Category: Government

General Assembly

Make Police Accountable: Repeal LEOBR

By Peta Richkus. In early August, attorney Deborah Katz Levi, Director of Special Litigation, Baltimore City Felony Trial Division, Maryland Office of the Public Defender (OPD), joined approximately 100 Marylanders who spoke before the Police Reform and Accountability in Maryland Workgroup chaired by Delegate Vanessa E. Atterbeary, House Judiciary Committee Vice Chair. In 2016, the (old Baltimore) City Paper gave its “best lawyer” award to … Continue reading Make Police Accountable: Repeal LEOBR

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General Assembly

Public Defender Urges Police Reform

By Peta Richkus. In June 2020, Maryland House Speaker Adrienne Jones, with Chair of the House Judiciary Committee, Luke Clippinger, convened the Work Group to Address Police Reform and Accountability in Maryland. “Policing in America is broken. While we have taken a number of positive steps in Maryland, we can’t be satisfied until every citizen has confidence in their police department…. We need structural reform … Continue reading Public Defender Urges Police Reform

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County Government

Baltimore County Can’t Wait for State on Police Reform

By Elizabeth Brown. This morning, August 28, 2020, Councilman Julian E. Jones, Jr. held a press conference to announce the introduction of seven distinct bills covering important aspects of police reform. After the Baltimore County Council unceremoniously tabled Jones’s earlier police reform bill, Bill 73-20, at the August 3, 2020 session, I was glad to hear that Councilman Julian E. Jones, Jr. would try again … Continue reading Baltimore County Can’t Wait for State on Police Reform

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County Government

Real Police Reform Needed Now

By Peta Richkus. You might think, with a single law that applies to all 142 law enforcement agencies in Maryland (LEOBR: the Law Enforcement Officers’ Bill of Rights), there would be uniformity in policing. You would be wrong. The only thing that is uniform is the lack of oversight and accountability. Because of LEOBR, those police officers who do violate their oath to “protect and … Continue reading Real Police Reform Needed Now

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Government

Hogan Wrong About Conducting November Election

By Peta Richkus. After the recommendation of the bi-partisan Board of Elections, as well as that of the Maryland Association of Election Officials, I really expected Gov. Hogan to go with the suggested hybrid election, which seemed to address all concerns: public health, capacity, security, efficiency. But no. Hogan is choosing instead to increase the dollar cost and the confusion, and to encourage more people … Continue reading Hogan Wrong About Conducting November Election

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General Assembly

State Retirees’ Rx Drug Benefit Redux

By Peta Richkus. Older retirees from State service remain in a hellacious limbo about their futures. Thanks only to a federal court injunction, and the handful of employees and their attorney who filed for it (Thank you, Ken Fitch, Deborah Heim, Mary Frye, and Deborah Holloway Hill, Esq.), Medicare-eligible State retirees continue to receive their prescription drug benefit. But for how long? Unfortunately, many legislators, … Continue reading State Retirees’ Rx Drug Benefit Redux

Elizabeth Brown9 Comments
Government

Pimlico A Poor Use for Funding

By Corey Johns. I love sports – I was a sportswriter for years, even owning my own sports news website covering all local events. Covering the Preakness was always a true highlight of the year. The Preakness means so much to Baltimore, and the tradition of 149 years in Baltimore is just truly remarkable. After negotiations to try to keep the Preakness in Baltimore at … Continue reading Pimlico A Poor Use for Funding

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County Government

A Chance to Reduce Crime: An Open Letter to Councilman Marks

By Fergal Mullally. On Tuesday, January 21st, Baltimore County Council will vote on the SAFE Act. If passed, the SAFE Act will require gun retailers in Baltimore County to make reasonable efforts to properly secure their stock of weapons. Legislation about guns is always controversial, and sends people to running to their ideological corners. But I urge you to consider this legislation from outside of … Continue reading A Chance to Reduce Crime: An Open Letter to Councilman Marks

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General Assembly

Maryland Overdue on Vulnerable Adults Protections

By Corey Johns. Baltimore County is seeing an increase in the populations of both the elderly and adults with autism. Both groups would fall into the category of vulnerable adults, but under state law, there are no protections against emotional abuse for vulnerable adults like there are for juveniles. District 42B delegate Michele Guyton introduced a bill to the House in the last session to … Continue reading Maryland Overdue on Vulnerable Adults Protections

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County Government

Time to get rid of a relic of Baltimore County’s checkered past

By David Plymyer. Anyone unfamiliar with the extensive history of corruption in Baltimore County should read  Eyes of Justice, the recently published book by James Cabezas, a long-time investigator for the Maryland State Prosecutor. Baltimore County’s quadrennial “Comprehensive Zoning Map Process” (CZMP) is a throwback to that checkered past, when government actions like zoning changes were bought and sold. The CZMP must be replaced with … Continue reading Time to get rid of a relic of Baltimore County’s checkered past

Elizabeth Brown4 Comments