This Week at the General Assembly: March 7, 2014 |
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Joint Legislative Business and Economic Development Bill Package
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Senate President Miller and House Speaker Busch along with legislative leadership annouced support for increased business and economic development in Maryland. |
MCCC enthusiastically supports a package of bills introduced by Senate President Thomas "Mike" Miller and House Speaker Mike Busch that promote economic development and a robust business climate. Click here for an overview of the Joint Legislative Business and Economic Development Package.
Many of the specific bills were heard in both the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee on Wednesday, March 5. MCCC submitted written testimony in support of SB600/HB742- Regional Institution Strategic Enterprise Zone (RISE) Program and SB601/HB741 - Maryland E-nnovation Initiative Program. Both of these initiatives capitalize on the strategic assets of our world-renowned institutions of higher learning by stimulating further economic activity that brings research and development into the marketplace.
 | | Clark Kendall, Founder & President, Kendall Capital |
MCCC VP of Public Affairs Ilaya Hopkins was joined by Board Member and Co-Chair of the Small Business member meeting Clark Kendall, Founder & President, Kendall Capital, to testify on SB602/HB739 - Maryland Estate Tax Unified Credit. Maryland is one of only two states (the other being New Jersey) that has both an estate tax and an inheritance tax. In addition, unlike most states in the nation, our estate tax is imposed at a lower limit than the federal estate tax, creating a tremendous disincentive for individuals to stay in Maryland as they begin to think about retirement and estate planning.
If we want the aspirational middle class in Maryland to help fund the many programs that make Maryland a great state, we must enact policies that make our state an attractive place for individuals to build their lives and leave their legacies. As stated in MCCC testimony, the current estate tax policy in Maryland leaves our state at a competitive disadvantage because it imposes a higher rate of taxation on lower-valued estates. Mr. Kendall provided great insight into the types of individuals this impacts - people who have worked hard and prudently saved to have a comfortable retirement - and how aligning with the federal limits is the right decision to appropriately meet the goals of a sound estate tax policy. See Mr. Kendall's testimony on SB602/HB739 and an article he wrote in The Washington Business Journal.
We applaud the many co-sponsors of the bill in the Senate and House and especially thank the General Assembly Leadership as well as local lawmakers like Senator Jennie Forehand (D-17) for being at the forefront of this issue.
Be sure to visit our 2014 Legislative Session Page to see our priorities and the many bills we have taken positions on this session.
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Rescheduled MCCC Member Meeting: 2014 General Assembly Legislative Session Updates
 | | John Stierhoff, Partner, Venable LLP |
Monday, March 31, 8:00-9:30am - The Legislative Affairs Member Meeting will feature guest speakers John Stierhoff, Marta Harting and Brian Quinn of Venable LLP. Venable will provide MCCC members with updates on bills MCCC is tracking throughout the 2014 General Assembly Legislative Session and will answer questions about issues and bills that are of interest to members.
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MCCC advocates for policies that promote a vibrant economy and support the business community. The MCCC advocacy team tracks bills, submits written testimony and testifies in person in Annapolis on pieces of legislation throughout the General Assembly Legislative Session.
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FTA Recommends Federal Funding to Begin Purple Line Construction in 2015
President Obama's proposed 2015 budget was released on Tuesday, March 4. It includes the recommendation for $100 million in federal funding for the Purple Line construction.
Click here to read the full article in The Washington Post.
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What's Happening in Montgomery County |
To see latest information from the Montgomery County Council, visit http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/council/ and look under Council Headlines.
For news from the Montgomery County Government, visit the News page on the County website.
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The Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce is a non-political organization and does not endorse candidates. We will be sharing information with members regarding events and activities surrounding the elections that they may be interested in attending.
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Friday, March 7: BCC Chamber Montgomery County Executive Democratic Candidate Debate
The Bethesda Chevy-Chase Chamber of Commerce is hosting a debate for the Democratic candidates in the Montgomery County Executive race on March 7, 2014 from 7:30-10:00am, at the Hyatt Regency in Bethesda. Registration required. Click here for more information.
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2014 Gubernatorial Candidate Debates
Gubernatorial candidates Delegate Heather Mizeur, Attorney General Doug Gansler, and Lt. Governor Anthony Brown have agreed to participate in a series of debates leading up to the 2014 Maryland Gubernatorial Primary on June 24. Click here to see details.
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2014 Primary Election Candidates
The filing deadline for the 2014 Primary Election was 9:00 p.m. Tuesday, February 25.
See who has filed here: http://www.elections.state.md.us/elections/2014/primary_candidates/index.html
Click here for the election calendar. Primary Day is June 24, 2014.
Click here to read the Gazette article, "Montgomery County Races to Feature Familiar Names".
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The Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce (MCCC) supports local, state and federal legislation that protects, enhances, and leverages our assets and promotes economic prosperity for Maryland. This message highlights MCCC advocacy activity in Annapolis and Montgomery County. To learn more about our advocacy work, visit our Advocacy Page.
See MCCC Advocacy Highlights from previous weeks.
For more information, contact Ilaya Hopkins, VP, Public Policy, MCCC at (301)738-0015 or ihopkins@mcccmd.com.
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