Comptroller Lierman Releases Legislative Agenda
Comptroller's bills would modernize the state's financial systems, create the Office of Taxpayer Advocate, and provide tax parity for delayed unemployment payments
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (March 1, 2023) - Yesterday afternoon, Comptroller Brooke Lierman and policy stakeholders gathered to discuss her legislative agenda and how it would benefit Maryland taxpayers in the Assembly Room of the Louis L. Goldstein Treasury Building.
Speakers included: Robin McKinney, MSW, Co-Founder and CEO of the CASH Campaign of Maryland; Giavante’ Hawkins, Executive Director of the Maryland Society of Accounting and Tax Professionals; Pablo Blank, Immigration Integration and National Service -AmeriCorps- leader at CASA de Maryland; Amanda Rodriguez, Esq., Executive Director of TurnAround Inc; and Benjamin Orr, Founder, President and CEO of the Maryland Center on Economic Policy. Other guests included Beverly Winstead of IRS Help Attorneys, Tammy Bresnahan of the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), and Stacey Mink of The Impact Project.
The Comptroller’s legislative priorities include three bills:
21st Century Financial Systems Council-Establishment HB709 / SB659
Brought by the Comptroller in partnership with the Treasurer and Secretary of Budget & Management, this legislation will create a directive to investigate, adopt, and implement a new general accounting system for the entire state government. Maryland has one of the oldest accounting and payment processing systems in the country and needs to begin a thoughtful but expedient process to replace this outdated system to guarantee continued service to vendors, businesses, and non-profits who rely on timely state agency payments as well as to balance the state’s checkbooks every year.
The Supporting All Taxpayers Act of 2023 HB707 / SB660
Unlike neighboring states and the federal government, Maryland does not have a designated department committed to helping taxpayers and their elected representatives utilize the resources available within the Office of the Comptroller to resolve tax problems. This legislation establishes an Office of the State Taxpayer Advocate within the Comptroller's Office and provides at least six staff members to assist Marylanders with timely resolutions to tax issues and work to identify and address systemic challenges to efficient tax processing and problem resolution for Marylanders.
Tax Parity for Delayed Unemployment Insurance Payments HB708 / SB661
The RELIEF Act of 2021, as written, did not anticipate delays at the Maryland Department of Labor, causing benefits earned during calendar years 2020 and 2021 to result in payments received in Tax Year 2022. But in fact, as we now know - more than 45,000 Marylanders received over $11M in benefits during TY2022 that they earned in 2020 or 2021 and they had state taxes withheld from those payments. This legislation establishes a rebate program to refund the taxes withheld from or paid as a result of UI payments received in 2022 to bring the recipients into parity with other taxpayers whose benefits were both earned and paid during the timeframe envisioned by the RELIEF Act.
Links to the live-streamed press conference can be found on the Comptroller’s Facebook page and the Comptroller's YouTube.
MEDIA CONTACTS: Adam Abadir: aabadir@marylandtaxes.gov
667-408-0768 (cell)
Barbara Sauers:bsauers@marylandtaxes.gov
410-212-9414 (cell)
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