Every month, the Conduit Street Podcast separates the headlines that matter from the stories generating more attention than action. Let's take a look at where things stand as July comes to an end.

In this edition of News or Noise, Kevin Kinnally, Michael Sanderson, and Karrington Anderson discuss Maryland's upcoming special session on congressional redistricting, why limiting bill drafting isn't as unusual as it may seem, and how legislative practices have evolved over time. They also examine ongoing concerns about local health department funding, the need for a transparent funding formula, and the importance of counties having predictable budget numbers before the fiscal year begins. 

Finally, our hosts look ahead to Maryland's new task force on county and municipal revenue structures and what it could mean for local governments heading into the 2027 legislative session. And, of course, the segment wouldn't be complete without sports banter. Tune in for the spirited debate over LeBron James, the Philadelphia 76ers, and NBA championship predictions.

Notes:
Does Maryland’s Public Health Funding Still Fit?
Special Session Preview: Bill Language, Testimony Details, and What’s Ahead

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Housing costs rarely rise because of one single policy, fee, or requirement. More often, they build layer by layer until the numbers no longer work. Capturing a Maryland icon, a housing advocate started to tag the layer-upon-layer of process as the "Smith Island Cake Effect."
 
In Episode 5 of The Briefing Room’s housing finance series, Dom Butchko and Terry Hickey are joined by Maryland Comptroller Brooke Lierman to explore the “Smith Island Cake Effect” and the many interconnected pressures shaping the cost of housing production. They talk through the layers and discuss where there are deeply considered policies, and where there are streamlining opportunities, to help advance Maryland toward more housing supply at every level.

Notes:2025 Housing & the Economy Report

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Public Health is about more than hospitals and healthcare; it's also about the policies that help people live healthier lives every day.

This week on the Conduit Street Podcast, Michael Sanderson and Karrington Anderson are joined by Laura Hale, State Government Relations Director for the American Heart Association, to discuss how counties can help improve community health through smart public policy.

Laura shares practical examples of how counties are working with the AHA to make a difference, from expanding access to nutritious school meals and reducing youth exposure to tobacco to helping families make more informed dining choices through informed dining initiatives. She also explains how local governments can use partnerships, policy, and local authority to create healthier communities across Maryland. Plus, you'll hear one surprising statistic that may change the way you think about sugary drinks: the average child consumes the equivalent of a bathtub full each year.

Tune in to hear this timely conversation on how thoughtful local policy can improve public health, one school meal, one community partnership, and one informed decision at a time.

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Learn More: Why Give | American Heart Association

Building affordable housing takes more than public funding. Private lenders and investors play a critical role in turning plans into completed projects.

In Episode 4 of The Briefing Room's housing finance series, Dom Butchko and Terry Hickey are joined by Jordan Bishop of JPMorganChase to explore the private side of the capital stack - the financing that helps transform housing plans into completed communities.

The conversation explores how private lenders evaluate affordable housing projects, how tax credits become construction funding, and why predictable policies matter when bringing together public and private investment. The episode also examines how developers assemble complex financing packages, why affordable housing depends on cross-sector collaboration, and what policymakers can do to encourage greater housing production.

Whether you're new to housing finance or have followed the series from the beginning, this episode ties together the financial partnerships that make affordable housing possible.

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Over the first two episodes of our housing finance series, Dom Butchko and Terry Hickey explored how affordable housing projects are financed and why today's economic conditions make development more challenging. In Episode 3, the conversation turns to the public sector.

Joined by Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development Secretary Jake Day, Dom and Terry examine the state's role in housing finance, from tax credits and gap financing to housing trust funds, infrastructure investment, and partnerships with local governments. The discussion also explores how Maryland is approaching housing affordability, where innovation is occurring, and how changes in federal policies could affect future housing production and homelessness prevention.

Whether you're interested in housing policy, local government, or the future of affordable housing in Maryland, this episode offers an inside look at how state investment helps turn housing projects from plans into reality.

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Instead of this week's regular Conduit Street Podcast, we're bringing you a bonus episode of The Briefing Room in response to a high-interest topic from our recent energy series.

Data centers quickly became one of the most popular topics in our energy series, so Dom Butchko and Kevin Kinnally sat down with Kelly Schulz, CEO of the Maryland Tech Council, to take a deeper look at one of Maryland's most complex policy conversations.

Together, they separate fact from fiction on issues ranging from electricity demand and water use to tax revenue, economic development, local land-use authority, community concerns, and Maryland's competitive position in the growing data center economy. 

The discussion also explores why counties are increasingly weighing the opportunities (and tradeoffs) of attracting this emerging industry.

Whether you've been following the debate closely or are just starting to learn about it, this special edition offers practical context for one of the state's biggest policy issues.

Tune in to find out what's fact...and what's fiction.

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Housing projects do not rise or fall only on land, design, or political will. They also rise or fall with the cost of capital, aka the capital stack. 

In Episode 2 of The Briefing Room, Dom Butchko and Terry Hickey are joined by Brian McLaughlin, entrepreneur and Board Member of the Baltimore Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, to examine how interest rates, borrowing costs, inflation, insurance, trade policy, tariffs, and broader national economic conditions affect whether housing projects can pencil out.

The conversation connects federal and national policy decisions to the realities facing developers, lenders, local governments, and communities across Maryland, exploring why tighter financing conditions can widen funding gaps, delay projects, and make housing production more difficult even when demand remains high.

Whether you're a policymaker, housing professional, or simply interested in why housing has become more expensive to build, this episode offers valuable insight into the financial realities shaping housing development today.

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This month’s News or Noise dives into the biggest political developments coming out of Maryland’s June primary elections, and what they could mean for county government, legislative priorities, and the 2027 General Assembly.

Kevin Kinnally, Michael Sanderson, and Karrington Anderson break down the latest chatter around a potential special session on redistricting, key legislative upsets, major county executive turnovers, and what a wave of new local leadership means for MACo and Maryland’s counties. The team also looks at how issues like education policy, data center politics, and election outcomes are shaping the road ahead.

And to close things out? A lighter debate on World Cup fever, prediction markets, and whether Team USA has a real shot. Tune in to find out what's really news, and what's just noise

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After wrapping our series on Maryland’s energy future, The Briefing Room turns to another defining challenge for counties: housing.

In Episode 1 of our new housing finance series, Dom Butchko is joined by Terry Hickey, Baltimore County’s Director of Housing & Community Development, to unpack the financial realities behind housing development. The conversation explores how affordable housing deals are assembled and how public programs, private capital, construction costs, regulatory requirements, and community considerations all shape whether a project can move forward.

Together, they examine where Maryland’s housing finance system is working, where gaps often emerge, and how broader structural pressures are making it harder to meet the state’s housing needs. The episode lays the groundwork for a deeper series on what it takes to finance housing in today’s market, and what local governments need to make more projects possible.

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This week on the Conduit Street Podcast, Michael Sanderson is joined by Steve Hobbs, Executive Director of the Missouri Association of Counties, for a conversation on the issues shaping county government across state lines

From property tax pressures and housing affordability to short-term rentals, energy demands, data centers, and legislative term limits, Michael and Steve compare notes on the challenges and differing policy structures in Maryland and Missouri.

This podcast episode offers a valuable reminder to listeners: while every state has its own quirks, county governments across the country are wrestling with many of the same big questions

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