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UM Shore Regional Health Receives $25 Million Gift For New UM Shore Regional Medical Center

July 2, 2025 by UM Shore Regional Health 1 Comment

At a time when rural hospitals are closing, donation helps to secure the future of health care on Maryland’s Eastern Shore

Inspired by a desire to ensure unparalleled health care in the region for generations to come, an Eastern Shore resident has made a $25 million gift to University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH), a member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS), toward construction of the new UM Shore Regional Medical Center (RMC) in Easton. The gift, from a supporter born over 90 years ago at the former Memorial Hospital at Easton who wishes to remain anonymous, marks the largest private donation in the history of UM SRH and one of the largest individual philanthropic donations ever for UMMS.

This gift helps launch UM SRH’s $100 million comprehensive fundraising campaign for the new hospital, which will allow the organization to improve clinical programs and advance teaching initiatives across the five-county region served by UM SRH. For more information about UM SRH’s comprehensive campaign, please visit: umshoreregional.org/supportRMC

“This extraordinary gift will make an incredible impact for health care on the Eastern Shore,” said Mohan Suntha, MD, MBA, President and CEO of UMMS. “It reflects a deep commitment to the well-being of our communities and is transformative — advancing our campaign to build a state-of-the-art medical center that delivers compassionate, high-quality care for generations to come. We are profoundly grateful for this visionary investment in the future of medicine and in the health of every family we serve.”

Over the last decade, UM SRH and UMMS have worked with community partners to develop an integrated clinical service delivery plan that reimagines and improves health care delivery across the Mid-Shore region, making investments in key projects such as the rural hospital designation in Chestertown, the emergency center in Queenstown, the freestanding medical facility in Cambridge, several medical pavilions and three urgent care centers across the shore.

“The new regional medical center is the cornerstone of this long-term plan, setting a national standard for rural health care by combining cutting-edge technology, academic research, specialty centers of excellence, and a modern, patient-centered design to deliver unparalleled care,” said Ken Kozel, President of UM SRH.

“At a time when rural hospitals are in crisis, with over 200 closing their doors in the past two decades and one-third of the rural hospitals in the country at risk of closing, we aren’t just transforming health care, we are expanding and building a better state of care for the region’s future,” Kozel added.

Designed as a hub for integrated rural health services, the regional medical center will serve as an anchor for a sustainable model of care while also serving as an economic engine for the Mid-Shore. UM SRH and UMMS are partnering with the University of Maryland School of Medicine, as well as with other University of Maryland, Baltimore clinical professional schools (Nursing, Dentistry and Pharmacy) and local clinical programs, providing scholarships and incentives to attract health care providers and address the shortage in rural areas.

“As part of our ongoing commitment to community and purpose, we are building a culture where generosity leads the way — one where giving isn’t just encouraged but embedded in who we are and how we operate,” said Rebecca Bair, Vice President of Philanthropy, UM SRH. “From leadership to frontline staff, we believe every act of service and support has the power to spark lasting change. Through volunteer initiatives, philanthropic partnerships and opportunities for individual giving, we are creating an environment where generosity is both lived and celebrated, driving a once-in-a-generation visionary endeavor.”

The public can follow construction progress and sign up to receive the quarterly project newsletter at umshoreregional.org/rmc.

About University of Maryland Shore Regional Health

A member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS), University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH) is the principal provider of comprehensive health care services for more than 170,000 residents of five counties on Maryland’s Eastern Shore: Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot. UM SRH consists of approximately 2,000 team members, including more than 600 health care providers on the Medical Staff, who work with community partners to advance the values that are foundational to our mission: Compassion, Discovery, Excellence, Diversity and Integrity. For more information, visit https://www.umms.org/shore.

About the University of Maryland Medical System

The University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) is an academic private health system, focused on delivering compassionate, high-quality care and putting discovery and innovation into practice at the bedside. Partnering with the University of Maryland School of Medicine and University of Maryland, Baltimore who educate the state’s future health care professionals, UMMS is an integrated network of care, delivering 25 percent of all hospital care in urban, suburban and rural communities across the state of Maryland. UMMS puts academic medicine within reach through primary and specialty care delivered at 11 hospitals, including the flagship University of Maryland Medical Center, the System’s anchor institution in downtown Baltimore, as well as through a network of University of Maryland Urgent Care centers and more than 150 other locations in 13 counties. For more information, visit www.umms.org.

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House rejects GOP amendments, gives final approval to bill creating Reparations Commission

April 4, 2025 by Maryland Matters Leave a Comment

It’s done.

The House of Delegates gave final approval Wednesday evening to a bill that would create a Maryland Reparations Commission, sending the measure to the governor for his signature.

The 101-36 party-line vote would make Maryland one of the few states in the nation with a statewide body to study the inequality endured by African descendants. California became the first state in 2020 to pass legislation; then Illinois in 2021 and New York in 2023.

If approved, the commission would assess specific federal, state and local policies from 1877 to 1965, the post-Reconstruction and Jim Crow eras. Those years “have led to economic disparities based on race, including housing segregation and discrimination, redlining, restrictive covenants, and tax policies,” according to the bill.

The commission would also examine how public and private institutions may have benefited from those policies, and would recommend appropriate reparations, which could include statements of apology, monetary compensation, social service assistance, business incentives and child care costs.

Passage Wednesday followed 90 minutes of sometimes emotional debate and attempts to amend the bill, which could have blocked its passage with just five days left in the General Assembly session.

Del. Lauren Arikan (R-Harford) tried to amend the bill to have the commission study the impact of government policies on those who endured child sexual abuse and those as minors “in the care and custody of the State.” Arikan, who identified heraself as a victim of abuse, emphasized her point by reading out about three dozen names of child abuse victims.

“I will stand up again on any bill I can continue to read the names of victims that our state’s harmed today,” said Arikan, who told a reporter she had been “molested as a young child.”

