As of Dec. 8, the Columbia Democratic Club is supporting the following four local bills:

Ho. Co. 8-05 which would authorize the county "to eanct legislation to create a revenue authority with the power to build, own, and/or manage parking facilities, arts and recreation facilities, or other types od facilities approved by the County Executive or County Council, and to issue revenue bonds to finance such activities." (as requested by the County Executive)

Ho. Co. 15-05 (sponsored by Delegates Bobo and Quinter) which would "treat property tax recovery on planned development land when it goes into development similarly to the property tax recovery on agricultural land when it goes into development."

Ho. Co. 16-05 (sponsored by Delegates Bobo and Quinter) which would change "the effective date for the ending of a reduced assessment for planned development land from June 1, 2009 to June 1, 2006 and the applicability of the law from tax years beginning after June 30, 2009 to tax years beginning after June 30, 2006."

Ho. Co. 17-05 (sponsored by Delegates Bobo and Quinter) which would impose "recordation and transfer taxes on the transfer of a controlling interest in certain entities owning interest in real property in Howard County."

On vetoed state bills from 2004

CDC is supporting an override of the governor's veto on six matters when the legislature next convenes:

HB1188 which would cap college tuition and temporarily increase corporate taxes

SB621 which would provide a living wage in state procurement contracts

SB250 which would create an equal pay commission

HB73/SB87 each of which would allow anyone to file suit against violation of the open meetings act

SB117 which would ban posting of social security numbers

HB232 which would expand access to adoption awards for real parents, siblings, or adoptees

A successful override requires the support of at least three fifths of both House and Senate (or 85 Delegates and 29 Senators). The vetoes that should be the most difficult to override are on HB1188 (on college tuitions) and SB621 (on the living wage), because neither had the support of 85 delegates on passage. But these two bills and SB250 (on the equal pay commission) are known to be the subjects of a veto override campaign by various organizatons.
Delegate Bobo is the prime sponsor of HB73 as is Delegate Turner for HB232. Delegate Pendergrass sponsored the House version of SB117.

On funding of public school renovation and construction

CDC voted to align with the Coalition for Public School Funding in requesting that the initial budget allocation for this purpose be increased from $100 million up to $150 million.

E-mail addresses and phone numbers for our Howard County state legislators (so that they may be contacted to support all of the above matters) are as follows:

Dist. 9 Senator Allan H. Kittleman (R) Allan_Kittleman@senate.state.md.us
410-841-3671 or 301-858-3671
Dist. 9A Delegate Gail H. Bates (R) Gail_Bates@house.state.md.us
Delegate Warren E. Miller (R) Warren_Miller@house.state.md.us
410-841-3556 or 301-858-3556 for both Bates and Miller
Dist. 12 Senator Edward J. Kasemeyer (D) Edward_Kasemeyer@senate.state.md.us
410-841-3653 or 301-858-3653
Dist. 12A Delegate Steven J. DeBoy, Sr. (D) Steven_DeBoy@house.state.md.us
410-841-3328 or 301-858-3328
Delegate James E. Malone, Jr. (D) James_Malone@house.state.md.us
410-841-3378 or 301-858-3378
Dist. 13 Senator Sandra B. Schrader (R) Sandra_Schrader@senate.state.md.us
410-841-3572 or 301-858-3572
Delegate Shane Pendergrass D) Shane_Pendergrass@house.state.md.us
410-841-3139 or 301-858-3139
Delegate Neil F. Quinter (D) Neil_Quinter@house.state.md.us
Delegate Frank S. Turner (D) Frank_Turner@house.state.md.us
410-841-3246 or 301-858-3246 for both Quinter and Turner

In contacting the above legislators, bear in mind that individuals will normally have the greatest impact with those legislators who directly represent them.

Ken Stevens
Legislative Committee chair
Columbia democratic Club