Congressional Delegation Secures Funds for Lead Abatement
On Sept. 3, Maryland’s Democratic congressional delegation announced $332,000 for the Maryland Department of the Environment to identify and remove lead from drinking water in public schools.
The leaders announced the funding, meant to protect Maryland’s youngest residents, in a statement co-authored by U.S. Sens. Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Reps. Steny Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes Kweisi Mfume, Jamie Raskin, David Trone and Glenn Ivey (all D-Md.). They emphasize the funding as a victory for not only current students, but for the future of Maryland residents in general.
“Protecting our children’s health is essential, and that includes ensuring they have access to clean, lead-free drinking water at their schools and childcare centers. This federal investment will help our state accelerate efforts to find and replace dangerous lead pipes where Maryland kids are meant to learn and thrive – not face lifelong health risks from drinking water,” said the lawmakers in a joint statement. “With this critical work to increase access to clean water, we can keep students safer both today and in the future.”
Maryland Joins IRS Direct File Program, Providing Annual Savings for Eligible Tax Filers
For Marylanders who don’t want to pay for tax filing software, there will now be a free alternative available next year: IRS Direct File.
On Sep. 4, the Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced Maryland will be one of the nine new states entering the program in 2025.
As many as 700,000 people, mainly middle-income taxpayers with relatively simple tax forms, are estimated to be eligible for the new direct filing program, although the IRS and federal agencies are still working out the final details as it continues to expand nationwide.
“While we value our relationship with tax preparers and CPAs (certified public accountants), it’s unacceptable that Marylanders should have to pay any portion whatsoever of their refund or paycheck to fulfill a mandatory requirement like filing tax returns,” Maryland Comptroller Brooke Lierman said at a news conference announcing the program alongside Gov. Wes Moore (D) and Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo.
“Taxes are a part of the glue that keeps our state and our nation together, functioning, producing, protecting and thriving,” Lierman continued. “Yet in America, we make it uniquely challenging to pay those taxes and file a return, until now.”
IRS Direct File was only available in 12 states last year. 140,000 taxpayers used Direct File, and they saved an estimated $5.6 million through the free program. Unfortunately, Direct File is eyed for cuts by the Republican-controlled House of Representatives.
U.S. Senator Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) emphasized the importance of making the duty to file taxes easier.
“We ought to make it as easy as possible for people to comply with a legal obligation that they have to support their country, their state and their communities,” Hoyer said.
WSSC Ends Temporarily Imposed Water Restrictions in South County
Following repairs on an aging pipe beneath Dower House Road, 40,000 homes in South County were asked to limit their water usage to essential use for a bit last week. Rooting from work that started on Sept. 4, and ended early on Friday, Sept. 6, the water usage ordinance affected more than 100,000 residents and forced some business owners, like restaurant owner John Russo, to temporarily close their businesses.
Lyn Riggins of the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) noted that the fiber optic monitoring system indicated structural integrity issues with the pipe, requiring the work to begin.
After the advisory was lifted, officials with WSSC encouraged residents in the impacted area to flush their fridge lines and run a cold tap to ensure they don’t have discolored water.
This map shows the neighborhoods by the pipe removal. More information is available here.