civil and public service

Maryland regulators have launched an investigation into the practices of several energy suppliers in the wake of winter rate spikes that drew howls from customers.

Supporters and opponents of plans to export liquefied natural gas from a Southern Maryland facility flooded state regulators with more than 60,000 letters Wednesday, the deadline for public comments on one aspect of the proposal.

There's a lot less to the 15.7 percent wage increase due Maryland lawmakers than meets the eye

The Maryland Public Service Commission (PSC) currently has an opportunity to ensure that Maryland consumers are not on the hook to pay for hundreds of millions of dollars in subsidized electricity that will be generated at Competitive Power Ventures' (CPV) St. Charles facility. The PSC should act in the best interest of Maryland consumers and repeal the subsidies.

Higher energy use — and rate spikes for some — increase costs, one ripple among many from the unusual winter

Nayab Siddiqui filed for a delegate seat in Howard County's District 13 on the day of the filing deadline. But, he said, he has been thinking about taking on a role in public service for much longer than that.

The popular ride share company Uber began urging Baltimore users this month to help "save" it, declaring that "Uber's future in Maryland is in jeopardy." Uber's PR campaign was spurred by regulators wading into the same controversy that already hit cities across the county as Uber and other technology-fueled ride sharing companies disrupt the local taxi cab market.

Federal employment is expected to drop sharply in the span of a decade, government projections show, as budget cuts and retirements begin to reshape the workforce.

Maryland officials Friday ordered Starion Energy PA Inc., a Connecticut-based company licensed to sell electricity in parts of Maryland, to pay $350,000 for multiple violations of state law, including more than 100 instances in which it enrolled, or re-enrolled customers without consent.

Raise or no, federal employees still have it better than many others in the private and public sectors

Proposed compliance board can ensure that state government's public records are made available to all

However, when the most popular library in Prince George's County reopens later this year after a $14 million expansion and renovation project, it may have a different name, much to the dismay of Mayor Craig Moe.

Maryland regulators said Wednesday that utility customers who don't want smart meters will need to pay both upfront and monthly to forgo the technology, though the fees are lower than what the utility companies asked for.

After a year of sequestration, furloughs and a partial government shutdown, half of the federal workforce is considering leaving for the private sector, a marketing firm has found.

The GOP GOP should present a united front on expansion of the Maryland Small Business Development Financing Authority

More than 500 people rallied Thursday in Baltimore against plans to export liquefied natural gas from a southern Maryland facility, chanting and carrying signs past the office tower where state regulators were considering one aspect of that proposal.

A Senate committee voted to approve Gov. Martin O'Malley's nomination of a former employee of a New Jersey utility company to the Public Service Commission over the protest of a group of Montgomery County consumers.

Maryland regulators said Wednesday that they will allow Baltimore Gas and Electric Co. to charge gas customers a monthly fee to pick up the pace of replacing aging pipes — the first such surcharge in the state.

Conveniently, the local delegation to Annapolis should have no trouble taking no action as it is the one area in which it excels.

The state's utility regulators are asking Marylanders to conserve energy as demand caused by the cold snap puts extra pressure on the region's power grid.

Roughly 54,000 state employees are switching to a cloud-based e-mail and scheduling system provided by tech giant Google — making Maryland the largest state in the nation to rely on the ubiquitous search engine firm for its email, scheduling and document sharing.

It may come to pass that a dedicated fire tax is needed in Harford County, but without a greater level of public financial accountability on the part of the fire companies, levying such a tax would be foolish.

Term limits would be welcome in Maryland.

Gov. Martin O'Malley brought in $150,000 in 2012, just a fraction of a percent of the more than $2 million each that Terps football coach Randy Edsall and men's basketball coach Mark Turgeon pulled in, according to a salary database.

Can't anybody here play this game?

Jaffe: Abolish the Public Service Commission

A group headed by a Republican who plans to run in next year's gubernatorial election is blaming Gov. Martin O'Malley for rising utility costs, echoing one of O'Malley's campaign tactics against his predecessor.

Maryland regulators Friday approved a rate increase on Baltimore Gas and Electric Co. customers that was less than half of what the company had requested, and also gave the go-ahead for a monthly surcharge on electric bills over the protests of consumer advocates.

Although modest in scope and punitive to federal workers and the jobless, Congress should approve Murray-Ryan bipartisan budget plan

Since 2010, about 400 Marylanders complained to state regulators about property damage they said utility companies or their contractors caused, from scratched driveways and dug-up lawns to fried appliances. Opportunities for more damage are poised to mount as electric and gas utilities pick up the pace of infrastructure work.

It is fitting that Thanksgiving Day will be Helen Delich Bentley's birthday. Among our other blessings we should be thankful that our nation was blessed with this remarkable combination of toughness, character and kindness that is the lady from Baltimore.

Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake recently spoke the plain truth: "You can't grow jobs with slow Internet." This simple statement is the best explanation for why Baltimore is examining how it can use existing city assets and smart investments in the near future to expand access to fast, affordable, and reliable Internet access. It is also a slap across Comcast's face.

Henry A. Minch, a retired assistant chief engineer who worked for the state Public Service Commission and World War II veteran, died Nov. 15 from heart failure at College Manor Nursing Home in Lutherville. He was 92.

John F. Kennedy's call to public service produced one of Maryland's most accomplished generations of political leaders.

On Nov. 13 Melbourne died in Ocean City, Md. He was 84. A viewing at Donaldson Funeral Home in Laurel was held Sunday, with a funeral service held on Monday. Melbourne was buried at the Maryland National Memorial Cemetery in Laurel.

Harford County is set to join the growing list of jurisdictions that will be getting BGE smart meters, officials from the electric company told the County Council on Tuesday.

Baltimore should coordinate with the Public Service Commission to resolve its dispute with city cab drivers over the new 25-cent per passenger tax

In an act of civil disobedience, a broad coalition of taxi, limo and sedan companies in Baltimore say they refuse to pay a new city tax on the industry.

Brown to accept AFSCME endorsement

Councilwoman Holton's plan would allow new workers who earn less than $40K to keep a traditional pension

As a Middle River Volunteer Fire Co. decides to run ads on the sides of fire trucks, our opinion is that the stature earned on the job by emergency service workers who sometimes risk their lives should not become a commodity.

Baltimore Gas and Electric Co.'s third request for higher rates in as many years brought out zero customers to offer their opinions to state regulators Monday night.

As more customers and companies jump into Maryland's electricity-purchase market, problems and outright scams are mounting. But the options for getting a good deal on power are rising, too.

As the government shutdown drama was playing out in Washington, James Ward Morrow was shocked by some of the rhetoric he heard

State regulators are now deep into the details of Baltimore Gas and Electric Co.'s request for higher rates, a case expected to wrap up by the end of the year — 10 months after the last increase went into effect.

What young person would want to serve in government — much less run for office — after witnessing the debacle in Washington?

Federal agencies keep track of popcorn production and wallpaper sales, but figuring out exactly how many government employees have been furloughed by the shutdown in a state turns out to be a far trickier task.

As agencies sent nonessential employees home, unions and other advocates for federal employees warned that the seemingly endless succession of fiscal crises and cuts is threatening the ability of the government to recruit and retain the best talent.