Progressive Neighbors

Progressive Neighbors Film Series

Please join us for the second in our environmental film series: "We Are All Smith Islanders" which explores how global warming is affecting agriculture, wildlife, health and tourism throughout the Chesapeake Bay region, and how the crisis is expected to deepen without immediate action.

Date and Time: Friday, April 11th, 7:15 PM

Place: Montgomery Blair High School, Room 164

Speaker: Mike Tidwell, Executive Director, Chesapeake Climate Action Network

Co-sponsored with the Sierra Club, CCAN, and the Blair Students for Global Responsibility (SGR)

District 4 County Council Special Election

Progressive Neighbors interviewed candidates for the District 4 County Council race to replace Marilyn Praisner on topics such as the ICC, the county budget, affordable housing, campaign financing, and growth. See the interviews here:

Nancy Navarro Interview

Don Praisner Interview

A special primary election will be held for the District 4 County Council seat on Tuesday, April 15. The general election will be held Tuesday, May 13.

There will be a District 4 County Council candidates forum Thursday April 10 at 7:30 at Leisureworld at the Club House 1 - 14901 Pennfield Circle, Silver Spring, MD.

Annapolis Legislative Update

Legislation supported by Progressive Neighbors met with mixed results in this year's legislative session despite there being large Democratic majorities in both houses and a Democratic governor. A more detailed analysis will be presented in the future.

· Global Warming Solutions Act. The legislature failed to pass a bill setting targets for the reduction of CO2 emissions in the state of Maryland. The Senate version was marred by an amendment that would have required that the legislature approve any regulations regarding CO2 emissions. The bill failed to make it out of committee.

· Montgomery County Finance Reform. Legislation enabling Montgomery County to enact campaign finance reforms was passed by the House, but died in the Senate.

· The Clean Elections Bill (Public Campaign Financing Act for General Assembly Candidates) was not passed.

· The alcohol tax and universal health care legislation also failed to pass.

· Progressive taxation. Although Progressive Neighbors' hope for passage of a progressive income tax increase on those earning more than $500,000 a year did not pass, the Assembly did pass a three year tax surcharge on those earning more than $1 million. This tax replaces a sales tax on computer services, but because the measure only starts after $1 million, further budget and transportation cuts will be required. Much of the Montgomery County delegation, including Senator Rich Madaleno worked to defeat the 'Millionaires Tax.'

· Paper based voting. Funding was passed to phase out touch screen voting and replace it with a paper based system over the next two years.

· Death Penalty Repeal. While the death penalty was not repealed, a commission was established to study the death penalty, which repeal advocates see as a good first step toward repeal.

· While the Bryan Moore Student Health and Fitness Act did not pass, legislation to set up a task force to study the issue of childhood obesity and related health effects did pass.

· Heather Mizeur's "Kids First Act" passed which may lead to thousands of children gaining health insurance coverage.

· Religious Freedom and Civil Marrige Protection Act was not passed though some legal protections for GLBT families were enacted.

District 20 Breakfast

Wally Malakoff gave a presentation about Progressive Neighbors and our goals at the monthly District 20 breakfast on March 30.

Past Announcements

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Progressive Neighbors Film Series

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