Maryland

Maryland’s 6% sales tax is due for an expansion, top legislative leader says

Published

2 years ago

March 11, 2024

Maryland’s 6% sales tax is due for an expansion, top legislative leader says

A serious conversation about expanding Maryland’s 6% sales tax is not just financially prudent but also “morally responsible” because lawmakers have already approved billions in public education spending without a way to pay for it, a top Democratic leader said Monday.

The change — which, as introduced, would actually lower the tax to 5% while expanding it to additional goods and services — is promised to fail in the Maryland General Assembly session scheduled to end April 8.

But House Majority Leader David Moon said his plan to raise up to $3 billion through the sales tax change is intended to launch a debate on how lawmakers can address a ballooning budget deficit while also keeping its commitment to the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future.

Legislators approved the education plan in 2020 without a full funding mechanism, and the billions of dollars in annual costs are in question after funding runs out in three years.

“I was among those who was resistant to the concept of us voting for all that Blueprint spending, the public education investment, which is what it is, and then leaving town without also simultaneously voting in the way to pay for it,” Moon, who voted for the Blueprint, said in a House Ways and Means Committee hearing on his bill. “Now here we are. We split the votes up, so folks got to take the freebie and vote for the education spending and we are left to have the adult conversation about what to do next.”

Moon’s plan elicited fierce opposition from Republicans and a wide range of business owners who said everything from legal services to car washes would be newly subject to the sales tax. Educational and health services as well as religious and nonprofit organizations would continue to not be subject to the tax but everything else would be included unless otherwise exempted. That would mean new taxes on hair cuts, spas, veterinary services, financial services and much more, according to a legislative fiscal analysis.

Mike O’Halloran, a lobbyist in Maryland for the National Federation of Independent Business, was among many who told the committee the changes would severely impact small businesses and consumers.

“There is not a single aspect of Marylanders’ lives this tax hike wouldn’t touch. Things like cutting grass, cutting hair, even the clown sculpting balloon animals at the county fair, is getting hit by this,” O’Halloran said.

Importantly, opponents this year also include Senate President Bill Ferguson and Gov. Wes Moore, both Democrats who have said they do not want to consider broad-based tax hikes this year.

Their resistance means any changes to the sales tax — as well as a sweeping income and corporate tax hike known as the Fair Share for Maryland Act — are on track to come up short this session.

Still, House Democrats have taken a more aggressive approach. The state is facing a more-than $3 billion structural deficit within four years, a problem that worsened just last week with a $255 million lowering of expectations for revenue. Another $3.3 billion transportation shortfall is putting at risk upcoming infrastructure improvements across the state.

“We just have to have the tough discussions and figure it out quite frankly,” House Ways and Means Committee Chair Vanessa Atterbeary, a Howard County Democrat, said in the hearing Monday.

Moore, Ferguson and other Senate Democrats have not ruled out tax increases in future years.

The governor’s own top legislative advisor, former Democratic House Majority Leader Eric Luedtke, was the last prime sponsor of the sales tax plan that Moon introduced this year.

Luedtke’s bill in 2020 similarly featured a protracted, opposition-fueled hearing in Annapolis and then did not pass out of committee. In both that year and now, no senator has proposed a similar bill in their chamber, another sign of the legislation’s slim chances.

Moon, of Montgomery County, is in his first year as the leader of the House of Delegates’ supermajority of Democrats.

Fielding a litany of questions about services that could be taxed, Moon said he took the broadest possible approach to start but that he’s open to significant changes, including exemptions for vital services like housing construction or funeral costs.

“Should we pull ‘death taxes’ out of there? I don’t like the sound of that. So sure, throw that on the chopping block,” Moon said, responding to a question from Baltimore County Republican Del. Bob Long about the potential sales tax on funeral services. “Again, this is the conversation we need to have.”

One amendment Moon is proposing immediately would exempt business services where the customer is another business, a change that would cut the largest portion of the proposed new revenue but that could limit the downstream effects on consumers, he said. That would result in something of a “middle option” for revenue. An even lighter option, he said, would be an approach where lawmakers selectively add services that could be taxed rather than starting broadly and exempting others.