“That is what reparations is, paying back the aggrieved and the injured,” she said. “So don’t wait 200 years to help the families of these victims who we have harmed today.”

Del. Joseline Peña-Melnyk (D-Prince George’s and Anne Arundel), said that she used to work as a child-neglect lawyer in Washington, D.C., and that she understands Arikan’s passion for children.

But Peña-Melnyk, the chair of the Health and Government Operations Committee, told her colleagues to reject Arikan’s amendment because it rewrites the measure and “changes the purpose of the bill. They’re very different issues.”

The House appeared to agree, rejecting the amendment 101-34.

Delegates also rejected two amendments from House Minority Leader Jason Buckel (R-Allegany), one that would have limited reparations to Maryland residents and another that would have required the commission to estimate the fiscal impact to the state of any of its recommendations.

“We will have people come from all over [the] 50 states and try to find ways to receive those payments, justifiable or not, however you feel about it,” Buckel said of his proposed residency restriction\. “That is what will happen.”

Peña-Melnyk said the commission will assess and determine eligibility requirements. In addition, she said the commission must submit a preliminary report of recommendations by Jan. 1, 2027, to explain its findings, and a final report by Nov. 1 of that year.

The House rejected the residency amendment 101-38.

As for the fiscal reporting requirement, Peña-Melnyk noted that the bill already requires the commission’s final report include an estimate of costs “associated with awarding any type of reparations recommended.”

“So you see my friend, it’s already in the bill and it’s not needed,” Peña-Melnyk said. That amendment failed 100-37.

‘Reparation tax’

The all-volunteer commission would consist of nearly two dozen people, including two employees from the state’s four historically Black colleges and universities with expertise in the history of slavery; a representative from the Maryland Lynching Truth and Reconciliation Commission; and the state archivist or a designee from that office.

Although the House passed Senate Bill 587, sponsored by Sen. C. Anthony Muse (D-Prince George’s), many delegates hugged, smiled and even shed a few tears with Del. Aletheia McCaskill (D-Baltimore County). McCaskill sponsored the House version that didn’t advance out the Health and Government Operations Committee.

That’s fine with her.

“It’s about ushering the purpose and the plan. I work very well behind the scenes, and so it’s OK,” she said to two reporters after Wednesday evening’s debate. “I would love to give Sen. Muse the glory for accepting to be my cross-filer [bill]. Because in prior years, we did not have a cross-filer. So finally, we made it through.”

It also helped that, for the first time, the Legislative Black Caucus made the bill one of its top priorities for the 90-day session that ends Monday. A hearing on the Senate version was first held Feb. 27 and then approved by the full chamber March 14.

Critics, like Del. Matthew Morgan (R-St. Mary’s), called the measure divisive and said it would amount to a “reparation tax.”

“I think it’s disgraceful that we’re going to set up a reparation tax that might tax one race and give to another race,” he said. “It is the year 2025. Are you kidding me? All in the name of equity? Equity is a Marxist term. Splits people up and divides it.”

But Del. Stephanie Smith (D-Baltimore City), noted that Black Marylanders in the 1900s paid taxes but did not receive the benefits from them.

“There were roads they paid for, they could not drive them. There were schools they paid for, they could not enter,” she said. “We are offering just a conversation and a commission to acknowledge that they were here, that they lived, that they contributed, and I think they merit our time because they lived, they died … and guess what? They were taxpayers that never got what they invested in.”

The bill would go into effect July 1 and remain in effect until June 30, 2028.

– Reporter Bryan P. Sears contributed to this report.

By: William J. Ford – April 3, 2025 8:16 am

Maryland Matters is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Maryland Matters maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Steve Crane for questions: [email protected].

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Budget agreement could generate more than $1 billion in new revenue

March 21, 2025 by Maryland Matters Leave a Comment

House Speaker Adrienne Jones (center), Gov. Wes Moore and Senate President Bill Ferguson announced an agreement to a budget framework Thursday, as the legislative session enters its last 18 days. (Photo by Bryan P. Sears/Maryland Matters)

A compromise spending plan for the coming budget year includes more than $1 billion in tax increases, including a proposal to let local governments increase the maximum local piggyback tax rate.

The revenues were unveiled Thursday by the governor and legislative leaders as part of a broad budget “framework” that will guide negotiators in the next few weeks, as they rush toward the end of the session.

The new revenues, coupled with an estimated $2.5 billion in budget cuts, are designed to cover a projected $3 billion deficit in the fiscal 2026 budget, and leave a reserve for fiscal 2027. The budget will also include “federal government spending triggers” that would activate in response to likely federal budget cuts.

“It ensures that those who rely on federal benefits are informed, prepared and can advocate for their continued access to essential service regardless of what happens at the federal level,” Senate President Bill Ferguson (D-Baltimore City) said.

Topping the list of new taxes unveiled Thursday is nearly $500 million from a 3% sales tax on data and IT services, according to budget documents shared with Maryland Matters. The tax, originally proposed as a business-to-business tax, would apply to anyone who uses such a service.

While the new proposal will have consumers pay the tax, too, the service on which the tax will be applied is smaller than the original proposal. Ferguson called it a modernization of the state tax code at a time when Maryland’s economy has become more service-based.

Tasha Cornish, executive director of the Cybersecurity Association Inc., said the tax has “harsh consequences for the state’s security” as well as Maryland’s ability to compete.

“We are sympathetic to the fiscal pressure exerted on lawmakers, but this tax is an unwise move,” Cornish said. “Maryland risks losing its competitive edge in cybersecurity, forcing companies to relocate and taking high-paying jobs with them. It’s a short-sighted attempt to gain revenue at the cost of our security and future economic stability.”

