Posted under News
The head of the University of Maryland system, William Kirwan, says tuition should rise. The Governor’s budget proposes maintaining a tuition freeze for a fourth straight year. Kirwan says the freeze could erode educational quality for students. [AP]
The Army Corps of Engineers still hasn’t decided whether to support a controversial plan to introduce Asian oysters to the Chesapeake Bay. Environmentalists are concerned that the foreign oysters could overtake native species. [WBAL]
With three weeks to go in the General Assembly’s session, The Capital provides a a helpful rundown of the status of key legislation. [The Capital]
Anne Arundel County will start charging for Ambulance rides. Insurance companies, not residents, will be responsible for a $500 fee. Some are concerned that the new fee will discourage residents from calling 911. [Baltimore Sun]
Magna Entertainment asks a bankruptcy judge permission to auction off the racetracks it owns, including Laurel and Pimlico in Maryland. [WBAL]
A libertarian group ranks Maryland last in the nation in “personal freedom.” The reasons: “Maryland lacks gay marriage or civil unions, aggressively prosecutes victimless drug crimes, keeps tight controls on land use and has the nation’s second-strictest gun laws after California.” [The Capital]
2 Responses to “The Morning Line, 3/23/09”
vic on 23 Mar 2009 at 12:20 pm #
please let them freeze tuition – going back to school is the only thing I can do in the economy.
and good luck in md-30. that’s my district, so you’ve got my vote.
Allison Stice on 26 Mar 2009 at 7:59 pm #
Hi Mr. Legum,
I report on the General Assembly for the Diamondback. I am dismayed by all these headlines that Kirwan wants to raise tuition. Of course he doesn’t – the only reason he would want to do that is if the state cuts too much money.
The General Assembly is acting like there’s money set aside for a tuition freeze within USM’s budget, which there isn’t: it’s all in the same pot. They think they can slash and burn the USM budget without affecting the freeze – but it doesn’t work that way. So why isn’t anyone calling them out for that? If they want a tuition freeze, they have to make smaller cuts. (Although of course that won’t be easy).
Otherwise, USM isn’t going to sacrifice educational standards: The Board of Regents is big on quality, and in a pinch, they would favor that over a tuition freeze. And saying that they could just be more productive is very questionable: in the past, the state has praised their efficiency efforts.
So we have to wait and see the budget bills pass before we know what will happen!
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