The Night Note: 01/29/09

 

Gov. Martin O'Malley used his third State of the State address Thursday to call on the General Assembly to abolish the death penalty and to make college education more affordable. The death penalty has become a central issue of policy debate in the legislature. (Gazette.net)

Teacher Salaries Lowest in Region

The starting salary for teachers in Prince William County is among the lowest in the region, and with projected budget shortfalls looming, salaries are not expected to get much better, school officials said during a recent School Board meeting. The Prince William County School Board heard a presentation at its last meeting comparing teacher salaries and class sizes in county schools to those in neighboring jurisdictions. (InsideNoVa.com)

MD Toll Authority Approves New Charges

The Maryland Transportation Authority today approved new rates for some types of tolls and new service charges for drivers who have E-ZPass accounts with the state. Tolls for cars stay the same. The authority says its income is directly related to how many drivers are using the bridges, tunnels and highways it tolls.  (Washington Post)

Maryland Losing Movie Business

Maryland is losing its homegrown movie industry to other states that give deeper discounts to filmmakers, director Barry Levinson said. Mr. Levinson - director of "Diner," "Rain Man" and "Wag the Dog" - came to Annapolis to advocate for a revamped film-incentive program that he said would make Maryland competitive with states like Connecticut and Pennsylvania, which have handed out hundreds of millions of dollars in tax credits in recent years. (Washington Times)