POST-HOGAN JUICE: Sen. Pinsky & Dems Decry Comcast Jab, Middle-Class Woes, Change MD, Progressive Caucus & More!

Below Maryland Juice provides a quick round-up of election analyses and discussion of life after Larry Hogan's victory in the gubernatorial race:

JUICE #1: SENATOR PAUL PINSKY & FRESHMEN HOUSE DEMOCRATS DECRY "WACKO" LABEL AND DEFEND EFFORT TO END CORPORATE TAX DODGING - Immediately after Larry Hogan's win in the Governor's race, Maryland Reporter wrote that Comcast lobbyist Sean Looney called incoming Freshmen Democrats "anti-business" and said Democrats who want to end corporate tax-dodging were "far-left wackos." The comments struck a nerve with numerous lawmakers and Looney has since apologized, but not before two response pieces from Democrats were published.

State Senator Paul Pinsky of Prince George's County drafted a strong op-ed in The Baltimore Sun noting that ending corporate tax loopholes through a practice called "combined reporting" is anything but wacky (excerpt below):

PAUL PINSKY (VIA BALTIMORE SUN): At a Chamber of Commerce luncheon talk right after Larry Hogan's victory, Comcast lobbyist Sean Looney derisively dismissed ongoing legislative efforts in Annapolis to pass a corporate tax loophole-plugging reform known as "combined reporting."

"The far left wackos in the Democratic Party think it's a great idea," Mr. Looney told his high-powered business audience. Nearly a majority of Maryland's Senate — apparently the "far left wackos" decried by Mr. Looney — want to stop huge corporations like Comcast from charging their business expenses to their Maryland operations while shifting their profits to subsidiaries or companies incorporated in low- or no-tax states....

It seems this tax scheme is popular among the big boys doing business in our state. Our Maryland comptroller's office reports that many multi-state, multinational companies pay less in corporate tax than you and I pay in personal income tax. This tax avoidance garners these big corporations a major competitive advantage over Maryland's small businesses — and costs our state over $100 million in lost revenue annually.

We must have a good many such wackos in America today. Over half our states with corporate income taxes — 24 states in all — already have combined-reporting laws on the books. And these combined-reporting states include Texas, Utah and a host of other hotbeds of far-left wacko-ism....

Meanwhile, incoming Freshman Delegate Cory McCray of Baltimore organized a sign-on letter from 17 Democratic Delegates-elect (myself included) responding to Comcast's commentary. The response was published at Maryland Reporter (excerpt below):

17 FRESHMEN DELEGATES (VIA MARYLAND REPORTER): It was with a mixture of amusement and frustration that we awoke days after our new election to the General Assembly to read that you, the lobbyist paid by Comcast to work with us, had attempted to publicly insult us and demean our ideas....

We will not use this time to debate the substance of your grievance, which seemed to be that combined reporting is a radical idea, even though numerous states (many with Republican legislatures) have passed similar legislation in recent years. We look forward to discussing the value of combined reporting, as well as any benefit Comcast receives from government programs and services, with you and your client....

Shelly Hettleman, Terri Hill, Clarence Lam, Vanessa Atterbeary, Marc Korman, Andrew Platt, Marice Morales, David Moon, William Smith, Daryl Barnes, Antonio Hayes, Charles Sydnor, Patrick Young, Cory McCray, Brooke Lierman, Diana Fennell, Jimmy Tarlau

JUICE #2: NATIONAL PUNDITS HIGHLIGHT WAGE STAGNATION AS OBSTACLE TO ECONOMIC RECOVERY & DEMOCRATS' ELECTORAL FORTUNES - Soon after Larry Hogan won Maryland's race for Governor, Maryland Juice concluded that the biggest failure of state Democrats' was in missing the populist tide sweeping through the electorate. I then penned a piece calling on Maryland Democrats to prioritize measures to provide economic security for middle and working class residents, instead of joining the GOP and Big Business call for trickle-down (aka voodoo) economic measures like corporate & upper bracket tax cuts.

PAID SICK LEAVES WINS WHERE GOP BEAT DEMOCRATS: There is now a loud clamor of agreement from national pundits and economic analysts that Democrats have got to craft a strong economic populist message and start tackling our historic wealth gap. See a few examples below, starting with a case study from Massachusetts, where Republicans won control of the Governor's mansion -- at the same time that 60% of voters in the state approved a sick leave requirement at the ballot:

DAVE JAMIESON (VIA HUFFINGTON POST):  Massachusetts on Tuesday became the third state in the nation to guarantee paid sick days for workers, with voters decisively approving a sick-leave ballot initiative, 60 percent to 40 percent....

Although more employers voluntarily provide paid sick leave than they used to, the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that about 39 percent of the U.S. private-sector workforce has no paid sick time. Workers without it are disproportionately employed in lower-wage jobs, such as food service and retail, where companies tend to keep a tighter grip on payroll hours....

As with raising the minimum wage, Americans in general seem to back the idea of placing a sick-leave requirement upon businesses, making such proposals good fodder for voter referendums. In a recent HuffPost/YouGov poll, 74 percent of respondents said they would support such a mandate, while just 18 percent said they would oppose it. That backing included majorities of Democrats, Republicans and independents....

WAGE STAGNATION HURT DEMOCRATIC ELECTORAL FORTUNES: The Democrats' recent electoral drubbing has pundits pointing to working class economic justice issues as the greatest challenge for the Party in coming years:

DAVID LEONHARDT (VIA NY TIMES): The Democratic Party’s short-term plan to help the middle class just isn’t very clear.... The fact remains that incomes for most Americans aren’t growing very fast and haven’t been for years. Median inflation-adjusted income last year was still $2,100 lower than when President Obama took office in 2009 — and $3,600 lower than when President George W. Bush took office in 2001.... We’re living through the great wage slowdown of the 21st century, and nothing presents a larger threat to the Democrats’ electoral fortunes than that slowdown. The Democratic Party fashions itself as the defender of working families.... But if Democrats can’t deliver rising living standards, many voters aren’t going to remain loyal. They’ll skip voting or give a chance to Republicans who offer an alternative, even a vague alternative....

HILLARY CLINTON NEEDS A REAL RESPONSE TO MIDDLE-CLASS WOES: The place where we're seeing this debate become increasingly relevant is in the upcoming Democratic Primary for the 2016 Presidential Election. Hillary Clinton, who is notoriously close to the party's Wall Street and industry backers, may have to sing a different tune to secure the White House:

ALBERT HUNT (VIA NY TIMES): It won't be sufficient to run on competence, breadth of experience.... [Hillary Clinton] needs an innovative, or even bold approach... to dealing with middle-class economic stagnation and income inequality....

LOW-INCOME VOTERS CHOSE GOP OR DIDN'T VOTE: Indeed, data from the November General Election shows that these bits of advice are not just speculation, they're backed by evidence:

JONATHAN MARTIN (VIA NY TIMES): Sifting through returns showing that lower-income voters either supported Republicans or did not vote, liberals argue that without a more robust message about economic fairness, the party will continue to suffer among working-class voters, particularly in the South and Midwest....

