Updates From Galen Clagett

  • Delegate Galen Clagett to Host Campaign Fundraiser for Way Station - Announced on August 13, 2010

    As we move into the thick of campaign season, Delegate Galen Clagett proves you can always find a way to give back.  

    Friends of Galen Clagett will be holding a Golf Tournament at Clustered Spires Golf Course on September 15, 2010 with registration beginning at 7:30am and a shotgun start at 8:30am. 

    The Friends of Galen Clagett Golf Classic will serve as a campaign fundraiser for Delegate Clagett’s re-election bid in District 3A; however, it will also provide some much needed support for the Way Station, a private, non-profit behavioral health organization that provides a broad range of services in a variety of settings to meet the needs of children, adolescents, adults, and families.

    Half the proceeds for the tournament will go to Way Station, a 501(c)(3) organization. The tournament is open to all interested parties. Cost is $125 per player, $500 per foursome, and includes breakfast, lunch, green fees, and prizes. For more information, and to reserve your space now, please call Shelly Lofland at 301-695-6676.

    By Authority: Friends of Galen Clagett, Thomas G. Clagett, Treasurer

    Contributions to Friends of Galen Clagett are not tax deductible.

    Contributions to Way Station, Inc. are tax deductible under non-profit guidelines.

  • Comptroller Announces Tax-Free Shopping Week - Frederick News Post - August 6, 2010

    Comptroller Peter Franchot came to Frederick on Thursday to promote Maryland's tax-free week.

     

    From Sunday to Saturday, consumers can buy clothes and footwear that costs less than $100 without paying the state's 6 percent tax. Each qualifying article of clothing or footwear is exempt, regardless of how many items are bought at the same time. For example, two $60 sweaters bought at the same time are both exempt, even though the total purchase price is more than $100.

     

    The seven-day tax break is billed as Shop Maryland Week and encourages consumers to stay off the Internet and support brick-and-mortar businesses. Maryland will lose about $19 million in taxes, but Franchot said the state will gain a lot by getting consumers back into stores. "Because we're such a consumer-driven society, if they don't shop, everything grinds to a halt," Franchot said. "The thing I like about it is this is your money you get to keep in your pocket."

     

    Franchot spent about two hours in Frederick , beginning with an announcement on the program at Hunting Creek Outfitters on North Market Street and visits to several other retailers. Hunting Creek's owner, Murray Friedman, was elated his store was picked to kick off the comptroller's time in Frederick. "It really helps us out. It gives us a nice competitive edge and it increases sales," Friedman said of the visit.

     

    Franchot encouraged merchants to offer discounts on items not eligible for the tax break. Velvet Lounge has coordinated a whole month's activities around the tax-free week, business owner April Reardon said. "We're offering customers an extra 10 percent off so with the 6 percent tax break, they're getting 16 percent off and that's awesome," Reardon said. Business is good, she said. "I'm really psyched about everything going so well. I feel if I can make it in this economy, that's not bad at all," she said.

     

    Franchot could have simply made his announcement and left the city, said Maggie Lebherz, owner of Lebherz Oil & Vinegar Emporium. "But he chose to stay and visit local merchants and that's really cool," Lebherz said.

     

    Franchot also congratulated the owners of Volt restaurant with a proclamation that highlighted the company's success after being in business for two years and promoting locally grown produce.

     

    Retailers are hopeful the tax-free week will jump-start their fall season, said Patrick Donoho, Maryland Retailers Association president, who accompanied Franchot. Considering online competition and tax-free Pennsylvania only 40 miles away, competition for consumers' dollars is fierce, Donoho said. "Merchants live in their communities. They employ people and support their communities and many other retailers don't do that," so residents should support local retailers, Donoho said.

     

    The state lost about $5.1 million in revenue during the last tax-free week in 2001, but retailers saw about a 10 percent increase in sales -- higher than the projected 7.4 percent increase, Franchot said.

     Moving forward, tax-free week will be held once a year in perpetuity because of new legislation approved in 2007 that becomes effective this year, Franchot said.
  • Clagett's Grandkids on the Big Screen - Political Notes - Frederick News Post - July 30, 2010

    Delegate Galen Clagett now has three claims to fame.

    His triplet granddaughters will appear in a movie, "Life as We Know It," about two single adults whose best friends die in an accident and leave them custody of a baby -- together.

    The baby is played by Clagett's granddaughters, who were selected because three identical babies means more filming time.

    Brynn, Alexis and Brooke will appear alongside Katherine Heigl in the film.

    They were 18 months old at the time of filming and are now 2 years old. The movie is scheduled to open in October, but you can see previews now.

    Clagett said the triplets were born naturally, without IVF. The chances of that happening are very slim, he said.

    Clagett picnic

    If you're looking for a chance to meet the proud grandfather, he is hosting a campaign picnic in late September.

    It will take place from 4 to 7 p.m. Sept. 26 at the Ceresville Pavilion. Tickets to the fundraiser are $50 each.

    For details, visit www.galenclagett.com.

    And, as if there weren't enough Galen Clagett news in this week's column, I have one more tidbit for you: He was endorsed this week by the Maryland League of Conservation Voters, an environmental group.

  • JOIN US FOR THE DEL. GALEN CLAGETT PICNIC FUNDRAISER!

    Join us for our Annual Galen Clagett Picnic Fundraiser at the beautiful Ceresville Pavilion!

    Come and spend some time with Galen at this idyllic setting by the scenic Monocacy River. There'll be delicious food, terrific entertainment including live music, and a host of elected officials to talk to! Please join us for all of the fun on Sunday, September 26 from 4-7 pm. Tickets are $50.

    For more information or to buy your ticket now, please email us at galen@galenclagett.com!

    We hope to see you in September!!

     

  • Voters View Education as Economic Issue, Poll Finds - Frederick News Post - July 17, 2010

    Most voters see public education as an economic issue, a new poll shows. And if Congress doesn't act to reform the education system before November, about half say that inaction will be "highly important" when they cast their midterm ballots.

    About two-thirds of voters believe the high school drop-out rate in the United States significantly affects the economy and the nation's competitiveness in the global economy, according to a phone survey of 1,000 likely voters conducted in June by Lake Research Partners and Bellwether Research and Consulting.

    "People see a very, very strong connection between high schools and our economy," said Celinda Lake, president of Lake Research Partners and a Democratic strategist, at a presentation of the findings Wednesday. "The voters think this is a major place to impact our economy both as a nation and our global competitiveness."

    Commissioned by the Washington-based Alliance for Excellent Education, the poll comes as lawmakers consider reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, the federal statute addressing school funding.

    According to the poll, 52 percent of voters said congressional inaction on education reform this year will be "very important" or "one of the most important" factors in their decision whether to vote for an incumbent this year.

    Almost three-quarters of voters nationwide characterize the need to improve public high schools as "very urgent" or "extremely urgent."

    "There really is an urgency in this data that surprised all of us," Lake said.

    Christine Matthews, who is president of Bellwether and a Republican pollster, said the sense of urgency is nonpartisan. She said 70 percent of those who said they support the tea party movement said they consider the need to reform high schools urgent, for instance.

    State Delegate Galen Clagett, a Democrat who represents Frederick County, said education ranks about third or fourth in local priorities according to recent polls.

    "It's usually No. 1 in polls in the last few years," he said. "It's shifted because of the state of the economy."

    According to the poll, 68 percent of voters nationwide said they were more likely to support a candidate who "gives significant attention to improving the quality of public high schools, even if it means increasing taxes."

    State Sen. David Brinkley, a Republican who represents Frederick and Carroll counties, said though education is a big concern, he's skeptical of that number.

    "I don't buy it, at least out here," Brinkley said. "We're investing a tremendous amount into public education, and it's now come to the point where families have got to be able to cover their mortgage, they've got to be able to pay for college, they've got to be able to provide for a lot of things."