Another $367 million would come from a 2% surcharge on capital gains income over $350,000. The rate is double what Moore proposed in his budget. Most of the tax would land in the state’s general fund, with about 40% earmarked for the state’s Transportation Trust Fund.

The state would also raise $344 million from changes in the tax code, including the creation of two new tax brackets: Those earning $500,000 to $1 million would pay 6.25%; those above $1 million in earnings would pay a rate of 6.5%.

“We are asking those who have done exceptionally well to pay slightly more so we can have the best schools in the country, so we can support law enforcement and our firefighters, so we can make sure we are growing our economy.,” the governor said.

Moore said the “refinement”of his tax plan ensures “we hit our goal of delivering tax relief to the middle class.”

He told reporters that 94% of Marylanders will see a reduction in their taxes or no increase. But when asked how many would see a reduction and the size of the average reduction, Moore could not provide specifics.

Moore, in his budget, had also proposed doubling the standard deduction, but the framework unveiled Thursday called for a 20% standard deduction increase.

The compromise agreement also increases the maximum piggyback income tax rate for local governments to 3.3%. The current maximum is 3.2%.

The agreement also ruled out a number of potential tax changes;

No increase in the state’s 6% sales tax on goods.
No 75-cents fee on each retail delivery.
No property tax increase.
No expansion of gambling into iGaming.
No estate tax increase.
No changes to the car trade-in allowance.
No taxes on snacks or sugary drinks.
No increase in the gas tax.

The framework was roundly criticized by Republicans.

House Minority Leader Jason C. Buckel (R-Allegany) said “the lack of clarity and mushy talk was disappointing.”

“I expected someone to come out and say this is what the total revenue package is,” said Buckel.

Republicans make up about 30% of the House and Senate. They said Thursday’s announcement was the first time they heard how the spending plan would be altered.

“The word framework was used a lot more often than details, and that’s our biggest question,” said Senate Minority Leader Stephen S. Hershey Jr. (R-Upper Shore). “How are they going to get to the cuts that they talk about?”

Hershey also questioned Democrats’ plan to impose a 3% sales tax on data and IT services at a time when Moore has said he wants to attract “IT and cyber and AI” to the state.

“I don’t understand why those companies would end up coming to Maryland,” Hershey said. “That’s one of the biggest things we’ve talked about from day one, is that’s who he’s trying to attract, and yet he’s going to put a first-in-the-country tax on those types of services. We just don’t think that’s the way to go if you want to grow the economy, and for businesses here in Maryland.”

On Thursday afternoon, the House Appropriations Committee also approved a plan to implement combined corporate tax reporting. Moore had proposed phasing the reporting in by 2028, then cutting the corporate tax rate from 8.25% to 7.99%.

Appropriations kept the language implementing combined reporting but nixed the corporate tax rate reduction. The change faces tough sledding in the Senate.

Some of the changes proposed, include the addition of combined reporting, tracked with legislation backed by advocates for passing much more aggressive tax reforms.

“Marylanders value and deserve good schools, transportation, health care, and other essential services,” according to a statement released by Fair Share Maryland. “As our communities are being harmed by indiscriminate federal layoffs and threatened cuts to grants and programs, our state level services are more important than ever. Having sustainable, fair sources of revenue is essential to help us get there.”

The agreement makes other changes including:

Adding the state’s 6% sales tax to vending machine purchases.
Repealing the exemption for sales of photographic and artistic material used in advertising.
Repealing an exemption for sales of coins and bullion over $1,000 . The change leaves an exemption for sales made specifically at the Baltimore City Convention Center.
Increasing the tax rate on sports wagering from 15% to 20%. The change will bring in $32 million in new revenue.
The cannabis tax rate will jump from 9% to 12%, raising $39 million.

The House plan also calls for additional money for state transportation. It would:

Increase the excise tax on vehicle sales from 6% to 6.8%. The change would raise $158 million.
Raise $51 million by accelerating the implementation of vehicle registration fee increases passed last year.
Increase vehicle emission fees from $14 to $30. That change would raise $20 million.
The package would also raise another $9 million by changing the definition of vehicles eligible for historic tags by defining eligible cars as vehicles older than model year 1999. The current definition of an older car is any car 20 years old.
Raise $47 million by imposing a 3.5% tax rate on short-term rentals.
Doubles titling fees on new and used cars to $200, raising $80 million.

The Senate has yet to sign off on the transportation-related proposals. The House and Senate have agreed to a roughly $400 million package for transportation. The two chambers differ on the specifics of reaching that number but are expected to come to an agreement before the session ends on April 7.

The House could have the budget on the floor for a preliminary vote early next week. A final vote could come soon after. The Senate could complete work on the budget within a week after and send differences quickly to a conference committee.

by Bryan P. Sears, Maryland Matters
March 20, 2025

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Annapolis Realities: Medicaid and Child Care Costs add to MD Fiscal Woes

July 18, 2024 by Maryland Matters Leave a Comment

Maryland faces nearly $1 billion in projected budget deficits driven by as much as $800 million in projected Medicaid shortfalls over two years.

On Wednesday, the Board of Public Works, chaired by Gov. Wes Moore (D), approved nearly $150 million in budget reductions. The cuts will be coupled with other actions in an attempt to ease the pressure on the state’s budget.

“It’s a reasonable estimate at this point in time,” said Senate Budget and Taxation Chair Guy Guzzone (D-Howard), when asked about the two-year Medicaid deficit projection.

“And that’s Medicaid. There’s some other component parts that may add a little more to it,” Guzzone said. “The problem is that we get locked into numbers, but when you do this long enough, you know better than to get locked into numbers. but you have sort of in your mind what you’re dealing with, and it’s essentially, probably just under $1 billion overall, with everything that could possibly be.”

Senate Budget and Taxation Chair Sen. Guy Guzzone (D-Howard). Photo by Bryan P. Sears.

