Sales Tax

Washington County's economy is showing new strength, with household and business spending on the rise for nearly a year, according to a study byTheHerald-Mail. But whether the momentum will continue amid rising economic uncertainties across the globe is a big question, a regional economist said last week. “One might look at the (local spending) data and conclude we have turned the corner. That doesn't mean we might not do another U-turn” back into the recession, said Anirban Basu, chairman and chief executive officer of Sage Policy Group Inc., a Baltimore economic and policy consulting firm.

“You know, this Romney running for president on the Republican side, he brags about how many jobs he's saved, his Bain Capital, but he doesn't tell you how many jobs he got rid of and fired, and pulled the money out from these factories for his ... buddies, and laid the people off and bankrupted the company. He didn't tell you that. ... But he lost more than he won.” - Hagerstown “What a wonderful column in this morning's paper by Tom Firey, talking about the stadium.

Taxpayers coalition rep to speak at Pa. event CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. - The Franklin County 9/12 Patriots will host guest speaker David Baldinger of the Pennsylvania Taxpayers Cyber Coalition at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Franklin Fire Hall at 158 W. King St. Baldinger will discuss property tax relief and House Bill 1776. The event is free and open to the public. “This is one of the most important issues that the state legislature will address this year,” said Barb Moran from the Franklin County 9/12 Patriots.

State Rep. Rob Kauffman, R-Cumberland/Franklin, joined a press conference Monday unveiling the Property Tax Independence Act (House Bill 1776), legislation that would adopt a tax shift to eliminate school property taxes. “I cannot even count the number of phone calls, emails and personal requests I have received over the years from people seeking relief from school property taxes,” Kauffman said in a news release. The requests come from senior citizens and hardworking families, he said.

Have you been having gas pains recently? Not to be personal, I was thinking about the pains at the pump when you fill up your vehicle. Gasoline prices are on the rise again. What are we going to do about it? Most of last year, the governor let it be known he favored a 15-cents-per-gallon increase in the Maryland excise tax spread over three years to refurbish our infrastructure. At least, that's what he says. The pain of a billion dollar or so shortfall in our budget makes any kind of tax attractive to Gov. O'Malley.

Hagerstown Baseball LLC, the owner of the Hagerstown Suns minor league baseball team, has signed a letter of intent to move the team to Winchester, Va. The Winchester City Council's agenda for Tuesday has scheduled a public hearing on the proposed construction and operations of a minor league baseball stadium at the existing Jim Barnett Park. Listed as a proposed council agenda item for that meeting is a resolution that has been recommended for approval by James Deskins, Winchester's economic redevelopment director.

County has missed opportunities to thrive To the editor: Kudos to Washington County Commissioners President Terry Baker and Commissioners (Jeff) Cline and (Bill) McKinley, who voted against the monetary contribution to the Washington County Lobbying Coalition. While it was reported “whether we like it or not, this is the way it works in Annapolis,” such philosophy does not justify wasting money while in this county there are still the hungry and homeless and seniors who cannot make ends meet, plus some having to decide whether they can eat or take their medicine or find a warm place to stay out of the cold.

Word of a possible state sales-tax increase added a dose of reality Wednesday to the fanfare of the opening day of the Maryland General Assembly's 2012 session. Gov. Martin O'Malley said that he's considering proposing another penny on the state's sales tax, increasing it from 6 percent to 7 percent. O'Malley, a Democrat, said the state has to figure out how to fill gaps in the state's operating budget, its Transportation Trust Fund, and water and wastewater infrastructure. Many legislators are expecting the governor to propose increases in the state's gasoline tax and the tax on sewer and septic use this year.