First Click -- Maryland

Your Daily Download of the State's Top Political News and Analysis

Friday, August 14, 2009:

Ocean City or Bust:
It's Friday and all of the hundreds of state and local officials going to the Maryland Association of Counties conference have found their way to Ocean City.

Topic No. 1 today is the economy, and Gov. Martin O'Malley is scheduled to wrap things up with a speech tomorrow.

E-Mails
In O'Malley's absence, the governor's office still is expected to release e-mails with suggestions from the public about ways to cut state spending. The document dump was delayed yesterday for "technical reasons."

Counties Buying Parkland
The Post's Michael Laris looks at how, despite the bad news on revenues and budget cuts, some governments in the Washington area are experiencing an upside to the economic downturn: cheaper parkland. They are trying to take advantage of the bad real estate market to negotiate deals.

Montgomery County officials agreed last month to buy a 53-acre area on the eastern edge of the county for $8.75 million, roughly half of the $16.35 million price appraised in December.

Health Care
Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin has wrapped up his town hall meetings for the week, but not before the Washington County Sheriff's Department announced authorities had questioned a man who carried a "Death to Obama" sign outside Wednesday's Hagerstown rally.

Also, a new take by Free State Politics on the scene outside:

GOP Angst
Red Maryland looks at the disagreement regarding GOP Chairman Jim Pelura's push to create a "Contract with Maryland."