“Too many Democrats are too close to Wall Street,” said Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio. “Too many Democrats support trade agreements that outsource jobs, and too many Democrats are too willing to cut Social Security — and that’s why we lose elections.”

Mr. Brown said he had talked to over 60 Ohio Democratic leaders and activists since they were trounced in every statewide election. “The message I heard from all of them was: The Democratic Party should fight for the little guy,” he said....

Progressives pointed to three Democrats who ran as populists as models for success: Senator Al Franken of Minnesota, Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon and Senator-elect Gary Peters of Michigan.

Mr. Merkley, who focused on the loss of well-paying jobs, the cost of college tuition and opposition to trade deals that he said sent jobs overseas, won by 19 percentage points. While Democrats nationally lost whites without a college degree by 30 percentage points, Mr. Merkley narrowly carried that bloc....

Many liberals believe that the disconnect between the politics of the party’s grass roots and the message coming from Democratic administrations has left blue-collar voters unenthused. “We do not have to struggle for an agenda that connects with working-class voters,” said Representative Rosa DeLauro, Democrat of Connecticut. “We have an agenda that does that, but it does not get vocalized at the top....”

S&P ANALYSIS SAYS WEALTH GAP IS HURTING ECONOMIC RECOVERY: And while some Democrats continue to insist that economic populism is bad for business, the evidence actually points to the opposite conclusion. Indeed, trickle-down economics has never worked, and that fact has not changed today. In fact, S&P analysts seem to believe that caving to the millionaire & corporate tax cut crowd is hurting America's economic recovery and dragging down state revenues. Where is the courage?

JOSH BOAK (VIA WASHINGTON POST): The widening gap between the wealthiest Americans and everyone else has been matched by a slowdown in state tax revenue, according to a report being released Monday by Standard & Poor’s.

Even as income has accelerated for the affluent, it has barely kept pace with inflation for most other people. That trend can mean a double whammy for states: The wealthy often manage to shield much of their income from taxes. And they tend to spend less of it than others do, thereby limiting sales tax revenue.

As the growth of tax revenue has slowed, states have faced tensions over whether to raise taxes or cut spending to balance their budgets as required by law. “Rising income inequality is not just a social issue,” said Gabriel Petek, the S&P credit analyst who wrote the report. “It presents a very significant set of challenges for the policymakers.”

Stagnant pay for most people has compounded the pressure on states to preserve funding for education, highways and social programs such as Medicaid. The investments in education and infrastructure also have fueled economic growth. Yet they’re at risk without a strong flow of tax revenue....

S&P’s analysis builds on a previous report this year in which it said the widening gap between the wealthiest Americans and everyone else has slowed the U.S. economy’s recovery from the Great Recession. Because consumer spending fuels about 70 percent of the economy, weak pay growth typically slows economic growth....

U.S. VOTERS BACK INFRASTRUCTURE SPENDING AT THE NOVEMBER BALLOT:  Policymakers would be short-sighted to think that Republican wins at the ballot reflect a desire to gut infrastructure spending. In fact, several states (Maryland included) had infrastructure spending measures on the ballot this November, and the message is loud and clear:

FAWN JOHNSON (VIA NATIONAL JOURNAL):  ...both Republican and Democratic lawmakers agree that dedicating money to infrastructure is one of the best ways to boost the economy....

Last week's midterm elections showed that the willingness to set aside money for transportation extends to the voting public. In Hawaii, California, Rhode Island, Texas, Wisconsin, and Maryland, voters approved ballot initiatives to secure funding for water resources, roads, and transit. In Texas, 81 percent of voters approved a measure to dedicate half of the state's oil and gas revenues to a state highway fund, as long as that money isn't going to tolled roads. Maryland and Wisconsin voters approved "lockbox" initiatives to make it harder to take money out of the state's transportation coffers. Rhode Island voters gave a thumbs-up to bond initiatives for infrastructure. California voters, facing one of the most severe droughts on record, gave the OK to more than $7 billion in general obligation bonds to shore up the state's water supply.

"The outcomes of these elections demonstrate that Americans value well-maintained infrastructure and are willing to make the investment," said American Society of Civil Engineers President Robert Stevens.

U.S. SENATE DEMOCRATS RESPOND TO ELECTION LOSSES BY GIVING ELIZABETH WARREN A LEADERSHIP SPOT: At the national level, U.S. Senate Democratic leaders have responded to these challenges by giving economic populists a larger say in the Democratic Caucus. They recently elevated liberal Senator Elizabeth Warren to a leadership post. Will Maryland Democrats follow suit?

AMANDA TERKEL & RYAN GRIMM (VIA HUFFINGTON POST):  Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) gained a leadership position in the Senate Democratic caucus Thursday, giving the prominent progressive senator a key role in shaping the party's policy priorities.

Warren's new role, which was created specifically for her, will be strategic policy adviser to the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee, helping to craft the party's policy positions and priorities. She will also serve as a liaison to progressive groups to ensure they have a voice in leadership meetings and discussions, according to a source familiar with the role....

JUICE #3: CHANGE MARYLAND? // PROGRESSIVE MARYLAND & ACTIVISTS LAUNCH CAMPAIGN TO PRIORITIZE ECONOMIC JUSTICE ISSUES - It seems clear that Maryland progressives are getting fired up after the Democrats' recent electoral losses. The message moving forward is obviously that its time for the Party to start focusing on poor and working class Marylanders. Maryland Juice recently received the following event invitation from Progressive Maryland announcing a new campaign to move this message forward (details below and at www.newrulesmd.tk):

LARRY STAFFORD (VIA PROGRESSIVE MARYLAND): Yesterday I came on board as the Deputy Director for Progressive Maryland. After years of progressive activism that has included work with Project Vote, the New Organizing Institute, and with Heather Mizeur's campaign for Governor, I'm looking to bring my skills and experiences to build on the successes of this great organization. With last Tuesday's results in mind, Progressive Maryland is issuing a call to action for all progressives in the state to begin organizing and mobilizing for this upcoming legislative session. On November 18th at 7pm, we will be hosting an event to kick-off our upcoming organizing efforts.

It has become clear. The status quo in Maryland politics is no longer acceptable. Many of our elected leaders have become disconnected from the voters that they have been elected to serve. Maryland's political leadership has found its opportunities to be progressive on important social issues, but has failed to speak to the economic plight facing poor and working families in Maryland.

Conservatives win when we are not boldly and clearly articulating our message of economic justice and fairness. They repeat dishonest messages that are designed to arouse the frustrations of the neglected communities of our State. They speak boldly of the problems that face poor and working families, but offer no real solutions that will create good paying jobs that uplift our communities....

When: November 18th at 7pm
Where:  4371 Parliament Pl Lanham, MD

JUICE #4: A PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS IN MARYLAND - As pundits continue to ponder Maryland's recent election results, one thing is clear: the Democratic Caucus is now much more progressive. Barry Rascovar recently discussed the developments at Maryland Reporter (excerpt below):

BARRY RASCOVAR (VIA MARYLAND REPORTER): Hardly noticed in the Nov. 4 election that saw Anthony Brown wiped out in an embarrassing avalanche of rejection was the obliteration of the Democratic Party’s moderate-conservative wing in Annapolis. Gone is Southern Maryland Sen. Roy Dyson. Gone is half-century veteran Baltimore County Sen. Norman Stone (retirement). Gone is a Howard County fixture, Sen. Jim Robey (retirement).

