Ehrlich Strikes Down 8 Bills

Vetoes Affect Electricity Rates, School Seizures

Maryland Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. vetoed eight of the Democratic caucus's top-priority bills last night, including a package of measures aimed at forcing the state's largest power company to scale back looming rate increases.

The governor described the three bills targeting the utility as "unnecessary," because an agreement to cut those rates is close at hand.

The Ehrlich vetoes set the stage for a fierce partisan showdown in the final days of the General Assembly session, which is to end Monday, with Democrats threatening to override every one of them.

"It's all going to be resolved in the bottom of the ninth," said Sen. Leo E. Green (D-Prince George's).

At stake are issues that touch every Marylander. In addition to legislation aimed at slowing electricity rate increases, there are measures to stop a state seizure of 11 public schools in Baltimore and to establish rules for early voting in the fall elections.

Several of the governor's vetoes targeted overtly partisan proposals intended to clip Ehrlich's powers or take swipes at his political allies. Those include a bill forcing him to put his Cabinet through a second round of Senate confirmation hearings if he is reelected. Another bill would force his campaign finance chairman to choose between his role on the campaign and his seat on the state university system's board of regents, and a third would essentially fire the regulators Ehrlich (R) brought in to oversee power companies.

Of the early voting measure, which names the polling places where voters could cast ballots up to a week before Election Day, Ehrlich wrote: "Democratic changes to control the election administration processes have raised suspicions and concerns from every corner of the state."

Leaders of both chambers predicted that they would override the vetoes. But some lawmakers expressed concern over whether they could accomplish that and finish voting on other key measures in the time remaining.

Measures yet to gain final approval include those that would tighten restrictions on registered sex offenders, improve teachers' pensions and change the way Prince George's County will elect its school board.

"There are significant bills hanging out there, and time is very short," said Del. Carolyn J.B. Howard (D-Prince George's).

Sen. Brian E. Frosh (D-Montgomery) said that when the Senate reconvenes Monday, members will be forced "to cram four days of work into one."

House Speaker Michael E. Busch (D-Anne Arundel), who is bringing delegates in for a session today, said most of the legislature's attention will be focused on the fluid negotiations over electricity rates.