REBUILT Zine

A Council Answering to 5 Percent Just Ended a 34-Year Relationship With Israel Montgomery County has cut its funding for the Maryland Israel Development Center after a campaign led by Marxist and BDS-affiliated groups, despite the center's long-standing role in fostering trade between Maryland and Israel. The decision was made by an elected council representing a small fraction of the electorate, raising concerns about accountability....

Maryland’s Corrections System Is Collapsing — And It Didn’t Happen by Accident Maryland has closed prison beds, reduced who enters the correctional system, and struggled to maintain safe conditions inside its remaining facilities. Examining prison closures, juvenile justice reforms, immigration enforcement policies, and recent inmate deaths reveals a broader pattern shaping Maryland's corrections system.... https://mdbaynews.com/2026/07/17/maryland-corrections-system-collapsing-prison-closures-capacity-crisis/

What Governor Moore’s $13.3 Billion Announcement Left Out Governor Wes Moore announced that a recent auction led to a claimed "savings" of $13.3 billion for ratepayers, attributing this to his administration's efforts. However, the figure represents avoided increases due to a price cap, not actual decreases in bills. This announcement omitted significant costs tied to rising demand, and other governors have made similar claims.... https://mdbaynews.com/2026/07/16/governor-moore-13-3-billion-pjm-capacity-auction/

A Government Chosen By 5 Percent Is Taxing The Other 95 Will Jawando won the Democratic nomination for Montgomery County Executive with just 52,738 votes, representing only 7.7% of registered voters. This has raised concerns among over 201,000 homeowners who now face higher property taxes due to a removed income tax offset credit, despite the county's claims of no tax increases....

The Bipartisan Rider Nobody’s Enforcing: USDA Presses Ahead On Beltsville Closure While Congress Says Stop The closure of Maryland's Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC) is under dispute after Congress urged the USDA to keep it open. The center's research on Cyclospora is crucial amid a significant outbreak. Critics argue the closure will harm local jobs and agricultural productivity, while USDA cites outdated facilities and cost-saving measures for the decision.... https://mdbaynews.com/2026/07/16/usda-beltsville-barc-closure-congress-law/

A County of a Million, Decided by 52,738 Votes Will Jawando has been certified as the Democratic nominee for county executive in Maryland’s largest county, Montgomery, winning with just 52,738 votes, representing 7.7 percent of registered voters. Meanwhile, over 170,000 unaffiliated voters were excluded from participating in the primary, highlighting issues with the closed primary system and its impact on governance....

Every Drive Is Now a Record. Maryland Hasn’t Reckoned With What That Means. Lee Schmidt and Crystal Arrington, whose cars were tracked extensively by Norfolk's automated license plate readers, challenged this surveillance as a Fourth Amendment violation. After a federal ruling upheld the city’s practices, a recent Supreme Court decision weakened Norfolk's defense. Maryland's automated license plate reader laws face scrutiny in light of these developments.... https://mdbaynews.com/2026/07/15/maryland-license-plate-surveillance-fourth-amendment/

Maryland’s Roads Rank Among the Worst in the Country. Here’s What the Data Says Is Actually Wrong With Them. Maryland ranks among the worst states for driving conditions, with significant issues in urban road maintenance and high driving costs. Despite substantial spending, management inefficiencies, and documented audit findings reveal a troubling decline in road quality during recent administrations. Poor outcomes stem from mismanaged funds rather than insufficient revenue.... https://mdbaynews.com/2026/07/14/maryland-roads-rank-worst-data-sha-audit/

Maryland’s Road Money Is Locked Up By Law — And Nobody’s Fixing It Maryland's transportation funding issues predate current officials and risk worsening by 2028 if not addressed. Despite a high proportion of drivers, local road funding remains inequitable due to legislative inaction, leading to significant future shortfalls. Recent attempts to secure funding for local governments and transit projects have stalled in the state legislature, highlighting a persistent crisis.... https://mdbaynews.com/2026/07/14/maryland-road-funding-fiscal-2028-cliff/

Hungry, but Not Thirsty: Wes Moore’s Full-Term Pledge Has a Schedule Problem Maryland Governor Wes Moore is campaigning for reelection while simultaneously engaging in activities that suggest presidential aspirations. Despite a past commitment to serve a full term, his recent statements have become increasingly ambiguous. As he barnstorms key states, voters question the sincerity of his full-term pledge against a backdrop of potential 2028 ambitions.... https://mdbaynews.com/2026/07/13/wes-moore-full-term-pledge-presidential-schedule/

Maryland’s Hidden Bill: A Supreme Court Ruling Just Told Annapolis to Find the Money It Never Set Aside A June 23 ruling from Maryland's Supreme Court dismissed a childhood abuse claim but emphasized the state's failure to establish a funding mechanism for such claims. Over 12,000 actions have been filed since the Child Victims Act was passed in 2023, potentially costing billions, yet legislative action remains elusive.... https://mdbaynews.com/2026/07/13/maryland-child-victims-act-sturm-budget-liability/

Paying Twice: The Federal Deal Costing Maryland Ratepayers Hundreds Of Millions For Two Anne Arundel Power Plants Baltimore Gas and Electric customers are experiencing inflated costs for two coal-and-oil plants in Maryland, with charges approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission that are 86 percent higher than calculated by its own staff. Ratepayers are effectively being charged twice, leading to significant increases in utility bills....

Maryland’s Gaming Regulators Let the Casino Lobby Write Their Homework. Would We Say the Same If It Were Oil and Gas? In April 2025, the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency received a draft letter from the American Gaming Association urging action against sports prediction markets. Subsequently, the agency's letter to the CFTC matched the draft closely, raising concerns about its independence. In contrast, the Attorney General's office filed a detailed legal brief. This highlights disparities in regulatory practices and emphasizes the need for independent evaluations by state agencies.... https://mdbaynews.com/2026/07/12/maryland-gaming-regulators-casino-lobby-letter-cftc/

A Citizen Child Unlocks Food Benefits for an Undocumented Household — And That’s the Law, Not a Loophole A U.S. citizen child in an undocumented household can access food benefits like SNAP and Maryland SUN Bucks without their parent's immigration status impacting eligibility. This legal provision, established in the 1996 welfare reform, ensures citizen children's rights are protected. However, data on mixed-status households receiving benefits is not tracked.... https://mdbaynews.com/2026/07/11/citizen-child-snap-maryland-sun-bucks-mixed-status-households/

Texas Lost Its Dream Act in Court. Maryland’s Voters Already Defended Its Own. A divided Fifth Circuit panel ruled Wednesday that federal law preempts Texas's in-state tuition policy for undocumented students.... https://mdbaynews.com/2026/07/11/texas-lost-its-dream-act-in-court-marylands-voters-already-defended-its-own/

Maryland Built a Legal Wall Against ICE Surveillance Data. Is Anyone Checking If It Holds? Maryland has embraced automated license plate readers (ALPR) with minimal public backlash, contrasting with Virginia's intense scrutiny over similar technology. While Maryland has implemented laws to protect data from federal immigration enforcement, concerns remain about the use and oversight of these systems, highlighting an underlying tension between public safety and privacy....

Maryland’s Economy Isn’t Growing. The Numbers Say Something Sharper. Maryland's economy shows a mixed picture, with job growth primarily in the health care sector, while other sectors have declined. The state has also seen a drop in its ranking for affordability, falling significantly in recent years. Tax increases have coincided with rising living costs, further complicating the state's economic landscape.... https://mdbaynews.com/2026/07/10/maryland-economy-job-growth-affordability-analysis/