Also out of luck, conservative Western Maryland Del. Kevin Kelly, moderate Western Maryland Del. John Donoghue, conservative Baltimore County Dels. Mike Weir, Jimmy Malone (retirement), Steve DeBoy (retirement) and Sonny Minnick (retirement), moderate-conservative Del. Emmett Burns of Baltimore County (retirement), Eastern Shore Committee Chairman Del. Norm Conway, Cecil County Del. David Randolph, Southern Maryland Dels. John Bohanan and Johnny Wood (retirement), Harford County Del. Mary-Dulany James, and Frederick County Del. Galen Clagett (retirement).

The Democratic Party’s fulcrum in the State House now is dangerously weighted to the strident left. The party’s center-right legislators have shrunk to a handful.

It’s tough even coming up with who you’d place in that category in the House of Delegates once you get beyond House Speaker Mike Busch.  You can count less than 10 moderates still left in the Senate, including President Mike Miller — Charles County’s Mac Middleton, Frederick’s Ron Young, Anne Arundel’s John Astle and Ed DeGrange, Ocean City’s Jim Mathias, Baltimore County’s Jim Brochin and Kathy Klausmeier....

Rascovar calls this development "dangerous," but that seems like centrist spin. Believe it or not, many progressives (myself included) are outcome-oriented individuals and prioritize moving good policy over partisan politics. And while the GOP believes tax cuts will help ordinary Marylanders, progressives believe there are other was to help the middle-class. But the key commonality is that (if you take the GOP at their word), both the far right and far left are trying to help ordinary Marylanders. That may not be true of powered and institutional interests, and it presents an interesting opportunity to get things done in the future. Unfortunately, much of the pundit class is posing this question to liberal Democrats, but I think it is just as fair to pose this question to incoming GOP Governor Larry Hogan. Is he willing to play ball?

JUICE #5: MARYLAND JUICE & RED MARYLAND'S BRIAN GRIFFITHS DISCUSS THE NOVEMBER ELECTIONS AND LIFE AFTER LARRY HOGAN: Maryland Juice (aka David Moon) recently appeared on WNAV radio with our frenemy Brian Griffiths at Red Maryland. We talked about the recent election results and what the future of Maryland politics might look like with a Republican Governor. You can listen to the three-part radio interview below:

Early Vote Turnout Analysis, Hillary Clinton in MD, Brown vs. Hogan Polls, Raskin vs. Zirkin for JPR Committee Chair & More!

Below Maryland Juice provides a roundup of news and analyses of key races of interest to politicos:

JUICE #1: DUELING POLLS IN THE RACE BETWEEN ANTHONY BROWN VS. LARRY HOGAN - Maryland's top race this cycle is undoubtedly the gubernatorial match-up between Lt. Governor Anthony Brown and former Ehrlich-administration official Larry Hogan. Here is a quick round-up of recent polls in the race. Note: the Gonzalez poll below was commissioned by supporters of Larry Hogan:

NEW YORK TIMES-CBS-YOUGOV (10/23/14) - BROWN +13

• Anthony Brown (D) - 51%
• Larry Hogan (R) - 38%

BALTIMORE SUN (10/11/14) - BROWN +7%

• Anthony Brown (D) - 49%
• Larry Hogan (R) - 42%

WASHINGTON POST (10/6/14) - BROWN +9%

• Anthony Brown (D) - 47%
• Larry Hogan (R) - 38%
• Shawn Quinn (L) - 4%

GONZALEZ RESEARCH (10/1/14) - BROWN +4%

• Anthony Brown (D) - 47%
• Larry Hogan (R) - 43%
• Shawn Quinn (L) - 1%

JUICE #2: MARYLAND JUICE EARLY VOTE TURNOUT ANALYSIS // WHO'S BEEN VOTING? - Below Maryland Juice takes a deep dive into early vote turnout data by party, gender, and county -- and we also give breakdowns in all Montgomery County state races, a few swing districts and in key Maryland counties. Early voting is currently underway in Maryland, as voters can cast early ballots until Thursday, October 30, 2014. Polls are open from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm at early vote centers across the state. Who has been voting early in the Free State? Below you can see some of our findings from turnout data for the first three days of early voting (Thursday, Friday & Saturday).

EARLY VOTE TURNOUT BY COUNTY & PARTY: Below we take a look at early vote turnout by raw party advantage and by county turnout. Not surprisingly, Democrats are turning out at an almost 2-1 rate over Republicans, reflecting their statewide registration advantage. As a result, the top raw turnout counties are not surprising (Baltimore, Prince George's, Anne Arundel, Montgomery, etc). But in terms of the % of eligible voters casting ballots, Montgomery County is near the bottom of the state, along with Baltimore City. Though you cannot assume all Democrats will vote for Brown and all Republicans will vote for Hogan, the data reflect mixed news for Democrats. The party can try and coast on its registration advantage, but the low turnout %'s in heavy Democratic counties should be seen as a call to arms. Montgomery County is seriously lagging in % turnout (again, probably owing to the fact that the large numbers of new MoCo voters who registered over the last few years are not turning out at the polls):

2014 Early Vote Turnout by Party (First 3 Days):

1. Democrats = 62,765
2. Republicans = 29,533
3. Independents = 8,275

2010 Early Vote Turnout by Party (First 3 Days):

1. Democrats = 60,547
2. Republicans = 26,146
3. Independents = 7,508

2014 Early Vote Turnout - Top 8 Counties by Raw Turnout (First 3 Days):

1. Baltimore County = 16,893 (3.25%)
2. Prince George's = 14,004 (2.58%)
3. Anne Arundel = 12,930 (3.7%)
4. Montgomery = 11,271 (1.78%)
5. Baltimore City = 8,413 (2.25%)
6. Howard = 7,064 (3.62%)
7. Harford = 6,301 (3.83%)
8. Frederick = 3,712 (2.46%)

2014 Early Vote Turnout - All Counties Ranked by % Eligible Turnout (First 3 Days):

1. Talbot = 1,651 (6.43%)
2. Queen Anne's = 1,885 (5.68%)
3. Kent = 719 (5.65%)
4. Worcester = 1,415 (3.96%)
5. Harford = 6,301 (3.83%)
6. Somerset = 486 (3.74%)
7. Anne Arundel = 12,930 (3.7%)
8. Howard = 7,064 (3.62%)
9. Wicomico = 1,859 (3.28%)
10. Baltimore County = 16,893 (3.25%)
11. Caroline = 577 (3.14%)
12. Dorchester = 582 (2.84%)
13. Calvert = 1,672 (2.79%)
14. Prince George's = 14,004 (2.58%)
15. Frederick = 3,712 (2.46%)
16. Carroll = 2,751 (2.44%)
17. Cecil = 1,491 (2.41%)
18. Garrett = 460 (2.38%)
19. Saint Mary's = 1,466 (2.27%)
20. Baltimore City = 8,413 (2.25%)
21. Charles = 2,069 (2.06%)
22. Montgomery = 11,271 (1.78%)
23. Washington = 1,279 (1.42%)
24. Allegany = 587 (1.38%)

