In Session http://www.hometownannapolis.com/blogs/blog/8/InSession.html State House reporter Liam Farrell gives insights into the inner workings of the 2009 General Assembly Session.]]> en-us Fri, 09 Jan 2009 09:39:46 -0500 Mon, 26 Oct 2009 11:18:02 -0400 http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/rss/rss.html PHP 5.2.6 nlundskow@capitalgazette.com (Nick Lundskow) erikwiffin@capitalgazette.com (Erik Wiffin) 60 Kach Explains http://www.hometownannapolis.com/blogs/post/2843148/KachExplains.html I had a conversation this morning with Republican Del. A. Wade Kach of Baltimore County about his 2007 special session amendment, which is the source of the slots zoning debate in Anne Arundel (see my Sunday story on the situation here: http://www.hometownannapolis.com/news/top/2009/10/25-68/Political-necessity-led-to-slots-turmoil.html]]> Mon, 26 Oct 2009 11:17:59 -0400 http://www.hometownannapolis.com/blogs/post/2843148/KachExplains.html Cross-Promotion http://www.hometownannapolis.com/blogs/post/2843136/CrossPromotion.html

To engage in a little shameless cross-promotion, I will be appearing tonight on MPT’s State Circle to talk about recent state politics news, such as the continuing battle over slots in Anne Arundel County. It airs at 7:30 p.m. tonight.

]]> Fri, 23 Oct 2009 13:17:30 -0400 http://www.hometownannapolis.com/blogs/post/2843136/CrossPromotion.html How about some PEGH? http://www.hometownannapolis.com/blogs/post/2842695/HowaboutsomePEGH.html For decades, government officials have bemoaned the math and science achievement of public schools and pledged to do better. The latest incarnation of this is STEM programs, which stands for science, technology, engineering and math.

Gov. Martin O’Malley received a STEM report on Wednesday advocating for more...

]]> Fri, 07 Aug 2009 15:24:02 -0400 http://www.hometownannapolis.com/blogs/post/2842695/HowaboutsomePEGH.html We aren't California ... or Arizona http://www.hometownannapolis.com/blogs/post/2842658/WearentCalifornia...orArizona.html Over the past several months, Maryland officials have consistently tried to beat the mantra that the state is in a better financial position than others into the heads of the press corps and public at large. Once a new $700 million hole was gashed into the budget this month, Gov. Martin O’Malley started pointing the finger westward and basically saying, “At least we are not California.”

 Wed, 29 Jul 2009 12:11:35 -0400 http://www.hometownannapolis.com/blogs/post/2842658/WearentCalifornia...orArizona.html If you can't see the choir ... http://www.hometownannapolis.com/blogs/post/2842639/Ifyoucantseethechoir....html There is a quote from the gambling movie “Rounders,” that if you cannot spot the sucker at a poker table in the first few minutes of play you actually are the sucker.  To paraphrase, if you can’t spot the choir being preached to at a protest, you are probably part of the choir.

This...

]]> Tue, 21 Jul 2009 09:52:59 -0400 http://www.hometownannapolis.com/blogs/post/2842639/Ifyoucantseethechoir....html Perils of Incumbency http://www.hometownannapolis.com/blogs/post/2842629/PerilsofIncumbency.html Being an incumbent can be a huge advantage in politics during election years, as name recognition and fundraising are smaller obstacles than for upstart opponents. Whether state legislators and Gov. Martin O’Malley find their current titles a bonus in 2010 still remains to be seen.

In June, I went on vacation...

]]> Wed, 15 Jul 2009 10:31:39 -0400 http://www.hometownannapolis.com/blogs/post/2842629/PerilsofIncumbency.html Interim Updates http://www.hometownannapolis.com/blogs/post/2842628/InterimUpdates.html Summer is always slow (hence a lack of recent posts) but here are some things to watch in the coming weeks and months:

·        Gov. Martin O’Malley made one of his regular appearances on the Kojo Nnamdi show today on WAMU 88.5 FM, and I think I can help out one of the callers.

O’Malley had to punt on a question from an Anne Arundel County resident who wondered why there is so much education stimulus money and yet his wife will not...

]]> Wed, 13 May 2009 12:44:02 -0400 http://www.hometownannapolis.com/blogs/post/2842480/StimulusConfusionandMoreFiscalWoes.html Off-season http://www.hometownannapolis.com/blogs/post/2842466/Offseason.html With session over, news in the State House can come to a crawl. In the interim, committees rarely meet and legislators rarely make decisions, so Gov. Martin O’Malley bears the brunt of making things happen.

Swine flu so far has been the biggest issue to come around, and who doesn’t like to scare up a few...

]]> Mon, 04 May 2009 15:04:11 -0400 http://www.hometownannapolis.com/blogs/post/2842466/Offseason.html License Deadlock http://www.hometownannapolis.com/blogs/post/2842418/LicenseDeadlock.html House and Senate negotiators have hit an impasse over a bill to require proof of lawful presence to get a driver’s license.

Apparently the delegates and senators had their own interpretations on an agreement hashed out Saturday over the House’s grandfather clause, which would allow people with licenses...

]]> Mon, 13 Apr 2009 18:27:36 -0400 http://www.hometownannapolis.com/blogs/post/2842418/LicenseDeadlock.html