Ivey Shares Priorities as New Council Chair, Harrison
Prince George’s County Council member Jolene Ivey (D-District 5) was elected by her colleagues on Dec. 5 to serve as the chair for the body’s 2024 legislative year, replacing Councilman Tom Dernoga (D-District 1).
Council member Sydney Harrison (D-District 9) was elected vice chair, replacing Councilwoman Wala Blegay (D-District 6). Harrison was elected to his first term on the council in 2018. The Council will be going on recess until January. During their upcoming term, it is anticipated they will deal with budget issues.
Ivey was sworn onto the Prince George’s County Council in December 2018 after serving as a member of the House of Delegates for two terms (chairing the county delegation from 2013 to 2014) and as a candidate for lieutenant governor in 2014. She is the wife of U.S. Rep. Glenn Ivey (D-Md.) and mother of Maryland Del. Julian Ivey (D-District 47A), and four other sons.
A news release stated that Ivey’s priorities as the body’s leader are children and families, fighting for environmental justice and sustainable practices, and ensuring residents receive speedy, effective, and courteous service from the county government. She helped start Family Connects, a program within Child Resource Connects, which provides nurses to visit new parents in their homes to support them and connect with services, if needed. Ivey also co-founded Mocha Moms, a national support group for mothers of color.
“As Prince George’s County grows, we should make sure that our families thrive along with it,” she said. “Strong parents lead to great students, a more vibrant economy, and safer communities.”
Before his election to the council, Harrison was elected to the Clerk of the Circuit Court for Prince George’s County in 2014. He was also the former vice chair of the Maryland Clerk’s Association and currently serves on the county’s Democratic Central Committee representing the 27th Legislative District.
The video of the gavel exchange is available here.
New Chair Williams Presides Over Local Pre-Filed Bill Hearing
As state legislators gear up for the impending legislative session, one of the final preparation steps is for the county delegations’ pre-file hearings. During a three-hour hearing with the Prince George’s delegation, legislators took input from the public and their colleagues to refine legislation before future voting procedures.
Newly minted Sen. Nick Charles resigned as chair to begin the meeting on Dec. 5, as he was sworn in to the State Senate the following day. He thanked Delegates Nicole Williams (D– District 22) and Andrea Harrison (D-District 24), who are now serving as the interim Chair and Vice Chair of the delegation.
Among the legislation introduced were: 11 bi-county, four county affairs, four law enforcement, and two education bills.
For multiple years, Del. Kris Valderrama (D-District 26) has introduced PG-102 24 to improve road safety on Route 210. Two bills introduced by Delegate Tiffany Alston (D, District 24) would amend the zoning process to allow for additional resident input.
The full video of the hearing is available here. The list of all pre-filed bills is available here.
State Faces Budget Woes, Eye Transportation Cuts as Temporary Solution
While the state’s constitution requires a balanced budget and adequate funding for public schools and in the upcoming session, Maryland is expected to have a budget deficit of roughly $400 million.
To close the state’s budget gap, the Department of Transportation will cut roughly $1 billion from its operating budget and $2 billion from its capital budget, and local governments will see a $400 million reduction. It is also expected that transit services will be cut and that hiring freezes will be implemented in transit agencies during this time.
During the Maryland Association of Counties (MACO) gathering in Cambridge, Gov. Wes Moore (D) admitted the sting that the sudden cuts have had on his fellow leaders and vowed to address the underlying issues at hand. During this conference, Moore also briefly discussed the dozen bills he plans to support this session including support for data centers and to increase the number of police officers.
“Trust demands transparency and truth, even if it’s hard,” said Moore. “This evening, I offer both – to you and to the people of Maryland. And if there’s one argument I hope to make clear before I leave the podium, it’s this: in this challenging time, we have a duty to act with discipline, because discipline is what the people of Maryland deserve. And by acting with discipline, I believe we can build a better state for the long-term – and strengthen the bonds of trust.”
Transportation Secretary Paul Wiedefeld told The Informer that his department will look to increase fees at the Motor Vehicle Administration as well as increase parking rates at BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport and increasing tolls.