Municipal Revenue Bills Stalled

MML's revenue initiative (HB 1424) to provide enabling authority to
municipalities to impose their own property transfer tax has stalled in
the House Ways and Means Committee. Citing a lack of political will on
the part of the members of the General Assembly to pass additional tax
bills following the grueling special legislative session in late 2007,
this legislation may be destined to languish in committee without moving
this year.

Other municipal tax initiatives are not faring much better. The Senate
version of the Municipal Excise Tax bill (SB 791) was voted unfavorably
by the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee last week. The House
counterpart (HB 663) is still languishing in the House Ways and Means
Committee. In addition, the Municipal Hotel/Motel Tax legislation is
awaiting a vote in both the House and Senate Committees. When approached
regarding this legislation, most legislators indicate their weariness in
dealing with the ongoing revenue shortfall and their distaste for
passing additional tax measures this year.

[from the current (March 17) MML e-bulletin]