Commentary

A recent article in The Baltimore Sun, “Baltimore ballot question financed by Sinclair Broadcast group chair slashing City Council size garners 25K+ signatures” (Jan. 18), reminds me of when I served as a member of the Council of the District of Columbia. During my tenure, I introduced legislation that would have actually expanded the size of the D.C. legislative body. I did this primarily because it was important for me to recognize that more direct representation for D.C. residents is an important way to ensure that every voter has a voice.

To paraphrase one of Taylor Swift’s songs back to her: Welcome to Baltimore! It’s been waiting for you! Well, let me clarify that. Our quirky and culturally and historically vibrant city has been waiting to be discovered by everyone, including the megastar, who will presumably be at M&T Bank Stadium on Sunday to watch boyfriend Travis Kelce and his Kansas City Chiefs play the Ravens in the AFC championship game. Already, the internet is alive with hilarious GIFs of her “visiting” everything from lake trout spots to the Banner newsroom.

I agree with Josh Kurtz (Maryland Matters, Jan. 5) that the Maryland Department of the Environment’s climate plan is comprehensive but lacks a sound strategy. Strategy is long term, not short term. While the plan’s tactics are sound, it does not have a strategic vision of what a net-zero Maryland looks like. How do the key pieces fit together? The basic weakness here starts at the top with goals.

Meet Skinny Jeans. He’s a 1-year-old mixwith short brown fur, an old scar thin like a strand of hair across his snout. There’s probably some pit bull and terrier in there, maybe another combination on top of that. But whatever the amalgam of breeds, Skinny Jeans is a purebred goofball who enjoys walks. His hazel eyes plead for love and when he shakes his tail, his whole body shakes, too.

Ronald Reagan famously said that if you want more of something, subsidize it, but “if you want less of something, tax it.” Political conservatives have hung on those words ever since — and there’s a degree of truth to the notion that incentives matter. It’s a major reason why federal, state and local governments routinely tax health menaces like tobacco and liquor at a higher rate than other goods. And it’s unquestionably helpful.

I travel quite a bit for work, and while I don’t talk much on my flights, I make a point of chatting with my Uber driver once I land. It’s often not the city I’m visiting that I learn about, however, rather it is the country the driver has emigrated from. Many Uber drivers are immigrants. In their home countries, they might have held very different occupations, including as lawyers or physicians.

Sam rents an apartment in Salisbury with his young son. In September 2023, he received a notice that his property manager was not renewing his lease. He was given just 60 days to remove all personal belongings and turn in his keys with no explanation for this decision or any way to appeal it. Sam tried to reason with the landlord about how this abrupt move would impact his job and the challenges it posed for his son, who has a disability and would have to switch schools midyear.