Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Approval for the bill was split among councilmen by a 4-3 vote.
County lawmakers repealed a law banning stun guns from the general public in Anne Arundel County with a bill that passed narrowly on Monday night. The devices, commonly known under the brand Taser, are already used by Anne Arundel County law enforcement officers, but they are the sole exception to the ban on the weapons made in 1985. The bill, sponsored by Councilman Derek Fink (R-3rd District), repeals that ban and authorizes the general public in the county to purchase and carry stun guns as a means of self-defense. The only requirements are that the owners are 18 and older, undergo a criminal background check and receive operating instructions—the same requirements for obtaining a handgun, Fink said. Stun guns are allowed in all …
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Smith said he overrode veto so that a new measure could be drafted to reduce the bill's impact on local communities.
The deciding vote in the override of the county executive's veto of the stormwater bill Wednesday came from Anne Arundel County Councilman Pete Smith (D-1st District), of Severn. Before lending his vote to override the executive veto, Smith had the following words for the audience and his fellow councilmen. "Over the last few weeks, I have had discussions will various individuals and groups about my opinion of this storm water management process. As I’ve stated before, bill 2-13 has no wrong answer. My initial disagreement with the bill was not the purpose of the bill but the impact on the residential and commercial communities who would have to pay for it. For the record, the science and data that describes the condition of the bay is …
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Councilman Pete Smith changes his stance on the issue, allowing for a supermajority vote in the override.
A veto of the controversial stormwater bill by the county executive was overridden by a supermajority vote among Anne Arundel County Councilmen on Wednesday. A week ago, County Executive Laura Neuman made it known that she would veto Bill 2-13, which sets into motion a fee to pay for a countywide stormwater management system. The plan is just one local effort in a massive statewide mandate to help clean the Chesapeake Bay by 2025. The bill allows for an annual fee that will be assessed through property tax bills and varies by household type—$34 for owners of townhomes and condominiums, $85 for single-family homeowners, and $170 for rural area homes. The money will go to a special fund and can be used only for specific environmental …
The budget includes a 3 percent raise for county employees—the first since 2010.
County Executive Laura Neuman’s budget for the coming year lays out a series of employee raises that she said were overdue. Neuman presented her budget Wednesday morning at the Arundel Center to a packed house in the County Council’s chambers. She said this budget would usher in “a fresh start” for Anne Arundel County, one in which people and infrastructure would be given the attention they deserved. “For too long our county has not made investing in people and infrastructure a priority, and that has resulted in a deteriorating organization,” Neuman said. The executive began her speech by describing the conditions of the office she inherited from former Executive John R. Leopold. Neuman said the office was “sullen and silent” when she …
Friday, April 26, 2013
The two-term Republican state delegate plans to announce his 2014 campaign on May 2.
UPDATED (5:26 p.m.)—Steve Schuh, a two-term Republican state delegate, is expected next week to announce intentions to run for Anne Arundel County Executive. Schuh is expected to make the announcement during a May 2 event with Rep. Andy Harris at the Earleigh Heights Volunteer Fire Company in Severna Park. In an interview Friday afternoon, Schuh said the announcement will be the culmination of nearly 18 months of work by an exploratory committee. "We've met with a very high level of success," Schuh said of the exploratory committee but added that the final recommendation won't be announced until May 2. "I'm on pins and needles," he said. Schuh made known his interest in the position earlier this year. He was one of a number of interested …
Thursday, April 18, 2013
A new fee will appear on property tax bills this year to help fund stream restoration across the county.
One day, years from now, Anne Arundel County residents will be able to swim in the rivers of the Chesapeake Bay after rainfall, and not be in violation of a health warning. That's the hope from a new bill approved this week by the Anne Arundel County Council that asks taxpayers to pay a little more each year to fund stream restoration. The anecdotal "don't swim after rain" story was brought up time after time at the Anne Arundel County Council meetings since the stormwater bill was introduced in February. It was a touchstone for many to explain the fundamental problem the county's waterways are faced with—they're polluted. But with the passage of the bill on Monday, councilmen are hoping for a fresh start to keep streams and waterways …
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
As the state increases restrictions on guns, Anne Arundel County is considering a bill that would legalize electronic control devices.
The Maryland General Assembly passed legislation earlier this month that is supposed to make trading and purchasing guns more difficult, but the Anne Arundel County Council is considering legalizing a different type of protection–Tasers. Councilman Derek Fink (R–3rd District) introduced Bill 18-13, which would legalize "electronic control devices" for use by civilians. Tasers and stun guns were made illegal to possess and use in the county in 1985, and have had limited demand, reports The Maryland Gazette. Police became an exception to the ban in 2006, but still go through an hour of training before they are permitted to use Tasers, reports The Gazette. If passed, the Taser bill would allow anyone over 18 years old to carry an electronic …
Thursday, April 4, 2013
Churches and commercial property owners got a break in new amendments approved Monday.
Anne Arundel County councilmen pressed on through yet another public hearing on a controversial stormwater management bill that has some calling it a new tax for property owners. The bill, sponsored by Councilman Chris Trumbauer (D-6th District), has seen more than 40 amendments since its introduction in January, as it continues to be debated openly by the public and county departments. The massive bill would institute a new stormwater fee to be paid by property owners across the county in an effort to raise approximately $26 million annually. Under the proposal, the average home owner in Anne Arundel County would pay about $85 each year. The money would be used to begin clearing decades of Chesapeake Bay pollution. The fee is part of a …
Council Chairman Jerry Walker, sponsor of a more radical plan, cast the lone nay vote.
With little discussion, Anne Arundel County councilmen chose "the simple plan" for redrawing the Council's district map on Monday. In March, councilmen were indecisive of which redistricting plan to approve between two options. Under state law, Council districts must be balanced in terms of population, and the measures were being sought to address a population imbalance in Districts 1 and 4. One bill called for massive changes to district lines in south county and west county, and the other bill sought an much smaller change—a single precinct swapped between Districts 4 and 1. On Monday, the Council approved the less drastic plan, sponsored by Councilman Chris Trumbauer (D-6th District), of Annapolis. Council Chairman Jerry Walker (R-7th …
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
The county executive said the gallery is part of a "fresh start" for the county.
Folk artwork from elementary students across Anne Arundel County is on display at the county government's office in downtown Annapolis. The gallery shows off the talents of students, who employ a variety of styles. One of the art pieces features birds depicted through yarn, a style inspired by Mexican Huichol yarn paintings. There is also art inspired by cave paintings and Japanese calligraphy. Some artwork goes beyond the canvas, including tiny hand-crafted figures, and traditional Mexican weavings. Anne Arundel County Executive Laura Neuman and Schools Superintendent Kevin Maxwell worked together in getting the gallery in front of the public's eyes. “This artwork will delight and also inspire us to look to the future,” Neuman said. “As …
Andy
8:58 am on Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Wow, this wasn't already legal? more ›