FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - APRIL 9, 2001

MARYLAND CPR VOWS FIGHT
AGAINST MEDCO EXPANSION

NEW COALITION ANNOUNCES PETITION DRIVE
TO OVERTURN SB 486/HB 790

STATE-WIDE EFFORT FUNDED AND LAUNCHED

April 9, 2001 (Annapolis) - The Maryland Taxpayers Association and the grass roots group that overturned land confiscation measures last year in Baltimore county today announced they were forming Maryland CPR (Maryland Citizens for Property Rights), a state-wide coalition aimed at repealing emergency legislation that expands the authority of the state government's development agency.

The emergency legislation, SB 486/HB 790, grants new powers to the Maryland Economic Development Corporation, MEDCO, that allows MEDCO to compete directly with the private sector in any area, without legislative or legal restraint.

"With these new powers, not only can MEDCO pick economic winners and losers thanks to its ability to issue tax-free bonds," said MTA president Kenneth R. Timmerman. "It can condemn and confiscate private property anywhere in the state, for virtually any purpose, and then hand it over to its hand-picked private partner. We feel this is an outrageous abuse of state power." MEDCO was originally established to foster economic development in distressed areas in the state.

Maryland CPR announced today a state-wide petition drive aimed at overturning the MEDCO expansion by placing it on the ballot in November 2002.

"MTA is thrilled to join forces with the powerful grass roots coalition that defeated eminent domain (SB 509) in Baltimore County last year," said MTA President Kenneth R. Timmerman. "The expansion of MEDCO's authority is like SB 509 on steroids. Every property owner and citizen should be concerned about this vast expansion of state authority. This bill is bad for Maryland businesses, it is bad for Maryland families, and ultimately it is bad for Maryland jobs as it induces private corporations to flee the Free State."

Maryland CPR will be chaired by Timmerman and run by a steering committee including Noel Levy, Janice Hundt, Rick Impallaria and Kathleen Niedzwick of Citizens for Property Rights. Also serving on the Steering Committee are Charles Birney, a golf course operator who first challenged the MEDCO expansion last fall, and MTA Vice Presidents Richard Falknor and Demaris Hodges.
Several state legislators with previous experience in organizing state-wide petition drives have also pledged their support to Maryland CPR, as have numerous local chambers of commerce and business associations.

Maryland CPR has already identified more than 700 individuals who have agreed to circulate the petitions, in more than 4 counties. Under state law, no more than half the signatures required to qualify for a ballot referendum can come from a single county.

A total of qualified 46,128 signatures are required to submit the MEDCO bill to a popular referendum (3% of the number of Marylanders who voted in the last gubernatorial election). One-third of that number must be submitted to the State Board of Elections by midnight on May 31. The remainder must be received by the Board one month later.

If the petition drive is successful, MEDCO's expansion will be submitted to the voters in the general election of November 2002 as a ballot question. The wording of the question would be formulated by the state.

"Governor Parris Glendening can avoid the embarrassment and the expense of defending this bad legislation, which we feel the courts will find unconstitutional, by vetoing SB 486 today," said MTA president Kenneth R. Timmerman. "Failing that, Maryland CPR has the funding and the people to pursue this petition drive to success."

For interviews or more information please call:

• Kenneth R. Timmerman (MTA President): 301-946-2918 or Cell: 301-379-6756.
• Charlie Birney (Atlantic Golf - small business owner): 301-452-0012.
• Noel Levy (Citizens for Property Rights) 410-363-9040.

The Maryland Taxpayers Association, Inc. is the largest state-wide grass roots group representing the individual Taxpayer in Maryland.