House Appropriations Committee approves capital budget with last-minute reallocations

The House Appropriations Committee approved the capital budget after adopting a series of late amendments that reallocated funding among several capital projects.

Committee members moved to cut $3,000,000 from the Inner Harbor Promenade, leaving $35,000,000 for that program, and to move $3,000,000 to a science center project. The subcommittee also approved new or adjusted allocations that included $250,000 for a CHIME project, $250,000 for the Chaney Cares Community Center, a net $300,000 allocation for Music City (after a $100,000 reduction), a $140,000 reduction for ATC noting the senate is expected to fund that item, $240,000 for the Hagerstown Visitor Center and other local allocations described on the subcommittee tally sheet.

Members discussed additional minor clean-up amendments and noted that two larger items — funding for a Holocaust memorial and funds for student housing on the University of Maryland Eastern Shore campus (UMES Medco) — would be addressed by the Senate and were not adopted in this session. Committee staff and budget analysts were credited for preparing the package on short notice.

The chair called the roll on the motion to adopt the capital budget after the amendments. The roll-call record in the transcript shows the following votes: Chair Chang (yes); Vice Chair Lewis (yes); Delegate Stephanie Smith (yes); Delegate Emily Shetty (yes); Delegate Courtney Watson (yes); Delegate Jared Solomon (yes); Delegate Jefferson L. Grice (yes); Delegate Julian Ivey (yes); Delegate Jones (yes); Delegate McCaskill (yes); Delegate Ruff (yes); Delegate McComas (no); Delegate Beauchamp (yes); Delegate Schindler (yes); Delegate Maggione (no); Delegate Hinebaugh (yes); Delegate Acevedo (yes); Delegate Mascara (yes); Delegate Edelson (yes); Delegate Harris (yes); Delegate Forbes (yes). The motion passed.

The adopted packet includes numerous line-item shifts described by the subcommittee: changes to local cost-share language in the agency supplemental capital grant program; narrative requests for reports on projects in certain site-improvement programs; funding reductions for several university building projects replaced with special funds; and reallocations within housing and community development programs, including transfers from a regional neighborhood initiative to a National Capital strategic fund. Additional details and project-by-project allocations are recorded in the subcommittee’s packet and separate tally sheets.

Committee members emphasized that some corrections and additional items will be carried to the Senate. The committee adjourned after completing the votes and scheduling follow-up work for the Senate consideration of the two items noted as not adopted.