The three organizations representing municipalities, school boards, and counties recently sent a letter to new legislators in the House and Senate, asking that they draw on their local roots and work in partnership with the associations.
The 2018 election saw a number of former local officials moving into statewide positions in the legislature. In a joint letter sent on January 15, the Maryland Municipal League (MML), Maryland Association of Boards of Education (MABE), and MACo asked these newly sworn-in policy-makers to continue the strong relationships built on the local level.
From the letter:
Over the years, we have worked together to ensure that laws adopted by the legislature advance universal goals while respecting the varied social, economic, and geographic differences across Maryland that are embodied in our strong local institutions. As you take office, we ask you to remember those roots in our communities, and to help us educate your new peers about the important relationship they now have with local partners in governments and school boards.
MACo has always worked well with legislators from all regions, both parties, and varied backgrounds. But state officials who have served in local government are a regular touchstone for advocacy efforts, and are often very helpful in framing issues by drawing on that perspective.
