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On the latest episode of the Conduit Street Podcast, Michael Sanderson and Shantelle Malcolm-Lym welcome guest Cathy Muse from the National Association of Counties Edge program. She talks through the various cost-saving tools available to all Maryland counties through NACo's partnerships that can help develop attractive employee benefits, manage public funds, and recruit top talent to the public sector.

Muse draws on her own experience as a procurement specialist to explain NACo's newly launched Public Promise Procurement offerings, leveraging a fully competitive lead-agency model to streamline major purchases by counties - another great tool to help counties get the most from their tax dollars.

Cathy has served in public procurement for over 40 years at the federal, state, and local levels. After retiring from Fairfax County, Virginia, where she served as the Chief Procurement Officer, Cathy joined the NACo EDGE team to develop procurement solutions for counties and launch Public Promise Procurement.

The Conduit Street Podcast is available on major platforms like Spotify, Apple, Google, and anywhere else you get your podcasts. Episodes are also available on MACo's Conduit Street blog.

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National Association of Counties: Tools for Counties

On the latest episode of the Conduit Street Podcast, Kevin Kinnally and Michael Sanderson discuss formula funding -- which aims to provide predictable and stable funding. But what happens when your funding formula… fails -- or at least delivers far less than expected?

This episode covers funding formulas for two programs important to county governments, the Disparity Grant and Program Open Space. These are two programs that Maryland policymakers set up many years ago… both have special funding by law, rather than just fighting each year in the budget debate… and both are going over a cliff this year.

The Disparity Grant Program provides noncategorical State aid to low-wealth jurisdictions. It promotes equity across jurisdictions to overcome disparate tax bases — ensuring that counties that rely on local income taxes for substantial revenue can generate sufficient yield to fund schools, public health, public safety, roadway maintenance, and other essential community services.

Established under the Department of Natural Resources in 1969, Program Open Space symbolizes Maryland's long-term commitment to conserving natural resources while providing exceptional outdoor recreation opportunities for residents.

The Conduit Street Podcast is available on major platforms like Spotify, Apple, Google, and anywhere else you get your podcasts. Episodes are also available on MACo's Conduit Street blog.

On the latest episode of the Conduit Street Podcast, Michael Sanderson talks with Ben Yelin of the Center for Health and Homeland Security about the rapid growth of artificial intelligence technology.

They discuss these capabilities' exciting opportunities and potential downsides – and their connections to public services and privacy. Public policy often struggles to keep up with the pace of emerging technologies, and this field seems like another complex example, though there are some reasons to remain hopeful. They also talk a bit about the human and analytic sides of modern football as Yelin pitches his 49ers as a new focus for disappointed Ravens fans.

Ben Yelin, JD, is the Program Director for Public Policy and External Affairs at the University of Maryland Center for Health and Homeland Security, where he consults public and private entities on homeland security, cybersecurity, and emergency management policy. He is also an adjunct faculty member at the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law, where he teaches courses on electronic surveillance and the Fourth Amendment.

In 2021, Ben served as the co-chair of the Maryland Cybersecurity Council's ad-hoc committee on State and Local Cybersecurity and co-drafted a comprehensive report on Maryland's cybersecurity posture and a list of recommendations for policy changes. The report became the framework for a suite of bills enacted in the 2022 session.

Ben also co-hosts the Caveat podcast, part of the Cyberwire network. This weekly show covers surveillance, cybersecurity, digital privacy, and more.

The Conduit Street Podcast is available on major platforms like Spotify, Apple, Google, and anywhere else you get your podcasts. Episodes are also available on MACo's Conduit Street blog.

