Maryland Roundup

The front page of today's Examiner in an uncharacteristic piece, has a bold headline and story touting research asserting that spending on the Intercounty Connector toll highway will suck funds away (http://www.examiner....) from not only the proposed Purple Line and Corridor Cities Transitway, but important transportation projects to deal with new residents from base realignment (http://www.gazette.n...).

In other statewide news, the House of Delegates last week pushed forward an effort to expand state health coverage in Maryland by doubling the tobacco tax (http://www.gazette.n....) and the Maryland Court of Appeals is rumored to be preparing to rule in favor of marriage rights for all (http://mocopolitics....).

Locally, the Montgomery County Civic Federation has some scathing commentary on its site about the Board of Education and other matters (http://www.montgomer...). Also, recently Republican activist and perennial candidate Steve Abrams, no longer welcome in that party, is trying to become a Democrat in time for the next election. Given his efforts to get former Montgomery County Council President Tom Perez kicked off of last year's AG ballot, his racial remarks in the context of a physical confrontation with another Republican last year, and his generally disruptive activities, it seems likely that this opportunistic party switch won't lead to a warm welcome from Democrats or help him hold onto a Montgomery County school board seat ( http://www.gazette.n...).

Nationally, Maryland Reps. Steny Hoyer (http://www.cqpolitic... )and Chris Van Hollen (http://www.cqpolitic... ) are plowing big bucks into the 2008 effort to support Democratic incumbents and win new seats in the House.

In other Maryland-relevant news, former Sen. John Breaux is facing questions about his eligibility to run for governor of Louisiana because he votes now in Maryland (http://www.cqpolitic...), state Sen. Paul Pinsky gets a national mention for MD's progress toward public financing of elections to return control of state government to the people (http://www.cqpolitic...) and local trivia makes it onto CQ Politics' blog (http://www.cqpolitic...).