The administration has hesitated on publicly using a dollar amount to define the projected Medicaid and child care subsidy deficit.

Multiple legislative sources placed the projected deficit for Medicare alone at roughly $800 million over the previous and current fiscal year.

In a July 12 letter to the Legislative Policy Committee, which is chaired by Senate President Bill Ferguson (D-Baltimore City) and House Speaker Adrienne Jones (D-Baltimore County), Department of Legislative Services analysts said the “fiscal 2024 deficit has grown to approximately $580 million in general funds across Medicaid and MCHP (the Maryland Children’s Health Program), including fiscal 2023 bills paid in fiscal 2024.”

Analysts note that the Moore administration plans cover $350 million in Medicaid services costs from fiscal 2024 in the fiscal 2025 budget.

“This strategy of pushing costs into fiscal 2025, coupled with the fiscal 2025 budget likely understating the cost of fiscal 2025 services, will result in a substantial shortfall that will need to be addressed during the 2025 legislative session,” the analysts wrote.

Added to that is a shortfall in the state’s child care subsidy that will push the total deficit to nearly $1 billion.

Asked about the legislative estimates, a Moore spokesperson said late Wednesday that the budget deficit is still a moving target.

“We’re waiting to see where FY24 Medicaid numbers land, as MDH (Maryland Department of Health) closes out its books, and we’re still working on an updated estimate of the FY25 Medicaid,” the spokesperson said in an email. “It’s hard to pin policy to a moving target. Seems like most everyone agrees on that point.”

The Board of Public Works on Wednesday moved to adjust early, approving the governor’s request for nearly $150 million in reductions to dozens of agencies and programs. The cuts to the fiscal year budget that began July 1 aim to protect spending on health and child care, which Moore has said is key to lifting the state out of an economic and fiscal malaise.

Moore said at the board meeting that the state has “over 1.7 million Marylanders enrolled in Medicaid” — more than one-fourth of the state’s population of nearly 6.2 million. Additionally, he said, the state has seen a 70% increase in children receiving state child care subsidies.

“The historic investments that we’ve made in health care and in child care are two of the largest drivers that have necessitated the actions that we’re asking the board to approve today,” Moore said. “In protecting these two areas, we also needed to make hard decisions about how we invest elsewhere.”

Maryland Budget Secretary Helene Grady told the board that the cuts from dozens of programs, which will be reallocated to Medicaid and child care, are “a proactive step.”

Maryland Budget Secretary Helene Grady. Photo by Bryan P. Sears.

“At this point, we anticipate needing to add appropriation to our Medicaid and child care scholarship budgets in fiscal ’25, given our agency’s success with ensuring that eligible families are enrolled in each program, and given our expense trends through fiscal 24,” Grady said.

“Ensuring that eligible Marylanders can access health care and child care affordably are deliberate policy priorities of the governor and the legislature,” she said. “This proposal reinforces our prioritization of these efforts in the state’s budget plan.”

Moore and Grady described the cuts as “targeted.” Some actions included slowing hiring and rolling back spending increases to prior year levels, something Moore has called “rebasing.”

“Since new funding for new initiatives has not yet been deployed these actions to slow or defer can have the least impact on services people already rely on in some areas of significant increase in funding in recent years,” Grady told the board. “The package also represents rolling back some of the increase to more sustainable levels.”

Republican legislators said the actions, unanimously approved by the board, are neither cuts nor fiscally responsible.

Senate Minority Whip Justin Ready (R-Carroll and Frederick) said the board’s actions merely reallocate spending rather than reduce it. He described Moore’s budget cuts pronouncement as “going out and holding a parade because you moved spending from one bucket to another. It’s not cuts.”

But Comptroller Brooke Lierman (D), a board member, lauded the moves, saying revenues are stagnant but “needs are growing. And we cannot meet those needs if revenues don’t keep up.”

Moving people into the workforce will improve the state’s fiscal picture, she said.

“People can’t work if they are sick, and parents cannot work, or guardians or caregivers cannot work if they cannot afford child care for their children at home,” Lierman said. “So, these collective sacrifices that we are seeing today will allow the state to increase spending in our health care and child care programs.”

A new layer to fiscal woes

Maryland already faces a series of looming fiscal challenges.

Legislative budget analysts warn of growing structural deficits in the billions of dollars through fiscal 2028. Most of that is tied to more expensive parts of the state’s Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, the education reforms.

In January, those analysts projected “the largest structural gap we’ve forecasted since back in the Great Recession.” They projected a structural budget deficit of $1 billion in the coming fiscal year will grow to $1.3 billino by fiscal 2027, the last year of Moore’s current term. A year later, it more than doubles to $3 billion — about 12% of projected general fund revenues for that year.

Additionally, the state still faces a gap between expected transportation and transit projects and revenue available in the Transportation Trust Fund.

When House Democrats this year called for increased taxes, Moore and Senate Democrats resisted.

Meanwhile, Moore has set his sights on the lofty, and likely expensive, goal of ending childhood poverty. And he has vowed to build the Red Line light rail system, connecting western Baltimore County to eastern Baltimore City. The exact cost of that project is unknown, but experts predict it will exceed the $2.9 billion cost of the Red Line when it was canceled in 2015 by then Gov. Larry Hogan (R).

The first tranche

Moore has tools to fill some of the budget holes.

The legislature left the governor roughly $125 million in available fund balances in the current budget year. And when legislative budget analysts said in March that the administration underestimated Medicare enrollment, lawmakers authorized Moore to tap the state’s Rainy Day fund by as much as $190 million.

Of that, $90 million could apply to Medicaid in fiscal 2024. The remaining $100 million could be used to offset Medicaid deficits in fiscal 2025.

Combined with the more than $148 million in cuts approved Wednesday by the Board of Public Works, that would be more than $465 million in offsets.

