Saturday, April 2, 2011

In Annapolis Now: BOE wants Authority to Raise Your Taxes

Now making its way through the waning days of the Annapolis Legislature is House Bill 1352, ‘Local School Boards – Authority to Impose a Property Tax.’ The Bill is being co-sponsored by a number of Montgomery County officials that you elected: Delegate Sheila Hixson (D-District 20, Montgomery County), also Chair of Ways and Means; Talmadge Branch (D-District 45, Baltimore City), Jolene Ivey (D-District 47, Prince Georges County), Del. Anne Kaiser (D-District 14, Montgomery County), Del. Eric Luedtke (D-District 14, Montgomery County) and Jay Walker (D-District 26, Prince George's County).


Here is the Bill, below.
House Bill 1352 2011 Local School Boards - Authority to Impose a Property Tax


And here is the ‘Fiscal and Policy Note’ on the bill.
House Bill 1352 Fiscal and Policy Note Annapolis Legislation 2011


This bill will allow the Board of Education to raise property taxes above and beyond the caps that citizens in Montgomery County have placed on these taxes.

To contact your representatives about this bill:
Sheila Hixson: sheila.hixson@house.state.md.us or 301-858-3469
Anne Kaiser: anne.kaiser@house.state.md.us or 301-890-4422
Talmadge Branch: talmadge.branch@house.state.md.us or (301) 858-3398
Jolene Ivey: jolene.ivey@house.state.md.us or 1-800-492-7122, ext. 3478 (toll free)
Eric Luedtke: eric.luedtke@house.state.md.us or 301-858-3110
Jay Walker: jay.walker@house.state.md.us or 301-858-3581

According to the League of Women Voters,
An interesting unexpected ‘message’ education bill has been filed in the waning weeks of the 2011 session. HB 1352 - Local School Boards - Authority to Impose a Property Tax, which has been filed by Delegate Hixson and five other members of the Ways and Means Committee, would authorize local school boards to levy a property tax to provide funding for school operations and expenses. The tax would be imposed as is the county property tax and would require the county government to reduce its property tax rate to lower the revenue from the property tax by the amount budgeted for the school board the previous fiscal year. The school board could also issue bonds for capital expenditures. (Hrg in W&M on 3/30)

3 comments:

  1. Those Apple Ballot endorsed candidates are so much fun! Always up to something! Always surprises up their sleeves! And they don't even put these things in the newsletters they put out to constituents.

    They are just so sweet.

    ReplyDelete
  2. According to Hixson, this bill was introduced not for action this session, but to "begin the conversation." See the Ways and Means hearing on 3/30 for the sad beginning of the issue.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous@8:50 PM, what conversation would that be? The conversation by Luedtke, Hixson and Kaiser to figure out how to raise our property taxes above the cap we voted for? during the worst economic times since the Great Depression? This is happening thanks to those of you who voted for the apple ballot candidates. Speak up, I would love to hear why you voted for these politicians.

    ReplyDelete

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