On the latest episode of the Conduit Street Podcast, Michael Sanderson and Kevin Kinnally discuss the latest news and notes from Annapolis. As temperatures drop, things are heating up before the 2024 legislative session.

Topics include education spending transparency, career and volunteer firefighter recruitment and retention, energy issues, housing, and fiscal uncertainties. Plus, drones, Twitter, and... dad jokes!

The Conduit Street Podcast is available on major platforms like Spotify, Apple, Google, and anywhere else you get your podcasts. Episodes are also available on MACo's Conduit Street blog.

Listen to previous episodes of the Conduit Street Podcast on our website.

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Previous Conduit Street Coverage: MACo Announces 2024 Legislative Priorities

2023 MACo Winter Conference

Drone Interrupts Baltimore Ravens Game

On the latest episode of the Conduit Street Podcast, Andrew Griffin, vice president of government affairs at the Maryland Chamber of Commerce, joins Kevin Kinnally to discuss the intersection of business and government and discuss major issues on tap for the 2024 legislative session. Topics include tax policy, transportation, housing, regulations, data privacy, paid family leave, and more!

The Maryland Chamber of Commerce represents a coalition of more than 6,800 businesses. It advocates for pro-business policies that drive economic growth and benefit people, businesses, and communities.

The Conduit Street Podcast is available on major platforms like Spotify, Apple, Google, and anywhere else you get your podcasts. Episodes are also available on MACo's Conduit Street blog.

Listen to previous episodes of the Conduit Street Podcast on our website.

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Maryland Chamber of Commerce

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Previous Conduit Street Coverage: MACo Announces 2024 Legislative Priorities

Previous Conduit Street Coverage: Operation Green Light: Illuminating the Path to Veterans' Well-Being in MD

On the latest episode of the Conduit Street Podcast, Brianna January and Dominic Butchko join Kevin Kinnally to walk through MACo's Legislative Initiatives for the 2024 Maryland General Assembly Session.

In the 2024 General Assembly Session, MACo will prioritize fiscal transparency, modernizing local revenue structures, new incentives to bolster firefighter and EMS recruitment and retention, and collaborative solutions for addressing Maryland's affordable and workforce housing shortage.

The Conduit Street Podcast is available on major platforms like Spotify, Apple, Google, and anywhere else you get your podcasts. Episodes are also available on MACo's Conduit Street blog.

Listen to previous episodes of the Conduit Street Podcast on our website.

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Previous Conduit Street Coverage: MACo Announces 2024 Legislative Priorities

Previous Conduit Street Coverage: Operation Green Light: Illuminating the Path to Veterans' Well-Being in MD

MACo Winter Conference

On the latest episode of the Conduit Street Podcast, Michael Sanderson welcomes Kevin Leonard from the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners. They discuss state politics, tricky budgeting, and the NC investments into broadband and water infrastructure.

The Conduit Street Podcast is available on major platforms like Spotify, Apple, Google, and anywhere else you get your podcasts. Episodes are also available on MACo's Conduit Street blog.

North Carolina Association of County Commissioners

On the latest episode of the Conduit Street Podcast, Kevin Kinnally and Michael Sanderson break down the driving factors behind Maryland's current fiscal picture, economic trends, and what it could mean for the next legislative session and beyond.

As previously reported on Conduit Street, the Board of Revenue Estimates adopted a revised estimate for fiscal 2024 – a  minor write-down of $14.1 million – and the first official estimate for fiscal 2025.

And while the State closed its books on fiscal 2023 with an unassigned general fund balance of $555 million, the Department of Legislative Services warns of looming structural deficits over the next four years, a stark change from last January, when DLS projected billions in structural surpluses between fiscal 2023 and fiscal 2028.

The Conduit Street Podcast is available on major platforms like Spotify, Apple, Google, and anywhere else you get your podcasts. Episodes are also available on MACo's Conduit Street blog.

Previous Conduit Street Coverage

State Revenue Forecast Largely Unchanged: Inflation, Looming Shutdown Elevate Risk

Board of Revenue Estimates Approves Modest Adjustments to Current, Future Forecasts

On the latest episode of the Conduit Street Podcast, Calvert County Health Officer Dr. Larry Polsky joins Sarah Sample to discuss what local health departments are doing to prevent COVID-19 and other flu and flu-like infections this year.

The 2023-2024 fall and winter seasons will be the first since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic that the country is not under a federal state of emergency. Despite the new context, the public will forever be in a post-COVID reality that requires care and vigilance to maintain progress.

The Conduit Street Podcast is available on major platforms like Spotify, Apple, Google, and anywhere else you get your podcasts. Episodes are also available on MACo's Conduit Street blog.

Previous Conduit Street Coverage

Winter's Coming: Preparedness and Policy for the Post-COVID Flu Season

On the latest episode of the Conduit Street Podcast, Walter Olson joins Kevin Kinnally and Michael Sanderson to reflect on the role of state and local governments in keeping residents safe during emergencies -- particularly when it comes to ensuring residents can cast a ballot during a public health crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic. Olson provides expert analysis on how the courts, legislatures, and public opinion can influence emergency powers and looks ahead to new challenges for the 2024 election cycle.

