Politics

If you follow Baltimore County Council matters, you will hear a lot about something called an Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance, or APFO. Most counties have such an ordinance to make sure they have enough public services to accommodate new development; many counties also charge developers impact fees per square foot of development to pay for new infrastructure, particularly new schools. Later this month, the council will vote on Bill 31-24, which would amend the county’s ordinance to tighten rules designed to ease or prevent overcrowded school districts.

Maryland’s renter population was at the center of several bills during the 2024 session, with even Gov. Wes Moore (D) trying to boost protections and opportunities for thousands of households who pay rent to live in their homes. The 2024 session yielded a mixed bag of outcomes on renter-focused bills, as some measures were approved by both chambers and are in the process of being signed into law, while others were watered down or stalled in committees. But advocates say that even the unsuccessful bills got the conversation going and set up tenants for more success in future sessions and legislation.

There was only one topic on the agenda for Tuesday night’s mayoral forum hosted by community group BUILD and it was one of Baltimore’s most pressing: housing. Before a crowd of hundreds gathered in the gymnasium at St. Frances Academy, the leading candidates for Baltimore’s top office outlined their plans to address the city’s vacancy crisis. A persistent problem in Baltimore, thousands of vacant homes have sat empty for years, attracting crime, diminishing property values and lowering the quality of life for longtime city residents.

Clair Dixon calls himself an MSNBC junkie. And on a recent pleasant weekday evening, in Dixon’s well-appointed Severna Park home, stands a national hero who appears frequently on the liberal cable network, former U.S. Capitol Police officer Harry Dunn, who is now a candidate for Congress in Maryland’s 3rd District. “You’ve got to watch out for Marjorie Taylor Greene,” Dixon advises Dunn as he introduces the candidate to the two dozen or so people assembled in the living room. “She’s a hottie.” Dunn, who has an easy-going manner and has turned into an accomplished speaker since he became a public figure a few years ago, doesn’t miss a beat.

Four people with Maryland ties will be honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom on Friday: champion swimmer Katie Ledecky, ex-Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, politician and philanthropist Michael Bloomberg and astrophysicist Jane Rigby.

They’re among 19 people who will be honored by President Joe Biden for “exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values, or security of the United States, world peace, or other significant societal, public or private endeavors,” according to the White House.

With the Democratic primary less than two weeks away, Mayor Brandon Scott and former mayor Sheila Dixon announced several key endorsements throughout the week. Dixon nabbed what was likely the race’s biggest get when attorney Thiru Vignarajah dropped out of the primary running Wednesday and endorsed her, calling her the person most equipped to solve Baltimore’s troubles. The next day, state Sen. Jill Carter followed suit.