Politics

A long-standing effort to provide low-income schools with federal grants to improve building infrastructure and internet connectivity has been reintroduced in Congress by Democratic U.S. lawmakers with support from Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D), and others. According to a Monday press release, the “Rebuild America’s Schools Act” would establish a $100 billion federal grant program and a $30 billion tax credit bond program for high-poverty schools to fund physical and digital infrastructure improvements.

The possible benefits and impact of Carroll County’s newly created school impact fee is being debated by school system officials and local developers. On July 27, the county commissioners voted to create a school impact fee that would charge developers of new housing in the county $3,000 per single-family home beginning Sept. 1. Commissioners voted 3-2 to enact the fee. Commissioners Ed Rothstein of District 5; Ken Kiler of District 2; and Joseph Vigliotti of District 1 voted in favor of enacting the fee; Commissioners Tom Gordon III of District 3 and Michael Guerin of District 4 voted against the measure.

As they left Deep Creek Lake Saturday after a two-day trip to Western Maryland, Gov. Wes Moore and Department of Natural Resources Secretary Josh Kurtz talked to the Cumberland Times-News about issues facing the area, including the annual bear hunt and a proposed bridge replacement over the state’s only Wild river. Moore, Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller and their administration were in Western Maryland for a series of events that began Friday in Allegany County and ended Saturday in Garrett County.

When Dan Snyder owned the Washington Commanders, state and local governments were loath to offer any incentives for a new stadium, even with the lease on FedEx Field in Maryland set to run out in just a few years. At best, he could have expected funding for infrastructure improvements. But money for the stadium itself? That was a line D.C.-area leaders on either side of the Potomac would not cross.

Piggybacking on a push by city residents from various neighborhoods to fight installation of outdoor gas pressure regulators, Baltimore City Councilman Eric Costello announced the introduction of a bill Thursday that would ban such regulators from single family homes. The bill, which Costello unveiled at a news conference at City Hall, would ban regulators from any building that has five or fewer residential units.

Selected customers will receive a full credit for the outstanding debt they accrued during the pandemic — Jan. 27, 2020 to Sept. 30, 2022. Additional recipients will be selected from customers that qualify for low income housing or live in a qualified U.S. Census ZIP code group, Combs said. Scott said customers who have been selected for the credits will receive a letter notifying them they are a recipient and will see a credit reflected on their next water bill.

A Baltimore County councilman wants to exempt a roadway off Route 147 from the county’s long-standing ban on parking along Big Gunpowder Falls. The proposal has the backing of the county executive. However, some who frequent the Gunpowder River corridor from Carney to Perry Hall doubt that reopening the 2.5-mile road to parking will improve hazardous conditions for pedestrians and drivers.

The ordinance to increase rates was introduced to the Town Council last month. If approved, the increases will take effect Sept. 1, for 3,200 water and sewer customers. The proposal calls for the flat fee charged to each customer connected to the water system to increase from $21 to $25; sewer service costs would rise from $21 to $28.

The Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee owes approximately $14,000 in fines to the Internal Revenue Service for two years of unpaid federal taxes, a budget document shows — but committee leadership has kept quiet about the details, including where the cash was spent. According to a fiscal year 2024 budget proposal, the committee, which is a volunteer-run operation responsible for getting local Democrats elected to public office, nominating politicians for open seats in the state legislature and fundraising for the party, owes the federal government $13,608 in fines and fees for not paying federal taxes in 2017 and 2018.