EARLY VOTE BY GENDER & PARTY: Below we take a look at the first three days of early vote turnout by gender and party. Statewide, women are turning out in larger numbers than men, a trend which clearly benefits Democrats. Women make up almost 60% of the Democrats early voting electorate, while men are a majority of Republican and Independent early vote turnout:

2014 Early Vote Turnout by Gender (First 3 Days):

1. Women = 54,759
2. Men = 46,778

2014 Early Vote Turnout - Democrats by Gender = 62,765:

1. Democrats Female = 36,787 (58.6%)
2. Democrats Male = 25,967 (41.1%)

2014 Early Vote Turnout - Republicans by Gender = 29,533 

1. Republicans Female = 14,078 (47.7%)
2. Republicans Male = 15,447 (52.3%)

2014 Early Vote Turnout - Independents by Gender = 8,275 

1. Independents Female = 3,522 (42.6%)
2. Independents Male = 4,747 (57.4%)

EARLY VOTE TURNOUT BY AGE AND PARTY: Below we take a look at the first three days of early vote turnout, sorted by age and party. The largest block of early voters is age 65+, with almost equal numbers of early voters from the large 45-64 demographic. In every age category, Democrats are turning out in larger numbers than Republicans. But again, you cannot assume that voters are going to vote party-line:

2014 Early Vote Turnout - Ages 18-24 = 2,363

1. Democrats 18-24 = 1,249
2. Republicans 18-24 = 736
3. Independents 18-24 = 349
4. Libertarians 18-24 = 15
5. Greens 18-24 = 4

2014 Early Vote Turnout - Ages 25-44 = 10,775 

1. Democrats 25-44 = 6,170
2. Republicans 25-44 = 2,992
3. Independents 25-44 = 1,459
4. Libertarians 25-44 = 64
5. Greens 25-44 = 23

2014 Early Vote Turnout - Ages 45-64 = 43,605

1. Democrats 45-64 = 26,465
2. Republicans 45-64 = 13,057
3. Independents 45-64 = 3,668
4. Libertarians 45-64 = 75
5. Greens 25-44 = 55

2014 Early Vote Turnout - Ages 65+ = 44,794 

1. Democrats 65+ = 28,881
2. Republicans 65+ = 12,748
3. Independents 65+ = 2,799
4. Libertarians 65+ = 36
5. Greens 65+ = 14

EARLY VOTE BY PARTY IN THE TOP 8 TURNOUT COUNTIES: Below we take a look at early vote turnout in the top 8 highest turnout counties. In 7 of 8 of these counties, Democrats are turning out in much higher numbers than Republicans. In Harford County, Republicans have a slight edge of roughly 300 votes over the Democrats. Though you can't quite assume that all Democrats will vote for their County Executive candidates, the county-level turnout may be reassuring news for Democrats in some of the competitive County Exec races. Some of the turnout numbers are tight enough to warrant extra energy from Dems:

Anne Arundel Early Vote Turnout by Party (First 3 Days):

1. Democrats = 6,169
2. Republicans = 5,282
3. Independents = 1,433

Baltimore City Early Vote Turnout by Party (First 3 Days):

1. Democrats = 7,636
2. Republicans = 417
3. Independents = 326

Baltimore County Early Vote Turnout by Party (First 3 Days):

1. Democrats = 11,259
2. Republicans = 4,334
3. Independents = 1,090

Frederick County Early Vote Turnout by Party (First 3 Days):

1. Democrats = 1,698
2. Republicans = 1,538
3. Independents = 460

Harford County Early Vote Turnout by Party (First 3 Days):

1. Republicans = 2,967
2. Democrats = 2,657
3. Independents = 602

Howard County Early Vote Turnout by Party (First 3 Days):

1. Democrats = 4,167
2. Republicans = 2,035
3. Independents = 775

Montgomery County Early Vote Turnout by Party (First 3 Days):

1. Democrats = 7,909
2. Republicans = 1,962
3. Independents = 1,295

Prince George's County Early Vote Turnout by Party (First 3 Days):

1. Democrats = 12,443
2. Republicans = 878
3. Independents = 507

EARLY VOTE TURNOUT IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY DELEGATE RACES: In all 8 of Montgomery County's House of Delegate Districts, Democrats are turning out in far greater numbers than Republicans. My home District 20 has the highest Democratic turnout in MoCo, and here Independents are tied with Republicans for turnout. Meanwhile District 14 has the highest overall turnout (counting all parties):

Maryland House District 14 Early Vote Turnout by Party = 1,953 Total Votes

1. Democrats = 1,258
2. Republicans = 472
3. Independents = 317
4. Libertarians = 3
5. Greens = 0

Maryland House District 15 Early Vote Turnout by Party = 1,161 Total Votes 

1. Democrats = 709
2. Republicans = 275
3. Independents = 163
4. Libertarians = 5
5. Greens = 1

Maryland House District 16 Early Vote Turnout by Party = 1,092 Total Votes 

1. Democrats = 796
2. Republicans = 171
3. Independents = 119
4. Libertarians = 2
5. Greens = 0

Maryland House District 17 Early Vote Turnout by Party = 1,242 Total Votes 

1. Democrats = 835
2. Republicans = 234
3. Independents = 161
4. Libertarians = 2
5. Greens = 2

Maryland House District 18 Early Vote Turnout by Party = 1,335 Total Votes 

1. Democrats = 999
2. Republicans = 182
3. Independents = 136
4. Greens = 6
5. Libertarians = 0

Maryland House District 19 Early Vote Turnout by Party = 1,676 Total Votes 

1. Democrats = 1,220
2. Republicans = 257
3. Independents = 183
4. Greens = 4
5. Libertarians = 3

Maryland House District 20 Early Vote Turnout by Party = 1,741 Total Votes 

1. Democrats = 1,425
2. Republicans = 148
3. Independents = 148
4. Greens = 7
5. Libertarians = 3

Maryland House District 39 Early Vote Turnout by Party = 1,070 Total Votes 

1. Democrats = 666
2. Republicans = 222
3. Independents = 170
4. Libertarians = 3
5. Greens = 1

EARLY VOTE TURNOUT IN A FEW SWING RACES: Below we provide early vote turnout figures and party breakdowns in a few key races on the November ballot. Democratic turnout from the first three days of early voting looks okay across the board, but there are a couple districts where the party needs to turn up the heat!

