Wednesday, April 17, 2013
The state comptroller criticizes the president of Towson University and compares her to a movie villain.
Comptroller Peter Franchot went "Old School" on Towson University President Maravene Loeschke during a Wednesday meeting. Literally. Before calling for the resignation of Loeschke, the comptroller gave the Towson University president a political tongue lashing in absentia. Then Franchot, the Amherst graduate, dropped in a pop culture reference comparing her to the Dean Gordon "Cheese" Pritchard, head of the fictional Harrison University in the movie "Old School." Pritchard, played by Jeremy Piven, lies and schemes and connives to thwart a group of middle-age men who attempt to start their own fraternity. In this case, Franchot was worked up over how Loeschke choose to tell students she was eliminating the men's baseball and soccer programs…
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Comptroller Peter Franchot and Gov. Martin O'Malley want President Maravene Loeschke to "come down here" to explain how the men's baseball and soccer teams were eliminated.
The cancellation of two Towson University athletic programs has resulted in the delay of a construction contract related to a university building in Harford County. The state Board of Public Works Wednesday delayed a decision on the contract until university President Maravene S. Loeschke can explain events surrounding the cancellation earlier this month of the men's baseball and soccer programs. "I'm pretty disgusted by what Towson [University] has done with recent events concerning their athletic teams," Comptroller Peter Franchot said, referring to what he called the "bizarre decision" to disband the teams. Loeschke and university Athletic Director Mike Waddell said earlier this month that the decision to end the men's soccer and …
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Officials from around Maryland head to Annapolis to compete for a share of $336 million in school construction money at the annual gathering known as beg-a-thon.
State House Insiders and veterans call it "beg-a-thon." Gov. Martin O'Malley once tried to re-name it with the more pleasant sounding "hope-a-thon." And on Wednesday, the tradition begins anew as officials from around the state appear before the state Board of Public Works, hat in hand, seeking funding for school construction and renovation projects. Last week, County Executive Kevin Kamenetz charged county delegates and senators with "ensuring that the county gets its fair share." Baltimore County Public Schools Superintendent S. Dallas Dance will make his first appearance before the board made up of O'Malley, state Treasurer Nancy Kopp and Comptroller Peter Franchot. Gov. Martin O'Malley has proposed $336 million for school construction …
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
The next gubernatorial election in 2014 could draw a crowded primary field.
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 lead 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 in the comments why you would like to see that person campaign for the office.
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.
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
State Comptroller questions appraisal on the two-tenth acre parcel.
UPDATED (12:16 p.m.) The state Board of Public Works Wednesday morning approved the sale of a portion of the Lavender Avenue parking lot. The sale to to the Baltimore County Revenue Authority for $53,950 clears the way for the county agency to sell the property in turn to a developer. Towson-based DMS Development plans to purchase the property for $530,000. The company plans to build a Walgreens on the current site of the 56-space public parking lot. Community leaders have opposed the sale saying the parking is important to the economic viability of adjacent businesses. The authority promised to earmark $100,000 from the sale of the land to go specifically to the Parkville community. Comptroller Peter Franchot voted against the sale after …
Thursday, November 1, 2012
The sale of a state-owned portion of the public parking lot in Parkville is delayed at least two weeks and possibly longer.
A state panel has delayed the sale of a small state-owned portion of a public parking lot in Parkville for at least two weeks and possibly longer. The state Board of Public Works was initially scheduled to take up the request to sell the two-tenths of an acre portion of Lavender Avenue parking lot on Oct 31. Comptroller Peter Franchot, one of the three members of the panel along with Gov. Martin O'Malley and state Treasurer Nancy Kopp, requested that the sale be pulled from the agenda. "There were a number of concerns from local elected officials, business and community leaders that were brought to [Franchot's] attention," an aide to Franchot said. Included in those concerns was a letter sent to the board by Del. John Cluster raising …
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
The state Board of Public Works is expected to decide next week whether or not to sell a state-owned sliver of land near the Lavender Avenue public parking lot.
An upcoming state Board of Public Works hearing could be the last, best hope to save Parkville's Lavender Avenue parking lot, according to one local legislator. Del. John Cluster, who represents the Parkville area, said that legislators have been working to stop the sale of the Lavender Avenue parking lot for close to two years but have met with "brick walls" at every turn. The state Board of Public Works is expected to make a decision regarding the sale of a state-owned piece of land that surrounds Parkville's Lavender Avenue public parking lot at a hearing next week. Cluster said he thinks that the upcoming hearing could be the last hope for saving the lot, which was sold to a developer by the Baltimore County Revenue Authority over a …
The sale price for the state-owned portion is expected to be more than three times higher than what the Revenue Authority expected to pay.
The sale and redevelopment of a public parking lot in Parkville could be another step closer to fruition after a Board of Public Works meeting next week. The three-member state panel is scheduled to take up the proposed sale of a state-owned sliver of land along Harford Road that is part of the Lavender Avenue public parking lot. The board, comprised of Governor Martin O'Malley, Comptroller Peter Franchot and state Treasurer Nancy Kopp will be asked to approve the sale of the two-tenths acre property to the Baltimore County Revenue Authority for $52,950. The proposed sale price is more than three times higher than the $14,000 the authority expected to pay for the property. The proposed sale price, however, is lower than two independent …
PMM49
5:21 pm on Saturday, April 20, 2013
FYI, there was not, is not now, a Title IX case involving TU. The supposed threat of one was manufactured in order to justify the moves to drop baseball and soccer. TU will now have fewer men's sports than any member of the Colonial Athletic Association. William & Mary, a pretty fair academic institution, has ten men's sports. It is possible, with competent management, to be a school where there … more ›