April 2007
Dear Constituent:
With the 2007 session behind us, I appreciate the opportunity to report
on the legislature’s accomplishments. This session was marked by
cooperation, as lawmakers from both parties worked with the new Governor
to find pragmatic solutions to the State’s issues. Working together, we
made real progress in public safety, education, and the environment.
I am pleased to report success on several local concerns. We passed
legislation to reform the Anne Arundel County School Board selection
process.
HB 1114 enhances public participation in the process by formally
creating a nominating commission, which is required to hold at least two
public hearings before forwarding names to the Governor for
consideration. The Governor is required to select from the commission’s
list.
With my District 30 colleagues, Senator Astle and Delegates Clagett and
George, I helped secure over $22 million for local projects, including
$8.5 million for renovations at Anne Arundel Community College, $3.5
million for waterway improvements, $3.3 million for stormwater
management and nutrient removal, and financial support for Children’s
Theatre of Annapolis, Light House Shelter, Maryland Hall for the
Creative Arts, Mount Olive Community Life Center, and Providence Center.
We secured $600,000 to assist the City of Annapolis with underground
wiring.
CRACKING DOWN ON CHILD PREDATORS
As the father of two young children, I share the concerns of other
parents regarding child safety. That’s why I supported two tough
measures to protect our children from sexual predators. With
HB 930,
the final piece of Maryland’s Jessica’s Law, we eliminated parole for
the most violent child sexual predators. Now, they face a mandatory
minimum sentence of 25 years in state prison.
We also passed legislation targeting repeat offenders by classifying
child sexual abuse as a crime of violence. This classification, which
already applies to crimes like murder, rape and kidnapping, requires a
mandatory minimum sentence for each offense, up to a life sentence
without parole for the fourth offense. This bill drew less attention
than Jessica’s Law, but is a powerful tool for prosecutors to protect
Maryland’s children.
GETTING TOUGH ON MARYLAND GANGS
According to the Governor’s Office of Crime Control and Prevention,
gangs are an “emerging problem” statewide. Three national gangs operate
in Maryland: the Bloods, Crips and MS-13. Eight
jurisdictions – Allegany, Baltimore, Frederick, Harford, Montgomery,
Prince George’s and Wicomico Counties and Baltimore City – have a
disproportionate number of neighborhood gangs.
We passed tough new laws this year to crack down on criminal gang
activity, including stiff penalties for crimes committed in support of a
criminal gang. A gang member convicted under this new statute is subject
to up to 20 years in prison and/or a fine of up to $100,000. With this
bill, Maryland joins 31 states that have enacted similar laws to combat
the spread of gang violence.
MAKING A RECORD INVESTMENT IN K – 12 EDUCATION
As Maryland’s knowledge-based economy expands, we must continue to build
a world class K – 12 public education system. In this year’s budget, we
increased funding for public education by $691 million, or 15.4%. Anne
Arundel County Public Schools will use the increase in education funds
to provide full-day kindergarten programs in 17 elementary schools, buy
additional computers for student use in the classroom, and give teachers
a 6% pay raise. Aid to public education now represents 35% of the
state’s operating budget.
BUILDING AND RENOVATING SCHOOLS
With the tremendous investment we made in public education over the last
four years, we must continue to invest in the infrastructure of the
aging schools and prepare for growth in our region. Two years ago, we
provided $250 million for school construction, and last year we provided
$320 million to bring schools up to current building codes, safety and
capacity standards. This year, we invested a record $400 million to
build and renovate schools. I helped secure $27.8 million for Anne
Arundel County, a record sum and a $5 million increase over last year,
which will help fund projects at West Annapolis Elementary and Bates
Middle in our district.
ENHANCING HIGHER EDUCATION, WHILE CONTAINING COSTS
Maryland has one of the most educated workforces in the country. We have
the nation’s highest percentage of college graduates and post-graduates
in the workforce, which drives investment in our knowledge-based
economy. Federal research grants and private investment support economic
development in the State, as employers from around the nation seek the
talent our workforce offers.
To stay at the forefront of the new economy, we face the dual challenge
of enhancing higher education while containing costs for middle class
families. We met that challenge in this year’s budget. We provided
funding to expand capacity at the state’s public colleges and
universities, including an 18% increase in aid to community colleges.
And, for the second year in a row, we froze undergraduate tuition at the
University System of Maryland and Morgan State University, so middle
class families continue to have access to our world class university
system.
CLEANING OUR AIR WITH HIGHER EMISSIONS STANDARDS
Air and water quality have a tremendous impact on the health and welfare
of our families. According to the EPA, vehicle emissions are a leading
source of air pollution, and are the primary cause of pollution in urban
areas. The Maryland Department of the Environment estimates Marylanders
drive over 135 million miles daily, creating up to 40% of the state’s
air pollution.
This year, we joined 11 other states in requiring every new car sold in
Maryland to be more fuel-efficient, which will reduce carbon dioxide and
other vehicle emissions linked to air pollution. This initiative builds
on our passage of the Healthy Air Act in 2006, which addresses air
pollution from coal-fired power plants. With “clean cars,” we will
further reduce smog and other toxic compounds in the air that contribute
to cancer, asthma, and other debilitating diseases in Maryland.