Those kinds of details will likely have to be sorted out in the coming years, if at all, as Democrats who control both chambers and the governor’s office work out how to solve the budget problems.

Moore’s $63.1 billion spending plan for the fiscal year beginning July 1 intends to balance the budget by cutting some programs, pulling from reserves and borrowing more. Senate leaders who had the first crack at amending that plan presented their version Friday with no major changes. They’re expected to pass it to the House this week and then negotiate a final product before the annual session ends next month.

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Maryland

Authorities arrest TikTok user accused of issuing terror-linked threats in Maryland

Published

13 hours ago

November 19, 2025

Press Room

Authorities arrest TikTok user accused of issuing terror-linked threats in Maryland

BALTIMORE (WBFF) — Federal authorities have arrested a Florida man accused of using TikTok to issue violent threats while he was living in Maryland, according to an indictment unsealed Wednesday by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland.

Arsham Rashidi Dizajgan, 27, of Gainesville, Florida, has been charged with six counts of transmitting threats to injure another person across interstate or foreign commerce.

Dizajgan was taken into custody in Gainesville on the same day the indictment was unsealed.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Jason Carley, FBI – Jacksonville Field Office; Police Chief Amal E. Awad, Anne Arundel County Police Department (AACOPD); and Chief of Police Nelson Moya, Gainesville Police Department (GPD).

Threats to the safety and security of American citizens will not be tolerated, particularly when such threats adopt the language and tactics of violent extremists and foreign terrorist organizations,” Hayes said, via press release. “We will investigate and prosecute such violations to the fullest extent of the law.

According to the indictment, Dizajgan lived in Arnold, Maryland, from September 2024 through March 2025.

During that period, he allegedly used TikTok to post photos and videos of Americans with upside-down red triangles placed over their heads — an image federal prosecutors say is used in Hamas propaganda videos to mark impending targets.

ALSO READ | Baltimore man sentenced to 13 years in prison for conspiring to distribute cocaine

The indictment states that these posts were accompanied by threatening language.

The FBI takes all threats seriously and will investigate each and every potential threat brought to our attention,” Paul said, via press release. “Swift collaboration between the FBI’s Baltimore and Jacksonville Field Offices, as well as the Anne Arundel County and Gainesville Police Departments, led to this arrest. We continue to encourage the public to report any concerning messages to law enforcement.

Authorities also allege that during the same timeframe, Dizajgan posted additional content condemning Americans and non-Muslims and praising violence against them.

This arrest reflects our unwavering commitment to protecting our communities,” Carley said, via press release. “When an individual uses social media to issue violent threats and signals support for a foreign terrorist organization, the FBI will hold that individual accountable. We take these threats seriously and will move quickly to ensure online rhetoric does not turn into real-world harm.

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If convicted, Dizajgan faces federal penalties for each of the six counts.

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Maryland

Maryland High School Football Playoffs See Game Result Changed

Published

1 day ago

November 18, 2025

Press Room

Maryland High School Football Playoffs See Game Result Changed

The use of an ineligible player has knocked one Maryland high school football team from the postseason and given another new life.

Middletown High School was set to compete in the next round of the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association playoffs this coming week after besting Liberty, 51-7.

However, the use of an ineligible player has resulted in the Knights being forced to forfeit the victory, sending Liberty to the next round of the 2A/1A championship bracket.

Frederick News-Post reported the decision after receiving an email from the Middletown school district.

“We recognize that this news is disappointing for our student-athletes, families and community,” the email from Middletown High School read. “Please know that our foremost priority is to uphold the principles of integrity, sportsmanship and full compliance with FCPS and state athletic guidelines.

“It was recently discovered that an ineligible MHS student-athlete inadvertently participated in the game. Upon identifying the issue, the school immediately reported the concern to FCPS.”

From there, the FCPS sent the violation to the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association, who made the ultimate decision.

Middletown confirmed they will not file an appeal, as “playoff games are not eligible for appeal” according to the MPSSAA.

For Middletown, they end the season 8-3 overall. They had won three in a row and five of six prior to the official change of the win over Liberty to a forfeit loss.

