County Collaboration on Tax Reform, Lockbox Redux, Employer Mandates, and Bad Docs

The MACo Legislative Committee formally adopted a statement this week to express its views on broad-based tax reform proposals pending before the General Assembly, designed to react (in various ways) to the recently enacted federal tax reforms. Absent state action, some Maryland taxpayers would see an increase in their state and county tax liability — the potential means to offset these changes sit before the legislature in multiple variations of changes to deductions, exemptions, rates, and brackets — each with distinct distributional effects.Governor Larry Hogan this week announced a “lockbox” proposal to ensure that taxes on casino revenues set aside for education are used to supplement, not supplant state funding for public schools. Last month, legislature leadership announced a plan to place a constitutional amendment on the November ballot. The ballot question would ask voters to approve of putting a “lockbox” on casino money (around $500M per year), requiring it to be used for education above the amount set by state formulas. The Governor’s proposal would not require a referendum, it would be done through statute.The House Economic Matters Committee voted down SB 304, Maryland Healthy Working Families Act – Enforcement – Delayed Implementation, which would have delayed implementation of the Maryland Healthy Working Families Act until July 1. The vote was 12-11. The focus now turns to a new wave of employer mandate proposals.A proposal to strengthen Maryland’s Prescription Drug Monitoring Program is likely to spur a debate over who should have access to the database and under what circumstances. As heroin and opioid deaths continue to skyrocket in Maryland, County Health Officers could play a vital role in sharing vital information and best practices with identified prescribers, and increase awareness and improve intervention efforts in cases of patients who may be doctor shopping.On the latest episode of the Conduit Street Podcast, Kevin Kinnally and Michael Sanderson break down MACo’s position on broad-based tax reform proposals, discuss the competing education “lockbox” initiatives, examine employer mandate proposals, preview the looming debate on Maryland’s PDMP, and more!