    Clagett thinks the economy will be the voters' main concern in the upcoming elections.

    "What good's education if you don't have a job?" Clagett said.

  • Maryland Retains Its AAA Bond Rating - BusinessWeek - July 14, 2010

    Annapolis, MD - Maryland's triple-A bond rating has been affirmed by three major bond rating agencies.

    The Article

  • Maryland PIRG Gives Delegate Clagett a 92% Lifetime Approval Rating - July 9, 2010

    Maryland PIRG, a non-profit, non-partisan advocate for the public interest, monitors the voting records of Maryland’s state legislators. For his voting in 2010, PIRG gave Delegate Galen Clagett a 92% lifetime approval rating. In 2010, of the five key public interest votes in the House of Delegates, Delegate Clagett voted for four and had an excused absence for the fifth. This earned him an 83% rating for 2010 and a 92% lifetime rating. For more information on PIRG's ratings and to see how other Frederick legislators stacked up, please go to PIRG's Legislative Scorecard 2010.

  • Dearth of Small-Firm Owners in Assembly is Election Issue - Baltimore Sun - July 5, 2010

    Ehrlich, Senate president say lack of business savvy can be a problem

    No one knows precisely how many small-business owners there are in the 188-seat Maryland General Assembly, but this much is clear: There aren't many.

    The number is so small, in fact, that a Democratic Business Caucus launched by Del. Galen Clagett a few years back never got off the ground. Clagett, who owns a property management and commercial sales company in Frederick, printed red-and-gold business cards, formed a steering committee and called a meeting or two. But only a couple of dozen colleagues signed up, and they seemed to have done so half-heartedly.

    "No one was interested," Clagett said. The caucus quickly disbanded.

    In making relief for entrepreneurs a theme of his gubernatorial campaign, former Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. has repeatedly lamented the dearth of legislators with business experience. He has implored employers across the state to run for office — or at least to go to Annapolis, ledgers in hand, to educate lawmakers.

    "You need to understand the predisposition of the legislature today," Ehrlich told a group gathered in Gaithersburg to hear his business proposals. "They've never really done it in the real world."

    There's a restaurateur or two, a jeweler, and a handful of accountants and attorneys with employees on their payrolls. But those lawmakers are vastly outnumbered by corporate lawyers, government employees and those who have made a career of politics. One-fifth of the lawmakers count their elected office as their full-time job.

    Yet small-business issues are in the election spotlight this year — pushed there by a slow national economic recovery and the state's business climate. Last year, nearly 3,000 more businesses closed than opened, according to the state Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation.

    Ellen Valentino, Maryland director of the National Federation of Independent Business, said the topic was getting "unprecedented attention" from Democratic and Republican candidates. The legislature now includes just seven of her members, and six more have decided to run, she said.

    "Government intrusion on a national and state level have prompted small-business owners to say, 'I need to get to Annapolis. I'm prepared to come to the table,' " Valentino said.

    Candidates are trumpeting their business experience. Smith Island baking company owner Brian Murphy, Ehrlich's opponent in the Republican primary, said primaries in California and Virginia showed that voters are choosing "businesspeople, not politicians."

    Gov. Martin O'Malley weighed in recently, signing an executive order to form a commission to study small business, though his campaign said he has been addressing business needs throughout his administration. Ehrlich has criss-crossed the state collecting ideas from small-business owners. Both are lawyers who have had long careers as elected officials.

    Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller, a Democrat representing Calvert and Prince George's counties, largely agreed with Ehrlich that the legislature needs more members with small-business experience. Miller has a law firm in Clinton.

    "It's a fair criticism of lawmakers everywhere, including the United States Congress," he said. "I think we all wish that there were more professionals. That way we wouldn't all be so dependent on our staff when business issues come up."

    Miller, a member of the Senate for 35 years and a Maryland history buff, said the legislature included far more businessmen when it met once every two years. Now, meeting for 90 days in Annapolis every year makes it impossible for most business owners to attend.

    Lawmakers who run businesses say the balance can be nearly impossible. Del. Ron George, a Republican, owns a jewelry store in the shadow of the State House.

    "If my business wasn't a block away," he said, "I don't know if I could do it."

    George says he has passed many lunch hours helping to close a sale or managing his 10 employees in Annapolis and another shop in Severna Park. He views himself as a businessman directly affected by policy decisions — he had to let his bookkeeper go after a round of tax increases earlier this decade.

    Del. James King, a Republican who owns two restaurants and a catering company in Anne Arundel County, said "lack of a small-business voice" prompted him to run four years ago. He's now trying for the Senate seat in his district.

    King said he has brought his financial statements to show colleagues on the economic matters committee how tough it can be to make ends meet.

    "I say constantly, 'You can talk until you're blue in [the] face, but you don't really understand until you make a payroll, until you've had to look people in the eyes and lay them off.' I'm not just responsible for my family, if I don't succeed. The families of 115 employees depend on me."

    He says he urged Valentino about a year ago to pair lawmakers with small-business owners for mentoring — something she agrees is a "great idea," but has not initiated.

    Ehrlich has argued that lack of sensitivity to business can lead to grave legislative errors. Examples, he said, include a decision in 2007 to levy a 6 percent tax on technology companies — it was repealed within months — and Maryland's refusal to lower its 8.25 percent corporate income tax, even as Virginia lawmakers considered eliminating their state's tax altogether.

    This year, the Senate's few business owners, Democrats and Republicans alike, loudly and unsuccessfully opposed legislation requiring most retailers to offer employees 15-minute shift breaks if they work at least four consecutive hours.

    Sen. Rona E. Kramer, a Montgomery County Democrat who owns a shopping center management company, complained that her colleagues weren't thinking about the smallest businesses, where only one or two employees may be on the clock.

    A business caucus, Clagett says, could have guided policy in a way that individual lawmakers cannot. For example, he says, it could have better explained the needs of business during a debate this legislative session over whether to ease rules on stormwater pollution that were costly to developers. In the end, lawmakers did exempt the regulations for development projects already in place.

    "It certainly isn't a panacea," he said of forming a business caucus, "but it would have been a vehicle."

  • Early Voting Comes to Frederick County - Information Posted from the Frederick County Board of Elections

    Early Voting Starts with the 2010 Elections . . .

    REGISTERED VOTERS CAN VOTE IN PERSON BEFORE ELECTION DAY

    Registered voters in Frederick County will be allowed to vote early before the 2010 Primary and General Election Days, according to the Frederick County Board of Elections.  The new voting process resulted from voter approval in 2008 of a constitutional amendment that requires early voting in Maryland starting with the 2010 elections.

    The Early Voting Center will be set up in the Frederick County Department of Aging/Senior Center, located at 1440 Taney Avenue, Frederick, MD.  The center will be open from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. each day of early voting.  (Early voting operations will not disrupt regularly scheduled events at the Senior Center, but seniors will be encouraged to sign up in advance for certain activities.)

    The Primary Election will be held on Tuesday, September 14, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.  Prior to that day, the Early Voting Center will be open from Friday, September 3, through Thursday, September 9, except for Sunday, September 5, when the center will be closed. 

    The Early Voting Center will be open on Labor Day, Monday, September 6. 

    The General Election will be held on Tuesday, November 2, from 7 a.m. – 8 p.m.  Prior to that day, the Early Voting Center will be open from Friday, October 22, through Thursday, October 28, except for Sunday, October 24, when the center will be closed.

    The process during early voting is the same as on Election Day.  Registered voters who arrive at the Early Voting Center will check in and vote their ballot.  Like Election Day, voters will vote on the touchscreen voting system which allows voters to touch the screen to make, change, and review selections and cast a ballot.