Useful Links

Previous Conduit Street Coverage: The Robots Are Coming: AI Through the County Lens at #MACoCon

Previous Conduit Street Coverage: President Biden Issues Executive Order to Establish AI Safeguards

Previous Conduit Street Coverage: Here’s How States Are Regulating AI

Previous Conduit Street Coverage: Suite of Strong Cyber Bills Signed Into Law

University of Maryland Center for Health and Homeland Security

Caveat Podcast

Follow Ben Yelin on Twitter

On the latest episode of the Conduit Street Podcast, Frederick County Executive Jessica Fitzwater joins Kevin Kinnally and Michael Sanderson to discuss fast-growing Frederick - both as a challenge and an opportunity. Attracting major technology companies presents unique challenges, but the upside is good jobs and local leverage into a vast commercial growth sector.

The technology sector is driving tremendous demand for more computing and storage capacity. Data centers – the facilities that house the computers and equipment that power the information needs of the modern economy – are in high demand. They underpin industries — like healthcare, the public sector, manufacturing, financial services, and retail — as they grow and adapt to the digital world.

According to a recent study, Quantum Loophole’s planned data center campus in Frederick County will generate $41 million in County tax revenue per annum and another $197 million for the State of Maryland each year, supporting approximately 1,700 jobs upon project completion. While data centers have tremendous economic benefits, they have also prompted concerns about environmental, land use, and energy consumption impacts.

On the podcast, we dive into these challenges and an upcoming legislative effort to "thread the needle" and strike a smart balance between promoting technology and protecting natural resources.

The Conduit Street Podcast is available on major platforms like Spotify, Apple, Google, and anywhere else you get your podcasts. Episodes are also available on MACo's Conduit Street blog.

Listen to previous episodes of the Conduit Street Podcast on the MACo website.

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Previous Conduit Street Coverage: Tech Council Study: Frederick Data Center Project Represents $41M in Annual County Tax Revenue, 1,700 Jobs

Previous Conduit Street Coverage: Governor Moore “Disappointed” in PSC Data Center Decision, Working on Legislative Remedy

Previous Conduit Street Coverage: #MACoCon Explores Bringing Data Centers to Maryland

HB 579 / SB 474 -- Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity and Related Approvals - Definition of Generating Station (Critical Infrastructure Streamlining Act of 2024)

On the latest episode of the Conduit Street Podcast, Kevin Kinnally and Michael Sanderson walk through the recently introduced 2025 fiscal plan, starting the weeks-long deliberation on the State budget and the trimmings to balance it. They discuss the long-term cuts to transportation, offset by a temporary reprieve for this year, and the "re-basing" of support for community colleges. A tight budget, as the governor foretold when addressing county leaders at the summer conference, and the process of refinement starts anon.

The Conduit Street Podcast is available on major platforms like Spotify, Apple, Google, and anywhere else you get your podcasts. Episodes are also available on MACo's Conduit Street blog.

Listen to previous episodes of the Conduit Street Podcast on the MACo website.

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Previous Conduit Street Coverage: Governor's 2025 Budget – What It Means for Counties

Tweet Thread on Proposed Transportation Cuts

On the latest episode of the Conduit Street Podcast, Michael Sanderson and Brianna January talk through the 2024 legislative session opening, the crazy Maryland weather sideshow, and what to expect heading into “year two” of the four-year cycle.

They discuss several issues for the session ahead – like tackling child care and pre-kindergarten education, challenges in the public sector workforce, and continuing pressure on school construction and capital facilities.

The Conduit Street Podcast is available on major platforms like Spotify, Apple, Google, and anywhere else you get your podcasts. Episodes are also available on MACo's Conduit Street blog.

Listen to previous episodes of the Conduit Street Podcast on the MACo website.

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MACo's 2024 Issue Previews

On the latest episode of the Conduit Street Podcast, Queen Anne's County Administrator Todd Mohn joins Michael Sanderson to discuss transportation financing and reflect on the proposed cutbacks to state projects and grant funding. Mr. Mohn is a member of the State's blue-ribbon Transportation Commission, reflecting his extensive experience as a county engineer and public works professional.

