Dangerous Baltimore County and State Housing Bills
Governor Moore testified before the Environment and Transportation Committee last week to support his bill – The Housing Expansion and Affordability Act. During the controversial hearing, the Governor and other proponents of the legislation faced difficult questions and challenges from bipartisan committee members. Delegate Nawrocki asked pertinent questions about the removal of the guardrails that accompany an Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance, especially when that is something that the delegates and the Baltimore County Council have been requesting for years. In fact, the delegates penned a letter regarding this issue to County Executive Johnny Olszewski and former Council Chairman Julian Jones in February 2023 and never received a response.
2.8.2023 LTR Olszewski-SzeligaNawrocki
SAY NO to removing the flying mission of the MD Air National Guard
The Maryland citizen airmen and airwomen at the Maryland Air National Guard have been in active flying missions since 1921. The Maryland Air National Guard has participated in dozens of deployments throughout the world since September 11, 2001. The Warfield Air Base is the home of 545 pilots and maintainers and has won numerous Air Force awards for its readiness. The loss of a flight mission in Maryland could mean ending the direct careers of 545 highly qualified military personnel and thousands of indirect careers.
Last month, the National Park Service announced that Baltimore County, Maryland, would be added to the American World War II Heritage Cities Program which honors the contributions of local towns, cities, counties, and their citizens who stepped into the workforce to support America’s war effort. This base in Middle River, in particular, is an essential part of our country’s aviation history and was critical in supplying aircraft during the Second World War. If the flight mission is taken away from the Maryland Air National Guard, Martin State Airport and the State of Maryland will suffer a substantial negative economic impact of tens of millions of dollars.
Furthermore, Maryland would be the only state in the nation without a National Guard flying wing. During a recent briefing from the Maryland Air National Guard regarding the potential removal of the flight mission, the leadership emphasized that Maryland’s mission is the only location in the nation with a joint force of fighter operations and offensive and defensive full-spectrum intelligence operations. The long-term training and exquisite skill set necessary to maintain this joint force is only found right here in Maryland. This potential removal would hurt our national security because of the importance of swift decision-making in modern warfare. This is a strategic advantage that we cannot lose.
Sign the petition to say NO to removing the flying wing of the mighty 175th Maryland Air National Guard. Support the Maryland Air National Guard Flying Mission (anedot.com)
Read the unanimous letter from the Baltimore County House Delegation to the Secretary of the Air Force:
2.9.24Air-National-Guard-BaltCoV2.pdf (electkathy.com)
Eastern Avenue Traffic Issues
November 17, 2023
Delegates Nawrocki attends Rocket Lab Space Ribbon Cutting
New Complex in Middle River to Supply Advanced Composite Products Internally and to Broader Space Industry
The delegate was honored to attend the announcement and ribbon cutting for the new Space Structures Complex in Middle River in District 7A. The event included many local and state representatives, including U.S. Senator Ben Cardin, Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger, County Executive Johnny Olszewski Jr., Senator JB Jennings, Delegate Kathy Szeliga, and Councilman David Marks. This expansion of the space systems business with a dedicated production and development complex is a great continuation of the manufacturing history of Eastern Baltimore County. The complex will support the development and manufacturing of space rockets. The site will also play a role in the development and long-term supply of parts for Rocket Lab’s new medium-lift launch vehicle, Neutron.
Rocket Lab’s new Space Structures Complex will be established in the former 113,000-square-foot Lockheed Martin Vertical Launch Building in Middle River, which has been home to aerospace manufacturing since 1929. Rocket Lab expects to employ up to 65 people at the facility by the end of 2025. While the equipment and infrastructure are not in place yet, the delegate enjoyed today’s tour of the facility.
Delegate Nawrocki stated, “As a resident and representative of Middle River, today’s announcement was personally gratifying as it continues the long history of manufacturing in the area that my family has been a part of, dating back to aircraft building at these facilities in World War II. It’s a great day for Eastern Baltimore County.”
