• Hyattsville & Riverdale Park Economic Development Picks Up

• 22nd District Reception Hits a 'Home Run'
  

• Supreme Court Says "Government for Sale"
   
• Making Energy, Electricity Affordable and Clean
  
  
• Schools and 'Race to the Top': Using it Right
  
  
• FreeTax Preparation Available
  

• Scholarship Opportunities
  

Dear Friends:

We're now almost one month into the legislative session and buried under thirty inches of snow. Tonight's legislative session has been cancelled for the first time in seven years and former governor Bob Ehrlich is making more sounds about running for governor. All that being said, political games have begun and the usual obstacles to reform efforts have arisen. At least there is some good news: the Terp men's b-ball team crushed Carolina and is looking like a fair bet to make the tournament.

Below is an update on local and state issues as well as state scholarship information. With more snow expected, don't forget, go easy on the shoveling. And try not to do it all at once.

Hyattsville and Riverdale Park: Economic Development Picks Up

If you've driven down Rt.1 through Hyattsville, you've noticed tractors and front-loaders working feverishly. The retail component of the EYA project, including Busboys and Poets and Tara Thai restaurants, is now underway, thanks to some state help.

After I, along with other state officials lobbied two state agencies (Dept. of Business and Economic Development and Transportation) to provide assistance for infrastructure costs to get the project started, work has begun in earnest.  Besides revitalizing the area, it will create much needed jobs during a difficult time.  Nearly 100 townhomes have been built on the west side of Rt. 1 and the retail component on the east side will pave the way for more urban redevelopment.

Just as enthusiastic to revitalize their neighborhood is the Central Kenilworth Avenue Revitalization Community Development Corporation.  They hosted an open house last week to unveil their efforts.  With support from the University of Maryland's School of Architecture and local officials Eric Olson and the mayor and town council of Riverdale Park, as well as key proposals from Alice Bishop of Templeton Knolls and help from Park and Planning (M-NCPPC),  the group is off and running. They have created designs for park entrances, new store fronts and are beginning a dialogue over how to incorporate the new proposed purple line route through the neighborhood.  Congrats to this home-grown effort, and I offer my continued support!

22nd District Reception Hits a 'Home Run'

An estimated 250 and 300 people came to Annapolis to join the district delegation (myself and Delegates Gaines, Healey and Ross) for warm words, good food, and inspiring music on Jan. 18.

All reports and feedback lauded the event -- and it was a star-studded event.  Governor Martin O'Malley and Lieutenant Governor Anthony Brown shared kind words with the group; the Hyatttsville Middle School Chorus performed beautifully; special guest Rushern Baker gave a fitting tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, who was being honored; and the delegation members offered legislative updates.  And all of this was accompanied by a buffet dinner from Three Brothers Restaurant in Bladensburg, one of the best business neighbors in the region.  Thank you Mario and staff.

The event was planned to celebrate Dr. King and to engage and empower the many citizens of the district.  While clearly engaging, we hope the future proves the 'empowerment' to be the success we envisioned.

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Supreme Court Says "Government for Sale"

Last month, a majority of the Supreme Court decided that corporations could use corporate earnings -- stockholder money -- to elect candidates friendly to their business. And worse, they could use their profits to defeat candidates standing up to big business and trying to rein in bad corporate practices. It's almost as if the powers that be have collective amnesia. Big Banks? Wall Street? AIG?

And don't believe for a minute that stockholders will have a say in campaign spending. Not even boards of directors. The decision will probably allow CEOs, those with the multimillion dollar compensation packages, to make the decisions all by themselves.

How did the Court come to this decision? It's easy if you're a right wing ideologue, stand the constitution upside down -- and a little nuts. The majority believes that corporations should have the same rights as a real person and since they've now decided that making political expenditures is the same as having freedom of speech, voila: big companies can now spend as much money as they want to influence elections!

To combat this decision, I have joined with other legislators in introducing legislation that would require two thirds of all corporate stockholders to endorse such spending, a move that would put a big wrench in the way. Additionally, we have submitted legislation that would block any company that receives state funds or contracts over $5,000 from contributing to candidates running for office in Maryland.

Cutting out corporate political spending is one necessary task, another is creating a system of public funding that allows candidates to avoid seeking big private contributions from people with 'deep pockets.' That's why I've reintroduced legislation to create a voluntary system of public financing for those candidates wishing to only be accountable to the public. It creates a level playing field, and if you can prove yourself to be a viable candidate, agree to strict campaign limits and to not accept private contributions, you can access public funding.

