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Miller Puts Slots Back on Agenda, Proposes Increase in Gas Tax
Life Without Parole Backed
Maryland Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. says he is going to "generate discussion" with his bills to legalize slots and raise the gasoline tax.
(By Marvin Joseph -- The Washington Post)
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A majority of Maryland voters support the death penalty, but an even greater number say life without parole is an acceptable alternative. Those are among the findings of a poll released yesterday by the Maryland Catholic Conference, one of the groups advocating for a repeal of Maryland's death penalty.
The poll, conducted by Mason-Dixon Polling and Research, found that 56 percent of registered voters support the death penalty, 34 percent oppose it, and the remaining are undecided.
Yet 61 percent said they believe life without parole is "an acceptable substitute." Twenty-seven percent disagreed with that statement, and 12 percent were not sure.
The statewide poll of 625 registered voters, conducted Feb. 6-8, had a margin of error of four percentage points.
The poll also suggested that there could be limited fallout for lawmakers who vote to replace the death penalty with life without parole. Twenty-nine percent said they would be more likely to vote for a legislator who cast that vote, and 23 percent said they would be less likely. The rest said that it made no difference or that they did not know.
-- John Wagner
Contracts Raise Concerns
A member of the Maryland Minority Contractors Association told the Board of Public Works yesterday that the state panel needs to ensure that "there is fairness in the [procurement] process."
Arnold Jolivet said yesterday that he was specifically concerned about contracts that have been awarded by the board for the University of Maryland.
"When you have one contractor getting the lion's share of the contracts, that is not good," Jolivet said. He did not name the contractor.
He told the panel, which is made up of Gov. Martin O'Malley (D), Treasurer Nancy K. Kopp (D) and Comptroller Peter Franchot (D), that the minority business enterprise program "is only effective if [minority businesses] are getting the dollars."
O'Malley said the state will continue to work on improving the program.
-- Ovetta Wiggins
