Conduit Street Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Goucher Poll, Fiscal Check-Up, and What's Up with Kirwan? Sep 26, 2019

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On the latest episode of the Conduit Street Podcast, Kevin Kinnally and Michael Sanderson discuss the latest news and notes from Annapolis, including interesting tidbits from the new Goucher Poll; the significance of the latest revenue projections from the Board of Revenue Estimates; and a breakdown of the puzzling sequence of events that led to a closed-door meeting of the Kirwan Commission's funding formula workgroup.

MACo has made the podcast available through both iTunes and Google Play Music by searching Conduit Street Podcast. You can also listen on our Conduit Street blog with a recap and link to the podcast.

You can listen to previous episodes of the Conduit Street Podcast on our website.

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Previous Conduit Street Coverage: Kirwan Funding Workgroup Closing in on Final Recommendations

Previous Conduit Street Coverage: Kirwan Formula Workgroup: Brief Updates, But No Public Progress on Costs, Formulas

Previous Conduit Street Coverage: Board Bumps Up Revenue Projections $130 Million for FY 20

Goucher College Poll: September 2019

2020 Initiatives and More! Sep 19, 2019

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On the latest episode of the Conduit Street Podcast, Kevin Kinnally and Natasha Mehu discuss the latest news and notes from Annapolis, including MACo's 2020 Legislative Initiatives; a look at actions being taken at the federal, state, and local level to address the youth vaping epidemic; and the latest twist in the complex litigation filed by thousands of state and local governments against manufacturers, distributors, and others accused of fueling the nation's opioid crisis.

You can listen to previous episodes of the Conduit Street Podcast on our website.

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Previous Conduit Street Coverage: MACo Announces 2020 Legislative Initiatives

Previous Conduit Street Coverage: Montgomery Council Aims to Curb Youth Vaping Epidemic

Previous Conduit Street Coverage: Purdue Pharma Files for Bankruptcy. What’s Next for Opioid Lawsuits?

Leadership, Labor Day, and Lunchboxes Sep 12, 2019

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On the latest episode of the Conduit Street Podcast, Michael Sanderson and Kevin Kinnally discuss the latest news and notes from Annapolis, including last week's trip to the National Folk Festival in Wicomico County; big changes to House leadership and committee assignments; the latest on the school calendar debate; and a recap of last week's meeting of the Kirwan Commission's funding workgroup.

You can listen to previous episodes of the Conduit Street Podcast on our website.

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Previous Conduit Street Coverage: Kirwan Formula Workgroup: Progress Toward New Foundation Amount

Maryland Matters: Speaker Jones Announces Dozens of Leadership, Committee Changes

Previous Conduit Street Coverage: Senate Votes to Overturn Post-Labor Day School Start Rule

Conduit Street Podcast: Live at the National Folk Festival

Conduit Street Podcast: Session Shakeup, School-Year Suspense, and More!

Live at the National Folk Festival Sep 08, 2019

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On the latest episode of the Conduit Street Podcast, Michael Sanderson and Kevin Kinnally are joined by special guests at the National Folk Festival in Wicomico County. The National Folk Festival—one of America’s largest, most prestigious and longest-running celebrations of arts, culture, and heritage—was held for the second consecutive year in the City of Salisbury.

Festival organizers expect the event to draw 120,000 attendees and contribute $45 million to the local economy. Special guests include Wicomico County Executive Bob Culver, Delegate Carl Anderton, Salisbury Mayor Jake Day, and Wicomico County Council Member Josh Hastings.

MACo has made the podcast available through all major platforms by searching Conduit Street Podcast. You can also listen on our Conduit Street blog with a recap and link to the podcast.

You can listen to previous episodes of the Conduit Street Podcast on our website.

Visit the National Folk Festival's website for more information.

Oklahoma Opioid Opinion, Bay Bridge Buzz, and Kirwan Catch-Up Aug 29, 2019

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On the latest episode of the Conduit Street Podcast, Michael Sanderson, Kevin Kinnally, and Natasha Mehu discuss the latest news and notes from Annapolis, including the highly anticipated ruling in Oklahoma’s landmark opioid lawsuit targeting Johnson & Johnson – and what it means for the thousands of state and local governments with similar claims, new details on possible locations for a second Chesapeake Bay crossing, and a recap of last week's meeting of the Kirwan Commission's Funding Formula Workgroup.

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Previous Conduit Street Coverage: Oklahoma Subjects Johnson & Johnson to Landmark Opioid Ruling

Previous Conduit Street Coverage: MdTA Releases Bay Crossing Choices, Will Hold “Open Houses”

Previous Conduit Street Coverage: Wealth Formula Changes Cast Aside as School Funding Workgroup Continues

Conduit Street Podcast: Conference Chatter, Snowballing School Debate, and More!

Conference Chatter, Snowballing School Debate, and More! Aug 21, 2019

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On the latest episode of the Conduit Street Podcast, Michael Sanderson and Kevin Kinnally recap the 2019 MACo Summer Conference – “Winds of Change," which focused on the changes being seen at every level of government and constituent services and how counties are harnessing that momentum for the good of all Marylanders. By all accounts, this year’s conference was the largest gathering of Maryland government stakeholders the event has sever seen!

Education funding - particularly the looming uncertainty around the ambitious, multi-billion-dollar overhaul of Maryland’s education system, was a hot topic throughout the conference. We discuss a panel discussion led by Dr. William "Brit" Kirwan, potential implications for county budgets, House Speaker Adrienne Jones' comments on how the State could potentially raise revenue to help fund the Kirwan Commission's recommendations, and Governor Hogan's remarks on what implementing the Commission's plan would mean for taxpayers and Maryland's bottom line.

