With native jurisdictions throughout Maryland and throughout the nation on the precipice of an enormous funding cliff as pandemic-era emergency {dollars} run out, the Montgomery County Council is looking on the state to faucet its finances surplus to maintain rental help flowing to Maryland tenants in danger for eviction and homelessness.
Maryland
Local Md. officials plea for state aid as pandemic rent relief wanes
The approaching finish of Montgomery County’s covid lease aid program follows the termination of expanded SNAP advantages at a time when meals costs are swiftly rising. Short-term caps on lease will increase and moratoriums on evictions have lengthy since expired, and different pandemic-era support packages are winding down, leaving many struggling households with few locations to show for assist.
The plea — from officers in Maryland’s wealthiest county — builds on a name final month for state assist from the Baltimore Metropolis Council, as elected leaders throughout the nation search options to assist renters battered by uncertainty and ensnared in a nationwide inexpensive housing disaster. In Maryland, leaders identified, sturdy aid efforts helped hold 100,000 folks of their properties. However some say the state, which earlier than the pandemic didn’t present direct monetary help to renters, can not fund a brand new size of the protection web whereas dealing with an unsure financial future that requires cuts to the present finances.
“Now that the federal and state help is ending, we have to decide how you can proceed serving to our residents who want it probably the most,” Council President Evan Glass (D-At-Massive) stated in an interview.
The requests that Gov. Wes Moore (D) dip into Maryland’s $2.5 billion surplus for rental help come as state analysts this week warned of financial head winds that may require Moore to search out $400 million in cuts for his proposed $63.1 billion finances. The governor’s workplace has not responded to requests for help and declined to remark for this story.
Though many state lawmakers representing Montgomery County stated they help increasing rental help, the brand new financial projections launched this week complicate the matter.
“The brand new fiscal projections actually are a reset on issues in Annapolis proper now,” stated Del. Julie Palakovich Carr (D), chair of the Montgomery County Home Delegation, including that Maryland ought to do what it may well to maintain folks housed.
A few of her colleagues within the State Home agree that rental help is a worthy goal for the state to take up, however maybe not within the upcoming finances.
“Actually our council has recognized a selected and severe want,” stated Del. Marc Korman (D), who represents District 16 in Montgomery County. However “there are plenty of wants,” he added in an e mail.
Earlier than the pandemic, Montgomery County distributed about $3 million by its common rental help program — a sum that pales compared to the greater than $96 million that has been spent offering help to tenants dealing with eviction over the past three years.
Greater than 12,000 households in Montgomery County have obtained rental assist for the reason that pandemic started as residents confronted job loss, costly medical payments and different sudden monetary hardships. An infusion of greater than $100 million in state and federal {dollars} helped the county increase an present program.
However in January, the county stopped accepting new candidates for its emergency lease aid program as a result of it has spent greater than two-thirds of the covid-era support and can quickly run out of cash to provide. The county has processed 70 % of the purposes this system has obtained and can end processing the remainder within the coming months.
Glass stated the pandemic marked the primary time that the county has actually been in a position to meet the wants of the residents dealing with housing instability.
“There are lots of people in our group who’ve been struggling for a really very long time,” he stated, “and that want has not gone away regardless of the pandemic waning.”
Although the emergency funds are virtually spent, the county nonetheless has tens of 1000’s of households that need assistance maintaining with lease. A few of these renters will be capable of apply for ongoing rental help — however the quantity of people that will probably be helped relies upon closely on how a lot cash the county can muster to fund this system with out covid funds. If the county council approves a proposed $30 million funding in this system, the county estimates these funds may serve about 2,800 households.
Within the early days of the pandemic, Dionne Ellington, now 56, held tight to her important job at a grocery retailer in Potomac, Md., which allowed her to maintain up with lease for the two-bedroom house she shared along with her grownup son. Then she critically injured her again.
She couldn’t work for six months whereas recovering, and the unpaid lease shortly piled up. Going through eviction, the immigrant from Jamaica who has lived in Maryland since she was a lady, packed her belongings right into a storage unit and located a mattress in a ladies’s shelter run by Interfaith Works.
Her son, who has extreme bipolar dysfunction and different psychological well being points that forestall him from working, resorted to sleeping on the road. His well being swiftly declined as he went with out medicine or a secure place to relaxation, Ellington stated. She parked her Chevy on the road outdoors of the ladies’s shelter and left bottles of water, meals, blankets and a toothbrush inside it for her son.
“He slept in there generally, so it was like a bit of residence,” Ellington stated. “Are you able to think about a human being residing like that?”
As quickly as she may, Ellington returned to her job within the bakery at a Big grocery retailer, the place she had labored for 22 years. She began saving for a brand new house and, with the assistance of rental help, she and her son moved right into a one-bedroom unit in Takoma Park. The help gave her the soundness to maintain up with lease when sudden prices cropped up.
“I might beg them to please hold the rental help,” Ellington stated. “For some people who’s a shoulder to lean on, and everyone wants a shoulder to lean on generally.”
The battle of renters like Ellington is particularly stark in Montgomery, probably the most populous county in Maryland and one in all more and more sharp divides.