Senate District 3 Early Vote Turnout by Party (Ron Young vs. Corey Stottlemyer) 

1. Democrats = 1,091
2. Republicans = 719
3. Independents = 246

Senate District 42 Early Vote Turnout by Party (Jim Brochin vs. Tim Robinson)

1. Democrats = 1,062
2. Republicans = 683
3. Independents = 153

Delegate District 9B Early Vote Turnout by Party (Tom Coale vs. Bob Flanagan) 

1. Democrats = 742
2. Republicans = 506
3. Independents = 158

Delegate District 12 (Eric Ebersole/Terri Hill/Clarence Lam vs. Gordon Bull/Joe Hooe/Rick Martel)

1. Democrats = 1,773
2. Republicans = 566
3. Independents = 220

Delegate District 29B (John Bohanan vs. Deb Rey)

1. Democrats = 190
2. Republicans = 158
3. Independents = 40

Delegate District 30A Early Vote Turnout by Party (Mike Busch/Chuck Ferrar vs. Herb McMillan/Genevieve Lindner)

1. Democrats = 1,384
2. Republicans = 839
3. Independents = 257

Delegate District 38B Early Vote Turnout by Party (Norm Conway vs. Carl Anderton Jr) 

1. Democrats = 430
2. Republicans = 388
3. Independents = 85

JUICE #3: NATIONAL PARTIES NOW SPENDING IN MARYLAND // PLUS: OBAMA, CHRIS CHRISTIE & THE CLINTONS CAMPAIGN IN MD - As we head into the homestretch for Maryland's gubernatorial race, the national Democrats & Republicans are engaging in a proxy battle in the Free State. Here are a few signs of activity from national politicians:

HILLARY CLINTON TO RALLY FOR ANTHONY BROWN THIS THURSDAY: So far Lt. Governor Anthony Brown's campaign has brought President Obama and former President Bill Clinton onto the campaign trail in Maryland. This Thursday, they are continuing the proxy battle with a rally with Hillary Clinton (press release excerpt below). You can RSVP at: http://www.anthonybrown.com/Oct30

This event is free – supporters will be admitted on a first come, first served basis. Space is limited and supporters must RSVP at www.anthonybrown.com/Oct30, or pick up tickets at a Democratic office listed here: www.anthonybrown.com/offices.

Who: Hillary Rodham Clinton, Lt. Governor Anthony Brown, County Executive Ken Ulman, and the Maryland Democratic Team

What: Early Vote event – Final push before polls close at 8 p.m. (Nearest Early Vote location is the College Park Community Center at 5051 Pierce Avenue, College Park, MD)

When: Thursday, October 30th, Doors open to the public at 2:45 pm

Where: University of Maryland College Park, Ritchie Coliseum, 4533 Rossborough Lane, College 

Hillary Clinton's visit comes on the heels of an Anthony Brown rally with President Obama (see TV news coverage) and a fundraiser with President Bill Clinton (see TV ad w/ Bill Clinton). Meanwhile, Larry Hogan has enlisted New Jersey Governor Chris Christie (see TV coverage) to campaign for him in the Free State.

NATIONAL PARTY TV AD WARS: Meanwhile, the Democratic Governor's Association (aka DGA) has now spent at least $1.15 million in deep Blue Maryland to shore up the Brown campaign. The Washington Post reported on the ad buys (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON POST: The DGA previously spent about $750,000 on three weeks of ads in the Baltimore market that attack Hogan’s record on social issues, including his past opposition to abortion rights.... The latest DGA outlay in the heavily Democratic state will keep ads on the air on Baltimore stations through mid-October. The purchase appears to be roughly $400,000, based on publicly available records and people familiar with the buy....

To counter the DGA, the Republican Governor's Association (aka the RGA) has bought airtime in Maryland. The Baltimore Sun reported on the news (excerpt below):

BALTIMORE SUN: The RGA's intervention in the race in deep-blue Maryland reflects a growing hope in GOP circles that Hogan can score an upset despite the state's 2-1 Democratic registration advantage. The RGA's chairman, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, campaigned and raised funds for Hogan this week on his second visit to Maryland on Hogan's behalf. lRelated Distortions fly in race for governor POLITICS Distortions fly in race for governor SEE ALL RELATED 8 According to filings with the Federal Communication Commission, the RGA will spend $166,515 to advertise on WJZ-TV. The ad the group released Thursday is a 30-second spot rattling off taxes, fares and other charges that have gone up under Brown and Gov. Martin O'Malley....

JUICE #4: SENATORS RASKIN & ZIRKIN BATTLING FOR CHAIR OF JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS COMMITTEE - One of the non-election stories politicos are currently following is the battle between State Senators Jamie Raskin & Bobby Zirkin for Chair of the Judicial Proceedings Committee. After all, not all of the hot races this year are electoral battles -- some of them relate to the assignment of leadership posts. This November, State Senator Brian Frosh is all but certain to be elected Maryland's next Attorney General, but Frosh also chairs the Senate's Judicial Proceedings Committee (aka JPR). With his looming departure from that post, Senate President Mike Miller will soon have to choose a replacement. Center Maryland columnist Josh Kurtz recently highlighted the basics of the JPR battle (excerpt below):

JOSH KURTZ VIA CENTER MARYLAND: At first glance – and maybe even at second and third glance – it’s a no-brainer: A Harvard-educated constitutional scholar vs. a guy who advertises his ability to win dog bite cases prominently on his law firm website. Put another way, it’s a choice between a lawyer who wrote a best-selling book about the Supreme Court and a lawmaker who introduced a bill that would have prevented the wife of an Annapolis lobbyist from serving on the Baltimore County school board because the lawmaker didn’t like a natural gas pipeline project in his neighborhood that the lobbyist’s firm was promoting....

By all accounts, the battle is between Montgomery County Sen. Jamie Raskin (D), an American University law professor and constitutional scholar, and Baltimore County Sen. Bobby Zirkin (D), the trial lawyer and pipeline foe. But [Senate President Mike] Miller’s decision isn’t as easy as one might expect given the two contenders’ credentials, because this is not an academic exercise – and the chairmanship of JPR is anything but an academic position. In fact, it’s become a major dilemma for Miller, the longest-serving Senate president on Planet Earth who once held the JPR gavel himself....

WILL MOCO & LIBERALS HAVE A ROLE IN THE STATE SENATE? - But there is much more to the JPR battle than just the resumes of Senators Raskin & Zirkin. The decision has much to do with the trajectory of the chamber, and Montgomery County's role in the future of the State Senate. With the exit of Senator Brian Frosh and the retirement of former Majority Leader Rob Garagiola, Montgomery County may soon be without any Senator in a senior leadership position in the state's upper chamber.

Moreover, with the ever-increasing liberal bent to Maryland's Democratic electorate, the JPR battle foreshadows whether progressives in the State Senate will be given a correspondingly larger voice in the body. On this point, there are some similarities and some differences in voting record between Raskin & Zirkin. Most notably, Zirkin voted against the Dream Act while Raskin supported the bill. The two Senators also disagree on whether landlords should be able to discriminate against tenants based on the form of payment for rent (eg: housing vouchers for veterans and low income residents). Raskin opposes discrimination against form of payment, while Zirkin supports it.

That being said, both Senators voted for marriage equality and both support marijuana legalization. Both Senators also voted against corporate welfare for Lockheed Martin, and Zirkin ultimately joined Raskin in supporting death penalty repeal and transgender non-discrimination. In any case, we will likely not know how this story plays out until after the General Election is concluded.


