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Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Lawmakers approve tuition break for illegal immigrants, new sales tax on alcohol



Maryland's Democratic General Assembly passed a pair of historic — and divisive — measures in the final hours of the 2011 legislative session Monday night, increasing the tax on alcohol for the first time in more than a generation and making Maryland the 11th state to extend in-state college tuition breaks to illegal immigrants.

Gov. Martin O'Malley, a Democrat, has said he approves of both plans; his first round of bill signings is set for Tuesday.

Beginning July 1, the sales tax for beer, wine and spirits would jump from 6 percent to 9 percent, raising an estimated $85 million per year. Lawmakers chose to dedicate the funds to school construction and aid to Baltimore and Prince George's County, as well as to programs for the developmentally disabled.   > > > >   Read More