tax credits

• Tax Credits

Tax tips just in time for the launch of filing season

Tax season officially kicks off Wednesday, later than usual because lawmakers only this month passed legislation to address expired tax cuts. The IRS needed time to update its forms and systems.

• Politics and Government

Warfield cottage nets state tax credits for renovation

• Tax Credits

Mayor plans to introduce tax program for city apartments

Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake is planning to introduce legislation to the City Council next week that will provide generous tax breaks to builders of apartment buildings downtown and in six other neighborhoods.

• Tax Credits

Five questions for ... Robin McKinney

Robin McKinney is the director and co-founder of the Maryland Creating, Assets, Savings and Hope (CASH) Campaign, which provides free tax preparation for low- to moderate-income households in the state.

• Arts and Culture

Delegation approves tax credit bill for Route 1 redevelopment

The Howard County Delegation Wednesday moved a bill forward establishing a tax credit for commercial redevelopment along Route 1, while delaying action on a bill authorizing union employees the right to unionize.

• Politics

Maryland budget reflects improving economy

Gov. Martin O'Malley released a $37.3 billion spending plan Wednesday that for the first time in recent years contains no drastic cuts or proposed tax increases.

• Politics

State budget has no tax increases, limited spending, leaders say

Budget gets good reviews from fiscal leaders

• Politics and Government

O'Malley readies new offshore wind bid

After being thwarted the past two years by skittish lawmakers, Gov. Martin O'Malley is preparing once again to introduce a bill aimed at planting mammoth wind turbines off Ocean City — and the measure may finally pass, thanks to a shake-up in a committee that stifled it last year.

• Baltimore County

Legislators to renew push for 'hybrid' school board this session

Towson-area legislators will be tackling issues both fresh and familiar during the 2013 legislative session, which begins on Wednesday, Jan. 9 in Annapolis.

• Tax Credits

Home assessment values drop in Joppatowne, Havre de Grace, northern Harford

Residential property values in the southwestern Route 40 areas of Harford County plummeted by 15 to 20 percent since 2009, while those in northern Harford and the Havre de Grace area dropped by an average of 7 percent, according to the latest round of property tax assessments.

• Opinion

Growing Baltimore

Last year Washington D.C. saw one of the largest population increases in its history; what can Baltimore learn from the District's growth spurt?

• Opinion

Fiscal cliff compromise signals trouble

The agreement between the president and Republicans in Congress over the fiscal cliff sets the stage for more damaging fights over federal spending and taxes.

• Politics

Senate approves 'fiscal cliff' deal, sends it to House

Hours before a midnight deadline would have ushered in an enormous tax hike on ordinary Americans, the White House reached a tentative deal with Congress on Monday to raise taxes on the wealthiest households while putting off tougher spending decisions for another battle in a couple of months.

• Politics and Government

A year of challenges for city residents

Baltimore residents have endured a year of challenges created by their city government. Water bills arrived in some mailboxes with erroneously exorbitant sums. Property tax bills similarly were miscalculated with homestead and other credits going to owners who didn't qualify for them.

• Tax Credits

As homestead tax credit deadline approaches, outreach intensifies

The deadline for homeowners to apply for the Homestead Tax Credit, which saved the average Baltimore homeowner more than $1,000 on this year's tax bill, is coming up Dec. 31. As the deadline gets nearer, real estate agents and community leaders are helping raise awareness of the impending deadline.

• Harford

Harford homeowners have until Dec. 31 to file for key state property tax break

Harford County homeowners who have not yet taken advantage of the Maryland Homestead Tax Credit must postmark their application to the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation by Dec. 31 or lose that benefit.

• Opinion

Don't make kids bear the brunt of the fiscal cliff

Children stand to lose the most from a deal to avert the fiscal cliff.

• Rentals

Developers eager to convert downtown office buildings to residences

Several developers have announced plans in the last few days to convert downtown commercial buildings into market-rate apartments, giving new life to buildings that were being underutilized.

• Startups

Grotech Ventures chosen to invest state money in Maryland startups

Grotech Ventures will be the first venture capital firm to invest in Maryland startup companies using $12 million in state money as part of the InvestMaryland program, state economic development officials said Wednesday.

• Environment

Congress urged to extend wind energy tax break

While politicians spar in Washington over how to keep the nation from going over a "fiscal cliff," environmental activists warn that the wind-energy industry faces its own cliff if Congress doesn't act soon to extend a federal tax break for turbine construction that expires at the end of the year.

• Foreclosures

Laurel City Council passes foreclosed home tax break

The Laurel city council unanimously approved an ordinance that offers residents who purchase foreclosed homes within the city limits a five year tax credit at its meeting on Monday, Nov. 26.

• Sun Investigates

Councilman wants answers from city on $1.5 million in excessive tax breaks

• Harford

Harford council hears support for 4 percent employee raise

The Harford County Council heard resounding support Tuesday for County Executive David Craig's proposed 4 percent merit increase for all county employees.

• Tax Credits

Congressional candidate profiles

• Movies

Levinson's latest is no Valentine to his hometown

Baltimore-born Oscar-winning director uses fact to create science fiction.

