Upcoming Webinar Explores County Approaches to Data Center Growth

As Maryland continues to see rapid growth in data center development, county officials are increasingly navigating complex questions around land use, infrastructure, energy demand, and economic development. To help explore these issues, the Maryland League of Conservation Voters (Maryland LCV), in partnership with MACo, will host its next Conservation Conversations webinar on Wednesday, July 29, from noon to 1:00 p.m. Unlike previous Conservation Conversations that examined data centers through a statewide policy lens, this discussion…

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The Briefing Room: The State’s Role in Solving Maryland’s Housing Crisis

Over the first two episodes of our housing finance series, Dom Butchko and Terry Hickey explored how affordable housing projects are financed and why today's economic conditions make development more challenging. In Episode 3, the conversation turns to the public sector. Tune in to the Conduit Street Podcast weekly, wherever you get your podcasts! Subscribe to the Conduit Street Blog and stay in the know!

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Governor Approves Expanded Enterprise Zones in Baltimore City, Frederick, Kent

Governor Wes Moore today announced the approval of three Enterprise Zone actions that will expand economic development opportunities in Baltimore City, Kent County, and Frederick County. The Maryland Department of Commerce approved a 120-acre expansion of Baltimore City's Enterprise Zone, an expansion and redesignation of the Chestertown-Kent County Enterprise Zone, and the redesignation of the City of Brunswick Enterprise Zone. Enterprise Zones are designated areas where eligible businesses may qualify for State income tax credits…

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Special Edition: The Briefing Room Talks Data Centers, Fact vs. Fiction

Instead of this week's regular Conduit Street Podcast, we're bringing you a bonus episode of The Briefing Room in response to a high-interest topic from our recent energy series.   Tune in to the Conduit Street Podcast weekly, wherever you get your podcasts! Subscribe to the Conduit Street Blog and stay in the know!

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Howard To Launch Maryland’s First County Financial Empowerment Center

Howard County is set to launch Maryland’s first county-based Financial Empowerment Center (FEC), providing residents with free, one-on-one financial counseling and coaching through a new partnership supported by a $250,000 grant. Funded by the Cities for Financial Empowerment (CFE) Fund through the Wells Fargo Foundation, the new Financial Empowerment Center will be housed within Howard County’s Office of Consumer Protection and will offer professional financial counseling to anyone who lives, works, or attends school in…

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Baltimore County Report Recommends New Economic Development Model

Baltimore County may be poised to rethink how it attracts and retains businesses following the release of a new report recommending a public-private approach to economic development. Released by the Baltimore County Economic Development Advisory Board, the report's primary recommendation is to establish an independent organization dedicated to business attraction, retention, and marketing while maintaining core government functions, including workforce development, tourism, agriculture, and arts and sciences, within the County's Department of Economic and Workforce…

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The Briefing Room: Why Housing Costs More Than Ever

Housing projects do not rise or fall only on land, design, or political will. They also rise or fall with the cost of capital, aka the capital stack. Tune in to the Conduit Street Podcast weekly, wherever you get your podcasts! Subscribe to the Conduit Street Blog and stay in the know!

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Assets That Drive Tourism & Economic Growth at #MACoCon

Sometimes the best way to grow tourism is not by building something new, but by making stronger connections to the assets already in place. Tourism is an important economic driver for counties, supporting local businesses, generating tax revenue, and helping communities showcase the places, experiences, and industries that make them unique. While marquee attractions often draw attention, many of Maryland's tourism successes are built around existing assets that connect visitors to communities in new ways.…

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Research Examines Data Center Job Creation

Data centers can bring significant investment to a community, but permanent job creation may depend on the type of facility being built. A Governing article encourages local governments to take a close look at projected employment benefits before approving projects or negotiating incentive agreements. From the article: The large facilities most often pitched to communities under financial pressure are colocation centers — essentially landlord operations that rent space, power and cooling to multiple tenants who bring…

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The Briefing Room: Before the Bricks, the Financial Realities of Housing

After wrapping our series on Maryland’s energy future, The Briefing Room turns to another defining challenge for counties: housing.   Tune in to the Conduit Street Podcast weekly, wherever you get your podcasts! Subscribe to the Conduit Street Blog and stay in the know!

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