About half of renters within the county are thought-about rent-burdened, which means they spend greater than 30 % of their earnings on housing prices. Practically three-quarters of these rent-burdened households earn lower than 50 % of the typical median space earnings, in response to information from the Montgomery Planning Division.
Because the county’s expanded rental help is coming to an finish, evictions are swiftly rising in Montgomery. The quantity scheduled in January and February elevated greater than 350 % in contrast with the identical time interval final 12 months, to 771, in response to the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Workplace. The variety of evictions carried out additionally swelled to 136 in contrast with 47 throughout the identical time interval final 12 months.
“Have in mind, these numbers don’t even embody the many individuals who get notified about a rise and handle to maneuver to a less expensive residence or area, or in with a member of the family,” stated Councilmember Kristin Mink (D-District 5).
Final week, six council members introduced a package deal of laws geared toward defending tenants, which included calling for an extra $18 million in county funds for rental help this 12 months, bringing the whole allotted to the county’s rental help program to $30 million. However even that considerably expanded sum falls far wanting the greater than $100 million allotted over the past three years.
“This can be a wealthy county, they need to be capable of assist their residents,” Ellington stated.
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Maryland
Maryland issues a new suicide prevention action plan for schools, families – WTOP News
![Maryland issues a new suicide prevention action plan for schools, families – WTOP News Maryland issues a new suicide prevention action plan for schools, families – WTOP News](https://wtop.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/SAD_GIRL.GettyImages-1033774340-e1705449585875.jpg)
Suicide is the third leading cause of death for young people between the ages of 10 and 24 in Maryland. That’s according to a new suicide prevention action plan produced through the state’s Department of Health.
Suicide is the third leading cause of death for young people between the ages of 10 and 24 in Maryland. That’s according to a new suicide prevention action plan produced through the state’s Department of Health.
Scott Poland, the director of the Office of Suicide and Violence Prevention at Nova Southeastern University College of Psychology, talked to WTOP about the action plan he authored with his wife, Donna, who is a career educator.
The “Maryland Action Plan to Prevent Suicide in K-12 Schools” serves as a reference guide to school administrators and the community, and was developed in cooperation with the state health department’s Office of Suicide Prevention.
Poland said one thing that surprises people is that children as young as 8 years old may consider taking their own lives.
“I hear from school personnel all around the country (asking if they) have to take it seriously (if a fourth or fifth grader is talking about suicide). And the answer is absolutely yes,” Poland said.
Among the data points in the action plan is a survey of students in the “Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey of 2021/2022.” According to that survey, 21% of high school students “seriously considered suicide” in the past year, and 27% of middle schoolers considered suicide at some point in their lives.
Poland said it’s important to talk about suicide with young people, and that the idea that talking about it might encourage a young person to consider suicide is a “myth.”
“When we actually bring it up, it gives someone a chance to unburden themselves, to realize that they’re not alone, that there are alternatives and that there is help available,” Poland said.
But he said young people are most susceptible to imitating suicidal behavior: “It is important that we not glorify the suicide victim.”
Instead, Poland said, the emphasis after a suicide should be on healing those affected and helping them find appropriate ways to deal with their emotions and mental health.
The plan released this week includes providing intervention action plans for a young person who may be considering suicide.
“Part of that, of course, is removing lethal means and developing a written safety plan with them,” he said.
Poland said that can include helping people understand “the importance of calling 988, doing things that can calm themselves down,” and reaching out to the nearest trusted adult.
People can reach the national resource for crisis response services and suicide prevention by dialing 988.
Poland said social media is “wreaking havoc” on children’s emotional well-being, often making them feel “not smart enough, not rich enough, not good enough.” Poland said he’s currently working with the state of South Dakota on developing tools to help “young people be a little more mindful and make better decisions about their screen time.”
Poland said parents can help — when it comes to the hours and hours that many people spend online — by modeling healthy amounts of screen time themselves. And he said adults need to think about how they introduce technology to their kids.
“We’re in too (much of) a hurry to give kids smartphones and 24-hour internet access,” Poland said.
“I really have to compliment Maryland,” Poland said, on coming up with the new plan.
Poland said Maryland does not have an especially high rate of suicide, but “I think we all recognize that losing one young person to suicide is one too many.”
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Maryland
Getting to know Michigan State football’s Week 2 opponent: Maryland
![Getting to know Michigan State football’s Week 2 opponent: Maryland Getting to know Michigan State football’s Week 2 opponent: Maryland](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_4000,h_2250,x_0,y_0/c_fill,w_1440,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/GettyImages/mmsport/137/01j714ppf1xrvce2agzn.jpg)
Game two is coming up for Michigan State football as the Spartans hit the road for an early season Big Ten matchup against Maryland. The Terps have had MSU’s number in recent years, but the Spartans’ new-look team is ready to change that narrative this weekend.
Jonathan Smith and his staff have a lot to work on this week after a lackluster 16-10 win over Florida Atlantic, but we’ve become more than used to slow starts for MSU in their first game so it’s not time to panic just yet.
