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2019 Session: Week 1 Delegate Trent Kittleman - District 9A
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CONTENTS
- Ready for a new term!
- The BIG ISSUES for 2019
- Education Funding
- Redistricting
- Increasing the Minimum Wage
- On to Appropriations
- District News
- List of county and some state resources to assist furloughed workers.
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Please forward this email to your family and friends, and encourage them to sign up to receive the weekly News from Annapolis by sending me an email at TrentKittleman@verizon.net.
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Cl.
What's New & What's Old
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Changes . . .
The 2018 election resulted in a lot of changes - more than many of us wanted. But that's the nature of politics.
Fortunately, we still have Governor Hogan leading the State -- and racking up an approval rating that makes him the most popular governor in America!
I am fortunate to have been given a second term, and I thank my constituents in District 9-A, both in Howard and Carroll counties for giving me that opportunity.
Here are a few more changes:
* The House of Delegates has over 40 new members -- but 8 fewer Republicans
* My seat on the House floor stayed the same--but my favorite seatmate is gone
* I'm excited to be serving on the Appropriations Committee -- but I will miss serving with my Judiciary colleagues.
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Major Challenges in Education
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| Click here for the full report. |
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THE KIRWAN COMMISSION REPORT
The most high profile issue of 2019 is likely to be the preliminary recommendations of the Kirwan Report.
The Kirwan Commission was created primarily, to review, revise and update the education funding formula established many years ago. Along the way, the Commission was to look for "I
nnovation and Excellence in Education."
The work has proven far more difficult and challenging that the original one-year deadline contemplated. Deadlines for completing the work have been extended twice. Currently, the Commission
expects to finish its work this June. It will nonetheless propose a small package of bills this session to:
- Extend the life of the commission through 2019;
- Set up a career and technical education work group;
- Improve existing teacher scholarship program and get it funded;
- Increase pre-kindergarten expansion grants;
- Fund after-school and summer programs for schools with high concentrations of poverty;
- Establish a teacher recruitment strategy
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Court in
Bensiak v. Lamone notes obvious partisan action.
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Just last year, the U.S. Supreme Court considered a Maryland case brought by a group of Republican voters in the sixth district arguing that the map was unfairly crafted to benefit Democrats. The Court decided against Petitioners on technical grounds, refusing to deal with the issue of political gerrymandering.
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Federal Court orders Maryland to redraw its sixth Congressional District map
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This year, in a different case,
a federal court ruled that Maryland's sixth Congressional District was unconstitutionally drawn to diminish Republican influence.
The Court directed the State
to redraw that district in time for the 2020 election!
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MINIMUM WAGE: $15 PER HOUR?
A bill to increase the Maryland minimum wage to $15 an hour failed last year, but is expected to be back.
M
aryland's minimum wage
has been gradually increasing over the past few years.
** In 2015, the minimum wage increased from $7.25 to $8.25
** In 2016, it rose to $8.75
** In 2017, it rose to $9.25
** and in 2018, it rose to $10.10 an hour.
Surveys show that a majority of people favor raising the minimum wage -- it is one of those issues that sounds so good, but works so bad.
The District of Columbia is the only one of our neighboring jurisdictions that has a higher minimum wage now, at $13.25. Pennsylvania, Virginia, Delaware and West Virginia are all lower, ranging from $7.25 to $8.75.
More significantly, however, is the negative effect raising a minimum wage has on the economy as a whole. We'll be having that discussion in Annapolis over the next 90 days, but it looks like the Democratic majority wants to push this through this year.
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Follow the Money . . .
As much as I enjoyed serving on the Judiciary Committee last term, this year I wanted a new challenge and to serve on a committee that
would more directly impact my constituents. I am grateful that our Minority Leader and the Speaker of the House granted my request to serve on Appropriations.
While some might not consider it fun to spend hours looking into the often arcane systems by which the State spends money, I look forward to it.
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Public Hearing Scheduled for this Tuesday, January 22
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The Howard County Delegation has given tentative approval to the following Bond requests. Other local legislation being considered is listed below.
Bond Initiative Requests:
- Carrollton Hall Restoration, Ho.Co. 19-19, $200,000; Sponsored by: Chair, Howard County Delegation
- Gateway Innovation Center Renovation, Ho.Co. 20-19, $500,000; Sponsored by: Chair, Howard County Delegation
- Linwood School Parking Lot, Ho.Co. 27-19, $100,000; Sponsored by: Senator Guzzone
Proposed Local Bills
- Howard County - Orphans' Court Judges - Qualifications, Ho. Co. 2-19; Sponsored by: Delegate Atterbeary
- Impact Fees - Calculation, Ho. Co. 3-19; Sponsored by: Delegate Atterbeary
- Howard County - Authority to Impose Fees for Use of Disposable Bags, Ho. Co. 4-19; Sponsored by: Delegate Hill
- Howard County - Ethics - Limit on Developer Contributions, Ho. Co. 12-19; Sponsored by: Delegate Miller
- Property Tax Credit - Elderly Individuals - Eligibility, Ho. Co. 16-19; Sponsored by: Chair, Howard County Delegation
- Howard County Board of Education - Elected School Board, Ho. Co. 1-19; Sponsored by: Delegate Atterbeary
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Delegate Trent Kittleman
District 9A, Western Howard County and Southern Carroll County (Sykesville)
Room 202, Lowe House Office Building
6 Bladen Street, Annapolis, MD 21401
Interim Office
3000 Kittleman Lane, West Friendship, MD 21794
Administrative Aide: Chelsea Leigh Murphy
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