• Politics and Government

After 30 years, Rouse's Enterprise is adapting to financial challenges

Three decades into its mission, Enterprise has become an agenda-setter for the affordable housing community and it is responding to a challenging period by reassessing its goals and charting new paths to reach them.

• Tax Credits

City Council urges homeowners to apply for tax break

About 25,000 Baltimore homeowners who received the homestead property tax credit this year will lose the sometimes-large break if they don't apply for it by Dec. 31, the Baltimore City Council warned Monday.

• Howard County

County revenues on target for fiscal year

So far, Howard County is largely on track with revenue projections for this fiscal year, budget director Ray Wacks told the County Council Tuesday.

• Politics and Government

Council passes legislation on power reliability, tax credit, parking meters

The Howard County Council is the first county legislative body in the state to request the Maryland Public Service Commission to investigate electric power reliability in certain areas of Howard County and the first to institute a tax credit to encourage property owners to make their homes more accessible to seniors and persons with disabilities.

• Opinion

Maryland audit finds potentially $344,000 in improper unemployment benefits

Audit of Maryland's Division of Unemployment Insurance finds the deceased, prisoners and state workers improperly collecting benefits

• Politics and Government

Homestead credit penalty goes into effect this week

Beginning this week, Maryland's Department of Assessments and Taxation can begin penalizing homeowners who received, through deception, a homestead credit on this year's tax bill.

• Baltimore City

City sells Senator Theatre at $310,000 loss

Baltimore's spending panel agreed Wednesday to sell the historic Senator Theatre at a $310,000 loss — over the objections of the city's comptroller.

• Politics and Government

Homeowners' tax credit deadline extended

• Politics and Government

Senator Theatre sale, for $500,000, to be approved Wednesday

Senator Theatre's ownership is being transferred from Baltimore's ownership to that of the current operators.

• Politics and Government

Sarbanes wants to encourage grassroots funding of campaigns

U.S. Rep. John Sarbanes, a Towson Democrat who represents part of Howard County, has introduced a bill in Congress aimed to encourage politicians to choose to use grassroots donations to fund their campaigns instead of special interests.

• Tax Credits

'Huge drop' in funding for community development

It's getting tougher to redevelop neighborhoods in need of help. Baltimore got 30 percent less this year from two key federal programs for revitalization than it received before the recession, part of a nationwide reduction in aid for community development.

• Howard County

Universal design tax credit bill gains support at hearing

A bill to authorize property tax credit for homeowners installing certain universal design features within their homes received universal support at a County Council hearing Monday.

• Politics

City Council gives preliminary approval to Harbor Point tax break

Mosby, Stokes vote against deal

• Politics and Government

Sparrows Point assistance events draw hundreds

More than 700 people turned out for workshops Tuesday intended to connect laid-off Sparrows Point workers and contractors with health insurance, training and other aid.

• Tax Credits

Terrasa's bill would authorize tax credit for homeowners using universal design

Terrasa said the tax credit is aimed to help households that would like to provide more accommodations for seniors or individuals with disabilities. She said it will be a good resource for families caring for relatives or seniors seeking to age in place.

• Tax Credits

Perryville mayor, commissioners consider supporting proposed housing development

A housing development is being proposed for a property behind Perryville town hall on Otsego Street that would utilize Department of Housing Community Development grants.

• Politics and Government

Harford Humane Society starts fundraising for new building

After more than 50 years in the same building, the Harford County Humane Society is working toward a new shelter.

• Sun Investigates

Search is on after Baltimore agency can't locate tax credit records

For weeks city and state officials have been on a scavenger hunt. Their goal: To track down documents, if they exist, showing that 76 property owners in Baltimore have been legitimately receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars in discounts on local property tax bills.

• Tax Credits

Talk of D.C. commuter tax finds opposition in Maryland

Talk in Congress of letting the District of Columbia tax commuters is getting a cool reception in Maryland.

• Politics and Government

Hearing set for Wednesday night on Harbor Point tax credit

The Baltimore Development Corp. is to hold a hearing Wednesday evening to discuss whether Harbor Point, the future home of Exelon Corp., should be included in a state-wide property tax program.

• Harford

HCC will have little liability, likely energy savings with solar panel deal, college officials say

If Harford Community College's trustees approve a proposed power purchase agreement Monday evening, solar panels installed on rooftops of several building will result in very little financial liability for the institution but potentially large savings on the college's energy bills, HCC officials say.

• Education

Harford CC nearing complex deal for solar panels to cut energy bills

Harford Community College looking into partnership with solar energy company to install solar panels

• Politics and Government

Political Notebook: Grading Howard's state legislators

Instead of being graded on their academic performance by teachers, state lawmakers are graded on their voting records by various interest groups.

• Sun Investigates

Baltimore historic tax credits continue to show errors

The ink was barely dry on Baltimore City¿s new property tax bills when we spotted fresh errors in the way some historic tax credits were recently calculated.

• Tax Credits

Baltimore condos' tax bills increase in a big way

The tax bills on unsold condos at two luxury complexes in Baltimore just increased nearly $2.3 million, courtesy of assessments that acknowledge the units exist.