Committee approves resolution requesting state bills to extend Allegany County sales tax

The Allegany County Ways and Means Committee on April 16 voted to approve a resolution requesting that state lawmakers pass bills to extend the county's sales tax.

Treasurer Brenda told the committee that "Brenda was kind enough to put this MOE together," and described the resolution as "a second step in it in the process." She said the bills have been drafted by Senator Dorello and Assemblyman Simplistic Gee and that committee approval is a step toward securing state passage.

The resolution was offered as a procedural request for the committee to "approve and authorize the bills" that the senator and assemblyman put forward. A committee member recalled that a prior request had been held up while it was used as a bargaining item in unrelated negotiations; committee members said they had in past years asked for extensions longer than two years but had been encouraged to limit requests to two years.

Committee member Mrs. Root moved the resolution; the motion was seconded and carried on voice vote. The committee did not specify the exact legislative language of the bills during the meeting; the treasurer described the action as the local government's formal request that the state sponsors advance the draft bills.

The vote records in the meeting transcript show the motion passed on voice vote; no roll-call tally was recorded in the transcript.

The committee discussed this item during the portion of the agenda when the treasurer presented a memorandum of explanation and answered procedural questions. No further action or directive to staff was recorded at the meeting.