NEWS
By ERIC SIEGEL | February 22, 2007
Back in the early 1990s, Baltimore leaders set a long-term goal: to have the city's property tax rate be no more than 150 percent that of Baltimore County. I was reminded of that goal last week, when Mayor Sheila Dixon announced a task force to recommend property tax relief, as many residents are reeling from soaring assessments. The city, of course, has never come close to reaching its goal. Although the numbers and calculations have changed (rates are now based on 100 percent of assessed value, as opposed to 40 percent 15 years ago)
NEWS
By Mary Gail Hare | May 13, 2007
When he mails off his ever-rising annual property tax payment, Ben Pritchett includes a letter. Addressed to no one in particular, the letter states: "If you keep this up, pretty soon you will be taking care of me." The 72-year-old retired Bethlehem Steel worker has seen no rise in his pension, a decrease in what his former employer pays for his health care insurance and an increase in the assessment of his Bel Air condominium. "We all need tax relief," he said, scanning a roomful of residents who came to the McFaul Senior Center in Bel Air last week to gather information on the county's newly enacted Homeowners Property Tax Credit law. "How poor do we have to get before we get it?"
NEWS
BY A SUN REPORTER | April 15, 2007
A task force appointed by the county to examine tax breaks for senior citizens may expand its work to include other segments in need of relief. "There is a consensus among the [County] Council that the scope of our investigation should be broadened," Ted L. Meyerson, chairman of the task force, told the group Thursday. He characterized the prospect as a "high probability." The needs of renters and the disabled are the sectors most likely to be examined, although Meyerson said that the council might wish to include the "general poor," as well.
NEWS
July 31, 1999
GOP's tax cuts can save us money, won't hurt retireesI feel compelled to respond to The Sun's editorial "Alan Greenspan vs. the Republicans" for three reasons.First, it is important to note that The Sun took Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan's statement out of context.Mr. Greenspan's remarks on the Republican tax relief bill were: "My first priority, if I were given such a priority, is to let the surpluses run, as I've said before. My second priority is if you find that as a consequence of those surpluses they tend to be spent, then I would be more in the camp of cutting taxes, because the least desirable (outcome)
NEWS
October 19, 1999
Don't squander surplus on reckless spending programsBudget analysts are now projecting that Maryland will experience a $619 million budget surplus for our current fiscal year ("State surplus seen as sizable," Oct. 13).The state also will also have accrued $576 million in its rainy day reserve fund by the end of the fiscal year and expects its first payment of $188 million from the the national tobacco settlement by the end of the year.Potential uses for this revenue will be a top priority when the Maryland General Assembly reconvenes in January.
NEWS
By Jonathan Weisman and Karen Hosler | September 24, 1999
WASHINGTON -- President Clinton carried out his long-promised veto of the Republicans' $792 billion tax cut proposal yesterday, rejecting it as "too big, too bloated" and "too great a burden on America's economy," even as he invited Congress to cooperate on a grand economic compromise."
BUSINESS
By Kenneth R. Harney | November 7, 1999
WITH the congressional season rapidly drawing to a close, thousands of American homeowners are in line to benefit financially from two little-noticed tax developments on Capitol Hill.One involves the surprise rebirth of a reform designed to provide tax relief for certain homeowners who sell their property at a loss. The other involves the retention in the tax code of one of the most generous provisions for owners of primary residences and vacation property -- a rare federal sanction to pocket ordinary income with zero taxation.
BUSINESS
By Gady A. Epstein and Thomas W. Waldron | February 5, 1999
Two top Maryland legislators are proposing a $44 million annual tax break for the state's power companies that would be linked to deregulation of utilities. The state government, counties and rate-payers would share the burden of the tax cut.The legislation, which is expected to be introduced in the General Assembly today, would cost Baltimore City and the nine counties with power plants nearly $15 million a year, according to an analysis prepared by legislative staff members. Anne Arundel and Calvert counties would be hit the hardest.
NEWS
By Karen Hosler | August 5, 1999
WASHINGTON -- Congressional Republicans scrambled yesterday to ensure speedy approval in the House and Senate -- perhaps as soon as today -- of their $792 billion tax plan. At the same time, President Clinton reiterated his vow to veto it.In the final version of the compromise crafted by Republican House and Senate negotiators, the timing of the income tax-rate cuts was adjusted to give the earliest breaks to those at the bottom of the income scale.Taxpayers in the lowest tax bracket -- 15 percent -- would see a cut to 14.5 percent in 2001 and to 14 percent in 2003.
NEWS
By Candus Thomson | May 21, 1999
ROCKVILLE -- The Montgomery County Council, often accused of being dominated by tax-and-spend liberals, did a little less of both in approving a $2.6 billion budget for fiscal year 2000.The council gave County Executive Douglas Duncan almost all the money he asked for in March, but trimmed $2.6 million from his proposed spending plan. It also passed along to taxpayers a series of small cuts totaling $7 million in the first year, and increasing to $24 million after three years.The fiscal spending plan is 7 percent above the current year, but 1 percent below a spending cap the council set last month.