“You can sort of say we’re halfway there, if you will,” Guzzone said.

There is some dispute over how much of the $190 million in surplus funds Moore will use.

Multiple legislative sources said using the full $190 million is all but inevitable. Republican lawmakers point to the July 12 Department of Legislative Services memo that they say show the administration intends to use it all.

But Grady, in an interview Wednesday afternoon, said analysts may have misunderstood a June 24 report from the administration in which it repeated authorizing language in the budget. Grady said that the administration has only decided to take the first $90 million.

“We don’t intend to decide on later in the year, for all the reasons we’ve talked about,” Grady said. “There’s so much more for us to know.”

In that report, Grady said she only addresses fiscal 2024 expenditure projections.

“In my mind, my read of the statute language is that we will need to provide a similar report on fiscal ’25 projections alongside our plans to draw a fiscal 2025 $100 million, and that would be later,” she said. “This is the first tranche.”

by Bryan P. Sears, Maryland Matters
July 18, 2024

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The State of Chesapeake College: A Chat with President Cliff Coppersmith

December 19, 2023 by The Spy

Over the years, one of the most enjoyable interviews the Spy has every year around this time is our check-in with the president of Chesapeake College, Cliff Coppersmith.

There are several reasons for that. As the community college for the Mid-Shore, Chesapeake is one of those notable local institutions that genuinely change lives every day. Over the years, the college has been our most significant provider of a well-trained, professional workforce for the counties of Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s, and Talbot since it opened its doors. Still, it has grown into so much more than that mission.

With its increasingly broad scope of educational opportunities, Chesapeake has opened the door to affordable higher education to literally thousands of young adults in Mid-Shore since the college was founded in 1965.

In our interview, President Coppersmith discusses the college navigating through two significant developments: its reaccreditation process and formulating a new strategic plan. The reaccreditation is a critical process that ensures the college meets specific quality standards, a requirement for receiving federal aid.

Simultaneously, the college is shaping its strategic plan, initiated five years ago, as it nears its conclusion. This plan addresses the college’s financial stability, enrollment numbers, and overall sustainability. The focus on these areas is particularly vital in light of the nationwide challenges higher education institutions face, such as demographic shifts leading to reduced high school graduate numbers.

Highlighting the college’s recent achievements, Coppersmith proudly mentions the construction of the Health Professions and Allied Programs (HPAP) facility, a significant contribution to both the campus and the region. This facility underscores the college’s commitment to healthcare and skilled trades education.

Looking ahead, there is a healthy optimism on Cliff’s part with an 8% projected enrollment increase this fall. The college has also seen improvements in student retention and successful transfers to four-year institutions. Furthermore, the college is undergoing a branding refresh, including a new logo and website, to represent its identity and values better.

This video is approximately 12 minutes in length. For more information about Chesapeake College please go here.

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Commission Offers Increased Fees, Tolls as Options to Help with Transportation Funding

December 14, 2023 by Maryland Matters

A blue-ribbon transportation panel will ask lawmakers to consider bolstering the state’s flagging Transportation Trust Fund by raising tolls and imposing new or increased vehicle registration fees.

The 31-member Transportation Revenue and Infrastructure Committee’s interim report is more of a menu of options for lawmakers to consider than a series of prescriptions.

“We’ve covered a lot of territory in a period of time,” said Frank Principe, who chairs the commission. “We also understand there’s a lot more to dig into and I don’t take that lightly. We certainly want to provide as much helpful input that we can in terms of trying to move these kinds of topics and conversations forward.”

The recommendations come as county leaders and lawmakers come to grips with recent announcements of draconian cuts to the state’s transportation budget. None of the recommendations will close the gap of billions of dollars in cuts or the shortfall already projected in the current rolling six-year Consolidated Transportation Plan.

The commission met four times this year before Wednesday’s work on interim recommendations.

In recent weeks, the Maryland Department of Transportation announced $3.3 billion in cuts. The reductions cut across all agencies within the department and affect some of the most important projects in all 24 major political subdivisions in the state.

Senate Budget and Taxation Chair Guy Guzzone (D-Howard) said it is unrealistic for the legislature to return in January to bridge the chasm in the transportation budget.

“This isn’t even close to the full menu of options,” Guzzone said of the interim report that legislators will receive next month.

“I think what is realistic is that we’re going to look at these recommendations,” said Guzzone. “We’re going to see what needs to be done to keep the system performing at a good level.”

That will require some prioritization, he said.

“I mean, if you’ve got a $3 billion problem and you can’t handle it all, you do have to think about what’s most important, what is the most critical,” said Guzzone. “Absolutely it’s triage.”

Part of that triage could mean temporary delays in getting major transportation projects off the ground. Some of those delays could impact the proposed widening of the Capital Beltway and I-270, a new American Legion Bridge, and the resurrected Red Line light rail project in Baltimore, said Guzzone.

The commission, created earlier this year by the legislature, is tasked with reimagining how transportation projects are prioritized and paid for in Maryland.

Projects are paid for through dedicated revenues to the Transportation Trust Fund.

Revenue flowing into the fund no longer keeps pace with the volume or costs of projects.

The gas tax, now 47-cents per gallon, makes up nearly a quarter of the Transportation Trust fund revenue.

The state’s gas tax, a key component of the fund, is becoming less relevant as gas sales decrease due to more fuel-efficient cars, increased working from home, and moves toward electric and hybrid vehicles.

The fund is also hobbled by the increase in electric vehicles which do not contribute in the same way as owners of gas-powered vehicles.

Additionally, the state is collecting less in new vehicle taxes as drivers in Maryland keep their vehicles longer.

Topping the list are calls to impose new vehicle registration fees on electric and hybrid vehicles which contribute little to the trust fund. The panel recommended the legislature look at increased vehicle registration fees for all vehicles.