JUICE #5: LOW PROFILE BALLOT QUESTIONS FACING VOTERS IN NOVEMBER // TRANSPORTATION LOCK BOX, COUNTY EXEC SPECIAL ELECTIONS & MORE - In addition to the state and county races on the ballot this year, there are some fairly interesting (albeit low-profile) ballot questions facing voters. We discuss the two statewide ballot questions and a Montgomery County-specific ballot question below:

QUESTION 1: SHOULD MARYLAND LOCK-BOX ITS TRANSPORTATION FUNDS? - This ballot question asks voters whether state lawmakers should be prohibited from spending transportation dollars on non-transportation budget items. The measure was placed on the ballot by the General Assembly as part of the gas tax negotiations during the last legislative session. The lockbox on the transportation trust fund dollars could be overturned through at 60% vote of the legislature during a fiscal emergency. A vote "for" Question 1, is a vote for the lockbox and is recommended by a diverse range of groups including the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee, Progressive Neighbors, The Baltimore Sun, The Gazette, various Chambers of Commerce, the carpenters union and supporters of the Red Line, Purple Line and CCT.

QUESTION 2: SHOULD MARYLAND ALLOW COUNTIES TO FILL COUNTY EXEC VACANCIES THROUGH SPECIAL ELECTIONS? - This ballot question asks voters whether Maryland should authorize counties to fill vacancies in the office of County Executive through special elections instead of appointments. In Montgomery County, for example, a County Exec vacancy would currently be filled through a vote of five members of the County Council. A vote "for" Question 2 is a vote to allow counties to use special elections and is recommended by the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee and Progressive Neighbors.

MOCO QUESTION A: SHOULD MOCO REQUIRE COUNCILMEMBERS TO LIVE IN THEIR DISTRICT AT THE TIME OF A PRIMARY, GENERAL & VACANCY? - This ballot question asks voters in Montgomery County whether candidates for District-based County Council seats must reside in their district at the time of a Primary Election and General Election or at the time a vacancy occurs. A vote "for" Question A is a vote to require residency and is recommended by the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee and Progressive Neighbors.

JUICE #6: MONTGOMERY COUNTY APPROVES PUBLIC FINANCING FOR COUNTY RACES STARTING IN THE 2018 CYCLE - One major game-changer to local politics is that Montgomery County Councilmembers recently voted unanimously to adopt a "clean elections" public financing system for county races. The County Council sent the following press release discussing how the new system works (excerpt below):

MONTGOMERY COUNTY COUNCIL: The Montgomery County Council today unanimously enacted Bill 16-14, which will allow candidates for County Council and County Executive to qualify for partial public financing for their campaigns. This is the first measure of its type for County elective offices in the Washington Region and in the State of Maryland.... The bill would establish a Public Election Fund. To qualify for public financing, a candidate would have to:

• File a Notice of Intent prior to collecting qualifying contributions
• Establish a publicly funded campaign account
• Only accept contributions from an individual of between $5 and $150
• Refuse to accept a contribution from any group or organization, including a political action committee, a corporation, a labor organization or a State or local central action committee of a political party
• Collect a qualifying number of contributions from County residents: 500 for County Executive candidates, 250 for at-large Council candidates and 125 for district Council candidates
• Meet qualifying dollar thresholds of $40,000 for County Executive, $20,000 for at-large Councilmember and $10,000 for district CouncilmemberLimits are indexed to inflation
• Only contributions from County residents are eligible for matching funds

The plan provides strong incentives for candidates to seek out many small individual contributors. Matching public dollars for County Executive candidates would be $6 for each dollar of the first $50 of a qualifying contribution received from a County resident, $4 for each dollar for the second $50 and $2 for each remaining dollar received up to the maximum contribution. Matching dollars for County Council candidates would be $4 for each dollar of the first $50 received from a County resident, $3 for each dollar for the second $50 and $2 for each remaining dollar received up to the maximum contribution.

The maximum limit on public funds per candidate for either the primary election or the general election will be $750,000 for a County Executive candidate, $250,000 for a Council at-large candidate and $125,000 for a district Council candidate. Matching dollars would not be distributed for self/spouse contributions or to candidates running unopposed.

Advocates are hopeful that the "clean elections" push will soon spread to other states and hopefully be adopted for state elections in coming years.

That's it until next time!

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.

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!

JUICE: Final List of Names for Ervin's MoCo Council Seat, 2014 Annapolis Priorities, Del. Don Dwyer Removed from Committee

PLUS: FBI IN PRINCE GEORGE'S, 15 MIN TRAIN RIDE TO BALTIMORE, D17 SENATE BATTLE & MORE!

Below Maryland Juice provides a round-up of news items relating to politics and economic development:

JUICE #1: FINAL LIST OF APPLICANTS FOR VALERIE ERVIN'S COUNCIL VACANCY // JAY HUTCHINS & FORMER DEL. HERMAN TAYLOR ROUND OUT LIST OF 18 NAMES - Yesterday was the deadline for Democrats in Montgomery County's Council District 5 to apply for the seat recently vacated by Valerie Ervin. Below Maryland Juice provides the full list of eighteen (!!!) applicants for the interim appointment:

1. Alan Bowser
2. Cherri Branson
3. Esther Stein Chayt
4. Michael Diegel
5. Jeanette Dixon
6. Larry E. Edmonds
7. Ronald Galvin, Jr.
8. Jay Hutchins III
9. Arthur Jackson, Jr.
10. Kim Jones
11. Andrew Kleine
12. Iris Lewis
13. Timothy Male
14. Harold McDougall
15. Herman Taylor *
16. Dale Tibbitts
17. Daniel L. Wilhelm
18. Mark Woodard

* Currently resides in District 5 -- will update voter registration from District 4 prior to appointment

One of the more interesting new names on this list is Jay Hutchins, who was the runner-up to Sam Arora in the 2010 Democratic Primary for District 19 House of Delegates. Also of note is an application by former District 14 Delegate Herman Taylor.


JUICE #2: GOP DELEGATE DON DWYER STRIPPED OF SEAT ON HOUSE WAYS & MEANS COMMITTEE - The Capitol Gazette reported today that at the start of Maryland's 2014 legislative session, embattled Delegate Don Dwyer has been removed from his seat on the House Ways & Means Committee (excerpt below):

CAPITAL GAZETTE: For the second time in a year, Del. Don Dwyer will be removed from a House of Delegates committee. House Speaker Michael E. Busch, D-Annapolis, said Thursday he was removing Dwyer, R-Pasadena, from the House Ways and Means Committee “to protect the integrity of the institution of the House of Delegates.” Dwyer is expected to lose his seat Friday. Dwyer was sentenced in October 2013 to 30 consecutive weekends in jail for drunken driving. He will spend most weekends during the 2014 General Assembly in confinement. Stripped of his committee position, Dwyer will only be able to debate and cast votes on the House floor for the remainder of the session....

JUICE #3: DEL. LUIZ SIMMONS CALLS FOR "CLEAN CAMPAIGN PLEDGE" IN D17 STATE SENATE CONTEST - Maryland Juice received the following press release from Delegate Luiz Simmons calling for a "clean campaign pledge" from rival candidate Cheryl Kagan in the District 17 State Senate primary:

PRESS RELEASE

Del. Luiz Simmons Proposes Clean Campaign Pledge in State Senate Race
Says residents deserve honest, fair campaign - free from mudslinging

Rockville, MD – Today, District 17 State Senate candidate and current State Delegate Luiz Simmons proposed the “No Mudslinging in Maryland Pledge.”  This pledge would ensure a clean campaign in the race to represent Rockville and Gaithersburg in the State Senate.

