The following article has been submitted by Sixth District Delegate Bob Long about lowing high energy costs and property taxes; and rebuilding the Key Bridge
Since Governor Moore took office over three years ago, it’s no surprise that things have not changed for the better.
We are coming up on Crossover on March 23 when the Senate bills will be heard in our committee and the House bills will either cross over to the Senate or die in committee.
Elections will also be taking place in a few months. I share the same frustrations as you: the high cost of living and the length of time it will
take for the Key Bridge to be rebuilt.
I am deeply concerned that BGE has continued to raise its energy rates. While the State was focused on green energy, I advocated keeping Brandon Shores open.
I knew Maryland couldn’t meet its need for current energy consumption. While Brandon Shores was scheduled to retire in May of 2025, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission allowed it to stay open until May 2029 under the “reliability-must-run” or “RMR” agreement.
The Maryland General Assembly continued to pass green legislation due to concerns of environmental impacts from nonrenewable energy.
Its current goal is to have 50 percent of its energy from renewable resources by 2030. I have voted against this legislation. This legislation makes it harder to produce energy. The state wants to be more environmentally friendly, but our renewable resources currently only provide around 13 percent of Maryland’s electricity.
While it will take some time to meet the requirements of renewable energy, it seems like the cost is being passed on to Maryland residents. I have reached out to the Secretary of Energy to let him know that the costs of these green mandates can’t be passed on to Maryland residents.
I am hopeful that the federal government will step in to address high utility rates. We shouldn’t be held responsible for the cost of energy mismanagement.
Housing costs are especially high and that has made it hard for first-time home buyers, seniors, and everyday residents to afford housing.
To keep housing more affordable in Baltimore County, I have proposed legislation to lower property taxes.
We need to keep housing assessment at a reasonable rate, so residents aren’t forced to pay high taxes.
My legislation would have stimulated the economy and stabilized neighborhoods and allowed first-time buyers to build generational wealth. Maryland currently ranks fifth nationally in foreclosures.
This is completely unacceptable. Unfortunately, the County is more concerned about its budget than supporting its citizens and does not support these bills.
They can’t control their spending. I similarly proposed legislation in the past few years to address the rising cost of home ownership.
The current Administration is not interested in supporting homeowners. They just see the tax dollars that can be generated for their budget.
In addition to the economy the residents of District 6 continue to deal with the loss of the Key Bridge. I am reminded of this especially during the commute to Annapolis during the Session.
Our community is suffering from the prolonged commute times and
deteriorating road conditions. While the bridge was originally supposed to be completed in 2028 at about $2 billion.
In the Fall of 2025, the estimate jumped to $5.2 billion and a completion date of 2030. We need the bridge to be built as quickly and efficiently as possible, so I reached out to Secretary Duffy to advocate for this.
In January 2026, both Secretary Duffy and Governor Moore agreed that speed and affordability are essential in the rebuilding process.
I sincerely hope that Governor Moore continues to work with the Federal Government on the Key Bridge rebuild.
We need to keep these issues in mind as the Session winds down and election season starts up.