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Previous Conduit Street Coverage: Counties Focus on Leadership During Changing Times at 2019 #MACoCon

Previous Conduit Street Coverage: The Changing Face of Education at #MACoCon

Previous Conduit Street Coverage: Hogan Talks Education, Land Use, & Rural Broadband at 2019 Summer #MACoCon

Previous Conduit Street Coverage: What’s On Tap for Kirwan Funding Workgroup? (A Lot)

Maryland Tax Expenditures Report Fiscal Year 2020

Live at #MACoCon with MDP & the US Census Aug 18, 2019

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The US Census plays an essential role in American democracy. Most fundamentally, it ensures that communities get the right representation in government. Less obviously, it plays a critical role in distributing hundreds of billions of federal dollars for a wide range of public services — including education, health, transportation, housing, community services, and job training.

At the 2019 MACo Summer Conference, Maryland coordinators for the United States Census and Secretary of the Maryland Department of Planning Robert McCord joined Michael Sanderson and Kevin Kinnally for a live recording of the Conduit Street Podcast. The fast-paced, Q&A-style session focused on state and local resources and best practices to promote the most accurate 2020 Census.
https://twitter.com/WalterOlsonMd/status/1161729622964412417

Panelists included:

Robert McCord, Secretary, Maryland Department of Planning
Lee Osberry, Partnership Specialist, U.S. Census Bureau
Ashley Roush, Partnership Specialist, U.S. Census Bureau
Michael Sanderson, Executive Director, MACo
Kevin Kinnally, Associate Director, MACo

Follow the latest conference happenings using the Twitter hashtag #MACoCon

School Funding, Fiscal Report Card, and Podcast Picks Aug 01, 2019

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On the latest episode of the Conduit Street Podcast, Michael Sanderson and Kevin Kinnally discuss the latest news and notes from Annapolis. At the top of the list is school funding—particularly an update on the Kirwan Commission's Funding Formula Workgroup, the thirteen-member panel charged with working through what is perhaps the most challenging portion of The Blueprint for Maryland’s Future — the development of a plan to finance, realign, and apportion the costs of these ambitious, but expensive, goals.

Next up is Maryland's fiscal report card. We explain the significance of the State retaining its triple-AAA bond rating, and what it means for Maryland's upcoming bond sale.

Finally, we highlight some of our favorite podcasts (besides this one, of course).

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Previous Conduit Street Coverage: School Funding Workgroup Sharpens Focus on Wealth Formulas

Previous Conduit Street Coverage: School Funding Formula Workgroup Charts Path Forward

Previous Conduit Street Coverage: Presiding Officers Name School Funding Formula Workgroup

Previous Conduit Street Coverage: Maryland Retains Triple-AAA Bond Rating, Prepares to Sell $550M in GO Bonds

By the Numbers: #MACoCon Jul 23, 2019

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On the latest episode of the Conduit Street Podcast, Michael Sanderson and Kevin Kinnally are joined by special guest Virginia White, MACo's Member Services Director, for a behind-the-scenes look at MACo's annual Summer Conference.

Nearly 3,000 individuals from across Maryland will gather in Ocean City, MD on August 14-17 to discuss advancements and changes being seen at all levels of government, from cybersecurity to Phase III WIP to school funding and everything in between. This week’s podcast dives in and takes a look at the content and all the moving pieces that make up the largest – and most anticipated - gathering of Maryland government officials.

It's no secret that the annual crab feast, a highlight of MACo's conference, is a "can't miss" event…but have you ever wondered just how many crabs it takes to satisfy the hundreds of attendees at the all-you-can-eat event? Or how many hotel rooms are booked with #MACoCon attendees? Know what the “flush count” is and why it’s a factor??
Get those answers, along with an in-depth look at the hot topics on the schedule and why it’s so necessary to discuss and prepare for the changes on the horizon for county governments.

You can listen to previous episodes of the Conduit Street Podcast on our website.

Learn more about MACo’s Summer Conference:

Preemption Tension Jul 18, 2019

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On the latest episode of the Conduit Street Podcast, Michael Sanderson and Kevin Kinnally are joined by special guest Les Knapp, MACo's legal and policy counsel, to discuss the latest news and notes from Annapolis. This week we focus on two recent preemption decisions with major implications for county governments.

First, in a victory for county governments, the Maryland Court of Appeals denied a petition to hear an appeal of a lower court decision finding that local governments are not impliedly preempted from regulating the use of pesticides. We discuss the significance of the decision.

And in a disappointing decision for county governments, the Maryland Court of Appeals affirmed that the state can preempt local governments when granting approval for large scale solar and wind energy projects. We explain why this decision creates a great deal of uncertainty for county governments, as well as its impact on a 2017 MACo Legislative Initiative to ensure local governments have a role in determining the location of solar and other energy generation facilities.

You can listen to previous episodes of the Conduit Street Podcast on our website.

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Previous Conduit Street Coverage: No Local Preemption – Court of Appeals Declines to Hear Montgomery County Pesticide Case

Previous Conduit Street Coverage: Court of Appeals Agrees to Hear Solar Preemption Case

Previous Conduit Street Coverage: Solar Siting Preemption Case Now Precedent

HB 1350 - Public Service Commission - Application for Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity - Consistency With Comprehensive Plan (2017)