The 2010 State Senate campaign between State Senator Jennie Forhand and Cheryl Kagan was called “the most negative campaign in District 17 history.”

“The voters in District 17 deserve a campaign that is honest, fair and focuses on the issues.  There is no place for the politics of personal destruction in this race,” said Delegate Luiz Simmons.  “I urge my opponent, Cheryl Kagan to sign this pledge today.”

The No Mudslinging in Maryland Pledge says the following:

As primary candidates for the office of State Senator, District 17, we hereby agree that the people of Maryland deserve better than a negative campaign.  They deserve a campaign on the issues most important to them – not one full of cheap, divisive attacks. 

During the primary campaign, we pledge the following:

1. To avoid personal attacks against our opponents. We will not engage in a smear campaign, negative character attacks, defamation, or false accusations against any opponent.
2. To avoid distortions and misrepresentations of our opponents’ records and positions. This includes distortions in the media, campaign literature, advertisements, mailings and speaking engagements.
3. We hereby instruct members of our campaign teams, including staff, advisors and volunteers, to agree to these same terms.

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JUICE #4: TOWN OF CHEVY CHASE SEEKS TO SPEND $360,000 ON LAWYERS TO BATTLE PURPLE LINE - Leaders in the Town of Chevy Chase, who have been battling the proposed light rail "Purple Line"' project, held a public hearing last night to discuss whether to spend $360,000 on attorneys to tackle one of Montgomery County's top transportation priorities. The item was included in the town's recent community newsletter (excerpt below):

TOWN OF CHEVY CHASE: At its Wednesday, January 8 meeting, the Town Council will hold a public hearing on a proposal to engage a law firm to assist the Town in continuing to respond to the proposed Purple Line project and its local impacts.

The Town recently submitted comments regarding the Purple Line’s Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS), which assesses the environmental effects of the proposed project. These comments note significant concerns with the project’s skyrocketing costs and funding prospects and call for a new environmental impact study to identify lower cost alternatives, such as bus rapid transit. The comments also raise technical concerns about the proposed alignment, including visual, noise and safety impacts.

As plans for the Purple Line progress, the Town Council wants to ensure that the Town’s concerns are given serious consideration by state and federal decision makers, and the Council has proposed to engage a law firm to assist in that effort. The length of the engagement will be approximately 18 months, with a cost of approximately $360,000....

The unfortunate aspect to this development, is that the Purple Line is a broadly popular project outside of Chevy Chase, and so the town's expenditures on lawyers may well cost taxpayers in other parts of Maryland thousands of dollars to defend the light rail initiative. Notably, Chevy Chase has ample resources for such a strategy, given that under state law they are refunded 1/6 of county income taxes paid by town residents. In a recent count, the Town of Chevy Chase with a population of 2,907 got almost as much money as Takoma Park with 17,905 (much less affluent) people ($2,174,114 vs. $2,330,225).  


JUICE #5: LERNER FAMILY SEEKS TO LURE FBI HEADQUARTERS TO FORMER LANDOVER MALL SITE IN PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY - The Washington Post reported this week that Lerner Enterprises (the business run by the owner of the Washington Nationals) is attempting to lure the FBI to the former Landover Mall site in Prince George's County (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON POST: Sears is shuttering its store near the former Landover Mall, after selling the site to a Rockville-based development firm that is seeking to build a new FBI headquarters.... The store operated for more than a decade in a sea of empty parking lots after Landover Mall closed in 2002 and the shopping center was demolished a few years later. Lerner Enterprises said Tuesday that it plans to offer the 88-acre former mall site to the General Services Administration for consideration as a future headquarters for the FBI....

“With Sears closed the confusion that existed as to the availability of the entire site should be eliminated,” Alan H. Gottlieb, chief operating officer of Lerner Enterprises, wrote in an e-mail after the Sears announcement. “We would hope to attract a major user or users to the site possibly the FBI. In that regard we have submitted the site to the GSA.”

JUICE #6: JAPANESE OFFICIALS OFFER HELP TO BUILD HIGH SPEED RAIL TO CREATE 15 MINUTE TRAIN RIDE BETWEEN BALTIMORE & WASHINGTON - Business Insider reported this week that the Japanese government has offered to lend the United States half the cost of building a high-speed "Mag-Lev" train between Baltimore and Washington, DC. The proposed system would cut the commuting time between the two cities to fifteen minutes (excerpt below):

BUSINESS INSIDER: The Japanese government has promised to lend the United States half of the cost of building the first "Super-Maglev" train, reducing travel time between Baltimore and Washington, D.C. to just 15 minutes. Tokyo is so keen to show off its technology that it will provide loans for half the estimated $8 billion (£5bn) cost of installing the tracks, Japan's Asahi newspaper said on Tuesday.

The American federal government is keen on the project, according to Central Japan Railway Co., and state authorities are especially enthusiastic.... Maglev vehicles have no wheels and are propelled along their track through electromagnetic pull – doing away with friction and, hence, providing a smoother and quieter ride at a faster speed....

JUICE #7: ADVOCATES HIGHLIGHT 2014 MARYLAND LEGISLATIVE AGENDA FOR LGBT RIGHTS - At the start of the 2014 Annapolis legislative session, The Washington Blade's Michael Lavers highlighted the policy priorities of LGBT activists in Maryland (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON BLADE: Efforts to ban discrimination based on gender identity and expression and so-called “ex-gay” conversion therapy to minors are top priorities for Maryland LGBT rights advocates during the 2014 legislative session that begins on Wednesday.

State Sen. Rich Madaleno (D-Montgomery County) will introduce the transgender rights bill in the state Senate. State Del. Luke Clippinger (D-Baltimore City) plans to bring forth the measure in the House of Delegates, even though the chamber passed a trans rights bill in 2011....

The Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee last March by a 6-5 vote struck down a bill Madaleno and state Sen. Jamie Raskin (D-Montgomery County) introduced that would have banned anti-trans discrimination in housing, employment and public accommodation. State Sens. Norman Stone (D-Baltimore County), C. Anthony Muse (D-Prince George’s County) and James Brochin (D-Baltimore County) voted against the measure....

State Del. Jon Cardin (D-Baltimore County) has introduced a bill that would ban “ex-gay” conversion therapy to minors in Maryland. The original version of House Bill 91 only includes sexual orientation, but Cardin’s legislative director Josh Greenfield told the Blade on Tuesday it will be amended to include gender identity and expression. Madaleno is also expected to introduce the measure in the Senate.

JUICE #8: ACLU OF MARYLAND RELEASES LIST OF 2014 MARYLAND LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES - Maryland's ACLU released the following press release discussing their legislative priorities in the 2014 Annapolis session (excerpt below):

PRESS RELEASE

ACLU of Maryland Announces 2014 Legislative Priorities

Issues include taxing and regulating marijuana, stopping local police from enforcing civil immigration detainers, limiting email and cell phone surveillance, and ending the shackling of pregnant women

...The ACLU priorities include legislation to tax and regulate marijuana, stop local police from enforcing civil immigration detainers, limit email and cell phone surveillance, end the shackling of pregnant women, fully fund the Public Education "Thornton" Funding Formula and more....

