Follow Me on Social Media - Week 8 Update

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​Legislative News

We are over halfway through the 2019 legislative session.  The work really heats up from here.
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If you are a student in District 16 heading to college, please take a look at http://www.marckorman.com/scholarship for information about my legislative scholarship.  The scholarship is available to those going to schools in Maryland or those studying a unique major elsewhere that is not available in Maryland.
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One of the most consistent questions I receive is about the funding of the Maryland state pension.  Local media will occasionally cover the fate of a $75 million supplemental payment the state sometimes makes to the pension fund, but rarely notes the state's annual acturially required contribution that next year will exceed $1.6 billion.  The state funded ratio (the percentage of the total obligation currently funded) has steadily risen to 71.6% over the past few years and is projected to reach 80%--the desired minimum funding ratio from bond rating agencies--in 2026.
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Last week I presented the Energy Storage Pilot Project Act (HB 650) to the Economic Matters Committee.  The legislation will enact pilot programs for energy storage devices, which have many applications to strengthen and improve our electric grid including improving the effectiveness of intermittent renewables such as wind and solar.

Metro

For the past four years, I would "crash" the Appropriations Subcommittee on the Environment and Transportation budget hearing on Metro.  Today, I was able to attend as a member of the subcommittee.  The hearing featured testimony from our state budget analyst, the Secretary of Transportation, and the Metro General Manager.  You can read the budget analysis the non-partisan Department of Legislative Services prepared here.

Community News

• One of the more exciting constituent service issues I have dealt with is visiting units of the National Park Service with Mikah Meyer, a constituent on a quest to visit all 418 units of the National Park System.  In 2016, at the beginning of his trip, I hiked in the C&O Canal National Historical Park with him.  Last week, we visited the Clara Barton House in Glen Echo.  Mikah is scheduled to finish his tour of all the sites this April.​
• Michael Lemov of District 16 recently wrote an op-ed in the Baltimore Sun regarding Congress' brain drain.

Community Events

• The Walter Johnson High School Used Book Sale is on March 2nd (9am-4pm) and March 3rd (9am-3pm) at the school.
• The Bethesda-Chevy Chase Democratic Breakfast Club will next meet on Monday, March 4th at 7:30am.  Their guest will be County Executive Marc Elrich.  Meetings are at the Original Pancake House in Bethesda.
• Bethesda Urban Partnership's annual Bernard Ebb Award for songwriting awards will be held on Friday, March 8th at 7:30pm at the Bethesda Blues & Jazz Supper Club.  Tickets are available at https://www.bethesda.org/bethesda/bernard-ebb-songwriting-awards.
• The Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School Used Book Sale will be held on March 9th (10am-5pm) and March 10th (10am-3pm) at the school.
• On Monday, March 11th from 6:30pm to 8:30pm, Councilman Craig Rice, Montgomery County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Jack Smith, and Montgomery College President Dr. DeRionne Pollard will host an education forum at Bethesda Chevy Chase High School.
• The Bethesda Chevy Chase Educational Foundation will hold its annual Wine, Chocolate, and Cheese Fundraiser on Thursday, March 14th starting at 7pm at the Woman's Club of Chevy Chase.  You can find more information here: http://bccedfoundation.org/about-the-foundation/
• On April 5th and 6th, the Bethesda Urban Partnership will host the annual Bethesda Film Fest.  Details are at https://www.bethesda.org/bethesda/bethesda-film-fest.
• On Thursday, April 19, the State Highway Administration will be holding a meeting regarding the I-495/I-270 widening proposal.  The meeting will be held at Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School.  The meeting time is TBA.

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​If you know of a District 16 resident who merits recognition or condolences or an upcoming event, please email marc@marckorman.com.