Politics & Government

Critics Shred O'Malley Speech, Marriage with Benefits, Weed Killer Crab Cakes? Maryland Politics in Brief

Check out the top political stories from around Maryland.

By Adam Bednar

Democratic Legislative Leaders Push Estate Tax Relief, Tax Breaks

Washington Post: Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. and House Speaker Michael Bush described their plans on Friday to reduce Maryland’s estate tax and provide targeted tax breaks for businesses. 

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Senate President Tries to Bring Comptroller to Heel 

The Daily Record: Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. and Comptroller Peter Franchot have often been at odds during the past several years. But prior to Gov. Martin O'Malley's State of the State Address Miller literally ordered Franchot to "heel."

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No Weed Killer in My Crab Cakes

Capital Gazette: Opponents of the state’s stormwater management fee have successfully rebranded it as the “rain tax.” But now as the legislature considers bills repealing or eliminating the fee, conservationists are taking to the airwaves with a jingle about keeping pollutants out of the state’s favorite crustacean dish.

Legislators Respond to O'Malley's Final State of the State Address

Star Democrat: The reactions of legislators to Gov. Martin O'Malley's final State of the State Address were wide ranging. Some praised the governor while others used the opportunity to criticize the administration. 

Republican Lawmakers Seek Marriage Tax Break

Herald-Mail: Del. Neil Parrott, R-Washington County, and Sen. Joe Getty, R-Carroll County, introduced legislation that would lower the level of taxes two married people would pay to the level that two single residents would pay on their taxes. 

O'Malley's Address "Solid" and "Mostly True" 

Maryland Reporter: Gov. Martin O'Malley can sometimes get himself in trouble with purple prose, but his final State of the State Address the governor performed well and was mostly factual. 

O'Malley's State of the State Like a Blind Man Describing an Elephant 

Red Maryland: Richard Vatz, a professor of Rhetoric at Towson University, describes Gov. Martin O'Malley's final state of the state address like "the allegory of the blind men describing the elephant: what is covered is selective, and the interpretations are one-sided."   


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