More News

Frederick County commissioners put the finishing touches on a legislative package of bills Tuesday that could mandate recycling, eliminate state property taxes on farmland, allow trash haulers to charge customers based on the amount of garbage they produce, and more.

Commissioners decided to forward 14 bills for the Frederick County Delegation to the Maryland General Assembly to consider introducing when the session convenes in January.

But that could prove to be a problem for Commissioner John "Lennie" Thompson Jr. (R), who has five bills in the package that if enacted would have state and federal implications.

These include a statewide ban on partial-birth abortions; an amendment to the federal Older Americans Act that would no longer require a person's race or ethnicity when applying for services; and an amendment to the state constitution prohibiting the discrimination against and granting preferential treatment on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity or national origin. He also wants the state to ask the federal government to hold a constitutional convention on illegal immigration.

Commissioners President Jan H. Gardner (D) reminded Thompson that the delegation does not want to advance bills from commissioners that have statewide or federal implications.

"The delegation has told us as a whole they are not going to take up these bills," she said. "You need to find an individual delegate to advance these."

But Thompson, who fought and succeeded in broadening the disclosure of lobbyist activities in the county, said he has no intention of lobbying Annapolis lawmakers to take up his bills.

Thompson has made a political career out of fighting against lobbyists and those who try to influence county officials.

He argued that it is the delegation's job to debate the legitimacy of his bills and he would rather drop the bills than have to lobby state lawmakers. "I'm not going behind somebody's back and find somebody to sponsor that," he said.

E-mail Sherry Greenfield at sgreenfield@gazette.net.

-Mandatory beverage container deposit/return system. Consumers would be paid when they return beverage containers to a store, though the amount has yet to be determined.

-State constitutional amendment to prevent governments from taking private property in the county for economic development.

-An increase to the inmate fees at the Frederick County Detention Center. The Frederick County Sheriff's Office wants to increase medical and dental fees inmates pay. They also want to start charging a $10 processing fee when inmates are brought to the detention center, and a $25 fee for inmates seeking their general education diploma.

-Pay-as-you-throw trash disposal. Require trash haulers to charge customers according to the amount of trash that is picked up. Haulers would determine the amount.

-Authorization to give commissioners the authority to require all residents and business to recycle.

-Exemption of state property taxes for agricultural land.

-Increase in liquor licensing application fees. Currently, a license to sale beer can run from $50 to $130 and wine, from $140 to $650. The legislation does not specify the proposed fee increases.

-A bill to ask the Maryland General Assembly to ask Congress to hold a constitutional convention in regards to illegal immigration.

-Maryland civil rights amendment to the Declaration of Rights: The amendment would prohibit state government agencies from discriminating against and granting preferential treatment to people based on race, sex, color, ethnicity or national origin in the areas of education and employment.

-Maryland partial-birth abortion ban. Though there is a federal law prohibiting partial birth abortion, this would ban the practice in Maryland.

-Mid-Atlantic compact on economic development incentives: If enacted by the state and approved by Congress, states could not compete for businesses using financial incentives.

-Amendment to the Older Americans Act: Asking Congress to add a new section to the Older Americans Act that will not classify people on the basis of race or ethnicity.

-Pharmacies to accept unused medicines for proper disposal: Frederick County commissioners would have the authority to implement a program that allows residents to return their unused medications to a local pharmacy for disposal.

-School construction funding allocated to Frederick County should be more than what the state government gives to businesses relocating to Maryland from out of state.

-A ban on plastic bags in Frederick County.