They discuss the story of Highway User Revenues, their central importance to local roadway maintenance, and the problematic effects of losing funding in the years ahead. And... will Singapore edge out Guam as the podcast's farthest unofficial outpost?

The Conduit Street Podcast is available on major platforms like Spotify, Apple, Google, and anywhere else you get your podcasts. Episodes are also available on MACo's Conduit Street blog.

Listen to previous episodes of the Conduit Street Podcast on the MACo website.

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Previous Conduit Street Coverage: A County Q&A on the Proposed Transportation Cuts

On the latest episode of the Conduit Street Podcast, Michael Sanderson and Kevin Kinnally discuss the latest news and notes from Annapolis. As temperatures drop, things are heating up before the 2024 legislative session.

Topics include education spending transparency, career and volunteer firefighter recruitment and retention, energy issues, housing, and fiscal uncertainties. Plus, drones, Twitter, and... dad jokes!

The Conduit Street Podcast is available on major platforms like Spotify, Apple, Google, and anywhere else you get your podcasts. Episodes are also available on MACo's Conduit Street blog.

Listen to previous episodes of the Conduit Street Podcast on our website.

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Previous Conduit Street Coverage: MACo Announces 2024 Legislative Priorities

2023 MACo Winter Conference

Drone Interrupts Baltimore Ravens Game

On the latest episode of the Conduit Street Podcast, Michael Sanderson welcomes Kevin Leonard from the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners. They discuss state politics, tricky budgeting, and the NC investments into broadband and water infrastructure.

The Conduit Street Podcast is available on major platforms like Spotify, Apple, Google, and anywhere else you get your podcasts. Episodes are also available on MACo's Conduit Street blog.

North Carolina Association of County Commissioners

On the latest episode of the Conduit Street Podcast, Kevin Kinnally and Michael Sanderson break down the driving factors behind Maryland's current fiscal picture, economic trends, and what it could mean for the next legislative session and beyond.

As previously reported on Conduit Street, the Board of Revenue Estimates adopted a revised estimate for fiscal 2024 – a  minor write-down of $14.1 million – and the first official estimate for fiscal 2025.

And while the State closed its books on fiscal 2023 with an unassigned general fund balance of $555 million, the Department of Legislative Services warns of looming structural deficits over the next four years, a stark change from last January, when DLS projected billions in structural surpluses between fiscal 2023 and fiscal 2028.

The Conduit Street Podcast is available on major platforms like Spotify, Apple, Google, and anywhere else you get your podcasts. Episodes are also available on MACo's Conduit Street blog.

Previous Conduit Street Coverage

State Revenue Forecast Largely Unchanged: Inflation, Looming Shutdown Elevate Risk

Board of Revenue Estimates Approves Modest Adjustments to Current, Future Forecasts

On the latest episode of the Conduit Street Podcast, Calvert County Health Officer Dr. Larry Polsky joins Sarah Sample to discuss what local health departments are doing to prevent COVID-19 and other flu and flu-like infections this year.

The 2023-2024 fall and winter seasons will be the first since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic that the country is not under a federal state of emergency. Despite the new context, the public will forever be in a post-COVID reality that requires care and vigilance to maintain progress.

The Conduit Street Podcast is available on major platforms like Spotify, Apple, Google, and anywhere else you get your podcasts. Episodes are also available on MACo's Conduit Street blog.

Previous Conduit Street Coverage

Winter's Coming: Preparedness and Policy for the Post-COVID Flu Season

On the latest episode of the Conduit Street Podcast, Walter Olson joins Kevin Kinnally and Michael Sanderson to reflect on the role of state and local governments in keeping residents safe during emergencies -- particularly when it comes to ensuring residents can cast a ballot during a public health crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic. Olson provides expert analysis on how the courts, legislatures, and public opinion can influence emergency powers and looks ahead to new challenges for the 2024 election cycle.

