General Assembly committee hearings are under way in Annapolis for legislation proposed by state lawmakers. Bills introduced by Del. Wendell Beitzel and Sen. George Edwards will be reviewed during the next several weeks.
The House Appropriations Committee will hold a public hearing for Beitzel's HB 121: "Dedicated Funds – Prohibition of Transfer – Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays 2010 Trust Fund and Bay Restoration Fund" on Tuesday, Feb. 7, at 1 p.m. in Room 120, House Office Building.
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This bill would amend the Maryland State Constitution to prohibit the transfer of funds from the two major sources of revenue for bay cleanup efforts in the state.
"The Chesapeake By is a state treasure that needs to be protected, and the citizens of the state are paying to 'save the bay,'" Beitzel said. "Therefore, the dedicated funds entrusted to the state need to be restricted for their intended purpose."
Anyone wishing to testify on HB 121 must sign the witness register by 12:50 p.m. on the day of the hearing. Those who have written testimony are asked to submit 40 copies to the Appropriations Committee staff for distribution by 11 a.m. Persons interested in submitting testimony may contact Beitzel's office at 800-492-7122, ext. 3435, for assistance.
The delegate noted that Gov. Martin O'Malley's SB 240 would increase the "flush tax" from $30 to $60 for septic system users.
For those who are connected to municipal sewage treatment facilities, the fees will be based on the amount of water used. A $.90 fee is proposed to be placed for each 1,000 gallons for the first 2,000 gallons. Then an additional $1.25 would be charged for each 1,000 gallons thereafter. Under this scenario, Beitzel said, a family of four with an average daily water usage of 70 gallons per person (8,400 gallons/month) could see quadruple the flush tax fee from an original $30 per year to $180 per year.
Betizel noted that during the 2011 General Assembly session, O'Malley's budget transferred $290 million from the Bay Restoration Fund and the Chesapeake & Atlantic Coastal Bays 2010 Trust Fund into the state's general fund. The funds are to be replenished with general obligation bonds, which require additional interest costs and limit the amount of bond funds available for other state capital projects.
"If these funds were never raided, there would be no immediate need for a [flush fee] increase," Beitzel said.
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