    The Early Voting Center will not be open for voting on the Primary or General Election Days.  On those days, voters must vote at the polling place for the address where they live.

    For more information, call the Board of Elections at 301-600-VOTE (8683) or visit www.FrederickCountyMD.gov/elections and click on the “Early Voting Video” link.

  • Maryland League of Conservation Voters Gives Delegate Clagett a 100% Rating

    Maryland League of Conservation Voters releases its 2010 Environmental Scorecard - Delegate Clagett Scores 100%
  • Real Progress - Frederick News Post - Letter to the Editor from Delegate Clagett Once again, Marta Mossburg uses smoke and mirrors to confuse the real issues facing Maryland and the country. This is becoming a broken record responding to the inaccuracies contained in Mossburg's column.

    First, as chairman of a budget subcommittee, I know firsthand that Maryland has cut both spending and the government work force for three consecutive fiscal years. The lowest increase in total state spending in any single four-year term over the past 40 years occurred this term under Gov. Martin O'Malley, according to the nonpartisan Department of Legislative Services. We have cut over 4,000 positions from the executive branch this term and reduced state government overall by 1,286 positions.

    Second, Maryland, like every other state in the nation, is facing a significant challenge to sustain the current pension system. One of the biggest cost drivers in the growth of the state's budget is the cost of teacher pensions. However, we cannot have a knee-jerk reaction and simply slash the state's pension system that supports over 315,000 current and former Maryland workers.

    We need a comprehensive solution to Maryland's entire pension system, considering age, benefit level, contribution rate, instead of a knee-jerk reaction to simply slash the pension program and further exacerbate the impact to Marylanders across the state. The legislature has agreed to create a Sustainability Commission of private-sector experts to take a comprehensive look at the state's retirement system -- which supports state employees, current retirees and teachers -- and make recommendations to the legislature by December.

    "Real progress" is maintaining core services that the citizens of Maryland expect and deserve from their government, like K-12 education, affordable tuition and public safety programs through the most significant global economic crisis since the Great Depression. Other states are slashing education funding to balance their budgets. California is turning away 300,000 students from colleges and universities next year and laying off 26,000 public school teachers. New York is cutting 13,000 teachers and New Jersey cutting 6,500 teachers, all of which lead to larger class sizes and more challenging learning environments.

    Like some politicians, Mossburg chooses to engage in inflammatory political rhetoric and scare tactics rather than in engage in productive discussions to find solutions. Government is complicated and takes real ideas and a collaborative approach to solve problems. Sound bites are not solutions.

    GALEN R. CLAGETT

    Delegate, District 3A

    Maryland General Assembly

  • A Letter from the Maryland Trauma Center Network

    Dear Delegate Clagett,

    On behalf of the Maryland Trauma Center Network (TraumaNet), I wish to express our
    appreciation for your unwavering support of the Maryland Trauma and EMS System.

    The Maryland General Assembly made a rigorous assessment of our existing system,
    including using the expertise of nationally recognized trauma and EMS scholars and
    practitioners. In the end, the Governor, you and the General Assembly as a whole adopted
    the approach of measured reform and support for the existing system.

    TraumaNet extends our thanks and appreciation for all you have done to ensure that our
    world renowned system remains intact and continues to provide an unsurpassed safety net
    to the citizens of Maryland.

    Respectfully,

    Brenda F. Johnson
    Chair, TraumaNet

     

     

     

  • An Update on the Tax Equity Issue: McClement Requests $5 Million Owed, No County Strings - Frederick News Post - May 20, 2010

    Frederick Mayor Randy McClement requested Wednesday that the Board of County Commissioners cut a check to the city for the full $5.02 million the county pays it for its share of its tax equity payment for fiscal 2011, no strings attached.

    McClement told the commissioners he objected to their proposal to reduce the county's tax equity payment by more than $500,000, the amount the county proposed to reimburse the city for items to be funded that fall under city jurisdiction or for in-kind contributions to the city. The county proposed a tax equity payment to the city of $4.5 million after allocating as part of its proposed budget and capital funds for fiscal 2011 $47,620 for the airport; $100,000 for Carroll Creek Linear Park; $9,200 for Memorial Park; $114,000 for the Community Action Agency and $232,329 in in-kind technology services.

    McClement said he understood the need for the county to cut its expenses, but said he objected to the apparent allocation requirement being factored into the tax equity amount.

    Separate from the tax equity payment, the county has also typically budgeted items to be funded that fall under the city jurisdiction or are in-kind contributions to the city: Frederick Municipal Airport, Carroll Creek Park, Memorial Park maintenance, Community Action Agency and technology services that have been in-kind contributions from the county.

    Tax equity applies to those services duplicated by the county that municipalities provide, such as police services, parks, and planning and zoning. State law requires the county to repay a share of property tax revenue depending on the formula in use at the time. The formula has changed for the next two years. Payments are to be calculated based on the fiscal 2009 tax equity payment times the constant yield rate of 1.00117.

    Commissioners President Jan Gardner and other commissioners said they did not object to McClement's request for the lump-sum undesignated payment. Gardner said she hoped the city would continue to fund the airport.

    Instead of the in-kind contribution, McClement and representatives from Brunswick and Thurmont asked to receive bills for the technology services, which prompted Commissioner John L. Thompson Jr. to warn commissioners and municipal representatives to abide by appropriate bidding practices when agreeing to pay for work done by the county.

    Rick Weldon, executive assistant to the mayor, said that in the past the county has sent separate checks to the city for the various line items. Now, he said the city would expect to receive its quarterly tax equity payments, totaling $5.02 million, and no further contributions from the county to the separate funds.

    Gardner said that in most years the county has paid more to municipalities than state law required.

  • Maryland is not New Jersey - Frederick News Post - Letter to the Editor from Delegates Galen Clagett and C. Sue Hecht - May 10, 2010

    We write in response to Marta Mossburg's April 7 column, "New Jersey on the Chesapeake." It is important to deal with the facts of our economic situation and take some of the media spin out of Maryland's current fiscal outlook.

    Both Maryland's House and Senate have approved a balanced budget for fiscal 2011, as required by the state constitution. Mossburg's statement that Maryland has a $2.5 billion structural deficit as of April 7 is wrong. The state of Maryland balances the budget every year. Future fiscal projections are based on economic assumptions and current statutory mandates that the legislature adjusts each year in order to balance the budget. In fact, in 2006, the previous administration projected a $1.5 billion structural deficit for fiscal 2011, prior to this unprecedented economic recession.

    We are making difficult budget decisions while protecting the services that are most important to Maryland families, including increasing funding to classrooms across the state of Maryland and maintaining health care for the elderly and disabled. In December, the Spending Affordability Committee recommended zero growth for the fiscal 2011 budget to the governor -- the lowest SAC limit in history. The governor's budget proposal is below that growth limit, at 2.9 percent.

    Unlike New Jersey, Maryland continues to be one of only seven states in the country to retain the coveted triple-A bond rating, even through this global recession. Fitch Ratings highlighted that Maryland has "financial operations (that) are conservative." The AAA rating saves Marylanders millions of dollars for our capital projects.

    Maryland's governor and legislature have brought spending down below 2007 levels. Over the last four years, the state's general fund budget decreased 3 percent while continuing to increase education funding and health care funding for Marylanders. Even if the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding, commonly referred to as stimulus money, is included, the governor and legislature have limited increases in funding to less than a third of spending increases from the four years prior.

    In addition, we have cut 4,000 positions from state government, making a smaller, more efficient government work force. Maryland, like every other state in the country, including New Jersey, accepted the stimulus funding. Stimulus money is taxpayer dollars and we do not want Maryland taxpayer dollars to support the residents of New Jersey or any other state that needs a bailout.