The commission did not recommend a specific target for the fees.

Earlier this year, state transportation officials said the fee for electric vehicle owners in Maryland should be about $220, higher than the national average of about $128. Some expressed concerns that a fee that is set too high would disincentivize purchases of the vehicles as the state looks to move away from gas powered vehicles over the next decade.

The panel also approved a recommendation to calling for toll increases — possibly only on E-ZPass accounts not registered in the state.

Toll revenue by law is earmarked to repay bonds for toll facility projects. The commission called on the General Assembly to consider changes to the law to allow revenue over and above what is necessary to repay the loans to be used for other projects including transit.

Both proposals are fraught with potential Constitutional entanglements, according to Senate Minority Leader Stephen S. Hershey Jr. (R-Upper Shore).

Tolls imposed on only out-of-state drivers could run afoul of the Dormant Commerce Clause. A similar plan in Rhode Island faces a federal challenge. Members of the commission in Maryland hope to thread the needle by imposing higher assessments on E-ZPass automated tolling accounts that are registered in other states.

“We have seen other states not be able to do the same thing,” said Hershey. “All of a sudden we’re recommending it. To put forth a recommendation that will probably be challenged in court as a means of trying to solve this problem, I don’t think that was appropriate.”

Additionally, there are concerns that siphoning off money from a currently dedicated fund within the Maryland Transportation Authority could trigger bond rating downgrades or court challenges.

“I think that there are some significant hurdles,” said Guzzone, who added that lawmakers will discuss all options in the coming session before ruling anything out.

The commission also recommended that the Maryland Department of Transportation develop a new process for prioritizing transportation projects around the state.

County leaders and legislators have complained for years that the current process is byzantine and cloaked in secrecy.

A new Consolidated Transportation Plan process should consider factors including tying decisions to long-range transportation goals and considering the unique needs or urban and rural counties and separately score roads and bridges, transit, and aviation.

The commission also recommended that transportation officials “always present a balanced draft” of the Consolidated Transportation Plan prior to meeting with county leaders across the state each fall.

The final recommendation was a nod to frustrations expressed by county leaders and lawmakers after the department delivered a six-year plan in which the cost of projects outstripped the agency’s ability to pay for them to the tune of $2.1 billion.

By Bryan P. Sears

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Historic District Commission Tables 206 Cannon Street Proposal

December 11, 2023 by James Dissette

Christopher Frank, AIA, of HammonWilson Architects, P.C., gave his third presentation to the Chestertown Historic District Commission on Wednesday, December 6, to present modifications to the proposed house construction at 206 Cannon Street.

The presentation was an update of architectural changes and was not planned for the approval process during that meeting.

The attached video is a compilation of Mr. Frank’s presentation, along with public comments. It is not meant to be a verbatim record of the proceedings.

Mr. Frank described his overall reduction of the scale of the structure, down from its original 12,000 sq. ft. to 6-7,000 sq. ft., along with a proposal to include three subdivided building lots along Cannon Street between the public parking lot and the current residential structure toward Queen Street.

The front of the house would face Cross St. (Rt. 298). According to Frank, that area of Cross St. lacks the kind of architectural consistency and historic character that would disqualify the design of the proposed house.

According the Commission’s guidelines, the Historic District Commission is “tasked with considering “the historic, archeological, or architectural significance of the site or structure and its relationship to the historic, archeological, or architectural significance of the surrounding area; the relationship of the exterior architectural features of a structure to the remainder of the structure and to the surrounding area; the general compatibility of exterior design, scale, proportion, arrangement, texture and materials proposed to be used; and any other factors, including aesthetic factors, which the Commission deems to be pertinent.”

The contention, aired by members of the Commission and public comments, is that even though the proposed structure has been reduced, that it does not qualify as appropriate for the Chestertown historic district.

The issue was tabled until Mr. Frank’s next appearance before the Board.

This video is approximately fifteen minutes in length.. To read all the comment letters and view the video of the meeting and complete set of architectural renderings, go here.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Tough Decisions, Possible Tax Increases Cloud Coming Legislative Session

December 9, 2023 by Maryland Matters

Senator Steve Hershey.

Taxes and cost shifts are on the table for the coming General Assembly session as Gov. Wes Moore (D) and lawmakers look to solve both a structural budget shortfall and massive cuts to transportation projects.

Eric Luedtke, Moore’s chief legislative officer, told county officials Friday that the coming legislative session will center around “answering some really tough questions” because of an end to billions in federal aid that pumped up state coffers in recent years.

“How do we continue to achieve what we all want to achieve in terms of education, in terms of transportation in terms of economic development in terms of public safety? How do we do that in the context of a fiscal situation that is tighter than it’s been for the last few years?” Luedtke said during the closing day of the Maryland Association of Counties winter convention in Cambridge.

Local government leaders left the Eastern Shore after a tough three days that focused on $3 billion in cuts to state transportation projects over six years, with few answers on how to pay for a plan to improve public school education that some counties say they cannot afford.

Also on the minds of county leaders is the potential for Moore and lawmakers to shift costs of programs currently paid for by the state to local governments or even more cuts in state aid.

“I don’t think you’re going to see anything of the scale of the Great Recession shifts,” said Luedtke. “…Our challenges in the Transportation Trust Fund, at least in this year, are much more significant than our budget challenges and I think it’s a little early to answer that question. The governor will be releasing his proposed budget in early January. But I can assure you that in all of the conversations we’re having internally in the administration, we take very seriously the impact of any decision we make on the governor’s proposed budget.”

Last month, legislative budget analysts told the joint Spending Affordability Committee that the state faces a structural gap of $322 million in the coming legislative session. Projections show the gap continuing to grow in fiscal 2026 and 2027 to $376 million and $436 million respectively.

