Several county leaders called for an end to the federal shutdown, citing undue burdens on workers and the local economy.

Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh, Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski Jr., Harford County Executive Barry Glassman, Howard County Executive Calvin Ball, and Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman each shared their views at an Annapolis press event, citing the costs and suffering arising from the partial federal government shutdown, now carrying on for several weeks. From coverage on the WJZ-TV website:

Standing together Wednesday, four county executives and Baltimore’s mayor, described the calls they have taken from those who are furloughed or currently working without pay.

“They have health challenges they can’t take care of. Some of them are seeing, on the horizon, credit challenges,” Ball said.

“We see people going to our food banks. We see the constituents worried about their housing, worried about their energy bills,” Olszewski said.

“Some people might not even understand that they have two months and the food stamps are going to run out,” said Anne Arundel County Executive Stuart Pittman. (sic)

The Baltimore Sun also detailed the local economic effects:

The number of Marylanders seeking shutdown-related unemployment insurance benefits surged to nearly 4,000 — up 50 percent in less than two weeks.State farmers expressed growing anxiety about a delay of crop reports critical to making decisions about their budgets and how much to plant.The partial shutdown of the federal government reached its 33rd day on Wednesday, a record-long impasse stretching many Maryland-based federal workers and contractors past their financial limits.