Local News

Annapolis Winners And Losers

How did the Jewish community do this year in the General Assembly?

The 2008 General Assembly adjourned at midnight last Monday, April 7, in a flurry of last-minute voting.

During the course of the 90-day session, the Baltimore Jewish Times followed bills of interest to the Jewish community. Bills must pass in both the Senate and the House of Delegates before going to the governor for his signature.

Here’s a quick wrap-up:

Taste Of Success

Iran divestment was the top priority of Maryland Jewish Alliance, the lobbying group representing the Jewish federations of Baltimore and Washington, D.C., and their agencies, including the Baltimore Jewish Council.

The Senate passed its Iran divestment bill, but the House bill sat in committee until seemingly the last minute. Eventually, though, the committee passed it to the House, which approved it in the waning days of the session.

“We are extremely pleased that we have been able to work with the legislature and community leaders to secure what we believe is the strongest Iran bill in the country,” said Dr. Arthur Abramson, BJC executive director.

David Conn, deputy director of the BJC, declared the 2008 legislative session the “most successful in the history” of the MJA. Not only did the alliance’s policy priorities — such as the Iran divestment and non-discrimination in insurance bills — pass but the MJA successfully advocated for funding for Jewish agencies and services in a tough economic environment.

Mr. Conn estimated that $6 million in funding went directly to Jewish agencies affiliated with the Baltimore and Washington federations.

Among the highlights of the $31.2 billion budget passed by the legislature:

• Up to $250,000 for Weinberg Village V senior housing on the Owings Mills Jewish Community Center campus;
• Up to $320,000 for Sinai Hospital of Baltimore;
• $150,000 for the Maryland/Israel Development Center, a 50 percent increase from last year;
• $500,000 for Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities (NORCs) in Baltimore and Washington;
• Up to $2 million in capital funding for three agencies of the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington, D.C., including for senior facilities;
• $75,000 for refugees resettlement;
• And various funding for the Jewish Museum of Maryland, the Gordon Center for Performing Arts and Baltimore Hebrew University.

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