By fiscal 2028, the gap would grow to nearly $1.8 billion followed by a nearly $2.1 billion deficit the following year.

The committee is expected to meet later this month to make non-binding recommendations on budget growth.

The news, however, has raised the specter of tax increases.

“If you’ve looked at the history of the House, the House has generally been okay with trying to do some grown up things on this [taxes],” said House Majority Leader David Moon (D-Montgomery). “There’s an open question about whether we’re in a consensus time and are going to reach a consensus time on this.”

Moon said it may be time to “pull up some grown-up pants and do something” or resort to “living within our means” and accepting cuts.

“I think that’s pretty clear,” he said.

Some county officials bristled at Moon’s blunt observation.

“The question I have though, is why is the discussion frame that we have to put on our big white pants to deal with this?” said Worcester County Board of Commissioners President Anthony “Chip” Bertino Jr. “And the only way to do that is to spend more money.

“I don’t understand why the grownups get to spend the money and those of us are those who believe that maybe accounting for what we already have spent should be the way to go,” he said.

It’s not yet clear if the House and Senate have a consensus on tax issues.

“We’re going to need to take a look at … the governor’s budget … to see where there might be gaps and where we think our priorities are,” said Senate President Pro Tem Malcolm Augustine (D-Prince George’s). “I think it’s really premature actually to start to talk about [taxes] at this time, because we really don’t yet know. I don’t think that we’re actually in a place today to be able to do that.”

Leaders of several counties and the city of Baltimore are also urging the General Assembly to ease the stress on their budgets by mandates to cover the local costs of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future education reform plan.

“I represent two counties on the Eastern Shore that have said from the onset that this was unaffordable,” said Senate Minority Leader Sen. Stephen S. Hershey Jr. (R-Upper Shore). “Unfortunately, that falls on deaf ears until Prince George’s County and Baltimore City say well, we can’t afford it either. Now that becomes a discussion.”

But Democrats, who hold the governor’s office and are a supermajority in both the House and Senate said a change is unlikely.

“I just don’t think it’s in the cards to see Maryland start walking back its commitments to invest in public education,” said Moon. “So let me start there. I would be very surprised to see us heading towards that outcome.”

Counties now face the additional pressure of $3.3 billion in cuts to highway and transit projects and local shares of highway user revenues over the next six years. The cuts hit favored projects in every jurisdiction in the state.

The Transportation Revenue and Infrastructure Needs Commission is expected to recommend the creation of new fees on owners of electric vehicles and toll increases on out-of-state drivers. Neither will be enough to close the gap created by declining fuel and new car taxes and increased costs of projects.

Moore, speaking to the association Thursday night, said the cuts were tough medicine and part of a “season of discipline.”

“I think we’re all very concerned by the transportation cuts that have been proposed,” Moon said. “I was surprised by the breadth and the depth of them and how they touch nearly every corner of the state.”

Both Moon and Augustine said they expect the legislature to attempt to address the issue. Augustine held out hope that massive cuts could be avoided.

House Minority Leader Del. Jason Buckel (R-Allegany) warned against imposing tax increases in a difficult economy.

“You can’t get a billion dollars or $2 billion out of the millionaire’s tax,” said Buckel. “You can’t get a billion or $2 billion out of the gambling industry. It does not exist. The only way you can get it are broad-based, across-the-board, affecting-almost-everyone tax hikes. I don’t think people want to do that.”

Lawmakers on the panel offered a glimpse of their own legislative agendas for the coming 90-day session though no specifics were announced.

Topping that list is a focus on juvenile crime. Some state’s attorneys and law enforcement agencies say recent changes in state law makes it more difficult to prosecute and punish young people accused of committing crimes.

“There is some middling news for some of the youth crime that is out there as far as it being somewhat down but it’s still just unacceptably high,” said Augustine. “We know that we’re going to have to do something about that.”

It is not clear how close the House and Senate are on the issue with four weeks before lawmakers return to Annapolis.

“We are taking this issue very seriously. But you know the solutions you’re going to get are not going to be real stuff if you’re not looking at the right thing,” said Moon. “There’s been a lot of talk about this issue. DC right now has juvenile carjackings going through the roof. I assure you this is not happening because of changes in Maryland law that went into effect this October. So again, everyone take a deep breath.”

Moon added that Democrats will also revisit some firearms legislation that failed to pass last year.

“I’ll start with the firearm crimes and just say we have unfinished business as all these court decisions unwind and create a new reality and a new volume of firearm possession in the state — legal and illegal. This is something we have to deal with,” said Moon.

Last month, House and Senate Republicans announced a five-bill package focused on criminal justice issues.

Moore on Thursday announced that he will have a 12-bill package focusing on a wide range of issues. The governor is expected to provide more details on those bills in the coming weeks.

By Bryan P. Sears

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Moore to Maryland Counties: “I know that our trust is being tested”

December 8, 2023 by Maryland Matters

Gov. Wes Moore (D) told leaders of counties across the state that he stands behind $3.3 billion in transportation cuts and told them to brace for “a season of discipline.” Photo by Bryan P. Sears.

Gov. Wes Moore (D) told a gathering of county leaders still reeling from news of deep cuts in transportation projects that he backs the proposal, describing it as hard medicine.

For two days, officials from around the state have grumbled about $3.3 billion in cuts including deep reductions to highway user revenues, the primary source of local road repair funding for counties.

“I know that our trust is being tested,” Moore said during a dinner speech at the Maryland Association of Counties winter conference in Cambridge. “I believe the course we’ve taken is the right one.”

Moore’s speech also included some details of a dozen bills that will be his legislative agenda for the 2024 session.

“The year will be hard,” he said. “But I have never been more optimistic about the future of our state. Because we will tackle this moment together. I’ve always believed you can never learn anything about anyone when times are easy. You learn about someone when times are hard – when you’re tested – when the only choices left are tough choices. That time is now.”

