Stop corporate welfare

Dear Max,

I wish Lockheed Martin’s attempt to shake down Maryland taxpayers were an April Fool’s Day Joke, but it’s not. We won a partial victory but need to keep up the pressure.

Jean Athey of Montgomery County Peace Action (and our national board co-chair!) provides this update:

The Maryland House Ways and Means Committee considered the Lockheed Martin tax exemption bill last Thursday. Senator Nancy King brought the Senate version to the House stripped of the provision that would have required Montgomery County to refund $1.4 million hotel taxes already paid to the County by Lockheed Martin.

That’s a partial, but significant, victory!

However, starting in June, the bill would exempt Lockheed Martin hotel guests from the 7% hotel tax paid by every other hotel guest in the County. This will cost Montgomery County about a half million dollars each year.

Unlike all the other bills considered by the House committee Thursday, this one generated a lot of questions from the committee.

Why? Because our protests have shined a spotlight on Lockheed Martin's greedy attempt to dodge taxes.

Call House Speaker Mike Busch: express your disapproval of SB 631/HB 815, the Lockheed Martin corporate welfare bill: (410) 841-3800.

Unfortunately, Sen. King, who is the Senate sponsor of the "Lockheed Martin tax dodging" bill, put the Lockheed Martin spin on it.

Whenever a committee member raised a question that she couldn't answer, Sen. King would turn to someone in the audience for help--we assume that was a Lockheed Martin lobbyist.

We hope Committee Chair Sheila Hixson, will stay true to her word and not bring the bill up for a vote, in which case the bill is dead for this year.

But she may get strong pressure from Mike Busch, speaker of the House, and/or Governor Martin O’Malley, and Lockheed Martin.

Call Ways and Means Committee Chair Sheila Hixson (410) 841-3469.: Tell her to stand firm against (and let her know your opposition to) this handout to Lockheed Martin and not bring the bill up for a vote.

Humbly for Peace,

Kevin Martin

Executive Director

Take Action:

Call House Speaker Mike Busch: express your disapproval of SB 631/HB 815, the Lockheed Martin corporate welfare bill: (410) 841-3800.

And call Ways and Means Committee Chair Sheila Hixson (410) 841-3469.: Tell her to stand firm against (and let her know your opposition to) this handout to Lockheed Martin and not bring the bill up for a vote.






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