Commentary

Since the pandemic, an estimated 181,000 Marylanders have dropped out of the workforce and have not come back. Most of those Marylanders are prime-age workers, especially women. But a pay transparency bill being considered by the state legislature (Senate Bill 525/House Bill 649 requiring employers to list pay ranges on job postings) could be one of the keys to enticing these women back. Polling in late December from the National Women’s Law Center/Morning Consult showed that 53% of Marylanders have refrained from applying to a job opening because it did not list a pay range.

There’s a new state park coming to Annapolis, an unspoiled former horse farm named Holly Beach Farm. It wouldn’t be happening but for construction of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. “My grandfather, there was nothing he could do to stop the bridge,” Bill Labrot Crossman said. “It was the logical place for it. But it ruined the horse business.” On Wednesday, Gov. Wes Moore agreed to make Maryland the next owner of Holly Beach Farm, almost 300 acres of marshes and coves, coastal woodlands and wide bay views — for a buck.

Gov. Wes Moore and the Maryland General Assembly face a perpetual funding challenge: balancing the budget and managing revenues while meeting numerous needs and providing services. There are only three possible ways to address this. First, cut spending. However, each individual program and project has value, and its advocates would argue that it is worth keeping and/or should be expanded. Further, state money flows to the counties, especially for education, and so state spending reductions hurt local entities as well.

Rare is the Baltimore commuter who has not had the jaw-dropping experience of seeing motor vehicles flashing by at speeds approaching triple digits or running through red lights or weaving through traffic like it was the final lap of the Daytona 500. That’s why it was heartening to hear Baltimore Police Commissioner Richard Worley reveal last weekend on WBAL NewsRadio that he plans to soon step up traffic enforcement, arguing that it can make driving safer and should reduce “road rage” incidents that can escalate into shootings.

If you climb out on a ledge, there is always a chance that you will fall. What the heck. I am going out there anyway. Joe Biden gave the State of the Union Address on March 7, 2024. But he did much more than that— he secured a second term. I can hear you loud and clear: “Come on now. There’s a long way to go.” You are correct, but campaigns always have seminal moments. Last Thursday night was one of those moments. Admittedly, the bar was low. The President needed to show that he could still walk and chew gum at the same time. He needed to show that he could focus for more than an hour without nodding off. And he needed to demonstrate that he could draw a clear contrast with Donald J. Trump, or as he will forever be known, “My Predecessor.” He did that and so much more.

More than a century ago, Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis articulated a maxim that has guided journalists and open government advocates ever since — that “sunlight is the best disinfectant” in a healthy democracy. Again, this year, news organizations are honoring the wisdom of the late justice by celebrating Sunshine Week. The News Leaders Association, which directed the annual program from 2005 until this year, said this event “highlights the importance of open government and the dangers of excessive and unnecessary secrecy.”

Governor — I have met you once and came away very impressed. Like many, my immediate reaction was to conclude that I had just encountered a future American president. You would be Maryland’s first president. Virginia has produced eight. I would be delighted to see a Marylander in the White House. It would add to our state’s already lengthy list of accomplishments. You have the resume, the charisma, an incredible memory for names, and an intellect that will not only allow you to run successfully for the presidency, but to be a great president.