April 29, 2025

As a former AmeriCorps member here in Baltimore City, I could not be more disheartened by the Trump Administration’s recent decision to terminate $400 million in federal AmeriCorps grant funding with no advanced notice to the impacted organizations. According to America’s Service Commissions, that unilateral and likely illegal cut “will shutter more than 1,000 programs and prematurely end the service of over 32,000 AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers.”

Here in Maryland, the Department of Service and Civic Innovation informed me that around 250 active Corps members no longer have a placement. Elev8 Baltimore, an incredible organization with efforts spanning bridging the digital divide, student tutoring, and adult workforce development, saw $300,000 in funding evaporate after 5:00 p.m. last Friday. That means five full time roles ranging from grants to human resources to program implementation are unfunded overnight. Programmatically, Elev8’s work impacting 350 middle and high school students in the 46th Legislative District and Baltimore City is now in jeopardy because the Trump Administration decided to terminate a five-year grant agreement early.

Ultimately, these cuts are about more than numbers and statistics. Service programs like AmeriCorps make an incalculable impact on both the communities being served and the individuals engaging in national service. I know from experience. My AmeriCorps service is how I met my wife, Lea, and decided devoting my life to public service and elected office was the best way to continue building a better Baltimore for the students I used to teach.

Countless other Marylanders receive a lifetime of benefits from the service opportunities funded by AmeriCorps. Moreover, I strongly believe shared service opportunities are the best way to bring people together at a time of hyper-partisanship and disunity. We are better than this as a society and must step up as individuals, corporations, and foundations to backfill the funding these organizations are losing.

Last week marked our second major bill signing ceremony this month. I proudly joined Governor Wes Moore and Speaker Adrienne Jones to sign more than 140 bills into law, which reflected major progress in criminal justice reform and protections for Maryland’s federal workforce. We signed the Second Look Act, which allows people sentenced between ages 18 and 24 who served at least 20 years to petition for a reconsideration hearing while maintaining important safeguards around the most serious offenses. The Expungement Reform Act of 2025 removes unnecessary wait times for clearing certain criminal records after sentencing and rehabilitation, building on Governor Moore’s clemency order that pardoned 175,000 cannabis convictions. Together, these measures recognize the need for compassion, second chances, and a justice system rooted in fairness, not lifelong punishment.

At the same time, we also signed the Protect Our Federal Workers Act to shield Maryland’s federal workforce from the fallout of the mass firings ordered under President Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency. The new law creates a loan fund to assist displaced federal workers and provides critical resources for the Attorney General’s Office to fight back through the courts. Maryland’s 260,000 federal workers deserve protection from reckless political attacks, and we are taking swift action to defend their livelihoods and stability.

At a time when the Trump Administration’s immigration policies have crossed every moral and constitutional line, Maryland stands firm in defending the dignity and humanity of all people. The extrajudicial deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a legal resident of Prince George’s County, is a horrifying violation of due process and an attack on the very foundation of our democracy. I remain committed to supporting immigrant communities. We must not waver in standing against fear, cruelty, and lawlessness.

I am proud that Maryland’s leaders are rising to meet this moment, including Senator Chris Van Hollen, whose efforts to confront these injustices underscore what principled leadership demands. His trip to El Salvador to demand Abrego Garcia’s return shines a light on the constitutional crisis unfolding under the Trump Administration’s refusal to obey the Supreme Court.

FEMA announced the cancellation of the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant program. This federal decision strips Maryland of critical disaster resilience funding at a time when climate risks are only growing. Maryland stands to lose tens of millions of dollars slated for projects to strengthen flood protection, restore wetlands, and upgrade critical infrastructure. Communities like South Baltimore, Somerset County, and Northeast Baltimore now face delays or outright loss of funding for vital projects that would help safeguard homes, businesses, and lives against climate-driven disasters.

The impacts are devastating. FEMA had already approved $81 million for future Maryland projects, along with millions more in applications ready for consideration. Now, those funds likely will be revoked, threatening major efforts like the flood resilience project in Crisfield and the wetlands restoration in South Baltimore. As disasters grow more severe and disproportionately affect vulnerable communities, this decision abandons those most in need at the very moment when resilience planning matters most.

Following the tragic collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, Maryland transportation officials are developing new short- and long-term plans to safeguard the Chesapeake Bay crossings. Immediate measures under consideration include reducing ship speeds, enforcing one-way transits, and strengthening communications between bridge operators and ship pilots. Longer-term strategies may involve physical protections, with $160 million earmarked for these improvements despite no legal requirement to do so.

Recent risk assessments, including those from Johns Hopkins University, found the Bay Bridge faces a significant, though lower, risk of catastrophic collision compared to the Key Bridge. While the Bay Bridge does not meet the higher risk thresholds required for new structures, continued investment is necessary to keep Marylanders safe.

Maryland’s State property tax rate will stay flat for another year, providing much-needed stability for working- and middle-class families. While rising home values mean some bills will still rise, the Board of Public Works, led by Governor Wes Moore, made clear that the State will not solve budget challenges by putting extra pressure on Maryland homeowners. Families facing higher costs at the grocery store and gas pump deserve real breathing room, and this decision helps preserve that financial relief.

Even as we hold the line on taxes, we must stay disciplined to protect Maryland’s financial standing. Property taxes support the investments and commitments that keep our State moving forward, and general fund dollars will help ensure we meet our long-term responsibilities. Maryland’s triple-A bond rating saves taxpayers millions every year in lower borrowing costs. We will continue to protect that strength while putting the needs of Maryland families first.

