Taxation Committee

Key committees in the Maryland Senate and House of Delegates failed to agree yesterday on a major provision of the Baltimore City schools deal -- money for the rest of the state.Two committees in the House -- Appropriations and Ways and Means -- indefinitely postponed a scheduled vote on the bill because leaders could not muster support for it without including school aid to other jurisdictions that they believe is unaffordable.A House plan proposed Monday included an additional $26.8 million for education aid next year to the state's 23 counties.

Gov. Parris N. Glendening has approved the nomination of Robert R. Neall to fill the state Senate seat vacant since John A. Cade's death last month.The governor's endorsement was a formality after the Anne Arundel Republican Central Committee's selection of Neall last week.The full committee voted 10-3 to pick the former three-term state legislator and Anne Arundel County executive for the $29,700-a-year post.Neall, 48, will be sworn in Tuesday at a State House ceremony in Annapolis.He also will assume Cade's assignment on the influential Budget and Taxation Committee when the General Assembly convenes next month.

If anyone knows what Sen. John A. Cade is really up to, they aren't saying -- including the Anne Arundel County Republican himself.Just months after his uncontested re-election bid for the Maryland Senate, Mr. Cade is throwing himself a big-ticket, bipartisan testimonial for "30 years of public service."His fund-raising target of $150,000 would be a pretty good start on a campaign treasury for a 1998 statewide bid. The question is what he's running for. Governor? Comptroller?"I think it's too early to do anything other than speculate," Mr. Cade said.

Attempting to soften the blow of his decision to kill a monthly subsidy program for the disabled poor, Gov. Parris N. Glendening yesterday asked the General Assembly to appropriate nearly $20 million to help former recipients find shelter, obtain medical care or receive federal assistance.The governor introduced a $64.5 million supplement to his original $14.5 billion budget, which lawmakers had pared to $14.3 billion earlier in the session, in part by cutting several spending initiatives that were priorities for Mr. Glendening.

When Maryland's newly elected General Assembly convenes in Annapolis in January, many familiar faces will be missing. Montgomery County Sen. Laurence Levitan, the powerful chair-holder of the Budget and Taxation Committee, fell victim to the Republican steamroller. So did another veteran, Baltimore County Del. Kenneth H. Masters, the House majority leader.In Prince George's County, retirement removed three prominent Democrats. Sen. Thomas P. O'Reilly has been heading the Finance Committee; Delegates Gary P. Alexander and Timothy F. Maloney have been players on major committees.

Despite Senate opposition, Maryland House leaders said yesterday they will push for a cigarette tax increase this year as a way of financing new school construction, an increase in welfare benefits and an assortment of other programs and projects.House Appropriations Committee Chairman Howard P. Rawlings said committee leaders, with the backing of House Speaker Casper R. Taylor Jr., have agreed to push for a 12 1/2 -cents-a-pack increase in the cigarette tax.That is half the 25-cents-a-pack increase Gov. William Donald Schaefer has requested, but would still raise about $40 million in revenue by increasing Maryland's 36-cents-a-pack tax to 48 1/2 cents.

With surprisingly little opposition, the $150 million plan to expand the Baltimore Convention Center yesterday won the approval of the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee.Last week the vote count in the committee was considered too close to call. But the final tally, 11-2, had only two senators from Montgomery County voting against the project, which would more than double the size of the 14-year-old building.In passing the bill, the Senate panel amended the measure already approved by the House.

With surprisingly little opposition, the $150 million plan to expand the Baltimore Convention Center yesterday won the approval of the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee.Late last week the vote count in the committee was considered too close to call. But the final tally, 11-2, had only two senators from Montgomery County voting against the project, which would more than double the size of the 14-year-old building.In passing the bill, the Senate panel amended the measure already approved by the House.

When the legislature's budget committees put together their version of the state budget, they make not only the billion-dollar decisions but also the minuscule ones. The purpose of these tiny tugs on the purse strings is to get the attention of individuals and departments.Some of the targets of these budget darts would claim that the legislators are trying to micro-manage state government. The legislators would contend that they are just trying to make sure the citizens are getting their money's worth.

When the legislature's budget committees put together thei version of the state budget, they make not only the billion-dollar decisions but also the minuscule ones. The purpose of these tiny tugs on the purse strings is to get the attention of individuals and departments.Some of the targets of these budget darts would contend that the legislators are trying to micromanage state government. The legislators would contend that they are just trying to make sure the citizens are getting their money's worth.