Walter Olson is a senior fellow at the Cato Institute's Center for Constitutional Studies, a libertarian think tank in Washington, D.C. Olson is known for his writing on law, public policy, and regulation. A resident of Frederick County, Olson served on the Frederick County Charter Review Commission and co-chaired Maryland's Citizen Redistricting Commission.

The Conduit Street Podcast is available on major platforms like Spotify, Apple, Google, and anywhere else you get your podcasts. Episodes are also available on MACo's Conduit Street blog.

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Conduit Street Podcast: Liberty in Trying Times

Read Walter Olson's Work on the CATO Institute's Website

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On the latest episode of the Conduit Street Podcast, Sarah Sample and Michael Sanderson discuss the pros and cons of the "user pays" principle -- which aims to promote fairness and economic efficiency by having those who benefit from particular government goods and services pay for them.

The Conduit Street Podcast is available on major platforms like Spotify, Apple, Google, and anywhere else you get your podcasts. Episodes are also available on MACo's Conduit Street blog.

On the latest episode of the Conduit Street Podcast, Moyah Panda and Ethan Hunt join Sarah Sample to discuss the role of police accountability boards and administrative charging committees in working with county governments and law enforcement agencies to improve policing and police accountability across Maryland.

In keeping with the legislative mandate from 2021, all 24 Maryland counties have established a civilian oversight process for police misconduct. With the implementation of PABs and ACCs, these entities have a full year of operations under their belts. Anne Arundel County's Executive Director of the Office of Police Accountability Moyah Panda and Director of Government Relations Ethan Hunt discuss successes, challenges, and a few complicating factors that might need legislative remedies in the 2024 legislative session.

The Anne Arundel County Office of Police Accountability was established to oversee and support the PAB and ACC. The PAB works with law enforcement agencies to review, provide policy advice, and report on disciplinary matters stemming from public complaints about police misconduct. The ACC reviews the findings of an investigation of misconduct by a police officer and determines to administratively charge or not charge and, if charged, recommends discipline.

The Conduit Street Podcast is available on major platforms like Spotify, Apple, Google, and anywhere else you get your podcasts. Episodes are also available on MACo's Conduit Street blog.

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Previous Conduit Street Coverage: Police Accountability Panel at #MACoCon Signals Necessary Changes to Reform Legislation

Anne Arundel County Office of Police Accountability

On the latest episode of the Conduit Street Podcast, Michael Sanderson and Dominic Butchko discuss transportation funding and the significance of the Maryland Commission on Transportation Revenue and Infrastructure Needs, which is charged with recommending improvements to existing transportation revenues, investment decisions, and more.

For decades, the State supported a balanced means to maintain its transportation infrastructure. The bulk of transportation revenues – mainly motor fuel and vehicle titling taxes – have been split between the State (for its consolidated Transportation Trust Fund, serving multiple modes) and local governments (who own and maintain roughly 5 of every six road miles across the state). For decades, this split served all parties effectively.

The State faced a mid-year budget crisis during the Great Recession in 2009. As a result, the Board of Public Works adopted a 90% reduction of the local distributions of these Highway User Revenues and a roughly 40% reduction to Baltimore City’s allocation (the largest by far to any jurisdiction). Since then, recession-driven cutbacks in many service areas have been fully or largely restored. This is not the case with Highway User Revenues – they remain far behind historic levels, even after the State has enacted a substantial transportation revenue increase.

Unfortunately, the Great Recession HUR cuts, coupled with new obligations toward school funding, leave little room for additional investment in roads, not to mention counties are preparing for an uncertain economic future and talk of recession.

In addition, the push toward electric vehicles will likely exacerbate the issue. Cars and trucks use less gas or run on electricity, shrinking funds for roads and bridges. But electric vehicles still contribute to road wear and tear, so states and local governments need money to maintain them.

State policymakers are considering other ways to pay for Maryland’s transportation infrastructure. One growing policy trend is applying a separate registration fee for hybrid or electric vehicles.

However, special registration fees are not the only mechanism to lower gas tax revenue and promote equity among drivers. After exploring several options, such as a tire tax, a battery tax, and expanding gas taxes and registration fees, Oregon settled on a per-mile charge as the fairest and most accurate way to pay for state roads and bridges.

An interim commission report is due to the Governor and legislature on or before January 1, 2024, with a final report on or before January 1, 2025. Dates, times, agendas, updates, and other information will be posted on the commission website at www.mdot.maryland.gov/commission.

The Conduit Street Podcast is available on major platforms like Spotify, Apple, Google, and anywhere else you get your podcasts. Episodes are also available on MACo's Conduit Street blog.

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Previous Conduit Street Coverage: MD Commission on Transportation Revenue and Infrastructure Needs Announces Roster, Sets First Meeting Date