BMORENEWS.com

Delegate Jon Cardin represents Owings Mills and Pikesville in Maryland's 11th State Legislative District

(ANNAPOLIS - February 9, 2009) - Last week marked the first bill hearings for many of us. I introduced a bill to the Environmental Matters Committee requiring the Department of the Environment to maintain a database of impervious surface growth in Maryland - a way to monitor the unprecedented loss of filtering surfaces as we pave our way through the state. 

The genesis of this bill was a common sense concern that our natural and most effective water filter - the earth - is being "waterproofed," permitting increased amounts of polluted water to reach both our reservoirs and the Chesapeake watershed. The administration agrees that this valuable information can assist the debate on how to handle drinking water, health and environmental concerns. I was disappointed, but not surprised, that the opponents suggested that this bill will be cost-prohibitive. Everyone, including the Department, agrees that the information is valuable.

My Subcommittee of Election Law in Ways and Means will begin its work in full next week. The new members, including my Baltimore County colleague Johnny Olszewski, Chief Deputy Majority Whip Justin Ross, and my friends Jay Walker and Page Elmore, are eager to begin work on election law. Post election audits will be one of the many issues the subcommittee will tackle. 

The full Ways and Means Committee met jointly with the Appropriations Committee again this week to look at Thornton education funding. Specifically, the State Department of Assessments and Taxation briefed us on the error they made on Montgomery County assessments, realizing a $24 million gap in funding for that county. There was no formula change, but the department was obligated to make the county whole.

The Governor submitted his administrative package on Tuesday which includes both some good bills and some challenging ones. I look forward to the debates.

I have received numerous requests for information on healthcare services. I invite you to visit www.dhmh.state.md.us/gethealthcare/affordable.pdf, where you can read a brochure created by the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to help Marylanders locate resources in the ever difficult environment for finding healthcare services.

I was honored to host a group of aspiring politicians and college students from Egypt through the American Council of Young Political Leaders (ACYPL) in Annapolis for the day. Thank you to Minority Leader Tony O'Donnell, Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown, Majority Leader Kumar Barve, and Treasurer Nancy Kopp, among other alumni and guests, who made the visit of our special dignitaries from Egypt enlightening and valuable.
 
Dan Morhaim, Dana Stein, Bobby Zirkin and I invite our constituents to the 11th District Legislative Night for a modest reception, followed by the Monday evening ceremonial session.  This year, it will be on February 23, 2009 at 6pm in Miller West.

I also want to remind everyone about my website, www.JonCardin.com. This session the website contains helpful information including my views on important issues, an application for the Cardin Honors Scholarship, my weekly Annapolis Reports, and press releases of interest to my constituents. Please refer to the website for answers to your questions and concerns.

Thank you to the building trades, librarians, bicycle safety advocates, Western Marylanders, Equality Marylanders, architects, and State Farm representatives (from my district), among others, for coming down to Annapolis to visit us and discuss their issues.

Working hard for Maryland,

Jon S. Cardin

If you have any questions, please visit my website.