Harford County officials are drawing up their wish lists in anticipation of Jan. 10, when the Maryland General Assembly reconvenes in Annapolis.
The death of a staffer from Del. Barry Glassman?s office canceled a meeting this week that would have brought together Harford?s delegation to Annapolis and all the county?s players to discuss priorities for the upcoming session, so the county government and each municipality are preparing to submit their concerns in writing, county spokeswoman Roxanne Lynch said.
The town of Bel Air is backing some legislative goals set by the Maryland Municipal League, such as increasing state aid for police funding, authorizing local governments to plan and purchase streetlights, and allowing local governments to “aggregate” the government and citizens and bargain for purchasing electricity at competitive rates, Town Administrator Christopher Schlehr said.
“Most small- to medium-sized towns don?t have a big enough electric bill to have much bargaining power by themselves,” Schlehr said. “Aggregating gets the government and citizens together.”
Aberdeen will join Bel Air in supporting the Municipal League?s agenda and will also push for the authority to levy a hotel tax, City Manager Doug Miller said. The tax would be added to hotel bills within the city and would help finance Ripken Stadium and various parks and rec improvements, Miller said.
Officials in Havre de Grace are still compiling their list of priorities, Director of Administration James Newby said.
County Executive David Craig already has met with all the heads of his cabinet to collect their concerns and run themby the county attorney, Lynch said, but the presentation that would have been given Monday will have to be fleshed out before it is sent to the delegation. Until then, Craig declined to further discuss the county?s ?wish list.?