Making Energy, Electricity Affordable and Clean

We cannot continue to rely on coal-fired power plants to provide our electricity. It's too expensive, too dirty and is speeding up climate change.
Unfortunately, there are still too many obstacles to expanding wind and solar power. Unless a wind turbine company can be guaranteed long term contracts (20-30 years) from suppliers, they can't make the capital investment to build. Right now, the best opportunity is off-shore wind in the ocean off of the coast of Delaware and Maryland. Most proposals center on a distance of around 12-13 miles off-shore. Delaware is already committed to a large wind farm off its coast. And Maryland should be next.

Maryland has recently committed to purchase some power from the Delaware wind farm. But a voluntary purchase is just not enough. It should be part of any large contract by the large companies like Constellation/BGE and PEPCO. That's why I have introduced legislation to require companies to seek renewable energy in its portfolio. Long term contracts will assure the financial viability of the cost, both to the companies and consumers.

On a smaller level, another obstacle has to be removed. It's all too expensive to place solar panels on residential roofs. While the law allows families to get credit for what they produce from solar (and receive credit against their electric bill, called 'net metering'), if a roof generates more energy than the building utilizes, the owner doesn't receive the cash for the excess power. Additionally, the credit you now receive is based on total wattage and is not based on when you produce it. Obviously, in the middle of summer, from 10 am to 5 pm when air conditioners are at full blast and solar is producing at its strongest, the electricity is worth more than 'average wattage.' The solution is that people who generate energy, like those with a solar roof, should get credit for 'time of use' which would allow people to receive peak-time credit. It would also be an incentive to invest in solar.

In University Park, Maryland, that's just what people have done. They have created a private, solar coop to invest in solar roofs on local facilities. It is homegrown, clean energy, will reduce energy costs, and will actually turn a profit for the investors. What could be better?

I have introduced legislation which will both allow those facilities that generate more power than they use (not usually the case with residential homes with solar roofs) to receive cash and require 'time of use' to be credited in the bill for all solar generators.

Schools and 'Race to the Top': Using it Right

The President is encouraging innovation in our schools and that's a good thing. But until we have conclusive data, we should be careful what innovation should be required. Some state officials, unfortunately, are using the federal 'Race to the Top' grants to define what schools should do -- and to implement their agenda. Across Maryland, many innovative approaches are being tried. And at the same time, sadly, some school systems are falling woefully short in needed changes. 

I have introduced legislation to use some of the Race to the Top money to explore year around schools or other innovative school calendars that don't create a long gap, like the summer, when studies show that student lose a great deal of acquired knowledge. This is particularly needed in low performing schools. Another piece of legislation would expand National Board Certification (NBC), a rigorous credentialing process, by using mentors to support candidates seeking NBC.

The state superintendent is pushing for changes to the tenure law, increasing probation for an additional year and tying teacher evaluation to student test scores. Conceptually, both sound great. Facts, unfortunately, belie their reform potential.

We changed Maryland's law ten years ago to allow probation to be extended a third year if a superintendent requests. This allows additional review in cases where a teacher's skills are just emerging and still unproven. Unfortunately, it is rarely being used. Yet, today a similar change is being proposed? It might get us more grant money, but will it improve instruction and teacher quality?

Tying student scores to teacher evaluation addresses accountability but if we don't have tests in every grade level or subject area, does that mean we create additional testing to assess teachers? I thought testing was done to assess learning. And also, do we really want more testing in our schools? Isn't it taking up enough time already?

Montgomery County, Maryland has a system in place where they take some of the best teachers to support and assess brand new teachers and teachers at-risk. At the end of a year of support, after being given the tools to succeed, a panel made up of teachers (from the teachers union) and principals decide whether to retain or dismiss the teacher. The county has a high quality teaching staff and one that doesn't hesitate to remove teachers who, after support, don't meet standard. Tenure laws do not restrict them since even tenured teachers can be removed. The system doesn't need to rely on student test scores to assess teachers. It has a rigorous process which clearly shows if teachers are 'up to snuff.'

Maybe we need to better assess what's available to our 24 school jurisdictions before moving on to adopting state law with a one size fits all approach. 

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Free Tax Preparation Available

Tax season is upon us and preparing a return is as complicated as ever. However there is help. Free tax preparation is available for individuals and families meeting certain income limits. For a list of locations in our area, check with my office or call toll-free 1-800-829-1040.

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Scholarship Opportunities

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