Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Married same-sex couples who reside in Maryland can file jointly in 2014.
Same-sex married couples in Maryland will be able to file joint tax returns but they'll have to wait a year to do so. Comptroller Peter Franchot said Wednesday in a statement that "same-sex couples in the State of Maryland – whether married in this state or in other states – will have the opportunity to file joint tax returns for Tax Year 2013, and will receive the same state tax treatment as any married couple." The comptroller issued the statement a day after a Washington Times story reported that same-sex couples in Maryland would not be eligible to file jointly. Franchot said the story "contained significant misinformation regarding the tax filing status of same-sex couples in Maryland." That story raises questions about Maryland's tax…
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
It's a no-go for Franchot. Who should step in?
Comptroller Peter Franchot, who was expected to run for governor in 2014, announced Tuesday he would not seek the post. Franchot, whose criticism of Gov. Martin O’Malley led many to believe he would run, instead announced he would seek to retain his current position. But just because Franchot won’t run, doesn’t mean there won’t be a crowded primary field. Other Democrats who may seek the office include Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown, Del. Heather Mizeur, Attorney General Doug Gansler and Howard County Executive Ken Ulman. What Democrat would you like to see make a run for the state’s top office? Tell us why in comments.
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Democrat says he will seek re-election to the state comptroller's post he's held since 2006.
State Comptroller Peter Franchot told supporters Tuesday that he will seek re-election to the position he's held since 2006. The state's top tax collector was rumored to be eyeing a run for governor in 2014. In emails and calls to supporters, Franchot said he has decided to forego that campaign. Stay with Patch for updates on this story.
Monday, November 5, 2012
Prince George's County Executive Rushern L. Baker III and Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot face off on Question 7 before voters decide the gambling question Tuesday.
Maryland's Question 7 is one of the most controversial ballot initiatives facing voters when they head to the polls Tuesday, and it hits close to home in the Washington, DC, area. A top proponent and a leading opponent of Maryland's gambling provision argue their positions in Patch's Local Voices section. Prince George's County Executive Rushern L. Baker III is in favor of gambling expansion, while Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot is in opposition. "Arguments for the facility echo the ones I have made: that it will create jobs, generate revenue, and establish a destination with world class amenities that serves both residents and tourists," Baker wrote. "The “staggering hypocrisy” of casino owners funding an anti-casino referendum was …
Thursday, October 18, 2012
How will you vote on the Congressional redistricting plan on Nov. 6?
In addition to more notable referendum questions such as same-sex marriage, DREAM Act and expanded gambling, Maryland voters will also be asked to decide the fate of the state's recently redrawn congressional districts. Earlier this week, Comptroller Peter Franchot announced he intends to vote against the maps and asked voters to do the same. The comptroller said the recent maps drawn by Gov. Martin O'Malley and approved by the General Assembly are unfair and make Maryland "the poster child for gerrymandering." A spokeswoman for the governor noted that the maps have survived a number of challenges in the courts and that the process used to create them is legally sound. Voters on Nov. 6 will be asked to vote for the referred law or against …
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Comptroller says Maryland "is the poster child for gerrymandering" and urges voters to vote no on Question 5.
Democratic Comptroller Peter Franchot said Monday he supports his party's candidates but that recent redistricting of Maryland's congressional is too heavy-handed. "This map is way over the edge in terms of bare-knuckle politics," said Franchot. "I'm a proud Democrat. I support Democrats. I just want it to be fair and not fixed," Franchot said, comparing the redistricting process to "Boss Tweed-style Chicago politics." Franchot Tuesday called for an independent, non-partisan commission that would redraw the congressional and state legislative districts. The change would help restore faith in the political system, he said. The comptroller said the districts should be more compact in order to provide voters with better representation. He …
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Comptroller says the November referendum will not be about legalization of slots but "will be about the type of government Marylanders want, and the kind of state we wish to leave to our kids."
Comptroller Peter Franchot said expanded gaming legislation scheduled to be signed into law Wednesday won't generate the revenue state officials promise. "There never was a fiscal or an economic rationale for reconvening the Maryland General Assembly for its third special session in less than a year," said Franchot in a statement released Wednesday. "Any revenues that will be generated by a new casino in Prince George’s County will take several years to materialize and, if the past is any indication, have been drastically overestimated by gambling supporters and legislative analysts." Gov. Martin O'Malley is expected to sign the bill into law after 10 a.m. Wednesday, just hours after the Senate passed a final version amended by the House …
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Comptroller Peter Franchot argues the state needs to find a way to build businesses not casinos.
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Tuesday, July 31, 2012
By Peter Franchot, Comptroller of Maryland For anyone who remains unconvinced that the Maryland economy has lost momentum and is now moving in the wrong direction, the latest unemployment figures released by the U.S. Labor Department should remove all doubt. The State of Maryland lost 11,000 jobs in June – the third highest total in the nation, trailing only Wisconsin and Tennessee. This was our fourth consecutive month of job losses, and it elevated our state’s unemployment rate to 6.9 percent. Disappointing as those numbers are, they don’t tell the full story. Maryland also ranked 48th in Fiscal Year 2012 in both average private hourly and weekly earnings growth, and has actually experienced year-over-year declines in both categories…
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Emerging scam uses fradulent email address displaying .mil domain, according to Maryland Comptroller and the IRS.
Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot and the IRS warned residents Tuesday about an emerging scam using fraudulent email accounts targeting military personnel, military retirees and civilian employees. The emails appear to offer up additional funds from the IRS for those receiving disability compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs. They are sent from the "Defense Finanance and Accounting Services," and even display a .mil email domain. But Franchot and the IRS warned that the emails are a fraud and do not come from a legitimate government email address. “We want to inform every Marylander of this scam,” said Franchot in a statement. “In these tough economic times, unscrupulous people prey on the vulnerabilities of others. While …
Friday, May 25, 2012
Inspections help ensure consumers are buying the type of gas advertised, officials said.
When you head to the gas station to fuel up this holiday weekend, will you be purchasing the type of gas that’s advertised? Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot hopes so. Thursday, ahead of Memorial Day, Franchot joined state field enforcers during a routine inspection of a Bethesda Exxon station near the Westfield Montgomery Mall. State inspectors regularly perform tests at Maryland stations to determine whether the gasoline grade that’s advertised matches the fuel’s octane level, Franchot said. “We want to make sure when someone comes into a gas station in Maryland and pays money for high octane gas, that it is in fact high octane gas,” Franchot told reporters. Of the 2,300 gas stations in Maryland, more than 2,000 have been inspected …
bystander
10:42 am on Monday, December 24, 2012
I would bet most gay folks are against the idea (and even legislation) of several people entering into a marriage. Most Patch commentators proclaiming their homosexual partnership have been silent on defending this idea. Maryland should make people partnerships the same as corporate partnerships...any number of people and any gender. It removes the religion from the subject, which seems to have … more ›