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The winds of change in the Maryland State House have suddenly begun to blow in Baltimore鈥檚 direction.
The new Senate president is all but certain to be Bill Ferguson (D-Baltimore City). Senate Democrats chose the 36-year-old lawmaker to replace Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. (D-Calvert) on Thursday. The vote followed Miller鈥檚 decision to relinquish the gavel after a 33-year run.
January will also find Adrienne A. Jones (D-Baltimore County) presiding over the House of Delegates for the first time in her new role as speaker. She was elected in May following the death of Michael E. Busch (D-Anne Arundel), who led the chamber for 17 years until his death in April.
For a city wracked by a public safety crisis, a loss in population, another scandal toppling a mayor, the lowest-performing school system in the state and the recent death of a political icon, the recent spate of good news from Annapolis is welcome indeed.
鈥淚t鈥檚 super-exciting,鈥� said Del. Robbyn T. Lewis (D-Baltimore City). 鈥淚n the 20 years I鈥檝e lived in Baltimore, I don鈥檛 know that we鈥檝e had it this good.鈥�
The timing for the Baltimore region鈥檚 newfound influence is particularly fortuitous.
The legislature is certain to grapple with two issues next session that have particular impact for the city 鈥� the recommendations of the Kirwan Commission on education spending and the proposal to put Pimlico Race Course on firmer financial footing, with more community use and opportunity.
Lewis praised Busch for focusing on the city, but 鈥渘ow we have all these cooperative, intelligent, caring and competent people at all these different levels. It just makes me feel really optimistic,鈥� she said.
It took聽The Baltimore Sun聽editorial page聽.
With the ascendance of Jones and Ferguson, 鈥渢he Baltimore region has an influence in the General Assembly not seen since Baltimore natives Ben Cardin and Melvin 鈥淢ickey鈥� Steinberg served as House speaker and Senate president in the 1980s,鈥� the paper鈥檚 editorial board wrote.
鈥淭hat is nothing short of amazing given the growth of the D.C. suburbs, and the clout of Montgomery and Prince George鈥檚 counties,鈥� they added.
Lester Davis, a spokesman for Baltimore Mayor Bernard C. 鈥淛ack鈥� Young (D), said Young 鈥渋s obviously elated about Sen. Ferguson.鈥�
鈥淗e knows him as a very capable leader,鈥� Davis said. 鈥淎nd while this is good for Baltimore, it鈥檚 really going to be great for the entire state. Because Bill comes out of the Mike Miller school of thinking where he understands 鈥� he has a duty to the entire state of Maryland.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檓 really worried about Montgomery County and Prince George鈥檚 County,鈥� said Sen. Nancy J. King (D-Montgomery), who chairs the Budget and Taxation Committee.
鈥淲e鈥檙e kind of left out in the cold, where we shouldn鈥檛 be.鈥�
King said she backed Sen. Douglas J.J. Peters (D-Prince George鈥檚) in the race for Senate President in large part because he represents a suburban Washington district.
鈥淚f you look at the scale, it鈥檚 a little bit lopsided when you look at two big counties like Prince George鈥檚 and Montgomery really not having much representation,鈥� King added.
Sen. James C. Rosapepe (D-Prince George鈥檚), who chairs the Senate Democratic Caucus, sought to downplay concern that the D.C. suburbs won鈥檛 have clout in Annapolis.
鈥淗alf the Democratic caucus is from Montgomery and Prince George鈥檚 counties,鈥� he noted on Thursday after the Ferguson vote.
鈥淚 want to make sure that Prince George鈥檚 County and the Washington area get the help and attention that we need and deserve.鈥�
In a statement, Ferguson sought to offer reassurance that his perspective will be statewide, not parochial.
鈥淧resident Miller lives in Calvert County, Speaker Busch lived in Anne Arundel County, yet they both ensured that every place in our state had their needs met,鈥� Ferguson said.
鈥淚 look forward to taking the same collaborative approach they did, by working with all 46 other Senators to meet the needs of their districts.鈥�
King noted that the Baltimore region will also benefit from having Del. Maggie L. McIntosh (D-Baltimore City) serving as head of the Appropriations Committee.
As Montgomery and Prince George鈥檚 continue to see growth in their school systems, lawmakers are going to need to focus on resources, she said.
鈥淟egislators from both of those counties are going to have to really pay attention to the budget and work to make sure that our counties do get our fair share,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檓 a statewide senator, not just a Montgomery County senator, but at the same time you鈥檝e got to take care of your home, too, and that鈥檚 what we鈥檙e going to have focus on.鈥�
