Section: GOV http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/GOV GOV stories from The Capital Newspaper at HometownAnnapolis.com. en Copyright (c) 2009, Capital Gazette Communications Inc., Annapolis, MD 21401 Sun, 08 Nov 09 13:26:01 +0000 nlundskow@capitalgazette.com (Editor, New Media) technician@hometownannapolis.com (HTA Technicians) <![CDATA[Child support rates outdated]]> http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2009/11_08-27/GOV State officials want to increase how much most people pay in child support, arguing that the current guidelines were developed in 1988 and no longer represent the real cost of raising a child in Maryland.

The math is just too old and children will suffer if the guidelines aren't updated soon, said Stacy L. Rodgers, deputy secretary for the state's Department of Human Resources.

But the push for change comes during hard eco...

]]> unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) Sun, 08 Nov 2009 00:00:00 http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2009/11_08-27/GOV <![CDATA[Slots linchpin: Will Cohen stay or will he go?]]> http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2009/11_08-55/GOV A new wrinkle has inched into the county's interminable slots debate as slots opponent and Annapolis Mayor-elect Josh Cohen contemplates when to leave the County Council behind.

Resign in the next week, and his fellow County Council members could theoretically appoint a slots supporter to get the elusive fourth vote to pass zoning for the casino. Wait until December, and Cohen's resignation will not affect the faltering proposal...

]]> unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) Sun, 08 Nov 2009 00:00:00 http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2009/11_08-55/GOV <![CDATA[Poll: O'Malley will face re-election challenges]]> http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2009/11_06-20/GOV Maryland may not exactly line up in the political landscape with New Jersey or Virginia, but a new poll shows voter dissatisfaction could plague Gov. Martin O'Malley in his re-election bid next year.

A poll by the Washington-based Clarus Research Group shows the Democrat with ratings of less than 50 percent in three key areas: job approval, whether voters want to re-elect him, and in a trial rematch with his Republican predecessor a...

]]> unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2009/11_06-20/GOV <![CDATA[Political Notes: Climate group honors O'Malley]]> http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2009/11_05-55/GOV The Chesapeake Climate Action Network gave its annual Climate Leadership Award to O'Malley, citing his leadership to enact a state law cutting the amount of carbon dioxide released into the air each year. The group said the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reductions Act "mandates the stronge...

]]> unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2009/11_05-55/GOV <![CDATA[Ehrlich could be encouraged by GOP successes]]> http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2009/11_05-14/GOV ]]> unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2009/11_05-14/GOV <![CDATA[State nets about $9.6 million in tax amnesty]]> http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2009/11_05-20/GOV Shapiro says many are on payment plans. That means the state will receive the money during this fiscal year and the first half of ...

]]> unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2009/11_05-20/GOV <![CDATA[White House nominates 2 NC judges for 4th Circuit]]> http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2009/11_05-18/GOV ]]> unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2009/11_05-18/GOV <![CDATA[Officials look to update child support rules]]> http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2009/11_05-23/GOV Under the plan, the amount most noncustodial parents pay would increase, while payments for lowest-income families would slightly decrease. It would mostly affect families wit...

]]> unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2009/11_05-23/GOV <![CDATA[Fed likely to keep key interest rate at record low]]> http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2009/11_04-04/GOV ]]> unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2009/11_04-04/GOV <![CDATA[Council approves Crofton community center lease]]> http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2009/11_03-19/GOV Even with a tepid blessing from the County Council last night, plans for a community center and skate park in Crofton remain surrounded by concerns.

The council unanimously approved a $1-a-year, two-decade lease for four acres of county land beside the Crofton library, but stitched fundraising benchmarks and construction oversight into the deal.

"I believe that these amendments would provide (accountability) ... and (an) exit...

]]> unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:00:00 http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2009/11_03-19/GOV <![CDATA[Advisers monitor swine flu shot safety]]> http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2009/11_02-15/GOV WASHINGTON, D.C. (AP) - Independent health advisers began monitoring safety of the swine flu vaccine today, an extra step the government promised in this year's unprecedented program to watch for possible side effects.

