RULING CLEARS ATHLETES FROM PAYING FULL-RESIDENT MD TAXES

          In a "decision with important implications for
     professional athletes" in MD, a hearing officer cleared
     Orioles OF Brady Anderson and former OF Mike Devereaux "of
     claims they owed back taxes and said neither man should have
     been taxed as a resident," according to Jon Morgan of the
     Baltimore SUN.  The decision "may clear up an ambiguity" in
     MD's taxation of athletes, "where the state had argued that
     many players should be taxed as residents if they keep a
     home here year-round."  Both Anderson and Devereaux
     considered themselves residents of other states, while
     living part-time in MD.  But the state had "sought hundreds
     of thousands of dollars in back taxes from both men, and
     notified several other current and former" Orioles they were
     under investigation.  Anderson paid MD taxes "based on the
     number of days worked in Baltimore, but not on away games or
     his off-season endorsement income."  After a May hearing,
     the ruling, delivered Wednesday, said the evidence showed
     neither Anderson or Devereaux was "a statutory resident" of
     MD.  The state "has indicated it will drop the
     investigations of the other players, as well" (SUN, 11/7).