    Also unlike New Jersey, Maryland's unemployment rate continues to be 2 percentage points below the national average. We believe that once the country rebounds from the economic recession, Maryland is well-positioned to be among the first in the nation to rebound.

    People choose to live, work and raise a family in Maryland for good reasons: for the number one public school system and quality universities; for the quality of life in our towns, the waterfront and the mountains. We are not New Jersey.

    Dialogue is important in order to continue to move our state forward but we should all deal with the facts, as opposed to the rhetoric that is popular in these uncertain times.

     

    Delegates Galen R.Clagett and

    C. Sue Hecht represent District 3A

    in the Maryland General Assembly.

  • Delegate Galen Clagett Earns a 100% Rating from Maryland League of Conservation Voters and Environment Maryland - Press Release: May 13, 2010

    Delegate Galen Clagett earned a 100% rating from the Maryland League of Conservation Voters and Environment Maryland for his voting record during the 2010 General Assembly.

    Bills that were up for consideration in the House included:

    Smarter Transportation (HB 1155) – Makes sure future transportation projects are consistent with state smart growth goals and greenhouse gas emission limits.

    Oyster Poaching (HB 1191) – Protects oyster sanctuaries by revoking the licenses of convicted poachers.

    Forest Conservation (HB 1352) – Raises fees for development that impacts forests outside of priority growth areas.

    Solar Energy (SB 277) – Accelerates the production of solar power used in Maryland over the next five years.

    BPA Ban (HB 33) – Bans the toxic chemical bisphenol A from baby products.

     

  • Clagett Celebrates Passage of Bills - Frederick News Post - Political Notes - May 7, 2010

    Delegate Galen Clagett was in Annapolis this week, basking in victory as many of the bills he sponsored were signed into law.

    Clagett, a Frederick Democrat, said 12 of the 14 bills he introduced were passed in one form or another. The remaining two were withdrawn when state police told him he could accomplish them without legislation, he said.

    One of the bills that passed for which Clagett has gotten widespread attention was the clothesline bill, which prevents local homeowners associations from issuing a blanket prohibition on the energy-saving devices.

    Although his name is not on the final bill that passed, much of his language was used in it.

    He expects a fair number of people will turn to the sun to dry their clothes, now that it has been signed into law.

    "The location and device used is controlled by the HOA. It's not that they'll stick up clotheslines anywhere; they have to put them where they're prescribed," Clagett said.

    Other bills signed into law: a new bill of rights for correctional officers, adding a helicopter pilot to the board of an advisory EMS group, requiring that Frederick County make a set tax equity payment to municipalities, and establishing a new system for the processing of speeding tickets.

    As if that weren't enough, Clagett filed papers for re-election while he was in Annapolis.

  • Partisan Differences Apparent at Chamber-Delegation Breakfast - Frederick News Post - April 28, 2010 Much like the session in Annapolis just concluded, stark partisan differences marked a breakfast Tuesday where the eight-member delegation recapped for Chamber of Commerce members what the Maryland General Assembly did for business this year.

    "The sky is not falling, but it has dropped a few notches," Republican Delegate Donald Elliott said, referring to the state's budget crisis. Delegate Charles Jenkins, also a Republican, noted lawmakers took money from 54 different budgets, "to avoid structural changes to state government."

    But the two Democratic members of the delegation, who share a district that represents Frederick and surrounding neighborhoods, countered that while there was a budget crunch, the sky is still intact.

    Delegate Galen Clagett, a Democrat, said Maryland still has an AAA bond rating and was named by Forbes among the top 10 states for potential growth.

    "It ain't been good, but it is not all bad," Clagett said.

    Democrat Delegate Sue Hecht, who will not be seeking re-election, said the governor had a difficult job when he took over "and it is only getting worse." While money has been transferred from one budget to another to balance the state's general budget -- a requirement of Maryland's Constitution -- the money would be put back in the future.

    Several lawmakers said job growth in the state was in government positions. Hecht countered, pointing to the Base Realignment And Closing process bringing many military and civilian government workers to Fort Detrick and other bases in the state.

    Stormwater management has been a contentious issue between environmentalists and business and builders, Frederick County's legislators said. Republican Delegate Paul Stull said a bill introduced in the General Assembly and supported by environmentalists, "would have shut down businesses, taken jobs out of Maryland. I am an environmentalist when it comes to cleaning up the (Chesapeake) Bay, but not when it means stopping business."

    Clagett put in a bill to delay stormwater regulations by two years and another to grandfather in any projects already under way. Stormwater management enforcement will come down to the local level. Bob Mochi, president of the Frederick County Builders Association, thanked the delegation for working to make the regulations less stringent.

    Asked about issues facing the 2011 General Assembly session, Stull, Jenkins and Clagett said the budget will be foremost, while Hecht said energy will be a focus. Sen. Alex Mooney and Delegate Joseph Bartlett, Republicans, and Elliott said taxes will be central to the agenda.

    Several lawmakers remarked on defense contractor Northrup Grumman's decision to relocate to Northern Virginia rather than Maryland, citing the state's anti-business climate. Clagett countered the company was going to move to Virginia anyway. Mooney said an intense move to "unionize everything, even libraries" could mean "more cost and lost jobs." "When you have a car parked in front of the State House with 'AFLCIO' on the license plate, you know the sentiment," said Sen. David Brinkley, a Republican.

    GOP delegation members said it is likely taxes will be raised after November's general election. But Clagett said that was a "supposed campaign issue and I don't buy it."

  • District 3A Community Discussion - May 1, 2010

    Delegate Galen Clagett wants to make sure he is working on the state issues you care about. Join him and Delegate Sue Hecht for a community discussion to share your views and ask questions about the 2010 Legislative Session and the issues that are important to you.

    District 3A Community Discussion
    Saturday May 1, 2010
    10:00am-12:00pm
    Frederick City Hall
    First Floor Meeting Room
    101 North Court Street
    Frederick, MD 21701

  • Five Approved State Bills will Affect Frederick Only - Frederick News Post - April 14, 2010

    ANNAPOLIS -- Five bills applying only to Frederick County passed the Maryland General Assembly during the annual legislative session that ended at midnight Monday.

    State lawmakers took action on topics including doggie dining, liquor store hours and bow hunting for Frederick County residents. After 10 p.m. Monday, with less than two hours to go, the Senate approved two bills sponsored by Frederick County's delegation of state lawmakers.

    A bill to create a pilot program for a pay-as-you-throw trash system passed the Senate 47-0. It will allow the Frederick County Commissioners to try charging customers based on how much they throw away, with the intention of increasing recycling rates. Commissioners hope people who reduce their waste could save money on trash bills. Delegation Chairman Paul Stull, a Frederick County Republican, said he was calling over to the Senate late Monday to make sure it was not amended. "Most of us were pulling to get that one through," Stull said.

    Another bill that passed Monday night would decrease the safety zone for archery hunting in Frederick County. It passed 42-1 with Sen. Brian Frosh opposed. Frosh, a Montgomery County Democrat, said he opposed the bill because Frederick County's senators had asked for a delay of a Montgomery County bill, effectively preventing its passage. The archery bill allows people in Frederick County to hunt using a bow within 50 yards of an occupied building. The previous limit was 150 yards.

    The first local bill to pass the General Assembly this year was enabling legislation to allow the county commissioners to create an exemption from state health regulations. Under that legislation, commissioners can permit dogs at outdoor dining areas of restaurants, if the restaurant operator chooses to allow them. Frederick County Commissioners President Jan Gardner said the proposal did not come from the commissioners. She did not know if or when the county commissioners would make a decision on dogs and restaurants. "It's certainly not a burning issue in the midst of our other budget issues," Gardner said.

