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Raskin: Hogan ‘very receptive’ to possible redistricting compromise Raskin: Hogan ‘very receptive’ to possible redistricting compromise
(about 3 hours later)
After three months of inactivity on redistricting reform, a leading Democratic senator said Friday that Gov. Larry Hogan (R) may be interested in a future compromise to redraw the boundaries of congressional districts. A leading Democratic senator said Friday that Gov. Larry Hogan (R) may be open to a compromise proposal for redrawing the boundaries of congressional districts, after Hogan’s own plan has stalled in the legislature for three months.
Sen. Jamie B. Raskin (D-Montgomery) said he met with Hogan, Lt. Gov. Boyd Rutherford and the governor’s chief of staff for nearly 25 minutes on Friday in a spirited discussion about Raskin’s proposal to create a “Potomac compact” that would allow an independent panel to draw congressional lines for both Maryland and Virginia. Sen. Jamie B. Raskin (D-Montgomery) said he met with Hogan, Lt. Gov. Boyd Rutherford and the governor’s chief of staff for nearly 25 minutes on Friday in a spirited discussion about Raskin’s proposal to create a “Potomac compact” that would allow an independent panel to draw congressional lines for Maryland and Virginia.
His rationale is that a two-state approach would offset Democratic losses in Maryland as a result of boundaries being redrawn with similar GOP losses in Virginia. Raskin’s rationale is that a two-state approach would offset Democratic losses in Maryland as a result of boundaries being redrawn, because there would be similar GOP losses in Virginia.
“I found them very receptive to the idea,” Raskin said after his meeting Friday with Hogan, Lt. Gov. Boyd Rutherford (R) and Craig Williams, Hogan’s chief of staff. “I found them very receptive to the idea,” Raskin said.
[In Md. and Va., efforts to end gerrymandering face major obstacles: Lawmakers] Hogan spokesman Doug Mayer said the governor “doesn’t think a two-state solution is the realistic way to achieve this plan. He thinks Maryland should act.”
Matt Clark, a spokesman for Hogan, said the governor remains committed to his proposal to create a nonpartisan redistricting panel to draw Maryland’s legislative and congressional district — which lawmakers have essentially ignored for most of the 90 day legislative session, which ends Monday. Raskin said in a interview that he is pushing the two-state option because Democratic legislative leaders said they would not consider Hogan’s bill. The senator told Hogan he would vote in favor of Hogan’s proposal in the legislature, if those leaders ever brought it for a vote.
“He hasn’t softened on his plan,” Clark said. The back-and-forth was part of a busy day in Annapolis as lawmakers entered the final stretch of their 90-day session, quickly passing bills to each chamber for consideration.
Raskin said the idea of creating a compact on redistricting would be a “novel invention,” but it may the “only thing to break the impasse” that currently exists in the two state legislatures. The House Ways and Means Committee approved legislation that would expand tax credits for the working poor while reducing taxes for individuals and many businesses, setting up a likely floor vote on the package in coming days.
“Everybody needs to give up a little bit of partisanship so we can gain a lot in principle,” Raskin said. The bill was an amended version of a measure that overwhelmingly passed the Senate last month. It would reduce state revenue by an estimated $201 million, while the Senate plan would mean $227 million less for state coffers, according to lawmakers on the panel.
After calling repeatedly for the General Assembly to act, Hogan last week sent a letter to President Obama asking for his help in encouraging the Democratic-controlled legislature to vote on his plan. If the House passes its version of the bill, the two chambers would have to reconcile the differences between the two versions before sending the package toHogan, who has expressed support for the Senate plan. The 2016 legislative session ends Monday, giving lawmakers just three more calendar days to move the legislation out of the House and negotiate a final agreement.
[Republican Larry Hogan really wants redistricting reform. He wrote to Obama about it.] Both versions would both expand eligibility for the Earned Income Tax Credit that helps the working poor, extending the benefit to low-income taxpayers who are 18 and older. Under current law, the tax credit only applies to low-income individuals with children.
“There are only days left in the legislative session, and next year, we may not have as strong an advocate in the White House as you have been on this issue,” Hogan wrote. “With your intervention, I believe we could set things right in Maryland.” The House committee rejected a provision that would reduce taxes for households earning more than $150,000, instead approving a more modest reduction that would allow individual filers to save $100 on their first $100,000 of income. Joint filers would save $150 on their first $150,000.
“If we’re giving tax cuts, we should give it to people who actually need it, like the middle class,” said Del. Eric G. Luedtke (D-Montgomery), a member of the committee.
The House also amended the Senate bill to allow multi-state corporations to base their tax rates on sales in Maryland rather than a combination of sales, property and payroll in the state. Supporters of the policy say it would benefit companies to move to Maryland or remain in the state, since many would face a lower tax burden under the so-called single-sales method. But some Republicans have raised concerns about how the change would impact other businesses.
Del. Jason C. Buckel (R-Allegany) said he voted reluctantly for the bill despite opposing the single-sales provision. “I do appreciate the committee’s work putting in a middle-class tax break,” he said.
The Senate on Friday overturned two Hogan vetoes: a bill that creates a new method for determining which transportation projects are funded, and a measure that strips Hogan of five appointments to a commission that selects school board members in Anne Arundel County.
The House acted on the vetoes on Thursday.
The Senate also voted 31-13 to approve a $37.5 million tax credit over five years for Northrup Grumman Corp., an aerospace company based in Anne Arundel County.
Sen. Michael Hough (R-Frederick), who voted against the measure, called the bill “cronyism at its worse.” Others said the measure, pushed by the Hogan administration, amounted to “corporate welfare.”
Proponents of the bill said the tax credit will help the state’s economy and reward a good corporate citizen.
On redistricting, Raskin acknowledged that the idea of creating a redistricting compact would be a “novel invention,” but said it may be the “only thing to break the impasse” that currently exists in both the Maryland and the Virginia state legislature.
“Everybody needs to give up a little bit of partisanship so we can gain a lot in principle,” said Raskin, who nearly missed the override vote on the transportation “scoring” bill while meeting with Hogan.
Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller (D-Calvert) stalled the vote while Sen. Catherine Pugh (D-Baltimore) rushed to the governor’s office to bring Raskin back to the chamber.