Decades of safe influenza inoculations mean specialists aren't expecting problems with the swine flu vaccine, because it's made the same way as the regular winter flu vaccine. But systems to track the health o...

]]> unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:00:00 http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2009/11_02-15/GOV <![CDATA[Health plan hits rich with big tax hike]]> http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2009/11_02-36/GOV WASHINGTON, D.C. (AP) - The typical family would be spared higher taxes from the House Democratic plan to overhaul health care, and their low-income neighbors could come out ahead.

Their wealthy counterparts, however, face big tax increases that could eventually hit future generations of taxpayers who are less wealthy.

The bill is funded largely from a 5.4 percent tax on individuals making more than $500,000 a year and couples mak...

]]> unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:00:00 http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2009/11_02-36/GOV <![CDATA[Ship built with WTC steel comes to namesake city]]> http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2009/11_02-11/GOV The big ship paused. Then the shots were f...

]]> unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:00:00 http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2009/11_02-11/GOV <![CDATA[Lobbying spending hits record $849 million this past quarter]]> http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2009/11_01-79/GOV WASHINGTON, D.C. (AP) - Companies, unions and other interests spent $849 million on federal lobbying in July, August and September, more than in any quarter since lobbyists began filing quarterly reports at the beginning of last year, according to a nonpartisan group that monitors political expenditures.

Lobbying spending has totaled $2.5 billion so far this year, slightly exceeding the total for all of 2005, said the Center for Respons...

]]> unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00 http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2009/11_01-79/GOV <![CDATA[Pensions need attention, Hopkins' president tells Congress]]> http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2009/10_30-02/GOV ]]> unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:00:00 http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2009/10_30-02/GOV <![CDATA[Obama girls' vaccine: Favoritism or good example?]]> http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2009/10_30-14/GOV But that hasn't stopped complaints that President Barack Obama's daughters got preferential treatment.

"You definitely think there's some favoritism going on," said Vernon Stanley, who stood for hours in the snow Tuesday to get his 6-...

]]> unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:00:00 http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2009/10_30-14/GOV <![CDATA[Stimulus provides 4,500 jobs for Md.]]> http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2009/10_30-26/GOV Maryland has saved or created almost 4,500 jobs directly from the massive federal stimulus program, according to data to be released today.

The federal report is a first attempt to quantify the employment that has resulted from the $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, from its passage in February through Sept. 30.

State officials previewed the numbers during a briefing in Annapolis yesterday.

"This stuff...

]]> unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:00:00 http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2009/10_30-26/GOV <![CDATA[Wellmobile's work threatened by budget cuts]]> http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2009/10_30-04/GOV And they're the lucky ones.

For 15 years, the Governor's Wellmobile program, run through...

]]> unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:00:00 http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2009/10_30-04/GOV <![CDATA[Mikulski seeks answers on cell phone jamming]]> http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2009/10_30-16/GOV Currently, the FCC does not allow...

]]> unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:00:00 http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2009/10_30-16/GOV <![CDATA[Despite down economy, state's inmates prepare for work]]> http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2009/10_29-19/GOV But on Nov. 21, Parson is scheduled to be released from jail, and like many people, he'll be look...

]]> unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:00:00 http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2009/10_29-19/GOV <![CDATA[Pelosi hopes new health plan is poised to pass]]> http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2009/10_29-13/GOV ]]> unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:00:00 http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2009/10_29-13/GOV <![CDATA[Political Notes: Leadership change afoot for county Democrats]]> http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2009/10_29-35/GOV So far, four people have applied for the post, Democratic Central Committee Chairman Kory Blake said in an e-mail. Weikel resigned earlier this fall after he was elected to serve on the Annapolis Democratic Central Committee.

The committees help organize party activities and are charged with select...

]]> unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:00:00 http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2009/10_29-35/GOV