The speech is a public recognition by Moore of the anger expressed by many county leaders who complained about the 11th hour nature of delivering news of extreme cuts. Moore vowed to repair any damage to the relationship.

“Trust demands transparency and truth, even if it’s hard,” said Moore. “This evening, I offer both – to you and to the people of Maryland. And if there’s one argument I hope to make clear before I leave the podium, it’s this: In this challenging time, we have a duty to act with discipline. Because discipline is what the people of Maryland deserve; And by acting with discipline, I believe we can build a better state for the long-term – and strengthen the bonds of trust.”

The governor also acknowledged the economic pinch felt by Marylanders. His speech contained no mention of tax increases.

“So, at a time when Marylanders are feeling squeezed and skeptical, we need to do more than tighten our belts – we must rethink how state government does business,” he said. “That work won’t happen overnight. Our administration is still gathering a deeper understanding of where structural gaps exist – and why we keep coming up short. But we must start doing the hard work now. That’s what our transportation proposal is about.”

But Moore added: “I don’t have all the answers right now.”

For the better part of a year, Moore has traveled the state preaching the gospel of false choices, promising to do bold things even if the mechanism for paying for those promises was not always clear.

Earlier this week, Paul Wiedefeld, Moore’s transportation secretary, released plans to cleave $3.3 billion in transportation funds. The cuts hit every corner of the state and in many cases, projects long expected by the state’s 23 counties and Baltimore City.

Moore said the state is now “forced to reckon with structural challenges that have plagued our state for years.”

“If we don’t make hard choices now, Maryland’s budget challenges will grow,” said Moore. “We will have fewer resources to supercharge our economy; We will have less power to win the decade; And the public won’t trust us to use their taxpayer dollars responsibly.”

Moore, in his prepared comments, appeared to walk back the idea that the state could do “everything all at once.”

And he laid blame on his predecessor, Gov. Larry Hogan (R).

“We’ve seen the last administration preside over transit lines that were late, over-budget, and unfinished,” said Moore. “Just today, light rail cars in Baltimore that were purchased years ago had to be taken out of service because they were deemed unsafe. Marylanders feel like they’re paying a lot – and aren’t getting the best in return. I believe we have a responsibility to invest in our priorities. But first, we need to build a strategy for investment that shows the public we can deliver results in a sustainable way. Here’s the hard truth: We’ve spread ourselves too thin.”

Moore, who never mentioned Hogan by name, said the Republican “turned away from making hard choices on what we should and shouldn’t prioritize as a state government.

“So, we say we’ll invest in everything – without the resources to do it. And the budget gap is the result,” Moore said.

The comments could also be a hint of self-criticism from the first-year executive.

Moore has promised major projects including easing traffic congestion on the Capital Beltway and I-270 as well as a new American Legion Bridge — a project first promised by Hogan.

Hogan vowed to complete the project as a public-private partnership. Moore nixed that plan but has yet to identify funding.

Similarly, Moore announced this summer he would build an east-west “Red Line” corridor in Baltimore that was canceled in 2015 by Hogan, who called it a “boondoggle.”

Moore has not identified how that project would be paid for.

Moore also criticized the current way the state pays for projects through the Transportation Trust Fund, including revenue from the state’s gas tax.

“The transportation trust fund has become so outdated that fixing it requires a comprehensive look at how we fund transportation in the first place,” he said.

But Moore did not mention his call this summer to end automatic annual increases of the gas tax tied to the rate of inflation. Moore said the increases are disproportionately unfair to low- and middle-income workers.

Moore offers peek at legislative agenda

Moore also used the speech to touch on a few of the dozen bills that will form the legislative agenda in his second year. He offered no specifics on any of the bills he will propose.

In that package will be legislation to promote data centers in Maryland.

The governor also plans to introduce a bill “addressing the current workforce shortage in law enforcement so we can do a better job of keeping our communities safe.”

He said he plans to “unveil a package of housing bills” next week including legislation focused on affordable housing.

By Bryan P. Sears

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Historic District Commission Tables 206 Cannon Street Building Proposal

December 7, 2023 by James Dissette

A third presentation to the Historic District Commission by Christopher Frank of Hammond Wilson architectural firm for approval to build a 6,000 sq ft house at 206 Cannon Street was tabled during Wednesday night’s HDC meeting.

The third iteration of the structure indicated a second reduction in size based on floor sq ft, not full structural size, to approximately 6,000+ sq. ft. Structural diagrams will be shared with Spy readers when available.

The HDC’s long-running concern with the structure has been whether the house design complements a historic district’s overall aesthetics.

The house would face Cross Street (Rt. 289)—across from the railroad boxcars. The large lot is between the old police station and Sumner Hall and from Cross Street to Cannon Street.

Commissioner Michael McDowell commented first after the presentation.

“The first time that you came, I was most concerned with the size of the building. I credit you for coming back with revisions that reduced the size, but the more I have considered this and having read with due diligence several times the submissions, the more concerned I am and think that even the reductions still create a problem in terms of bulk, size, and length. I would be quite uncomfortable in voting for this,” he said.

No vote was held. Most public comments criticized the building plan for being out of step with Chestertown’s historic identity.

Whether the proposed building as newly presented eventually meets HDC’s guidelines remains to be seen. Mr. Frank will return in January with additional information about the proposed structure and landscaping designs.

Video excerpts of the meeting and images of the current architectural rendering will be presented to the public as soon as possible.

Proposed block layout by Hammond Wilson Architects, Annapolis. Does not show current house size reduction as per Wednesday architect’s presentation to the HDC.

Photo taken from Cross Street (Rt. 289) looking toward Cannon Street.The design proposal indicates the house will face Cross Street.

Panorama of 206 Cannon Street area. Does not include public parking lot to the right.

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