    Of eight Frederick County bills proposed, only one died, languishing in committee without a vote -- a proposal to change the way municipalities and the county plan for public water and sewer over the long term. Opposed by Sen. Alex Mooney, the Senate Education, Health and Environmental Affairs Committee opted not to vote on it.

    Several bills were voted down by committees, including one to increase inmate fees at the Frederick County Adult Detention Center. Stull expects the delegation will bring back that bill next year. "There's no rhyme or reason why that bill shouldn't have passed in the first place," he said.

    AT A GLANCE

    Frederick County bills in the 2010 Maryland General Assembly

    Passed

    -- Pilot program for pay-as-you-throw trash system

    -- Enabling legislation for dogs in outdoor dining areas

    -- Decreasing the archery hunting safety zone

    -- Increasing the hours for alcoholic beverage sales, beginning June 1*

    -- Establishing a flat payment for tax setoff to Frederick County's municipalities

    Killed

    -- A bill to help members of the Sunnyside congregation in Mountville keep their property

    -- Changes to the way public water and sewer plans are amended in Frederick County**

    *This bill was sponsored by Frederick County Sens. David Brinkley and Alex Mooney, not the entire delegation.

    **This bill was sponsored by Brinkley and Delegate Galen Clagett, not the entire delegation.

  • Frederick Lawmakers Racing the Clock to Pass Bills - Frederick News Post - April 10, 2010

    ANNAPOLIS -- With the end of the Maryland General Assembly's session only days away, most of the local bills introduced by Frederick County's lawmakers are still outstanding.

    Each year, the delegation takes ideas from the county government and local groups of state law that needs to be adjusted for the county. For instance, this year the sheriff asked for inmate fees to be increased and the commissioners wanted to try out a new system for trash disposal.

    The delegation selects some of those to endorse, and delegation bills are more likely to pass because of something called "local courtesy" in the General Assembly, where tradition holds that statewide lawmakers defer to local delegates on those issues.

    Of the six bills the Frederick County delegation introduced, only one has passed both chambers. "I'd say it was a mediocre year for the fate of delegation bills," said Delegate Joseph Bartlett, a Frederick County Republican. Frederick's lawmakers are now in a race against time to get the remaining bills passed before the General Assembly's scheduled adjournment at midnight Monday. The House of Delegates and Senate are both scheduled to meet today, as well as most of the day on Monday.

    Delegation Chairman Paul Stull said he'll be spending much of that time calling lawmakers on their cell phones or talking with the chairmen of committees to get them to vote on the bills. It's a lot of work, he said, but he tries to remember that the bills are important to people back home. "The commissioners vote to put the bills in because they think they're important to the constituents in Frederick County," Stull said.

    The bill that has passed will open the door for dogs to be allowed at outdoor dining areas of restaurants in Frederick County. It was controversial, as some lawmakers debated the effect it could have on the local health department, who would be responsible for responding to complaints about dogs urinating or biting. Delegate Galen Clagett, a Frederick Democrat who supported the bill, said he was glad it was passed. "Everybody was barking about that one," he said.

    One bill that looks like it could pass before Monday is a proposal to address the tax equity program. The delegation is calling for the commissioners to make a flat payment to the municipalities each year for services they provide that the county would otherwise have to, such as police, planning, or parks and recreation. That proposal has passed the Senate, and the House Ways and Means Committee approved it Friday afternoon.

    The committee asked for some changes, though, so even if it passes the House quickly, the bill will have to go back to the Senate. The committee's amendments would abolish the payments after two years, in the hopes that another system could be worked out by then. Sen. David Brinkley, who serves on the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee, said he would support that amendment in his chamber and is hopeful it will pass.

    Several Frederick County lawmakers are also hoping a bill to create a pilot program for a pay-as-you-throw trash system will pass. That bill will allow the county commissioners to try a program where residents pay more if they throw away more, and less if they throw away less and recycle more. "I like the free-market aspect of paying for the amount of trash you produce," said Sen. Alex Mooney, a Republican. "It makes sense to me."

    As the county works on building a trash incinerator, also known as a waste-to-energy facility, Stull said the system could be complementary. Stull said that the county needs to take care of its waste, and both waste-to-energy and the pay-as-you throw to increase recycling will help avoid the need for a landfill.

    The delegation is still hopeful on other bills as well, including one requested by local sportsmen to change the safety zone for archery hunting. But not everything will get through. The General Assembly has already rejected one delegation bill. That bill would have increased and added fees at the jail, and Stull is disappointed it was rejected by key committees.

    "Really and truly I think there's a lot of those people that are incarcerated who could at least help to pay for their doctors and dentist and pay for some of their keep at the detention center," Stull said. "It's a costly operation for the taxpayers each year, and there's no reason they can't help out with that."

  • Issue of Fairness - Frederick News post Editorial - April 7, 2010

    There is a good deal of bad blood these days between the Frederick County Commissioners and a number of the county's 12 independent municipalities. Some of it involves the power struggle over what happens to land that borders municipalities.

    The proposed new comprehensive plan would rezone some properties near municipal borders, changing their potential for development and their value to both their owners and the municipalities.

    And last year, the annexation by the City of Frederick of several properties north of town sparked a war of sorts. The county argued that the annexations would create infrastructure costs involving sewer service, schools and highway projects. The city's position was essentially that the annexations had been openly planned for years and that the county should "butt out."

    A different sort of sore spot involves reimbursement to the municipalities for services such as road maintenance, parks and law enforcement. When municipalities provide such services, they relieve the county of the effort and expense of having to do it.

    As things stand, the repayment amount is calculated by a tax equity formula, but in bad economic times the county can reduce its reimbursement to municipalities. That lower payback can put municipalities in a financial bind, having already spent money they thought would be reimbursed to them.

    Sen. David Brinkley, who has been busy and productive this session, introduced a bill that would keep Frederick County's municipalities from coming up short on reimbursement, and last Friday's 47 to 0 vote in the Senate indicates his fellow lawmakers think he got it right.

    Under the current system, city and county officials meet and come up with a tax equity formula. The trouble with that method is that there is no minimum payment, so municipalities can get shorted when times are tough. Brinkley's bill would institute a flat amount that municipalities would receive each year from the county. That amount would increase if county revenue rises.

    Brinkley calls it a "fairness issue for people who pay taxes in municipalities to get some of that back for duplication of services."

    Fellow local delegation member Sen. Alex Mooney is co-sponsoring the bill with Brinkley. An identical bill is being worked in the House and, according to Delegate Galen Clagett, is "going" -- i.e., he expects it to succeed.

    Brinkley's characterization of this reimbursement as a "fairness issue" is exactly right. That seems apparent to his fellow senators and, if Clagett is right, to his fellow delegates as well.

    We look forward to this bill's success in the coming days and to Gov. Martin O'Malley signing it into law. Let's give residents living in the county's municipalities a fair shake when it comes to paying taxes where they live, as well as to the county.

  • Child Neglect Bill Passes House of Delegates - Frederick News Post - March 27, 2010

    ANNAPOLIS -- Penalties for neglecting a child will be less than a Frederick delegate sought when he introduced a bill reforming the state's child abuse laws.

    Delegate Galen Clagett, a Frederick Democrat, introduced the bill to make child neglect a crime in Maryland.

    As proposed, his bill would have made it a felony for parents and guardians to fail to provide basic care, such as food, medical care, clothing and supervision. Clagett proposed penalties of up to 10 years in jail and a $10,000 fine for neglect that to poses a substantial or actual risk of injury to the child.

    The House Judiciary Committee decided instead to create a misdemeanor for child endangerment, with maximum penalties of five years in prison and a $5,000 fine. Parents whose neglect cause actual physical injury can face charges under the state's existing felony statute, according to Delegate Luiz Simmons, a Judiciary Committee member. "All we're doing is enhancing the existing statute (and) clarify it," Simmons said.