Walter Olson is a senior fellow at the Cato Institute's Center for Constitutional Studies, a libertarian think tank in Washington, D.C. Olson is known for his writing on law, public policy, and regulation. A resident of Frederick County, Olson served on the Frederick County Charter Review Commission and co-chaired Maryland's Citizen Redistricting Commission.

The Conduit Street Podcast is available on major platforms like Spotify, Apple, Google, and anywhere else you get your podcasts. Episodes are also available on MACo's Conduit Street blog.

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Conduit Street Podcast: Liberty in Trying Times

Read Walter Olson's Work on the CATO Institute's Website

Follow Walter Olson on Twitter

On the latest episode of the Conduit Street Podcast, Moyah Panda and Ethan Hunt join Sarah Sample to discuss the role of police accountability boards and administrative charging committees in working with county governments and law enforcement agencies to improve policing and police accountability across Maryland.

In keeping with the legislative mandate from 2021, all 24 Maryland counties have established a civilian oversight process for police misconduct. With the implementation of PABs and ACCs, these entities have a full year of operations under their belts. Anne Arundel County's Executive Director of the Office of Police Accountability Moyah Panda and Director of Government Relations Ethan Hunt discuss successes, challenges, and a few complicating factors that might need legislative remedies in the 2024 legislative session.

The Anne Arundel County Office of Police Accountability was established to oversee and support the PAB and ACC. The PAB works with law enforcement agencies to review, provide policy advice, and report on disciplinary matters stemming from public complaints about police misconduct. The ACC reviews the findings of an investigation of misconduct by a police officer and determines to administratively charge or not charge and, if charged, recommends discipline.

The Conduit Street Podcast is available on major platforms like Spotify, Apple, Google, and anywhere else you get your podcasts. Episodes are also available on MACo's Conduit Street blog.

Useful Links

Previous Conduit Street Coverage: Police Accountability Panel at #MACoCon Signals Necessary Changes to Reform Legislation

Anne Arundel County Office of Police Accountability

On the latest episode of the Conduit Street Podcast, Michael Sanderson and Dominic Butchko discuss transportation funding and the significance of the Maryland Commission on Transportation Revenue and Infrastructure Needs, which is charged with recommending improvements to existing transportation revenues, investment decisions, and more.

For decades, the State supported a balanced means to maintain its transportation infrastructure. The bulk of transportation revenues – mainly motor fuel and vehicle titling taxes – have been split between the State (for its consolidated Transportation Trust Fund, serving multiple modes) and local governments (who own and maintain roughly 5 of every six road miles across the state). For decades, this split served all parties effectively.

The State faced a mid-year budget crisis during the Great Recession in 2009. As a result, the Board of Public Works adopted a 90% reduction of the local distributions of these Highway User Revenues and a roughly 40% reduction to Baltimore City’s allocation (the largest by far to any jurisdiction). Since then, recession-driven cutbacks in many service areas have been fully or largely restored. This is not the case with Highway User Revenues – they remain far behind historic levels, even after the State has enacted a substantial transportation revenue increase.

Unfortunately, the Great Recession HUR cuts, coupled with new obligations toward school funding, leave little room for additional investment in roads, not to mention counties are preparing for an uncertain economic future and talk of recession.

In addition, the push toward electric vehicles will likely exacerbate the issue. Cars and trucks use less gas or run on electricity, shrinking funds for roads and bridges. But electric vehicles still contribute to road wear and tear, so states and local governments need money to maintain them.

State policymakers are considering other ways to pay for Maryland’s transportation infrastructure. One growing policy trend is applying a separate registration fee for hybrid or electric vehicles.

However, special registration fees are not the only mechanism to lower gas tax revenue and promote equity among drivers. After exploring several options, such as a tire tax, a battery tax, and expanding gas taxes and registration fees, Oregon settled on a per-mile charge as the fairest and most accurate way to pay for state roads and bridges.