Highlights from the ACLU’s priorities for 2014 General Assembly session:

PRIVACY

• Email Surveillance: Privacy laws have yet to be updated, which allows the government to intercept and access information about the content of our emails, and other information collected by search engines, social networking sites and other websites. The ACLU supports legislation to ensure that new advances in science and technology enhance, not compromise, civil liberties.

• Location Tracking:  The ACLU supports legislation that would ensure that legitimate investigations can proceed, while protecting innocent Marylanders from unjustified invasions of their privacy.

• Drones: Drones can pose a serious threat to privacy. The ACLU of Maryland is in support of legislation that would prohibit a Maryland law enforcement agency from using a drone to gather evidence without a warrant.

• Automatic License Plate Recorders: The ACLU supports legislation that would keep law enforcement from storing records of plates and locations that are not ‘hits’ against any database.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE: The War on Drugs has failed.  Maryland spends an inordinate amount of time, energy and money arresting people for marijuana possession, even though 44 percent of violent crimes in Maryland go unsolved. Further, despite equal rates of use, these arrests are racially imbalanced.  Because the War on Drugs has failed, the ACLU supports the full decriminalization, taxation and regulation of marijuana possession.

REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOM: The ACLU works to protect everyone's right to make informed decisions free from government interference about whether and when to become a parent. In addition, the ACLU will advocate for legislation to end the dangerous practices of shackling pregnant women in custody during transport, labor and delivery. The ACLU supported last year, and will support again, legislation that would prohibit the shackling of pregnant inmates and detainees during their second and third trimesters.

IMMIGRATION REFORM: State and local law enforcement undermine public safety and waste resources by enforcing immigration detainer requests from U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The ACLU supports the Maryland Trust Act, a bill that would restore community relationships with local police by disentangling them from federal immigration enforcement efforts. 

EDUCATION

• Full Funding of the Public Education "Thornton" Funding Formula: The ACLU's Education Reform Project will continue its advocacy to ensure that the state budget contains full funding of the “Thornton” education funding formula in the Bridge to Excellence Act, including a minimum 1 percent inflation factor and the Geographic Cost of Education Index. 

• Funding the Thornton Formula Adequacy Study in the Governor’s Budget: The ACLU has called on the Governor to provide appropriate funding in the Maryland State Board of Education budget to hire a reputable expert to conduct the required “adequacy study” of the “Thornton” education formula. The Bridge to Excellence Act anticipated the need to regularly update the formula in light of changing academic standards and requires that over the next two years a reassessment will take place of the adequacy of funding levels for students to meet state standards. 

• Expansion of Pre-Kindergarten Education for the Most At-risk Children: The ACLU will advocate for adequate state and local funding for the existing Pre-K programs (currently funded based on K-12 students rather than Pre-K enrollment) and for the state to fund school districts that offer full-day programs. 

• Oppose State Funding of Private Schools: The ACLU will continue to fight back against funding private schools with public dollars. The ACLU opposes legislation that would reimburse parents or institutions for private school tuition. Private schools do not have to abide by the same state anti-discrimination laws and rules that public schools do. Such legislation also entangles the state in promoting religious education, as many of the beneficiaries would be religious schools. And every public dollar diverted to private schools is a dollar lost to the taxpayers of Maryland.

The full list of 2014 legislative priorities can be found at the ACLU of Maryland website.

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JUICE #9: COMMUNITY ACTIVISTS ANNOUNCE 2014 MARYLAND LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES - Maryland Juice received the following press release from the "Fund Our Communities" coalition announcing their 2014 efforts in Annapolis (excerpts below):

PRESS RELEASE

MD Legislators Urged: Establish a Commission to Prepare for Military Downsizing

ANNAPOLIS, MD –Members of the Fund our Communities (FOC) coalition are asking Maryland lawmakers to support legislation establishing the Commission on Maryland’s Future, A Jobs Strategy for the State of Maryland. This commission will be tasked with developing plans and policies to ensure a competitive advantage for Maryland as Federal military spending declines.

Jean Athey, steering committee chair, commented: “Maryland has over 200,000 workers in military-related industries and ranks fourth among states in per capita defense spending. As Federal military spending decreases, military-related jobs in Maryland will shrink and tax revenues for local communities will decline.”

Concerned about the economic shock that military drawdowns may have on jobs and employment, several unions have joined the FOC coalition. Gino Renne, President of UFCW Local 1994 MCGEO, explains, “With Maryland receiving over $36 billion annually from military spending, we may have put more of our eggs into this one basket than is wise. As an organization that represents middle class employees, this is a genuine concern for us.” Other unions have expressed similar concerns. In October, the Maryland/DC AFL-CIO passed a resolution at its annual conference encouraging its members to become engaged on the topic of conversion of military spending to domestic needs.

David Kunes, President of Montgomery County Young Democrats, notes that the Department of Defense has provided guidance to states and communities on defense transition, guidance that “shows that the Futures Commission is simply an idea whose time has come.” Athey agrees, adding “It is no longer a question of should we prepare for the economic changes that potential military cutbacks will have on our State, but rather, how we can afford not to.”

FOC (www.ourfunds.org) is a coalition comprised of over 60 organizations, including political, veteran, faith groups and unions, that advocates for changes in our nation’s budget to more adequately fund community needs.

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JUICE #10: O'MALLEY TO FOCUS ON RAISING MINIMUM WAGE // PLUS: THE WOULD-BE 2016 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE NEEDS RE-EDUCATION ON WAR ON DRUGS  - The Associated Press reported this week that Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley will be prioritizing passage of a minimum wage increase in the 2014 legislative session (excerpt below):

ASSOCIATED PRESS (VIA WBAL): Governor Martin O'Malley says he will be focusing his energy on raising the state's minimum wage in his last legislative session as Maryland's governor. O'Malley on Tuesday underscored the minimum wage hike as a top priority a day before the state's 90-day session is scheduled to begin.... Maryland's minimum wage is $7.25 an hour. O'Malley says 21 other states have a higher minimum wage than Maryland, which he says has the highest median income in the nation. While the governor pledged his commitment to push for an increase, it remains unclear how much....

Indeed, the devil will be in the details with the coming minimum wage hike, and Maryland Juice hopes that ahead of his 2016 White House run, Governor O'Malley will embrace a $10.10/hr indexed minimum wage hike -- that does not seek to overturn the recently passed $11.50/hr wage hikes in Montgomery & Prince George's counties.

RE-EDUCATING O'MALLEY ON THE FAILED WAR ON DRUGS: On another note, Governor O'Malley needs a hard nudge to see that the broad public is mostly done with the failed "war on drugs" and no longer sees jail time as an appropriate penalty for petty "crimes" like marijuana possession. A good starting point for his re-education campaign might be the eye-opening documentary "The House I Live In," which details the ravaging effects of our ignorant "tough on crime" and "war on drugs" policies. The film took the Grand Jury Prize at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival, and I highly recommend it to Maryland Juice readers (trailer below):