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| Maryland governor wants nonpartisan panel to draw Congressional districts | |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| Gov. Larry Hogan (R) is proposing a nonpartisan redistricting panel to draw legislative and Congressional districts, stripping the power away from the Legislature and governor’s office. | |
| The legislation he introduced Tuesday adopts the recommendations of a redistricting reform commission that Hogan established last year. The bill requires amending the state constitution, a move that would have to be approved both by the Democratic-majority legislature and by voters in the state. | |
| Democratic legislative leaders have vowed to resist such redistricting changes, saying they prefer to wait for national redistricting reform that would also affect majority-Republican states. | |
| [Hogan wades into heated debate over redistricting] | |
| Hogan has criticized Maryland lawmakers for creating what experts agree are some of the nation’s most gerrymandered districts. Maryland has eight U.S. House Representatives, all but one whom are Democrats, in part because of the way the Congressional districts have been drawn. | |
| “For too long, fair elections and a healthy, strong, and competitive two-party system have been nearly impossible in our state,” Hogan said in a news release. | |
| Independent redistricting commissions are used in six Western states, including Arizona, whose system was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court last year. | |
| Hogan unveiled the redistricting proposal as part of the legislative package that will accompany his fiscal 2017 budget proposal, which was unveiled last week. Fiscal analysts were briefing lawmakers on the $42.3 billion proposal on Tuesday. | |
| Maryland Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. (D-Calvert) said Monday night that he expects a battle to ensue over various budget provisions. “I predict we’ll be here the last day arguing over the budget,” Miller told the Senate. | |
| [Hogan proposes $42.3 billion budget that includes modest tax relief] | [Hogan proposes $42.3 billion budget that includes modest tax relief] |
| Miller said Hogan’s spending plan does not include money for legislative initiatives, including operating funds for Prince George’s Hospital Center. And he raised issue with several initiatives that Hogan included in his spending plan, noting a tax credit for businesses that donate to schools and an increase of more than $200 million in the governor’s discretionary fund. | |
| He said that Baltimore city schools would receive $25 million less because of declining enrollment and increases in wealth while “other” counties that have lower school enrollment than Baltimore are scheduled to receive supplemental aid under Hogan’s plan. | He said that Baltimore city schools would receive $25 million less because of declining enrollment and increases in wealth while “other” counties that have lower school enrollment than Baltimore are scheduled to receive supplemental aid under Hogan’s plan. |
| Hogan and Democratic leaders had a showdown over the budget in the final days of session last year after the governor refused to release $68 million in education funding to several school districts. | Hogan and Democratic leaders had a showdown over the budget in the final days of session last year after the governor refused to release $68 million in education funding to several school districts. |