Maryland Municipal League Approves 2024 General Assembly Priorities 

(September 27, 2023) Annapolis, Md. – The Maryland Municipal League (MML) Board of Directors, which represents 160 Maryland local governments, unanimously approved three legislative priorities for the upcoming 2024 Maryland legislative session. MML advocacy efforts will focus on expanding local revenue opportunities, supporting pedestrian safety by allowing additional trained personnel to review speed camera citations, and seeking authorization for local tourism zones to further economic development throughout Maryland.

1.      Expanding local revenue opportunities.

Municipal governments are responsible for providing everyday essential services to two million Marylanders but are limited in their ability to raise revenues needed to fund those services. Property taxes are the only meaningful financial vehicle available, but increasing property taxes can be harmful to housing stability efforts. Rather than focus on property taxes, the League will pursue a long-term solution to expand sources of municipal revenue. This will ensure the continuation of essential services from clean drinking water and public safety to protecting our critical coastal shorelines and waterways, and cement municipalities as a partner in providing solutions that will house and serve more Marylanders.  

2.     Allowing trained staff to review speed camera citations.

The League is committed to a stronger pedestrian safety mission among its local governments. This priority seeks to authorize municipalities to train non-officer employees to review and certify speed camera citation, similar to the red-light program already established in law. While 88 municipalities employ a law enforcement agency, many do not and depend on outsourcing citations to another jurisdiction. Recognizing the retention and recruitment issues being faced across the country, this solution would also allow officers to attend to community connections and other pressing public safety responsibilities.

3.     Authorizing local tourism zones for statewide economic development.

More tools are needed to attract and retain local businesses that strengthen our towns and cities, which often serve as social and cultural centers. Unfortunately, many areas do not meet the current criteria for state incentives like the Enterprise Zone program, and municipalities lack authority in state law to create their own. Modeled after a successful Virginia law, this priority would authorize local governments to provide an array of local tax credits or waivers to businesses to encourage statewide economic development through tourism expansion.  

 “Each of these priorities speaks to the core function of government – rising to collectively meet our challenges. We look forward to working with our state partners to make all of Maryland stronger,” said MML CEO Theresa Kuhns.

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Contact:                 Justin Fiore, 410-295-9100, [email protected]

About The Maryland Municipal League:

The Maryland Municipal League (MML) was founded in 1936 and serves as the collective voice of 160 municipal governments and the 2 million Marylanders it represents. A voluntary, non-profit, nonpartisan association controlled and maintained by city and town governments, MML works to strengthen and support municipal government through advocacy and the development of effective leadership. Through its membership in the National League of Cities MML offers legislative representation in Washington, urban research programs, and a national municipal government information exchange. MML is the only statewide organization in Maryland composed solely of municipal officials and devoted to the promotion of all branches of municipal administration.