Politics

Residents of some of Baltimore’s historic urban neighborhoods are pushing back against a utility upgrade project they say is forcing them to accept obtrusive equipment on their rowhouse facades or risk losing gas service. Baltimore Gas and Electric Co. has been upgrading aging natural gas pipes and equipment throughout the Baltimore region for years, digging up streets and sidewalks and replacing in-home meters and other equipment.

The Senate co-chair of the General Assembly’s Joint Legislative Audit and Evaluation Committee said changes to state procurement law will likely prevent future mishandling of emergency contracts, such as those during the recent COVID-19 pandemic identified in a recent report by the Office of Legislative Audits. The Office of Legislative Audits found that the Office of State Procurement within the Department of General Services skirted some record-keeping requirements and failed to provide timely notification on millions of dollars in contracts.

A former chief of staff to two Senate presidents will be considered to fill a vacancy on the Maryland State Board of Elections. The executive board of the Maryland Democratic Party is expected to consider the nomination of Yaakov “Jake” Weissmann at a meeting on Tuesday. The meeting follows a letter from Senate President Bill Ferguson (D-Baltimore) and House Speaker Adrienne A. Jones (D-Baltimore County) that recommended Weissman for the vacancy.

Maryland taxpayers footed a $200,000 bill for state officials and politicians to socialize and network with business executives track-side at the 148th Preakness Stakes over the weekend. So who got to sip cocktails and watch the races in the state tent? The state of Maryland provided a list of attendees to The Baltimore Banner after the race, a combination of politicians, state officials and business leaders.

Serena McIlwain, Maryland’s new secretary of the Environment, has seen the very best of environmental activism and innovation in government, and it informs her work in Maryland today. For four years, McIlwain was undersecretary at the California Environmental Protection Agency during Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom’s first term. After decades of working for the federal government, being able to push a bold agenda at a well-funded agency, with full buy-in from the state’s top leaders, was an eye-opening experience.

As politicians mingled and wooed donors and business executives at the 148th Preakness Stakes on Saturday, they once again considered how to keep the thoroughbred horse racing industry in the state alive. “I want this to be the last Preakness where there is uncertainty about what the future of Pimlico and horse racing in Maryland is,” said Senate President Bill Ferguson, a Baltimore Democrat.

Thousands of Marylanders could be out of a paycheck or other benefits if federal leaders fail to reach an agreement to increase the nation’s debt ceiling. With roughly two weeks left before the so-called X Date, lawmakers from both parties are negotiating to avoid defaulting on debt payments. Economists and state leaders warn of unpleasant short-term effects that could become painful long-term if negotiations stall.