The Knights had dropped a 17-14 decision at Frederick and a 56-42 contest with Linganore on the road.

Middletown has not had a losing record since 2014, when they went 4-6 overall. Current head coach Andy Baker came on in 2024, going 9-3 overall with two playoff wins before they lost to Patuxent, 42-13.

Liberty posted a 23-21 win in the opening round of the playoffs over Williamsport, as they won three straight down the stretch of the regular season before a loss in the finale to Century, 13-8.

The Lions are in their first year under Marcel Fraser, who replaced veteran head coach Lawrence Luthe.

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Maryland

Maryland grandparents allegedly shot dead by close business associate outraged over money dispute while on phone with 911

Published

2 days ago

November 18, 2025

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Maryland grandparents allegedly shot dead by close business associate outraged over money dispute while on phone with 911

A Maryland couple was allegedly murdered in their home by a business associate enraged over money, with one of the victims heard pleading for her life in a chilling 911 call.

William “Charlie” Hayes, 56, and his wife, Jeanna Hayes, 54, were found shot inside their Pasadena home in the Long Point community — about 15 miles outside Baltimore — on Sunday around 2 p.m., according to the Anne Arundel County Police Department.

In the moments leading up to the killing, a 911 call from the couple’s home revealed the woman pleading with a man she identified as “Tony” not to shoot her.

A short time later, the call captures the man quarreling with “Charlie” about money before gunshots erupt, CBS News reported. Additional shots rang out before everything suddenly fell quiet.

The couple — who owned a home improvement construction business based out of their house — were pronounced dead at the scene when first responders arrived.

Through the 911 call and “additional investigative means,” detectives quickly identified Anthony Louis Reyes, 61, a business associate and friend of the couple, as the suspect, police said.

Reyes’ vehicle was picked up by an automated license plate reader hours after the cold-blooded murders, and an officer pulled him over.

However, the 61-year-old suspect allegedly fled, triggering a dramatic police chase.

Anne Arundel County Police Lt. AJ Gardiner told CBS News that during the initial traffic stop, Reyes got into a short struggle with an officer, resulting in minor injuries.

Officers eventually made Reyes pull over after about a seven-minute chase and swiftly arrested him.

Reyes has been charged with first- and second-degree murder and related offenses, police said.

The alleged killer is currently being held without bond.

The officer injured during the first traffic stop was taken to a local hospital to be evaluated and later released.

Gardiner said the couple’s deaths appear to be a targeted attack, though investigators have not released information about a potential motive.

“This was a person who was known to the family, both personally and in business,” Lt. Gardiner said. “I don’t know of any issues.”

Gardiner noted that the 911 call could play a vital role in understanding the details of the tragic shooting.

“It’s unfortunate we weren’t here in time to prevent it, but the information that was relayed really led us to a position where we could start isolating other things,” he said.

Authorities also revealed that the couple’s adult granddaughter lived with them but wasn’t home during the shooting.

Toni Arnold, the father of the granddaughter, told CBS News the killings have left their family shaken.

“I just can’t believe somebody viciously murdered them in broad daylight,” Arnold said. “He didn’t deserve that. He took care of his wife; he took care of my daughter. It just breaks my heart.”

Kathy Nguyen, a nearby resident, said she heard the shots from her house just down the road.

“I heard a couple of pop noises. I heard, ‘pop, pop,’” Nguyen recalled, adding that she initially thought it was hunters in the nearby woods before realizing something was wrong.

“Lights and sirens, and then they started running toward the house with rifles, and I thought whatever is going on is not good,” Nguyen said. “And then when I heard about what happened, it shook me to my core.”

Anne Arundel County Police Chief Amal Awad said the double murder has rocked the “very close-knit community.”

“It’s just terribly horrific, especially right before the holiday season,” Awad told the outlet. “This is a very close-knit community. You can see it by how they have already started decorating for the holidays.”

Awad described Long Point as a quiet, low-crime community filled with waterfront homes, family houses, and cottages.

“We are very surprised to get a call like this here,” Awad said. “We know we have family members who are grieving tonight, and this entire community is grieving, and they are going to have to journey forward trying to make sense of what happened.”

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