Kevin Kinnally, Author at Conduit Street

Revenue Task Force Weighs Options for Modernizing Local Revenues

The Local Revenue Task Force met Monday to review potential options for modernizing local revenue structures. Members examined existing taxing authority, previous legislative proposals, and several approaches that could give counties and municipalities more flexibility. The Task Force to Modernize County and Municipal Revenue Structures met Monday to work through the mechanics behind Maryland’s local revenue system. The Department of Legislative Services (DLS) reviewed State aid, the State budget, existing local taxing authority, recent legislation,…

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August 31, 2026

Courts / Elections

MD Supreme Court To Decide Fate of Redistricting Ballot Question

The Supreme Court of Maryland will decide whether a proposed congressional redistricting amendment can appear on the November ballot after two circuit court judges separately ruled against the measure. The first appeal is set for Thursday, September 3, as the State Board of Elections prepares to begin printing ballots. Last week, Anne Arundel County Circuit Court Judge Robert J. Thompson ruled that the General Assembly failed to comply with State election law when it passed…

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August 31, 2026

County News / Housing and Community Development / Taxes and Revenues

Maryland Appeals Court Clarifies Tax Sale Redemption Rules

The Appellate Court of Maryland has clarified which unpaid taxes and water bills must be paid when an owner seeks to redeem a property sold at tax sale, providing new guidance for local governments that administer the process. In an August 26 decision, the court held that property taxes accruing after a tax sale must be paid at redemption only if they are already in arrears. The court also held that unpaid water charges may…

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August 31, 2026

Elections / News You Can Use

Mail-In Voting Saga Continues as DOJ Appeals Latest Block

New US Postal Service requirements for mail-in ballots are back on hold after a federal judge blocked their implementation for two weeks. The administration appealed the ruling Friday, continuing a fast-moving legal fight just weeks before Maryland begins sending ballots for the November election. The latest turn comes days after the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) intervened in the case. As previously reported on Conduit Street, SCOTUS ruled that states had challenged the…

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August 31, 2026

County Budgets / State Budget and Fiscal Issues / Transportation and Public Works

Pew: Maryland Faces $1.2B Road Maintenance Funding Gap

Maryland’s planned roadway maintenance spending falls well short of identified needs, according to a new national analysis that underscores the continuing struggle to keep the transportation system in good repair. The Pew Charitable Trusts analyzed states’ long-term roadway maintenance needs and found that Maryland identified approximately $5.9 billion in needs against $4.7 billion in planned spending, leaving a projected $1.17 billion gap. Maryland’s shortfall equals 25% of its planned expenditures, according to Pew. Maryland is…

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August 31, 2026

Housing and Community Development / News You Can Use

Baltimore Housing Forum to Examine Federal Action, Local Impact

A September 2 housing forum in Baltimore City will bring together local, state, and national leaders to discuss how federal housing legislation could affect communities on the ground. Baltimore City Council Member Odette Ramos will host “The Impact of Federal Legislation on Baltimore City” on Wednesday, September 2, at Baltimore Unity Hall. The discussion will focus on the federal ROAD to Housing Act and other housing initiatives moving at the federal level. The program will…

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August 27, 2026

County News / Elections / News You Can Use

Mail-In Voting Fight Escalates: Judge Lifts Block, Maryland Sues USPS

A federal judge has lifted the final injunction blocking new US Postal Service requirements for mail-in ballots, clearing USPS to apply the rules to the November midterms unless another court intervenes. Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown immediately joined a new lawsuit seeking to stop them. US District Judge Indira Talwani vacated her nationwide injunction Wednesday after the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) ruled that states had challenged President Donald Trump’s executive order too…

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August 26, 2026

Broadband / County News / NACo and Federal Issues / News You Can Use / Planning and Zoning

FCC Proposal Could Preempt Local Broadband Permitting Authority

The Federal Communications Commission is considering new rules that could preempt local authority over broadband permitting, including project timelines, fees, and access to public rights-of-way. The FCC is considering new federal standards aimed at speeding up wireline broadband deployment. The proposal includes mandatory timelines for local approvals and potential limits on the fees local governments can charge providers. The National Association of Counties (NACo) is actively engaging with the FCC as the rulemaking moves forward.…

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August 26, 2026

Finance and Procurement / News You Can Use / State Budget and Fiscal Issues

Maryland Retains AAA Bond Ratings, S&P Keeps Negative Outlook

Maryland retained AAA ratings from all three of its current rating agencies on a new $600 million bond sale, but S&P Global Ratings kept its Negative Outlook as the State faces mounting budget and federal pressures. Fitch Ratings and KBRA each assigned AAA ratings to Maryland’s $600 million State and Local Facilities Loan of 2026, Second Series bonds and maintained Stable Outlooks. S&P Global Ratings also assigned a AAA rating to the bonds but maintained…

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August 26, 2026

Courts / Elections / News You Can Use

SCOTUS Ruling Leaves Mail-In Voting Fight Unresolved

A US Supreme Court ruling could allow the Trump administration to move forward with parts of an executive order restricting mail-in voting, but the Court did not rule on whether those restrictions are legal, and the decision does not change Maryland’s current mail-in voting process. The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) this week sided with the Trump administration in a procedural dispute over President Donald Trump’s March 2025 executive order on federal elections. The…

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August 25, 2026