Veto

Maryland Gov. Parris Glendening, faced with a choice between doing the popular thing and being politically responsible, this week chose to do the right thing, vetoing a bill to make the state's so-called "treadmill test" for auto emissions voluntary. Citizens may grump about this now, but they ought to realize that the alternative would be worse. Had Glendening signed the bill, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency might have withheld $54 million in federal highway assistance funds.

charlestown@herald-mail.com CHARLES TOWN, W.Va. - The Jefferson County Commission has requested Gov. Joe Manchin veto a bill that has been passed by the Legislature that would reduce the amount of tax people have to pay on vacation homes. Vacation homes were taxed at a higher Class 3 commercial rate as a result of state legislation passed in 2003 dealing with tax issues, local lawmakers said. Now there is an effort to return vacation homes to a Class 2 rate. People in other parts of the state have been pushing to return vacation homes to the Class 2 rate because they face the higher tax on structures like hunting cabins, lawmakers said.

One day before the start of the regular session, Maryland lawmakers head to Annapolis today to decide whether to override any of the 19 vetoes Gov. Robert Ehrlich made last year. Many involve important issues, but the most crucial one is the special-session legislation on medical malpractice. In the bill, the governor got some of the reforms he wanted, but he opposes the fact that a fund created to hold down doctors' insurance premiums would come from a 2 percent tax on HMO premiums.

The New Year brings both new opportunities and new challenges as lawmakers settle in for their annual work in Annapolis. This year actually starts with some unfinished business from last year. The much-deserved attention given to the medical-malpractice issue in Annapolis in the last couple of weeks has overshadowed two upcoming votes that directly affect the business community. Last year, the legislature passed two decidedly anti-business bills and the governor vetoed both. At the beginning of the 2005 session - Tuesday, Jan. 11 - the legislature will take up proposals to override each veto and our representatives need to hear from you. The chamber evaluated these bills, as it does all legislation, based on its long-standing view that state government should: 1. Be more efficient, 2. Reduce the burden on businesses.

HAGERSTOWN - Though he did not mention U.S. Rep. Roscoe G. Bartlett by name, Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin's focus was clear during a 30-minute speech Monday at the University System of Maryland at Hagerstown. "I urge all Americans to contact their members of Congress and urge them to override this veto," Cardin said, referring to President Bush's veto of a $35 billion expansion of the State Children's Health Insurance Program. As the only member of the Maryland congressional delegation to side with Bush on the issue, Bartlett, R-6th, has come under pressure from state and federal officials to change his position before Thursday, when the House is scheduled to vote on whether to override Bush's veto of the bill.

Here is how local members of the Washington County Delegation to the Maryland General Assembly voted in their respective chambers to override Gov. Robert Ehrlich's veto on a minimum wage increase. For Del. John P. Donoghue, D-Washington Against Sen. John J. Hafer, R-Washington Sen. Alex X. Mooney, R-Washington Sen. Donald F. Munson, R-Washington Del. Robert A. McKee, R-Washington Del. LeRoy Myers Jr., R-Washington, Allegany Del. Christopher B. Shank, R-Washington Del. Richard B. Weldon Jr., R-Washington, Frederick, was absent during the House vote.

HAGERSTOWN ? Though he did not mention U.S. Rep. Roscoe G. Bartlett by name, Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin's focus was clear during a 30-minute speech Moday at the University System of Maryland at Hagerstown. "I urge all Americans to contact their members of Congress and urge them to override this veto," Cardin said, referring to President Bush's veto of a $35 billion expansion of the State Children's Health Insurance Program. As the only member of the Maryland congressional delegation to side with Bush on the issue, Bartlett, R-6th, has come under pressure from state and federal officials to change his position before Thursday, when the House is scheduled to vote on whether to override Bush's veto of the bill.

WASHINGTON - Here's how area members of Congress voted on major roll call votes in the week ending Jan. 25. HOUSE Children's health insurance Voting 260 for and 152 against, the House on Jan. 23 failed to reach a two-thirds majority needed to overturn President Bush's veto of a bill (HR 3963) expanding the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). The bill renewed SCHIP for five years at a cost of $60 billion, up $35 billion from current levels; raised federal tobacco taxes from 39 cents per pack to $1 per pack to pay the added costs; and expanded coverage from 6.6 million children to nearly 10 million children.

Assigning responsibility for the sequestration “crisis” is a tricky business. The president has been doing a great job blaming the Republicans. But there's a question about Obama's role in the whole affair. Watergate star reporter Bob Woodward created a mini firestorm last week with his article in the Washington Post suggesting that the idea for sequestration originated in the White House.  In his piece, Woodward stated, “My extensive reporting for my book 'The Price of Politics' shows that the automatic spending cuts were initiated by the White House and were the brainchild of (White House Chief of Staff Jack)

In January, after the Maryland General Assembly overrode Gov. Robert Ehrlich's veto of a bill designed to give physicians some relief from soaring malpractice insurance costs, most involved said the bill was just a first step toward more comprehensive reform. But on Monday, Maryland Insurance Commissioner Alfred Redmer Jr. offered a gloomy assessment of the chances for further progress. "There will not be substantive legal reform for several years," said Redmer, in Hagerstown to publicize a new program to help consumers deal with insurance problems.

