Who's spending the most lobbying cash in Annapolis?
If you guessed teachers, you're on the money. The Baltimore Sun sorted through State Ethics Commission data to find out which organizations are spending the most dollars on political lobbying.
The Maryland State Education Association, the teachers union, was at the top of the list, spending $1,034,959.59 last year, according to the Sun. The Maryland Retailers Association was second, and with the Maryland Hospital Association not far behind in third.
- Republican Delegate from Manassas Bob Marshall wants to make Virginia an incandescent light bulb sanctuary. The bulbs, which typically emit 90 percent of the energy they use as heat rather than light, have been phased out by federal regulations.
The Loudoun Times reports that despite the federal ban, Marshall wants the Commonwealth to continue to manufacture and sell the bulbs within its own borders.
“I have identified other powers reserved to states under the 10th Amendment that we can manufacture these in Virginia without federal interference,” he said. “This is the kind of economic development I get behind. We’re not tossing taxpayer money at companies, we are just allowing them to exist.”
Some constitutional law experts believe chances are dim for Marshall's proposal to succeed.
- When will D.C.'s Ward 5 elect a new council member? There is some disagreement about the date for the election to replace disgraced former council member Harry Thomas Jr. Council chair Kwame Brown says he'd like the election to be held on April 3, WAMU reports. That's when several primaries for the District primaries will be held, and Brown says scheduling the Ward 5 council election for that day would save the District money.
But at-large Council member Vincent Orange says he wants elections to happen in May, and D.C. law seems to be on his side. Orange will meet with prospective candidates tonight in Ward 5.
