Legislative Report -- February 13, 2008

Attention Business Property Owners
Legislation (SB 561/HB 676) has been introduced that would authorize counties to specify the classes of property that are subject to real and personal property taxation and to vary the rates of taxation among the classes. Defeating this legislation is a priority for the Maryland Chamber.

State law has long established the classes of property subject to county property taxation and required that counties impose one rate of tax that is applicable to all real property.

“If counties are authorized to set their own classes of property taxation and to vary tax rates among those classes, they will use that authority to push additional tax burden toward business property and engage in further tax discrimination against businesses,” Maryland Chamber Vice President of Government Affairs Ron Wineholt said.

Significant real property tax burden is already shifted to businesses as a result of the real property homestead tax credit for residences and the business personal property tax rate that is 2.5 times the real property tax rate.

HB 676 will be heard by the House Ways & Means Committee on February 28. No Senate hearing has been scheduled yet. For more information, contact Ron Wineholt at rwineholt@mdchamber.org.

February 27: Save Maryland IT Day
Join us in Annapolis on February 27 for Save Maryland IT Day, a media event and lobbying day to advocate the repeal of the computer services sales tax.

This tax will stifle economic development and job creation in Maryland. Whether your company is a user or provider of IT services, this tax will have a negative impact on your competitiveness.

Unless repealed, the 6 percent computer services sales tax will take effect on July 1. We need you in Annapolis on February 27 to tell your story to the media and to lawmakers.

The event will begin with a media briefing at 10 a.m. at the Maryland Inn on Church Circle in Annapolis. Following the briefing, we will walk over to the House and Senate office buildings to urge lawmakers to repeal the tax.

If you’d like to participate, please contact Will Burns at (410) 269-0642, (301) 261-2858 or wburns@mdchamber.org.

Action Needed: Repeal the Computer Services Sales Tax
Contact your legislators today and urge them to repeal the computer services sales tax, which will take effect on July 1.

This law will hurt businesses of all sizes and industries throughout the state. It will also make Maryland's business climate and tax structure less competitive with other states. To learn more and take action, visit www.mdchamber.org/techtax.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions Bill to be Heard Next Week
The Senate Education Health and Environmental Affairs Committee will hear SB 309 on February 19. This bill would require Maryland to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 25 percent by 2020, and 90 percent by 2050 – the strongest mandate in the country.

The Maryland Chamber strongly opposes this bill. Passage would require Marylanders and Maryland businesses to make major changes in their daily lives and operations by driving 1/3 less and consuming 1/3 less electricity.

Maryland’s man-made GHG emissions comprise approximately 1.5% of the United States’ emissions and a very small percentage of the world’s total emissions. Since GHG emissions disperse globally and Maryland’s emissions are a very small percentage of the total global problem, this issue needs to be addressed on a national level in concert with international efforts.

For more information or if you are interested in testifying during the hearing, contact Allyson Black at ablack@mdchamber.org.

MDOT Freight Plan Outreach Meetings
The Maryland Department of Transportation will hold a series of regional outreach meetings to seek feedback on the Maryland Statewide Freight Plan.

Attend one of these meetings for a short presentation on MDOT’s freight plan and participate in a discussion with project team members. They are seeking input on ways to improve goods movement on the state’s highways, railways, waterways and airports.

For a complete list of dates, click here. For more information or to RSVP, contact Chris Ryan at Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates at (917) 339-0488, ext. 208 or cryan@hshassoc.com.

Visit www.mdchamber.org for More Legislative News
With the 2008 General Assembly session underway, it is critically important that business people stay informed and engaged. Visit www.mdchamber.org to access a wealth of information and resources, including:

Chamber Blog: The Maryland Chamber Blog is updated daily with news and resources important to Maryland’s business community. To join the conversation, click the comment link under any post.

Bill Positions: View Maryland Chamber bill positions, including a brief summary of the legislation and a summary of the Chamber’s position. As the bills are heard in committee, we will also post complete position statements.

Legislative Alerts: Alerts are posted online when immediate contact is needed to sway an issue. Talking points, phone scripts and sample letters will always be available. Action can be taken in minutes.

Upcoming Committee Meetings

February 14, 2008
Environment Committee
MD Chamber of Commerce
60 West Street, Suite 100, Annapolis, MD 21401
8:30 a.m.

February 18, 2008
Legislative Committee
MD Chamber of Commerce
60 West Street, Suite 100, Annapolis, MD 21401
3 p.m.

Upcoming Events

February 19, 2008
Maryland Bioscience in the 21st Century
The Westin Annapolis
100 Westgate Circle
Annapolis, MD 21401
1:30 p.m.

March 5, 2008
Membership Drive Kickoff Event
Sports Legends Museum at Camden Yards
301 W. Camden Street
Baltimore, MD 21230
5:30 p.m.