In virtual forum, Maryland comptroller hopefuls Brooke Lierman and Barry Glassman tout their backgrounds

With all of Maryland’s top-ticket seats up for grabs in November, candidates for the state’s next tax collector leaned Thursday night into their backgrounds to explain to voters why they’re best suited for the position. “This is an incredibly important election. For the first time since 1998, we have an open seat for state comptroller, and … we haven’t for 100 years had every statewide seat open on the ballot,” Baltimore Del. Brooke Lierman, the Democratic nominee for the position, said at a virtual forum hosted by the League of Women Voters and moderated by Maryland Matters founding editor Josh Kurtz. During the forum, Lierman and Republican Harford County Executive Barry Glassman largely agreed about updates that the office needs — better digital infrastructure, an enhanced staff, and a focus on providing more opportunities for small, Black, brown and women-owned businesses to get government contracts.