An interim commission report is due to the Governor and legislature on or before January 1, 2024, with a final report on or before January 1, 2025. Dates, times, agendas, updates, and other information will be posted on the commission website at www.mdot.maryland.gov/commission.

The Conduit Street Podcast is available on major platforms like Spotify, Apple, Google, and anywhere else you get your podcasts. Episodes are also available on MACo's Conduit Street blog.

Useful Links

Previous Conduit Street Coverage: MD Commission on Transportation Revenue and Infrastructure Needs Announces Roster, Sets First Meeting Date

On the latest episode of the Conduit Street Podcast, Kevin Kinnally welcomes Ben Yelin to discuss cybersecurity issues, explore the opportunities and challenges related to rapidly evolving artificial intelligence (AI) technology, and more!

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is poised to transform the world and how we live, work, and communicate. For county governments, AI can mean streamlined processes, enhanced service delivery, improved public safety and security, fraud detection and prevention, data analytics, regulatory compliance, and revolutionary opportunities for resident engagement and input.

However, implementing and regulating AI comes with challenges, including concerns about privacy, security, oversight, equity, accessibility, bias, etc. So, as local governments explore AI's transformative power, many questions remain.

Ben Yelin, JD, is the Program Director for Public Policy and External Affairs at the University of Maryland Center for Health and Homeland Security, where he consults public and private entities on homeland security, cybersecurity, and emergency management policy. He is also an adjunct faculty member at the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law, where he teaches courses on electronic surveillance and the Fourth Amendment.

In 2021, Ben served as the co-chair of the Maryland Cybersecurity Council's ad-hoc committee on State and Local Cybersecurity and co-drafted a comprehensive report on Maryland's cybersecurity posture and a list of recommendations for policy changes. The report became the framework for a suite of bills enacted in the 2022 session.

Ben also co-hosts the Caveat podcast, part of the Cyberwire network, a weekly show on surveillance, cybersecurity, digital privacy, and more.

The Conduit Street Podcast is available on major platforms like Spotify, Apple, Google, and anywhere else you get your podcasts. Episodes are also available on MACo's Conduit Street blog.

Useful Links

Previous Conduit Street Coverage: The Robots Are Coming: AI Through the County Lens at #MACoCon

Previous Conduit Street Coverage: Suite of Strong Cyber Bills Signed Into Law

University of Maryland Center for Health and Homeland Security

Caveat Podcast

Follow Ben Yelin on Twitter

On the latest episode of the Conduit Street Podcast, Michael Sanderson and Brianna January walk through the annual decision meeting of Maryland’s Accountability and Implementation Board as they offer new guidance, direction, and measurables for the ambitious Blueprint for Maryland.

The state is refining its framework for pre-kindergarten providers and educators, realigning expectations and services for English learners, and revisiting the best ways to measure the quality of our educators. Education policy and excellence are front and center for this walk down Conduit Street.

The Conduit Street Podcast is available on major platforms like Spotify, Apple, Google, and anywhere else you get your podcasts. Episodes are also available on MACo's Conduit Street blog.

Useful Links:

Previous Conduit Street Coverage: Here’s What Counties Need to Know About the AIB’s Updated Blueprint Implementation Plan

Watch the entire AIB meeting online

On the latest episode of the Conduit Street Podcast, Michael Sanderson and Sarah Sample welcome back Director Brandon Foster from the Charles County Detention Center for a follow-up discussion on policy issues affecting local corrections – a central public service Maryland counties deliver for their communities.

The scope of local corrections – generally far shorter duration of stay, and many of the incarcerated are still awaiting their trial – deeply informs the local perspective on service and operational mandates contemplated by statewide policymakers. How do local correctional leaders "find common ground" with well-intentioned legislators when the details are… sometimes complicated?

Listen for a quick run-through of recent legislation and how local leaders are already working to keep their facilities fair and safe for all.

The Conduit Street Podcast is available on major platforms like Spotify, Apple, Google, and anywhere else you get your podcasts. Episodes are also available on MACo's Conduit Street blog.