November 10, 2023
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I also join my House Republican colleagues across the Maryland General Assembly in denouncing the antisemitic comments of the Executive Director of CASA. Read the Caucus statement below:
Statement on CASA de Maryland Antisemitic Statements
June 30, 2023
The automatic gas tax increases must end! Read our full statement here: 6.29.2023gastax
June 16, 2023
Baltimore County Middle School Redistricting has come to a halt. Act Now!
I have been closely following the Northeast and Central Middle School Redistricting process over the past months. This contentious decision will impact the lives 30,000+ students potentially attending 10 schools. Former superintendent Darryl Williams initiated the boundary study in spring 2022 to alleviate overcrowding and determine who will attend the new $100 million Northeast school to open in the Fall of 2024 on King Avenue in Rosedale. However, he chose not to seek renewal of his contract and will not see it through to the end himself. While we assumed the newly appointed superintendent would be the one to implement the approved boundary study, instead, the Baltimore County Board of Education did not finalize the redistricting plan on Tuesday night.
After months of work facilitated by an outside consultant, the Board of Education has had the chance to review the data from various map options, community input meetings, boundary committee discussions, and thousands of messages on a public comment forum. However, in the eleventh hour, a school board member made a motion to amend the proposed final map by moving students from Halstead Academy to go to Dumbarton Middle School instead of Loch Raven Academy. I am very disappointed that the board did not vote to approve or deny the final option.
I encourage you to email the Board of Education members, asking them to review the impact study that is being prepared by BCPS as a result of Tuesday night’s amendment and to vote to move Option E forward during their June 27th Public Administrative Function Meeting.
For months, families have been on edge wondering where their children will go to school, and many in the community have already requested and been granted special permission transfers for incoming middle schoolers based on the study recommendations, and now at the 11th hour, even though there was no opposition at the public meeting, the whole process is on hold and children and families are in limbo.
Baltimore County students, parents, teachers, and community members deserve better.
Read the entire statement here: 6.14.2023MiddleSchools
March 28, 2023
Kathy Szeliga and I thank Baltimore City for taking swift action and stopping the toxic waste from the railroad disaster in East Palestine, Ohio from being discharged into our state.
The health of the citizens of the Baltimore region, and the Chesapeake Bay, are the priority for all elected officials.
We will still be working with Senator Mary Washington and other colleagues to pass legislation for a long-term plan to avoid this issue in the future.
Read the entire statement here: March 28th Press Statement
March 27, 2023
SAY NO TO TOXIC WASTE IN THE BAY! We stand firmly against letting this TOXIC water get into the Chesapeake Bay! If you agree, sign our petition: Sign the Petition – Oppose Toxic Waste! (anedot.com)
March 15, 2023
Kingsville Water Tank Approved!
February 27, 2023
Minimum Wage Statement – “No longer will a vacation to Ocean City be affordable, or dining out at a locally owned restaurant. These are important career building jobs that are typically staffed by young people as a supplement to their educational and professional pursuits,” commented Delegate Nawrocki. Maryland’s minimum wage will be more than double the federal minimum wage and 50% or more higher than neighboring states. Delaware, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia range between $7.24 (the federal minimum wage) to $12 an hour. This legislation will make Maryland businesses hire fewer people as they compete with neighboring states. Maryland consumers can get to another state within a mere one hour drive of anywhere. Ultimately, this decision costs the consumer in a time when inflation is hurting every Marylander’s pocket. For these reasons and others, Delegates Nawrocki and Szeliga find this proposal to be a bad economic policy with far reaching, negative consequences for all Marylanders.
February 23, 2023
Over 100 community members were turned away last night because the facility had reached maximum capacity. The developer and his attorney, a representative from LaFarge, as well as County officials were present. The community is LOUDLY in opposition to this proposal. In fact, citizens brought samples from the ground to showcase how potentially hazardous the former quarry may to be the environment – let alone a potential school site. My office is working diligently to oppose this development. See my remarks from the evening here.
My office can be reached at:
ryan.nawrocki@house.state.md.us
410-841-3289