Maryland's Agricultural Preservation program would be more efficient if property appraisals were valid for two years and applications were only taken once a year, farmers and agricultural planners told the House Appropriations Committee at a hearing Wednesday.
"The program almost died because of lack of money," said former Sen. James Clark, in support of a proposal to return the program to its original format. "But what little money we had has been wasted on appraisals."
Mr. Clark, a Howard County farmer, led the commission that created the Agricultural Preservation and Program Open Space programs in the 1970s.
During the 1980s, when program money was plentiful, the state administrator instituted a twice-a-year application cycle and required county program officials to submit only half their applications. As a result, properties were being appraised every six months at a cost of $1,200 to $1,800 each.
The new program deadlines also forced farmers to reapply during the second cycle, before they had heard whether they were accepted in the first cycle. The process normally takes 10 months from application to bidding, bill supporters said.
Because county offices must rank their applications and submit only half, new applicants won't sign up for the program unless their property is in the top 50 percent, leaving some properties permanently on the bottom.
"Farmers look at me and say, 'You need to get this fixed,' " said Melvin Baile Jr., a New Windsor grain farmer who is chairman of the Carroll County Agricultural Preservation Board.
The only opposition to the bill was from the Maryland Farm Bureau, which felt the 50 percent rule should stay in place to give program administrators a way to regulate how many applications they receive.
The limit also allows administrators to appraise only those properties they are likely to bid on, Farm Bureau representatives said.
"We think very definitely something needs to be done," said John "Jack" Miller of the Maryland Farm Bureau. "But we think that it is good business to keep the limit around as a permanent thing.
Insurance legislation due for vote today
A bill requesting insurance companies to notify claimants when a settlement check has been sent to their attorney is scheduled for a final vote in the House of Delegates today.
The proposal, submitted by Del. Richard N. Dixon, a Westminster Democrat, has been amended to make the notification voluntary at least five days after the payment has been sent.
Under other amendments proposed by members of the House Economic Matters Committee, the notification would only take place if authorized by the claimant's attorney. Mr. Dixon had suggested mandatory notification.
Supporters of the bill said such legislation would discourage unscrupulous lawyers from forging a client's settlement check and stealing the money.
In the past three years, the Clients' Security Trust Fund, which pays claims to people cheated by lawyers, has paid 82 clients whose attorneys stole their settlement checks, said Charles O. Fisher Sr., a trustee for the fund.
Opponents said the bill would cost insurers too much to implement.
Transportation plan gets mixed reviews
Private bus companies and taxicab drivers yesterday lauded a proposal to study turning some public transportation routes over to private industry.
But the resolution -- submitted by Del. Joseph M. Getty, a Manchester Republican -- received strong opposition from union bus drivers who said returning transportation to private companies would result in reduced service for customers.
Private bus companies responded that they are not seeking to replace the Mass Transit Administration, but to compete with it. dTC Supporters of the resolution said they can provide better service cheaper because competition forces them to cut costs.