    The House of Delegates passed the bill Friday evening, with the committee's changes, by a vote of 135-5. "I'm trying to get something. ... Half a loaf is better than no bread at all," Clagett said.

    His interest in the issue was sparked when he read a Washington Post editorial about Maryland's lack of a child neglect law. In that editorial, the newspaper gave an example of a mother who faced more severe penalties for neglecting a dog than her children.

    Frederick County State's Attorney Charlie Smith also supports the bill. He told the Judiciary Committee earlier this year that his office has been unable to prosecute parents who have left children unsupervised for hours, wandering around in dangerous situations such as in freezing weather with no coat. "We currently have a neglect of vulnerable adult crime, we have a neglect or abuse of animal crime, and yet we don't have one for our children," Smith said. "So that's just a shame."

  • Lawmakers Want to Reopen Highway Rest Stops - Frederick News Post - March 22, 2010

    ANNAPOLIS — Welcome to Maryland; we're closed. Click here for entire article

  • Frederick County Water, Sewer Bill Still Being Debated - Frederick News Post - March 20, 2010

    ANNAPOLIS -- State lawmakers have yet to act on a bill giving Frederick County municipalities more control over their public water and sewer plans. Click here for entire article

  • Commissioners Try to Halt Bill that Forces Tax Equity Funding - The Gazette - March 18, 2010

    Frederick County commissioners have thrown a curveball into Del. Galen R. Clagett's mission to financially help the county's 12 municipalities.

    The Frederick County Delegation to the General Assembly has introduced a bill, proposed by Clagett (D-Dist. 3A) of Frederick, that stipulates how much money the county has to give municipalities each year. Under the so-called "tax equity program," the county gives the towns money to pay for services that the county does not provide inside town limits. The money pays for services such as road maintenance, planning and zoning, police, and parks and recreation. Click here for entire article

  • Fertilizer Restrictions to be Approved - Frederick News Post - March 10, 2010

    ANNAPOLIS -- A Frederick lawmaker expects his bill to help the Chesapeake Bay will be passed in the House of Delegates this week.

    Delegate Galen Clagett, a Frederick Democrat, is seeking greater restrictions on phosphorous in lawn fertilizers. Click here for entire article

  • Most Vulnerable - Frederick News Post Editorial - March 7, 2010 Imagine this situation: A 2-year-old child is left outside on an apartment complex playground, alone.

    It is the end of November, 6 degrees outside. The child is wearing a T-shirt and jeans. No jacket. No gloves. No warm winter scarf. Meanwhile, the child's parents are inside their apartment watching TV and smoking marijuana. They are unaware and, it turns out, unconcerned about their child's fate. Click here for entire article

  • Comptroller Works with Local Delegate - Frederick News Post - Political Notes - March 5, 2010

    Comptroller Peter Franchot had glowing words this week for Delegate Galen Clagett, a Frederick Democrat.

    Franchot was testifying for the second year in a row in favor of Clagett's bill to help collect child support payments.

    Clagett's idea is simple: The state maintains a list of unclaimed property owed to residents. That could be a dormant bank account, missed paycheck or other property handed over to the state because the rightful owner hadn't claimed it. Clagett wants to match up that list with people who owe child support payments, and hand the money over to the parent to whom the support is owed.

    After Clagett introduced his bill last year, Franchot's office was able to match up funds on 1,700 parents, who, in total, owed their families more than $670,000. Now, he would like the bill to be passed so the comptroller's office can get information from the Child Support Enforcement Administration about deadbeat parents every month, or every quarter.

    Franchot said it could be done at no cost to the state. His office gets the list only once a year, and it can be outdated.

    Franchot said after the hearing that he admires Clagett for his persistence and accomplishments on the issue so far.

  • Bill Would Make Child Neglect a Felony Crime - Frederick News Post - March 2, 2010

    ANNAPOLIS -- A proposed state law would punish parents who do not feed their children, do not provide essential medical treatment or otherwise fail to care for their basic needs. Click here for entire article

  • Reimbursement for Medevac Flights Debated - The Gazette - February 17, 2010

    Clagett cool to the idea, says ‘everyone should get a free ride'

    Lawmakers in Annapolis are beginning to debate the idea of seeking reimbursement from insurance companies when Maryland State Police fly critically injured patients from accident scenes, a proposal that is meeting resistance from at least one legislator from Frederick County.

    Del. Galen R. Clagett (D-Dist. 3A) of Frederick said such an idea would be unfair, in part because not all insurance companies cover such an expense, which can run up to $10,000 in the private industry. As chair of subcommittee on Public Safety and Administration, he said he will not support any such change because it will ratchet up insurance rates for residents using the medical evacuation service, or Medevac. Click here for entire article

    For previous articles on Delegate Clagett's work on the Medevac program click here.

  • City Annexations will be Served by Public Water, Sewer - Frederick News Post February 14, 2010

    ANNAPOLIS -- Two Frederick County lawmakers are taking steps to ensure two recent city annexations will be served by public water and sewer.

    Delegate Galen Clagett, a Frederick Democrat, introduced a bill last week to require that affected municipalities sign on to changes in water and sewer service maps and plans before the county could change them. Sen. David Brinkley, a Republican who represents Frederick and Carroll counties, is introducing an identical bill in the Senate. Click here for entire article

  • Delegate Clagett Announces Route 15 Safety Improvements - Press Release from the Delegate

    The Route 15 corridor at the Hayward Road intersection is one of the most dangerous sections of road in Frederick County.

    On February 4, 2010, in an effort to address this critical public safety issue, Delegate Galen Clagett of District 3A, met with MDOT Secretary Beverly Swaim-Staley, State Highway Administrator Neil Pedersen, and District Engineer David Coyne.  Delegate Tawanna Gaines, Chairman of the Transportation and Environment Subcommittee and Frederick Alderman Carol Krimm also participated in the meeting.
     

    After a thorough discussion of public safety options, State Highway officials will be implementing the following improvements to the Route 15/ Hayward Road intersection:

    1. Two large highway signs will be placed on Route 15 South: one at one mile north and another at 1500 feet north of the Route 15 Southbound/Hayward Road intersection advising drivers that this area is a safety zone and that the speed limit is 55 mph.  In the future, the sign at 1500 feet north will have a solar powered flashing beacon.
     

    2. Shortly thereafter, three new sets of ten rumble strips will be installed closer to the Hayward Road intersection. 

    Visual narrowing of the lanes also known as speed reduction markings will begin at the 1500 feet sign and decrease in spacing as drivers approach Hayward Road.

    3. During the spring/summer of 2010, an access ramp to the parallel service road will be built from Route 15 South.  This ramp will be 200 feet north of the Route 15 South/Hayward Road intersection.  The ramp will allow motorists turning right onto Hayward from southbound Route 15 to exit Route 15 before the dangerous Hayward Road/Route 15 intersection.  The ramp will eliminate confusion that motorists experience turning left from Route 15 North.

    4. Rumble strips will be installed in the left turn lane from Route 15 North to Hayward Road.

    Delegate Clagett is also requesting Maryland State Police and local police departments increase patrols and speed enforcement in the area.
  • Jenkins Backs Clothesline Bill - Frederick News Post - February 5, 2010

    The newest member of the Maryland General Assembly is throwing his support behind a bill that would require homeowners associations and municipal governments to allow clothesline use.

    Delegate Charles Jenkins, a Frederick County Republican, joined Delegate Galen Clagett, a Democrat, at a hearing Thursday before the House Environmental Matters Committee. The bill would stop homeowners associations or local government from outright banning clotheslines. It would permit them to regulate where the clotheslines would be placed. Click here for entire article

  • Tax Equity Proposal Draws Tepid Municipal Response - Frederick News Post - February 4, 2010

    ANNAPOLIS -- Local municipal leaders are uncertain about the Frederick County delegation's proposal to reform the tax equity program.

