Ready Report- March 19, 2018
Good Afternoon everyone. Session has reached its own version of March Madness with three weeks left in the 2018 Legislative Session.
Governor Hogan and General Assembly Republicans Fight for State Income Tax Reform.
Earlier in Session 2018, I informed you of my support for Governor Hogan’s tax relief package. The Governor’s plan was to “hold Marylanders harmless” to the changes made the Federal Tax Code after President Trump’s tax reform was signed into law.
While most American’s will receive a tax break from the new tax codes, high income tax states like Maryland stand to receive a revenue windfall. State Revenues are estimated to come in around $400 million higher than expected. Governor Hogan’s plan has been to give a large quantity, if not all, back to the rightful owners, the taxpayers.
Unfortunately, the majority party in the General Assembly will do whatever it takes to stop Governor Hogan and our progress. Governor Hogan’s plan focuses on the idea of decoupling federal and state tax returns and allow Marylanders to take the standard deduction in MD even if they itemized at the Federal level, and vice versa.
The Senate Budget and Tax committee rejected the Governor’s plan and put out their own version of changes to the Maryland tax code. These changes are disputed to the effect they will have on Maryland Taxpayers, and I am monitoring this bill closely. I will keep you up to date on the latest developments.
Senator Ready with Sheriff DeWees and State's Attorney Brian DeLeonardo
The Tackle Football Ban Bill is Dead!
As you might have heard in the press, a member of the House of Delegates put in a bill that would ban tackle football until high school. I strongly disagree with this bill. While it was in the House and I did not get to vote on it, I applaud our Delegates Shoemaker and Rose, who were on the Committee that helped kill the bill.
This legislation was an answer looking for a problem. Learning how to tackle your opponent in a safe and effective manner is an essential part of youth football. If anything, this bill would have made athletes more susceptible to injury. Players would have been forced to learn how to tackle against young men rather than boys who hit substantially less hard. If parents do not want their kids to play tackle football, it is up for them to make that decision, not the Maryland General Assembly. I am thankful that the Committee killed this bill.
Senator Ready and Legislative Aide Andy Baranauskas meeting with Carroll County Youth Football Officials
Board of Public Works Provides Grant for Rural Legacy Funds
Earlier in the month the Board of Public Works provide a $287,839 grant to Carroll County from Rural Legacy Funds for the acquisition of a conservation easement in the Upper Patapsco Rural Legacy Area. The grant will be used to support the acquisition of a 60 plus acre conservation easement on the Stocksdale Property.
Acquisition of this easement will protect valuable agricultural and forest lands and provide buffers to the headwaters of Aspen Run, a tributary to the Patapsco River, and upstream from Liberty Reservoir, a source of potable water to Baltimore City.
Senator Ready with tag and title representatives