shuster name, “If nothing else, someone answers your phone call. In Washington, that’s your first goal....”

The Maryland Transit Administration’s plans to build a 16-mile Purple Line between Montgomery and Prince George’s counties is at a critical point as the state tries to find a way to cover the $2.2-billion construction costs.... Even more important is the state’s bid for $900 million in highly competitive federal construction grants, which state officials have said are necessary to cover about half the costs. Maryland transit planners have said they expect to hear in February whether the Federal Transit Administration will recommend the Purple Line for that money....

JUICE #6: DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ISSUES TAKE PROMINENCE IN ANNAPOLIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION WITH ELECTION YEAR OPPORTUNITIES - In the current Annapolis legislative session, it is difficult to miss the growing momentum for increased protection for victims of domestic violence. The Associated Press reported this week on a trio of bills that Governor O'Malley is pushing to address the issue (excerpt below):

ASSOCIATED PRESS (VIA CAPITAL GAZETTE): ... Brandy King, of Sykesville, told the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee that the current law does not enable her to get a final protective order against her ex-husband, who was convicted of second-degree assault in 2004 for physically abusing her.

One of the measures before legislators would change the law by adding second-degree assault to the list of crimes for which a person can obtain a final protective order. It also would require that an abuser only be sentenced to at least five years in prison, as opposed to serving at least five years before the victim can obtain a permanent final protective order....

Another measure would make it easier for victims to obtain a final peace order or final protective order by reducing the standard of evidence needed to get one.... Maryland is the only state in the nation that uses the higher standard of proof for final protective orders. A third measure would enable courts to impose an additional five years in prison on someone who commits domestic violence in front of a child.

As The Washington Post noted in an editorial supporting the bills, the domestic violence efforts are (thankfully) being heavily aided by election-year politics (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON POST: Maryland has long had the dubious distinction of being the only state that imposes a rigid burden of proof for victims of domestic abuse to receive a civil protection order. Past efforts to change the outdated law never got very far in a hidebound legislature, and advocates became so discouraged that they didn’t even raise the matter in recent years....

Sen. Brian E. Frosh (D-Montgomery), chairman of the Judicial Proceedings Committee and a candidate for attorney general, is sponsoring legislation that would establish a more reasonable burden of proof for victims seeking protection orders.... Mr. Frosh expressed confidence that the reform will pass in the Senate, but the real obstacles lie in the House of Delegates, notably its Judiciary Committee. It killed similar legislation when it was last proposed in 2010. Not even the wrenching testimony of a woman whose three children were drowned after she couldn’t obtain a protective order against her estranged husband could convince the committee of the need for change. The callous, if not hostile, treatment of Amy Castillo brought justifiable criticism to the committee and its chairman, Del. Joseph F. Vallario Jr. (D-Prince George’s), but it remains to be seen whether lawmakers have learned from their mistakes.

Del. Luiz R.S. Simmons (D-Montgomery), who led the effort to kill the bill four years ago, told us he might be open to the change and has some ideas for “compromise” that he plans to discuss with Mr. Frosh. Perhaps not coincidentally, Mr. Simmons is seeking election to the Senate and is locked in a primary battle with former delegate Cheryl Kagan in which women and domestic violence issues are sure to be a focus....

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE BECOMES HOT ELECTION-YEAR ISSUE: Indeed, Delegate Luiz Simmons is now co-sponsoring all three domestic violence bills, alongside House Speaker Mike Busch and Senate President Mike Miller. Additionally, Lt. Governor Anthony Brown (a candidate for Governor) is also getting behind the efforts. Brown issued the following press release this week (excerpt below):

PRESS RELEASE

LT. GOVERNOR BROWN STATEMENT ON ADMINISTRATION’S DOMESTIC VIOLENCE LEGISLATIVE PACKAGE

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (January 28, 2014) - Today the Maryland State Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee held hearings on three Administration bills (SB333, SB334 and SB337) designed to improve protections for victims of domestic violence.

“Over the last seven years, we’ve worked together to reduce domestic assaults by 20%, but it’s not enough until we can say that all Marylanders are safe from domestic violence,” said Lt. Governor Anthony G. Brown. “By working together to pass legislation that makes it easier for victims to obtain final peace and protective orders, we will create a safer environment for all Marylanders. Additionally, by increasing penalties for abusers who commit acts of domestic violence in the presence of kids, we'll send a strong message that the safety of our children is always our top priority."

Since 2007, Lt. Governor Brown, who leads the Administration’s efforts to reduce domestic violence, has worked with lawmakers, stakeholders, law enforcement, and domestic violence and sexual assault advocates to enact legislation which contributed to a 20% decrease in domestic violence assaults and a 32% decrease in the number of women and children that have died from domestic violence over the last seven years. The Administration's 2014 domestic violence package builds upon this effort to eliminate domestic violence in our communities....

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JUICE #7: ANTHONY BROWN TO MISS TONIGHT'S GUBERNATORIAL DEBATE TO BE WITH AILING FATHER - Maryland's Democratic gubernatorial candidates are scheduled to debate tonight at Montgomery County's Leisure World retirement community:

Thursday, January 30, 2014 at 7:00 pm
Leisure World's Ballroom in Clubhouse 1
3700 Rossmoor Blvd, Silver Spring, MD

The event tonight will proceed with Del. Heather Mizeur and Attorney General Doug Gansler, but unfortunately, Lt. Governor Anthony Brown has been called out of town to be with his ailing father. The Baltimore Sun reported on the development:

BALTIMORE SUN: Lt. Gov. Anthony G. Brown canceled plans to testify in favor of the O’Malley administration’s domestic violence bills Tuesday in order to be with his ailing father in New York. The lieutenant governor’s office said Dr. Roy Brown, 89, has been moved from a hospital to hospice care.

Brown, a candidate for the Democratic nomination for governor, is expected to remain with him in New York, a spokesman said.... Brown's running mate Howard County Executive Ken Ulman is not likely to stand in as a surrogate at this week's debate at Leisure World in Silver Spring, according to Brown's campaign.

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