While the team wraps up their preparations for Maryland, let’s take a quick look at the Terps and see what we can learn about them before the big game on Saturday.
Maryland is off and running in their 2024 campaign and had an absolutely dominant week one performance. The Terps took on UConn at home and came away with an impressive 50-7 win. Sure UConn is an awful football program, but we saw how poorly Michigan State just did against a similar opponent.
Not only was the final score lopsided, but ever major statistical category was as well. Maryland doubled UConn in first downs and rushing yards, threw for nearly 400 passing yards and even won the turnover battle 3-0. The Terps also only had five penalties for 45 yards which is significantly better than MSU’s 12 for 140 yards against FAU.
Sure all of this took place against UConn, but it appears that Maryland is in a very good spot heading into this big week two matchup.
One thing that I thought would be a positive for Michigan State in this game is that Maryland is breaking in a new quarterback as well. The Terps’ quarterback, Billy Edwards Jr., went off against UConn and completed 20-of-27 passes for 311 yards and two touchdowns. He also is a capable runner and added 39 yards on the ground, so Michigan State will have its hands full on Saturday slowing him down.
The Terps don’t have one standout running back in the backfield, so that does benefit MSU. They do however have two solid backs in Roman Hemby and Nolan Ray who both ran for over 60 yards and one score each.
The one player however that Michigan State needs to pay the most attention to is wide receiver Tai Felton. He had one of the best Week 1 performances in the country as he recorded seven receptions for 178 yards and two touchdowns. Thankfully MSU’s defense and secondary looked much improved against FAU, so hopefully that carries over into this weekend’s matchup.
The opportunity in front of MSU on Saturday is massive. The Spartans are big underdogs in this matchup which they probably deserve, but a win would do wonders not just for the overall perception of the team but for their confidence moving forward.
I’ve got a strange feeling that we’re going to be very happy around 7 p.m. ET Saturday night.
Maryland
Maryland makes filing taxes online free for some
![Maryland makes filing taxes online free for some Maryland makes filing taxes online free for some](https://thebaltimorebanner.com/resizer/v2/VNZHS3ZRPZFIPLMIQSBCIVIK4M.jpg?auth=ff77372d15f6509b1a1f9c396b1babd2c44c98f67411941eae674ed3f248e4b4&width=657&smart=true&quality=85)
More than 700,000 Marylanders should be able to file their state and federal income tax returns online for free next year, saving residents hours of work and hundreds of dollars on tax software and prep services.
Maryland joined dozens of states Wednesday in a voluntary federal program called Direct File after a test run received positive reviews and showed possible cost savings. Filing paper returns by mail will still be an option.
“It’s unacceptable that Marylanders should have to pay any portion whatsoever of their refund or paycheck to fulfill a mandatory requirement like filing tax returns,” Maryland Comptroller Brooke Lierman said at a news conference in Annapolis.
The first-term Democrat called the program a game changer for Maryland taxpayers that will modernize her agency. It targets low-to-moderate earners with relatively simple tax returns, and is expected to expand over time.
Lierman’s office will partner with the nonprofit Code for America to integrate the Maryland tax filing system into Direct File. Eligibility requirements will be announced in January, the comptroller’s office said.
Gov. Wes Moore, State Treasurer Dereck E. Davis, members of Maryland’s congressional delegation, U.S. Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo and nonprofit partners joined Lierman for the announcement.
Funds from the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 helped build and test the system. The IRS and Treasury Department then invited states to participate.
The IRS has been considering a free e-filing option for low-income American taxpayers for decades, according to the Congressional Research Service. When tax prep companies pushed back, the federal government agreed not to compete with them if they provided free help and e-filing to low-earning taxpayers.
However, many qualified taxpayers were pushed toward paid services, according to an investigation by nonprofit news outlet ProPublica.
The IRS piloted Direct File in 12 states this year. Filers used a laptop, tablet, cellphone or other device to submit income returns and request certain tax credits offered to low-earning individuals and families.
In a survey, nine out of 10 Direct File users ranked their experience as “Excellent” or “Above Average.”
U.S. Rep Steny Hoyer, a Democrat representing Maryland’s 5th District, called paying taxes the “price of our democracy.”
“We ought to make it as easy as possible for people to comply with a legal obligation that they have to support their country, their state and their communities,” he said. “And this system of Direct File does that.”
Robin McKinney, CEO and co-founder of CASH Campaign of Maryland, said easy, free online filing makes the government work more efficiently for citizens and should deliver refunds and credits to taxpayers faster.
McKinney’s nonprofit promotes economic advancement for low- to moderate-income Marylanders and provides free tax help, among other services.
Economic Security Project, a nonprofit that advocates for guaranteed income and economic equity for working families, found that adopting Direct File could mean $355 million in costs and time saved for Maryland’s low- to moderate-earners.
Maryland recently has expanded tax credits for working families, but about $152 million goes unclaimed each year, according to the Security Project’s analysis.
They also estimated that about $148 million could be saved in filing fees and $56 million could be saved in time spent filing taxes.
That money could have gone into Marylanders’ pockets, CASH Campaign’s McKinney said, and it could have gone back into the state’s economy.
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