In recent years, a troubling trend has emerged where local governments across the United States are resorting to lawsuits against manufacturers and businesses, demanding financial compensation for societal and environmental issues, regardless of any wrongdoing. This practice not only undermines the principles of justice but also poses a significant threat to American innovation and job growth, particularly in Maryland, where cities like Baltimore are actively pursuing such litigation. American manufacturers operate in highly competitive global economic environments. Forcing manufacturers to pay local governments billions of dollars for harms they did not cause will have a crippling effect on the sector.
Competitiveness at risk: An environment that is unjustifiably hostile to industry runs the risk of alienating existing businesses and manufacturers in our state, while also pulling the welcome mat out from under potentially new stakeholders.