    Municipal officials contacted this week said they had not heard much about the proposal, which was introduced Friday to the General Assembly. Click here for entire article

  • Bill Seeks to Change Tax Equity Program - Frederick News Post - January 30, 2010

    ANNAPOLIS — Frederick County might have to pay its towns and cities millions annually in exchange for services they provide.

    Under a bill approved by Frederick County's delegation of state lawmakers Friday, the county would hand over $6.6 million to municipalities, with that amount increasing if county revenue rises. Click here for entire article

  • Delegation Advances Pay-as-You-Throw Pilot Program - Frederick News Post - January 23, 2010

    ANNAPOLIS -- Get ready to pay based on trash volume.

    Frederick County's state lawmakers have endorsed a pilot program that would set different prices for residential trash collection, based on how much residents throw away. Click here for entire article

  • State Money Could Help Nonprofit - Frederick News Post - January 22, 2010

    ANNAPOLIS -- State funding for Way Station Inc. could help the Frederick nonprofit expand its services for veterans and people with developmental disabilities, emotional challenges and mental illness.

    Delegate Galen Clagett is asking the state for $500,000 to help Way Station expand its campus on West Patrick Street. Click here for entire article

  • Incorrect Address Trips Up Statue Project; Plan Will Proceed - Frederick News Post - January 15, 2010

    ANNAPOLIS -- A new statue at the Frederick County Courthouse is on track, even though lawmakers made a mistake on the proposed location on a bill granting funding to the project. Click here to read more

  • Clagett Announces He will Run Again for State House - The Gazette Online - January 12, 2010

    District 3A delegate attracts support from both sides of the aisle

    Flanked by his Democratic supporters, along with a sprinkling of prominent Republicans in Frederick County, Del. Galen R. Clagett announced Monday he will seek a third term in the Maryland House of Delegates in November.

    Clagett represents District 3A, which includes the City of Frederick and parts of Braddock Heights.

    A Democrat from Frederick, Clagett, 67, declared his intentions Monday night to a packed room of supporters at Mick's New American Bistro in downtown Frederick.

    "I have a voice in Annapolis and it's a voice that's heard," Clagett said. "My goal is always to put Frederick first and promote both our city and county in the state."

    Clagett shares District 3A with Del. C. Sue Hecht (D), who is expected to run again but has yet to announce her intentions.

    A member of the House Appropriations Committee, Clagett reviews all legislation pertaining to the governor's operating and capital construction budgets.

    This affords him the opportunity to look out for the financial interests of taxpayers in Frederick, he said.

    "I will be bringing the revenues back to Frederick and it will always be my main task," Clagett said. "I will continue to look at how we spend our public's money."

    Clagett said his position on the Appropriations Committee also gives him clout among the elected elite in Annapolis. He said his phone calls to Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) and House Speaker Michael E. Busch (D-Dist. 30) of Annapolis get answered and his concerns get addressed.

    Supporters said this kind of experience is necessary during tough economic times.

    "In these challenging times in the city, county and state, I think it's important we return Galen [to the House of Delegates]," said Meta Nash, who served as a Democratic member of the Frederick Board of Aldermen from 1994-2002.

    Supporters on Monday night, both Democrats and Republicans, pointed to Clagett's two terms in Annapolis, his work on the Appropriations Committee, and his business experience as president of Clagett Enterprises, a real estate and brokerage firm in Frederick, as reasons he should be re-elected.

    "I've always liked Galen," said Frederick County Sheriff Chuck Jenkins, a Republican and the former chairman of the Frederick County Republican Central Committee. "He has a good business sense and I respect what he has accomplished."

    Jenkins was joined by Republicans Charlie Smith, state's attorney for Frederick County, Frederick City Mayor Randy McClement, former alderman candidate Bill Ashton and former Del. Richard B. Weldon, who in September 2008, left the Republican Party to become unaffiliated.

    Weldon, who resigned last month from his delegate seat to work as McClement's administrative assistant, served alongside Clagett as a member of the Frederick County Delegation to the General Assembly.

    Clagett's announcement speech warned of the tough times ahead.

    With the state facing a $1 billion shortfall for fiscal 2011, Clagett said Maryland will be forced to find new and creative ways to help taxpayers and create new jobs.

    Clagett said attracting new businesses to the county will be his top priority.

    "I am concerned that we have to have an approach that is successful," he said. "This is going to be a tough session, but I'm looking forward to it. The bad news is we have no money. The good news is we have no money, and that way we can control spending."

  • CLAGETT TO SEEK THIRD TERM - Frederick News Post - January 12, 2010

    Delegate Galen Clagett will make attracting new businesses to the area a top priority in his re-election campaign.

    Clagett, a Democrat who represents Frederick and surrounding areas, is seeking his third term. "We'll not come out of this quagmire we're in unless we do create jobs," Clagett said. "We'll need an educated workforce. That's going to be paramount."

    He announced his re-election bid Monday evening at a crowded event at Mick's New American Bistro in Frederick . In addition to several Frederick County Democratic Central Committee members and city aldermen, several prominent Republicans were in the audience. Sheriff Chuck Jenkins and Mayor Randy McClement, for example, said they respect Clagett for his business experience and votes. "I have a broad base," Clagett said. "It's good to have, it means we can get things accomplished."

    Clagett wants to review and eliminate rules and regulations that make it difficult to locate or expand businesses in Frederick. He also said he brings a personal touch and relationships of trust to business leaders considering a move to the city. "My goal is always to put Frederick first, and to promote both our city and county in the state," Clagett said.

    Clagett is a member of the House Appropriations Committee and chairman of its public safety and administration subcommittee. Those positions enable him to get phone calls returned and pleas answered, he said. "I have constant and direct access to Gov. O'Malley, to Speaker of the House Mike Busch, to many other office holders in the state of Maryland," Clagett said. "I believe that access helps me to provide real opportunities for the City of Frederick and Frederick County."

    Clagett's district is shared with Delegate Sue Hecht, a Democrat who is expected to seek re-election. Dave Schmidt, a Frederick Republican, is the only other announced candidate in the race. An Iraq War veteran, he said in April he would seek the office.

  • Clagett to Announce Re-election Bid - Frederick News Post's Political Notes - January 8, 2010

    Delegate Galen Clagett’s re-election announcement will be held Monday at Mick’s New American Bistro.

    The Frederick Democrat is seeking his third term representing District 3A.

    It’s being held from 4:30 to 6 p.m., with Clagett expected to speak toward the end of the event.

    Clagett is obviously getting ready to run; a news release on his announcement stated that Frederick County has received $1.4 billion in state aid during his tenure, including $97 million for public school construction.

    “He has spent the last seven years in Annapolis putting Frederick first by securing millions of dollars in funds and making sure that Frederick ’s priorities are addressed by the State of Maryland,” the release stated.

    Meanwhile, he is pulling in endorsements from top Democrats, including Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot and House Speaker Michael E. Busch.