RESTORING THE CHESAPEAKE BAY’S NATURAL FILTER – THE OYSTER
The Chesapeake Bay’s oyster population was once capable of filtering the
Bay’s water in a week. Today it would take the oyster population over a
year. With disease, over-harvesting and a dwindling population, we need
to act now to restore the Bay’s natural filter – its native oyster
population. Researchers at the University of Maryland Center for
Environmental Science have grown oysters in a controlled environment and
planted over 100 acres of healthy oyster beds in the Bay. This
successful, research-based program shows promise, but needs to expand
significantly to realize its full environmental impact. We included
funds in the budget to expand this program, and to continue the
construction of oyster habitats. We included significant oversight so we
can monitor the effectiveness of oyster restoration in improving the
Bay’s health.
PROMOTING A SMOKE-FREE MARYLAND
According to the American Lung Association, 49,500 people die each year
from exposure to secondhand smoke. The Bloomberg School of Public Health
estimates the State spends $600 million each year on public health
issues related to second hand smoke. This year, Baltimore City became
Maryland’s 7th jurisdiction to address this public health concern by
enacting a ban on smoking in bars and restaurants.
With a statewide trend towards banning smoking in bars and restaurants,
we moved to level the playing field for business owners and consumers by
enacting a statewide smoking ban. The Clean Indoor Air Act, which passed
the House with bi-partisan support, prohibits in-door smoking in bars
and restaurants, with no exceptions for private clubs. The bill includes
a hardship waiver for businesses that can prove the ban has adversely
affected their business.
INCREASING ALTERNATIVE ENERGY OPTIONS
The global energy marketplace remains extremely volatile. This session,
we passed three bills to promote long term stability in the market.
HB 1016 increases the amount of solar energy in the state’s
renewable energy portfolio. Solar is a cleaner and more sustainable
energy product, which has a significant economic impact for Marylanders.
Solar companies provide over 700 jobs in the State, and that number is
projected to increase to 4,000 under the standards established by this
bill. We also passed legislation to expand the State’s solar energy
grant program, and to reestablish the State’s solar energy tax credit
program. Under this program, a consumer is eligible for a tax credit of
up to 15% of the installed cost of solar infrastructure.
In addition to bills passed by both chambers, I am proud of the work by
the House of Delegates to address the state’s healthcare crisis, clean
up the Chesapeake Bay, and close corporate tax loopholes. Although these
bills did not pass the Senate, and therefore did not become law, we will
continue our work towards comprehensive solutions on these issues.
EXPANDING ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE FOR WORKING FAMILIES
Nearly 200,000 Marylanders lost their health insurance in the last four
years as coverage has become prohibitively expensive for many
individuals, families and small businesses. The state’s uninsured
population is nearly three-quarters of a million, and 90% of these
people are employed or are dependents of working families.
The House passed legislation giving every child in the state access to
health insurance by expanding the Children’s Health Insurance Program.
The bill would have increased Medicaid eligibility for working adults
and required private insurers to allow dependents up to age 25 to remain
on their parents’ health insurance policies. This health care expansion
would have been financed by a $1.00 per pack increase in the tobacco
tax, surplus funds in existing programs, and federal matching funds.
RESTORING THE BAY – THE CHESAPEAKE BAY GREEN FUND
In the last four years, the legislature made a significant commitment to
advancing Bay cleanup. In 2004, we passed the Chesapeake Bay Restoration
Fund, which targeted pollution from wastewater treatment plants, and
provided funding to clean up the state’s aging wastewater facilities. In
2006, we passed the Agricultural Stewardship Act, which brought farmers
and environmentalists together to reduce farm runoff.
This year, with the Chesapeake Bay Green Fund, the House took action to
reduce the impact of runoff pollution from development.
HB 1220
would have created incentives for developers to build in a way that
minimizes the environmental impact of projects, or pay into a fund
devoted to Bay clean up and smart growth. This legislation recognized
the link between development and the health of the Bay – a critical
linkage that must be addressed if we are to continue restoring the Bay’s
health.
CLOSING CORPORATE TAX LOOPHOLES
When homeowners buy or sell real estate in Maryland, they pay
recordation and transfer taxes. Yet with increasing frequency,
corporations are setting up shell corporations to avoid these taxes.
Under this scenario, a company can establish a limited liability
corporation (LLC) which exists solely for the purpose of owning real
estate. When it is time to sell, the owner sells a controlling interest
of the LLC, effectively selling real estate without conducting a taxable
real estate transaction.
The House closed that loophole by imposing recordation and transfer
taxes on the transfer of real estate worth at least $1 million when the
property is transferred through the sale of the controlling interest of
a corporation. The bill would have dedicated the revenue generated by
closing this loophole to school construction, restoring state parks, and
open space programs.
LOOKING AHEAD
We passed a balanced budget this year, though the State’s long term
fiscal picture requires more work. This year, we cut over $100 million
from the administration’s proposed budget, holding spending growth to a
rate lower than 9 of the last 10 budgets. But, according to economic
forecasts, State revenue is not keeping pace with long term State
spending commitments. Working together, we will make difficult decisions
about State services and spending that need to be made to ensure the
State’s long term fiscal health.
It has been both a
privilege and a pleasure to represent our community in the House of
Delegates for the past 20 years. I hope you will e-mail me at
michael.busch@house.state.md.us or call me at 410-841-3800 if I
can be of assistance. Thank you again for giving me the opportunity
to serve our community and our State.
Sincerely,