Once a Maryland Delegate and Speaker of the House, Senator Cardin spoke about how municipalities have matured over the course of his career, and how they work in concert with other governments to support a shared constituency versus in silos. “We need to work as a team, we cannot work in isolation,” said Cardin. “Counties and the State need to plan with their municipalities. Some counties are better than others, but we have shared goals, so let’s share the revenue. Let’s share the credit.”  

Senator Cardin informed the membership that there is bipartisan interest in making sure local governments are protected from liability concerns related to the EPA’s recent PFAS ruling. He also shared his confidence that Congress will act to ensure 100% of the Francis Scott Key Bridge replacement will be covered by federal funds.  

Just prior to the interview, Senator Ben Cardin was awarded an Honorary Lifetime Membership with MML by President John Carroll for his consistent and effective efforts on behalf of Maryland’s cities and towns, not only in Congress but throughout his tenure. 

Members spent the rest of the day in courses focused on today’s pressing issues and networking with one another. Today’s courses included an overview of recently passed MML priority Tourism Zones; AI and Local Government; Police Recruitment and Retention; and Addressing Environmental Health and Justice.