May 16th, 2016 by WCBC Radio

A bill that would require the state to begin making annual revenue payments to any county in which it owns property once again failed in the Maryland General Assembly- but its sponsor says he will continue efforts this summer.  State Senator  George Edwards maintains that that the state owns more land in Garrett and Allegany counties than any others in Maryland, reducing potential tax revenue that could otherwise be obtained from the acreage. The land in question would include state forests, state parks and wildlife management areas. The proposed bill would generate revenue based on acre increments on those areas, generating $250,000 for every 10,000 acres the state owns.  The bill has failed, in different versions, each of the past two general assembly sessions- but Edwards says it’s too important an issue to let die…