2007 Maryland Legislative Agenda:
Issues for Consideration
DRAFT
- Transportation – Metro Dedicated funding, increase transportation revenues, build regional projects
- Fiscal management – Improve efficiency and effectiveness of State government, evaluate revenues
- Higher Education – Implement the Flagship initiative, ensure access, affordability and quality
- Regional Growth – target infrastructure investments in targeted growth and revitalization areas
Transportation
- Transportation Revenues – Maryland faces declining budgets available for transportation improvements, while traffic congestion in the Washington region is among the worst in the nation. Increase revenues to the Maryland Transportation Trust Fund - to provide a match to federal dedicated transit funding legislation and support investments in a balanced transportation system.
- WMATA Dedicated Funding – Support any necessary legislative actions for Maryland to qualify for federal funding, under proposed Congressional legislation.
- InterCounty Connector – Support the construction of the ICC, under the current project schedule and financing plan.
- Purple Line – Support the design and construction of the Inner Purple Line, to improve regional mobility and revitalize inside-the-Beltway communities. Urge the Maryland Department of Transportation to take immediate, low-cost steps in support of the project. Support planning regionally significant transportation projects, such as transit service on the Wilson Bridge, HOV/HOT lanes on the Beltway and I-270, and the University of Maryland Connector.
Fiscal Management
Efficient and effective government – The State of Maryland faces significant fiscal challenges in the years ahead. The state must first promote the efficiency and effectiveness of State government, such as the better use of performance measures, similar to Baltimore’s CitiStat program. Long-term solutions to the State’s structural budget deficit may require a comprehensive re-examination of the state’s tax structure.
Higher Education
- Flagship initiative – The State of Maryland established a policy in law that the University of Maryland College Park is the state’s flagship public university, which is to reach the upper echelon of its peer institutions nationally. Maryland should strive meet the flagship initiative funding targets. Facilities improvements are also required to meet the policy mandate and continue progress as a nationally leading public research university.
- Affordability and Access – Support the continued evaluation of Maryland’s higher education funding structure, to ensure that tuition is affordable, quality continues to improve, and access expanded.
Growth and Housing
- Re-establish of the Governor’s Office of Smart Growth, along with policy initiatives, programs and infrastructure investments that promote revitalization and growth where targeted. State infrastructure investment programs – such as the Neighborhood Conservation Program – can be used as an incentive for revitalization and in-fill growth.
- Provide incentives to expand the inventory of work force housing.
- Support BRAC consolidations in Maryland, to ensure adequate public infrastructure and maximize economic development potential.
Health Care
- Increase health affordability – Nearly 800,000 Maryland citizens lack health insurance, passing on health care costs to the system through expensive emergency room care. Promote efforts to reduce the uninsured, through expansion of the State’s Medicaid system and creation of incentives for uninsured-individuals who can afford coverage.
- Cost containment - Promote efforts to lower or contain the cost of health care, such as through the implementation of electronic medical records. Promote tax incentives for businesses to adopt effective workplace health promotion/health risk assessment.
Research and Technology
- Support the development of research parks through public investments and tax credits to promote private investment.
- Support funding of nano-biotechnology initiatives and the Biotechnology Investment Incentive Act.
Reliable and Affordable Energy
- Maintain a stable, affordable energy supply, opposing efforts that would negatively impact the efficiency of the market or impose unreasonable rate increases on the region’s utility customers.