Useful Links:

Part 1 of this discussion:

Conduit Street Podcast — The Detention Dilemma: What We Ask of Local Jails

2023 Legislative Wrap-up: Public Safety and Corrections

Legal coverage of Kincaid v. Williams case

Background on 2019 Medication Assisted Treatment legislation

On the latest episode of the Conduit Street Podcast, Tom Coale joins Michael Sanderson and Dominic Butchko to discuss all things housing, including concerns over affordability, access, and more. Topics include infrastructure, better collaboration on new policies and ideas, streamlining processes and procedures, and empowering local governments to develop tailored solutions to incentivize more affordable housing.

Tom Coale is a well-known voice in the housing space. Tom was previously a host on WBAL and the podcast Elevate Maryland. Currently, he is a partner at Perry, White, Ross & Jacobson.

The Conduit Street Podcast is available on major platforms like Spotify, Apple, Google, and anywhere else you get your podcasts. Episodes are also available on MACo's Conduit Street blog.

Useful Links

Previous Conduit Street Coverage on Housing Issues

Follow Tom Coale on Twitter

Neighborhood Defenders: Participatory Politics and America's Housing Crisis

On the latest episode of the Conduit Street Podcast, Brianna January joins Kevin Kinnally to explain why child care across the country could soon become more expensive and more difficult to find -- and why some advocates are concerned that Maryland's pre-k expansion plan could unintentionally add fuel to the fire.

In 2021, Congress passed the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), which included billions in grants to stabilize the child care system. Now the money --- which went to helping child care providers pay for rent, lowering tuition rates for families, and increasing wages for industry workers -- is about to run out.

Absent these grats, some experts predict one-third of the child care facilities that receive the funding will close, costing the US economy more than $10 billion per year and costing families $9 billion annually in lost earnings. On top of that, Maryland faces a different set of challenges with the expansion of public pre-k programs across the state.

The Blueprint for Maryland's Future ("The Blueprint") prioritizes early childhood education as its first pillar, including the gradual but eventual universal access to prekindergarten for 3- and 4-year-old children. One potential consequence causing concern for many stakeholders is the impact of pre-K expansion on the child care industry.

The Blueprint envisions a collaborative system of public-private partnerships for expanded pre-K. With more 3- and 4-year-olds moving on from child care facilities to pre-K — and with child care facilities entering the pre-K arena to help meet Blueprint goals — some stakeholders are concerned that there might not be enough providers (or seats) for natal-3-year-old child care.

The Conduit Street Podcast is available on major platforms like Spotify, Apple, Google, and anywhere else you get your podcasts. Episodes are also available on MACo's Conduit Street blog.

Useful Links

Previous Conduit Street Coverage: The Looming “Child Care Cliff” – Is Maryland Close to the Edge?

Learn more about MACo’s Summer Conference: 

• Attendee Registration Pricing 
• Attendee Online Registration 
• Exhibitor Details & Pricing 
• Exhibitor Registration 
• Sponsorship Opportunities 
• Tech Expo Details 
• Golf Tournament Details 
• Discounted Hotel Room Rates 
• 2022 Conference Photos 
• Conduit Street Blog Coverage 
• #MACoCon on Twitter 
• Questions?  Contact Virginia White 

On the latest episode of the Conduit Street Podcast, Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman joins Kevin Kinnally and Michael Sanderson to discuss the County's multi-faceted plan to address two vexing issues: affordable housing and school capacity.

The Conduit Street Podcast is available on major platforms like Spotify, Apple, Google, and anywhere else you get your podcasts. Episodes are also available on MACo's Conduit Street blog.

Listen to previous episodes of the Conduit Street Podcast on our website.

Useful Links

Previous Conduit Street Coverage: Anne Arundel Works to Address Affordable Housing and School Capacity

County Executive Pittman's Weekly Letter: Housing & Schools