The Waynesboro Area School Board on Tuesday became the second board to reject the Franklin County (Pa.) Career and Technology Center's 2013-14 operating budget, sending the career center back to the drawing board as it hammers out a spending plan. Waynesboro's school board voted 8-0 to reject the proposal because of increased expenditures. Board President Chris Lind specifically pointed to a proposed 3.5 percent salary hike for career center staff. “It's not right we vote for something there that is more than our teachers, administrators and support staff are getting,” he said.

Assigning responsibility for the sequestration “crisis” is a tricky business. The president has been doing a great job blaming the Republicans. But there's a question about Obama's role in the whole affair. Watergate star reporter Bob Woodward created a mini firestorm last week with his article in the Washington Post suggesting that the idea for sequestration originated in the White House.  In his piece, Woodward stated, “My extensive reporting for my book 'The Price of Politics' shows that the automatic spending cuts were initiated by the White House and were the brainchild of (White House Chief of Staff Jack)

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) -- Pennsylvania legislative leaders outlined the broad terms of a state budget deal Friday that includes higher business and cigarette taxes, as well as revenue from legalized table games in casinos. They acknowledged that many details remained to be worked out. Meanwhile, Gov. Ed Rendell's chief of staff warned that the plan's revenue assumptions are too rosy, and the governor immediately threatened a veto. Leaders of both parties in the Senate, and of the House Democratic caucus, described the nearly $28 billion budget as a compromise that also includes $2.25 billion from one-time sources such as the state's "rainy day" contingency fund.

WAYNESBORO, Pa. -- Pennsylvania Senate leaders plan to take steps Wednesday that could override Gov. Ed Rendell's veto of funding for human services programs, such as shelters, food pantries and child care. State Sen. Richard Alloway, R-Franklin/Adams/York, told The Herald-Mail of the plans Monday afternoon. They are designed to help "some of the most vulnerable among us," he said. Rendell, a Democrat, took a stopgap budget measure passed in early August and provided many line-item vetoes, as expected.

CHARLES TOWN, W.Va. - The Jefferson County Commission on Thursday passed a resolution asking Gov. Joe Manchin to veto a proposed law that would allow county residents to vote on new land-use regulations in the county. The resolution, which was approved by a 3-2 vote, asks Manchin to veto the proposed bill if it passes in the Legislature. Commissioner Greg Corliss, who believes the proposed bill interferes with county government, suggested the commission pass the resolution.

WASHINGTON - Here's how area members of Congress voted on major roll call votes in the week ending Jan. 25. HOUSE Children's health insurance Voting 260 for and 152 against, the House on Jan. 23 failed to reach a two-thirds majority needed to overturn President Bush's veto of a bill (HR 3963) expanding the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). The bill renewed SCHIP for five years at a cost of $60 billion, up $35 billion from current levels; raised federal tobacco taxes from 39 cents per pack to $1 per pack to pay the added costs; and expanded coverage from 6.6 million children to nearly 10 million children.

HAGERSTOWN - Though he did not mention U.S. Rep. Roscoe G. Bartlett by name, Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin's focus was clear during a 30-minute speech Monday at the University System of Maryland at Hagerstown. "I urge all Americans to contact their members of Congress and urge them to override this veto," Cardin said, referring to President Bush's veto of a $35 billion expansion of the State Children's Health Insurance Program. As the only member of the Maryland congressional delegation to side with Bush on the issue, Bartlett, R-6th, has come under pressure from state and federal officials to change his position before Thursday, when the House is scheduled to vote on whether to override Bush's veto of the bill.

HAGERSTOWN ? Though he did not mention U.S. Rep. Roscoe G. Bartlett by name, Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin's focus was clear during a 30-minute speech Moday at the University System of Maryland at Hagerstown. "I urge all Americans to contact their members of Congress and urge them to override this veto," Cardin said, referring to President Bush's veto of a $35 billion expansion of the State Children's Health Insurance Program. As the only member of the Maryland congressional delegation to side with Bush on the issue, Bartlett, R-6th, has come under pressure from state and federal officials to change his position before Thursday, when the House is scheduled to vote on whether to override Bush's veto of the bill.

"I don't always agree with him, but Charley Reese is my man. He sounds as angry as me and many others are at the whole political scene. Read him and just think about what he has to say. " "What's really funny is how those who say President Bush vetoed medical care for children, then show their ignorance and make it sound like he doesn't care about children. Do you not see the nonsense of free care for those at an $82,000 income? What I want to know is, what are you going to do when a president with an agenda that rolls with nonsense created like this?

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - West Virginia will add 10 judges to its family court system, including one for Berkeley and Jefferson counties, but none to circuit courts after Gov. Joe Manchin signed and vetoed the final batch of bills Wednesday from the recent legislative session. Manchin approved more than 60 measures, including ones that will block new methadone clinics and allow younger adults to join their parents' health insurance. But Manchin also vetoed five bills, including one (SB400)