BALTIMORE, MD.  — Today, Mayor Bernard C. “Jack” Young joined members of Maryland’s federal delegation and county executives from across to state to voice their support for flexibility in funding for local governments as they continue to respond to COVID-19. Mayor Young and Senator Benjamin L. Cardin hosted a virtual conference that also included Senator Chris Van Hollen, Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger, Congressman John P. Sarbanes, Congressman-elect Kweisi Mfume, Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman, Howard County Executive Calvin B. Ball, III, and Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich. Throughout this public health emergency there has been great collaboration and partnership between the delegation and the local municipalities. Team Maryland is unified in their request that the next round of stimulus allows cities and counties the flexibility to backfill losses in revenue due to the public health emergency.

“This pandemic has not only wreaked havoc on the health of our city and residents but also on our economy and local businesses,” said Mayor Young. “As local leaders we are charged with ensuring our first responders and critical frontline workers are protected and paid and we must also ensure all residents – children, older adults and families – in our jurisdictions have access to healthy food during this crisis. Another round of stimulus that grants financial flexibility to cities and counties is critically important for the future success of our city and all municipalities across the country.”

“Mayors and county executives across the state must balance their budgets despite hemorrhaging revenue due to COVID-19. One of Team Maryland’s top priorities in the next relief bill is to provide local governments of all sizes with additional, flexible federal funding that can address these lost revenues,” said Senator Cardin. “The health of Marylanders is directly tied to the essential services local governments provide on a daily basis such as fire and police protection, public health services, education, trash pickup, and meeting the needs of low-income residents and small businesses suffering as a result of COVID-19 public health restrictions.”

“Our state and local governments are on the front lines of the coronavirus response. Ensuring they have the necessary resources is crucial to fighting the spread of COVID-19 and keeping our essential workers – like EMTs and firefighters – on the job and safe. We need to provide these funds now, and these communities need maximum flexibility so they can direct money where it’s needed most. I will continue pushing my colleagues and the administration on this critical issue,” said Senator Van Hollen.

“If we can’t help our cities and states make up for unprecedented revenue losses, we will see critical services cut,” said Congressman Ruppersberger. “This is where the rubber meets the road – we’ll see cuts to teacher and first responder pay, or even lay-offs. Libraries and senior centers will close. Roads and bridges will go unfixed, streets unplowed. That’s why Team Maryland will be fighting, fiercely, for relief funds dedicated to our state and local colleagues in the next relief package.”

“State and local governments in Maryland and across the country are on the frontlines of the COVID-19 crisis, fighting this virus every single day while maintaining essential services for the American people,” said Congressman Sarbanes. “We must provide local jurisdictions with the federal resources they need to prevent the spread of the virus, save lives and keep our communities safe.”

“It is imperative the Department of Treasury eliminate its restrictive regulations to allow state and local governments to maintain essential services as they respond to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Congressman-elect Mfume. “A failure to do so could cripple our State and local government’s ability to respond and recover. At this critical time, now more than ever we need continued federal aid to support our state and local communities’ COVID-19 response and recovery efforts. Rest assured, as I begin my second tour of duty in Congress, I will join with my colleagues in a bipartisan effort to ensure our state and local governments have the resources and flexibility you need to respond and recover in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.”