Earlier this month, I joined students, staff, neighbors, and my colleagues Comptroller Brooke Lierman, Council President Zeke Cohen, and Delegates Clippinger, Lewis, and Edelson to celebrate the opening of Hampstead Hill Academy's new gymnasium. One of the most rewarding parts of public service is seeing firsthand the difference we can make when we work together to support projects that simply need to happen. Alongside my Team46 partners, we secured nearly $3 million in capital funding over the years for Hampstead Hill, including $250,000 in 2023 through the Baltimore Curriculum Project. Every dollar invested here reflects our commitment to creating world-class spaces for Baltimore’s students.

The new gym, now known as the Newstead Gym, provides a space that finally matches the excellence of the students, teachers, and families who make Hampstead Hill such a special place. It will give young athletes and performers a space to shine both on the court and on the stage. Watching this community grow stronger, with new opportunities for students to thrive, reminds us why investing in education remains one of the smartest and most important things we can do. I look forward to seeing the Newstead Gym become a centerpiece of the Hampstead Hill story for years to come.

On April 10, I joined Mayor Brandon Scott, Council President Zeke Cohen, Councilman Zac Blanchard, and my Team46 colleagues to break ground on the next phase of Rash Field Park’s transformation. Together, we have secured $15.8 million in State funding to bring this project to life, continuing our commitment to building a Baltimore that residents are proud to call home. Phase II of this project will add new fitness zones, a kayak launch, gardens, beach volleyball courts, pickleball courts, and the expanded skate park — designed to create a space that welcomes every Baltimorean, no matter where they come from.

This project is about more than just new amenities; it’s about building a city where every resident sees themselves reflected in the spaces we share. The Pride of Baltimore memorial remains a cornerstone of the park, ensuring that as we move forward, we continue to honor those who came before us. Baltimore’s renaissance is well underway, and Rash Field’s transformation shows the kind of future we are proud to build together.

Pope Francis, who passed away earlier this month at age 88, leaves behind a legacy centered on humility, compassion, and unwavering support for the marginalized. His leadership challenged the world to defend human dignity, especially for immigrants, refugees, and the poor. Maryland leaders, including Governor Moore and Senator Van Hollen, honored his life and echoed his call to protect constitutional rights amid growing attacks on vulnerable communities.

Pope Francis repeatedly spoke out against unjust deportations and the mistreatment of migrants, a message that resonates as we fight against unlawful immigration actions here at home. As we reflect on his life, we recommit ourselves to standing with those pushed to society’s margins, defending justice, and living the values Pope Francis championed with such courage and grace.

Mayor Scott recently announced the creation of the Mayor’s Office of Arts, Culture and Entertainment (MOACE) which will centralize the management and promotion of the City’s festivals, film offerings, public art, events, and nightlife. Through strategic investments, MOACE will work to strengthen, promote, and support the arts as central to Baltimore’s long-term economic growth and identity while serving as a resource for local artists and creators.

Baltimore will offer grants of up to $200,000 to downtown restaurants as part of Mayor’s Scott’s Downtown RISE initiative. Under the Baltimore Culinary Exchange, or BCX, applicants may be new or existing eateries within a 106-block area. Grants fall into two categories: operations-only grants of up $40,000, and larger grants of up to $200,000 that also cover property improvements. The Downtown Partnership will administer the funds, which are paid for by the 2021 American Rescue Plan Act. 

I was sad to learn of the passing of Judge George L. Russell, Jr. last week, a trailblazer, public servant, and advocate for his community. Judge Russell  broke multiple racial barriers in his lifetime, becoming the first Black judge to serve as an associate judge of the Supreme Bench of Baltimore, first Black judge to sit on an appellate court in Maryland, the first Black City solicitor, and the first Black president of the Baltimore City Bar Association. In 1982, he established Harbor Bank, one of the largest minority-owned banks in the nation. Judge Russell also served on the Maryland Museum of African American History and Culture Commission, and as chair of the Governor’s Salary Commission and Baltimore’s Judicial Nominating Commission.

Maryland reached a landmark conservation goal six years ahead of schedule, before any other state that’s joined an effort known as “30 by 30.” The program is part of a global initiative to protect 30 percent of the Earth’s land and waters by 2030. In 2023, Maryland joined the effort and a year later the goal was met. Nearly 1.9 million acres of land has been permanently protected from development, and the State has set a new target, to conserve 40 percent of its land by 2040. The protected land includes a 1-acre fish hatchery in eastern Maryland and the sprawling Green Ridge State Forest in the west. It includes shorelines, farms, and woods around Naval Air Station Patuxent River, and the Chesapeake Forest Lands, some 75,000 wooded acres that are home to species like bald eagles and the once-endangered Delmarva fox squirrel.

The University of Maryland announced last week that more than 40 federal grants and contracts have either been paused or canceled, totaling at least $12 million. The school is  working with federal agencies and their researchers to understand why they were canceled or paused. Explanations range from changes in agency priorities to reductions in budgets and staff. The University is  assessing available options for appealing grant terminations and determining how these significant financial losses will impact faculty, staff and graduate students.

Last week, the Baltimore Community Foundation donated $1.2 million to help the families of the men who died in the Key Bridge disaster. The donation will extend the $1.14 million the Mayor’s office raised to  benefit the two survivors and families of the deceased. The funds will be directed toward housing, groceries, child care, utilities, and legal costs, among others — for the next two-and-a-half years. The families have sued the ship’s owners, but those lawsuits could take months to resolve.

If there is anything we can do to help, please do not hesitate to contact my office via email, bill.ferguson@senate.state.md.us, or by phone, 410-841-3600.

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