Commentary

In 1994, I was a young journalist in the information graphics department at The Detroit News, just two years out of college. In April of that year, the Rwandan genocide — a war of ethnic tensions — erupted, resulting in 100 days of unspeakable carnage. The United States, still stinging from its failed peacekeeping mission in Somalia the year before, refused to fully intervene. I saw it as an unconscionable abdication of moral leadership. I felt angry and helpless. It seemed to me that no one really cared.

When it comes to transit, Maryland hasn’t been lacking for studies or plans in recent years. Whether it be the MARC Cornerstone Plan of 2019, the 2020 bill to study extending MARC Penn Line service south to Alexandria and north to Newark, Del., the 2021 bill to study extending MARC Brunswick Line service west towards Hagerstown, or Prince George’s County’s 2021 plan to boost transit-oriented development (TOD) around its four Blue Line stations, the state has had no shortage of schemes to expand and improve its rail lines and the development that springs up around them.

A problem with having a big influx of funds, in this case hundreds of millions of dollars from the American Rescue Plan Act, is that it’s often accompanied by a long line of organizations with their hands out, advocating for one worthy cause after the other. The needs are almost always greater than the windfall, no matter how large, and many will leave empty-handed, despite the meaningful benefit their projects could offer individuals. One such worthwhile proposal that’s in jeopardy before the General Assembly would provide subsidies to certain small businesses and nonprofits to help them and their employees better afford health insurance plans on the Maryland Health Connection, the state’s health insurance marketplace.

After years of consideration Maryland should join 38 other states that have laws requiring animal owners, not taxpayers, to pay the cost of care for lawfully seized neglected and abused animals. The Maryland Cost of Animal Care Act “COAC” (HB1062/SB877) is common-sense legislation saving lives and taxpayer dollars and should be passed this session without hesitation. There are currently hundreds of seized animals being housed and cared for in shelters throughout Maryland while their owners await trial. There is no clear legal process for the disposition or assessment of costs of care for these animals.

In a rare display of like-minded thinking across the aisle, politicians on both the left and right are calling for cuts or suspensions to their state’s gas tax or the federal government’s. It’s happening in California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Wisconsin and right here in Maryland. In fact, this week our state is set to become among the first in the country to officially pause collection of its gas tax for 30 days in the wake of rising prices at the pump.

Our democracy works best when everyone has a voice and everyone is represented. Voting for our local, state and federal representatives is fundamental to this vision, and is step one in a civically-engaged electorate and responsive government. But today, Maryland’s system for filling empty legislative seats is simply un-democratic. Currently, approximately one in five Maryland state legislators were initially appointed rather than elected by the voters — appointed by a small group of political insiders to fill seats left empty by retirements, deaths or other reasons.

Character counts, especially in a city’s chief prosecutor. Nothing makes that clearer than the controversial decision by Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby to try Keith Davis Jr. for the fifth time on the same charge of murdering a Pimlico security guard, despite two prior mistrials and two overturned convictions in the weak case against Mr. Davis. The recent attempt by her office to get the trial, scheduled for May, moved out of the city only adds to the questionable nature of her decision.