  • Air Drying - Editorial from the Frederick News Post - January 8, 2010

    It's difficult to argue with Delegate Galen Clagett's point about old-fashioned clotheslines versus clothes dryers when it comes to the environment and saving energy. Click here to read more

  • Health Care Bill Bitter Pill for Maryland's Budget - Frederick News Post - January 8, 2010

    The impending federal health care bill could be a negative prescription for Maryland's finances, according to legislative leaders. Click here for the whole article

  • Builders Seek Less Onerous Regulations - Frederick News Post - January 6, 2010 Frederick County builders are asking local lawmakers to ease environmental regulations and give developers protection from changing land use regulations. Read more
  • Forum Gets Parties Talking about Budget Process - Frederick News Post - January 6, 2010 Get three elected officials together to discuss education funding and they'll agree on one thing: There isn't enough money. Read more
  • Maryland PIRG 2009 Voting Record Delegate Galen Clagett earned an 83% approval rating from the Maryland PIRG (Public Interest Research Group) in 2009 and carries a cumulative lifetime voting approval rating of 93%. Maryland PIRG is a non-profit, non-partisan advocate for the public interest, they monitor the voting records of all of Maryland's state legislators. To view the complete PIRG Legislative Scorecard for 2009, please click here.
  • 2009 Maryland State Teachers' Association Voting Record for Delegate Galen Clagett

    The MSTA recently published the 2009 voting records for all Maryland state legislators. The bills considered by the House were:

    EXPLANATION OF VOTES - HOUSE OF DELEGATES

    HB 100 - State Budget - Included an increase of $131.7 million for a total of $5.5 billion in education funding, including full funding of Geographic Cost of Education Index; in addition there was another $193 million in federal stimulus funds that will flow through the State budget to local school systems. Budget passed. A YES vote was right with MSTA. Delegate Galen Clagett voted YES.

    HB 122 - Calvert County – Education – School Personnel – Collective Bargaining Fees Enables Calvert Education Association to bargain a fair share fee. Bill passed. A YES vote was right with MSTA. Delegate Galen Clagett voted YES. HB 379 – Education – Reporting Requirement – Class Size - Requires MSDE to report by the 2012 academic year the number of students who regularly participate in a classroom teacher's class as of September 30 of each year. Bill passed. A YES vote was right with MSTA. Delegate Galen Clagett voted YES.

    HB 792 - Education – Collective Bargaining – Topics of Negotiation - Added a process for discipline and discharge for cause a mandatory subject of bargaining for education support personnel. Bill passed. A YES vote was right with MSTA. Delegate Galen Clagett voted YES.
  • Political Notes - Frederick News Post September 11, 2009

    Clagett not calling for furloughs, pay cuts

    Delegate Galen Clagett, a Frederick Democrat who serves on the powerful House Appropriations Committee, is often quoted as saying counties should share the pain with the state. Those comments were repeated this week by Frederick County Commissioners President Jan Gardner, who argued that the state should stop cutting funding to counties, or the board will have to approve a pay cut or furlough days for employees.

    The state has been hit hard by the recession because it relies on revenues such as those from income taxes and sales taxes. Counties, on the other hand, have been hit hard on many revenues like real estate transfer tax, but not on property tax because of long-standing caps on assessments designed to prevent sudden changes. I caught up with Clagett this week to see what he thought of Gardner's comments. "She needs to understand that everybody in the House of Delegates and the General Assembly has said that they need to share the pain," Clagett said. But that doesn't mean it has to hit county employees, he continued. He thinks the county could make up for budget cuts by cutting programs and dramatically reducing capital projects. That way, families won't be hurt, he said.

    Gardner sent an e-mail this week to all county employees, urging them to contact state officials and ask them not to cut the counties further. Clagett said there will be cuts to the locals no matter what because they need to keep the state solvent. "I thought we were all in this together," Clagett said. "This is not war, this is survival. Know we're going to have to make moves that are somewhat painful; that's just life."

  • Economic Performance Report Draws Diverse Reactions - Frederick News Post - July 14, 2009

    A new report that shows Maryland ranks 17th in economic performance and 28th in economic outlook has drawn diverse reactions. Read more ...

  • County, Developer Reach Impasse on Bridge - Frederick News Post - July 17, 2009

    The fate of the Jefferson Technology Park is up in the air.

    The mixed use development, planned for several hundred acres between Md. 180 and U.S. 15 near I-70, is expected to bring thousands of jobs and new residents. Read more ...

  • Clagett to Serve on Oversight Committee - Frederick News Post - July 24, 2009

    Delegate Galen Clagett, a Frederick Democrat, has been appointed to the state oversight committee on the State Center project in Baltimore.

    He will represent the House of Delegates as the panel considers the $1.4 billion project.

  • Clagett Proposal Trims Budget by $100M - Frederick News Post on March 20, 2009

    ANNAPOLIS -- It has been a tough year for Delegate Galen Clagett to take over a powerful appropriations subcommittee. Clagett, a Frederick Democrat, was selected in January to take charge of a subcommittee that governs public safety and administration. Click here for the whole article.

  • Maryland Senate passes ban on texting while driving - Frederick News Post - March 18, 2009

    ANNAPOLIS -- Drivers, stop texting.  Read more ...

  • Lawmakers reduce funding requests for local projects - Frederick News Post - March 14, 2009

    ANNAPOLIS -- Frederick County's state lawmakers have reduced the number of projects they submitted for a state funding program this year.  Read more...

  • Giddyup - Frederick News Post Editorial on February 16, 2009

    The designation alone should be enough to make it something with which you'd never want to be associated: "deadbeat parent." Click here for the whole article.

  • Early Deadline - Commentary by Katherine Heerbrandt, Frederick News Post February 11, 2009

    Still working to rebuild trust after a devastating scandal that severely diminished its moral authority and drained its coffers, the Catholic Church has come out against a proposed state law to extend the statute of limitations in civil cases of child sexual abuse.  Full Story ...

  • Comptroller Backs Child Support Proposal - Frederick News Post February 5, 2009

    ANNAPOLIS — A Frederick delegate's bill has prompted the comptroller's office to find more than $600,000 in unclaimed property that belongs to people who owe child support. Click here for the whole article.

  • Widow Requests Tougher Law for Reckless Driving - Frederick News Post February 5, 2009

    ANNAPOLIS — The widow of a Middletown state highway worker killed while on duty told a House of Delegates committee she finds the punishment for reckless driving in a highway work zone inconceivable. Click here for the whole article.

  • Clothesline Controversy - Frederick News Post Editorial on February 5, 2009

    Once upon a time in America, backyards across the country were filled with sheets billowing in the breeze, soaking up the fresh air and sunshine. Click here for the whole article.

  • Fixing Medevac - Frederick News Post Commentary by Katherine Heerbrandt on February 4, 2009

    A private helicopter company's offer to take over medevac operations in Maryland is one some lawmakers should, on the surface, find hard to refuse. Click here for the whole article.

  • Let Your Laundry Fly Free - Frederick News Post January 29, 2009

    ANNAPOLIS -- A Frederick County state delegate wants to let people harness the power of the sun to dry their clothes. Click here for the whole article.

  • Bill Targets Reckless Driving in Work Zones - Frederick News Post Jan 26, 2009

    ANNAPOLIS -- A local lawmaker hopes getting tougher on negligent drivers in highway work zones will help prevent tragedies such as the death of Middletown resident Rick Moser. Click here for the whole article.

  • Legislating Elder Care - Frederick News Post Commentary by Katherine Heerbrandt on January 12, 2009

    Two state lawmakers are looking into complaints about a local nursing home that may result in new oversight legislation this year. Delegates Sue Hecht and Galen Clagett received complaints about Northampton Manor from concerned family members. Click here for the whole article.

  • Fix It! - Frederick News Post Commentary by Katherine Heerbrandt on January 14, 2009

    The Maryland General Assembly will be sharpening its collective pencil and brandishing its red pen this session as it sings the budget blues. Click here for the whole article.

  • With 3 Bills in 2 Days, Clagett Sprints Ahead of the Pack - Frederick News Post January 16, 2009

    ANNAPOLIS — Delegate Galen Clagett has gotten a jump on his fellow Frederick lawmakers when it comes to proposing legislation. Click here for the whole article.

  • Clagett to take over Public Safety and Admin Budget - Frederick News Post January 15, 2009

    ANNAPOLIS -- Delegate Galen Clagett will oversee a subcommittee that reviews the state budget for public safety and administration. Click here for the whole article.