The SACC 2025 Post Legislative Session Forum and Luncheon

Six members of Maryland’s Lower Shore State Legislative Delegation gathered on Thursday, April 17th at the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center to recap the just concluded 2025 Maryland General Assembly Session during the Salisbury Area Chamber of Commerce Post Legislative Session Forum and Luncheon, presented by Tri-County Council for the Lower Eastern Shore of Maryland.

Zach Evans, SACC Board Chair and Executive Manager of Industry & Stakeholder Affairs, Mountaire Farms, moderated the forum.

Legislative actions and inactions were the centerpieces of the discussions shared by Delegation members. Delegation members all agreed that the recently concluded session was historic in addressing a record $3 Billion structural budget deficit, soaring energy costs for state businesses and residents, and the challenges faced keeping the business environment in Maryland competitive.

Senator Mary Beth Carozza commented on Republican proposals to reduce state agencies’ budgets by 5% across the board, “That action if the General Assembly had taken it, would have balanced Maryland’s budget without any tax or fee increases. The General Assembly should have also paused funding for Maryland’s Blueprint for Education as a further action to reduce state spending to address the budget shortfall.”

Regarding the final budget vote in the House of Delegates, Delegate Sheree Sample-Hughes, who voted against the final budget proposal, said, “The budget was not in the best interests of the eastern shore, none of it.”

The eastern shores’ agricultural industries and how the federal tariffs could impact this critical business sector prompted Delegate Charles Otto to share, “These tariffs impact key inputs at the Port of Baltimore. We must stop worrying about bike paths and walking trails and rebuild the Key Bridge instead – a loss that still impacts the eastern shore’s agricultural industry.”

One of the topics addressed at the Chambers 2025 Southern Delmarva Economic Forecast was building Maryland as a center for growth in the Aerospace industry sector. Delegate Tom Hutchinson commented that a slight lowering of Maryland’s Corporate income tax rate, from 8.3% to just under 8%, will do nothing to incentivize the aerospace industry.”

Freshman Delegate Barry Beauchamp added, “Utah has the number one state economy in the country with a 4% corporate income tax rate on industry, and Texas is going to a 2% rate. We will watch those two states grow while Maryland continues to push businesses to the surrounding states.

Delegate Chris Adams agreed that Maryland could miss the opportunity to attract aerospace and related industries. “The eastern shore depends on new economic development. Rocket Lab sees Maryland as an opportunity. The new 3.5% state Tech Tax misses the mark in attracting these industry sectors.”

The delegation also talked about climate change mandates and energy issues.

Delegate Otto bemoaned the failure of the state EV mandates to date. “Maryland should abandon the EV mandate,” stated Otto.

The Maryland EMPOWER program and consumers’ frustrations with high energy bills prompted Delegate Beauchamp to share with the audience, “The average electric bill was $40 to 50 dollars higher per month, and the EMPOWER program is not serving Maryland’s residents the way the program intended when enacted over a decade ago.”

Delegate Adams added, “Maryland imports too much electricity. That’s driving these high utility rates across the board.”

Final discussions centered on legislation that failed, including the tax on sugary beverages, the business-to-business tax, the door-to-door delivery tax, and a few others that failed this session.

For a full recap of the forum, check PAC14 at www.pac14.org.

The SACC wishes to thank Senator Mary Beth Carozza, Delegate Barry Beauchamp, Delegate Chris Adams, Delegate Tom Hutchinson, Delegate Charles Otto, and Delegate Sheree Sample-Hughes for attending the forum and for their service to the Lower Eastern Shore, and thank you to sponsors 47 ABC – WMDT, Chesapeake Utilities, Salisbury University.

The May General Membership Luncheon featuring the Fire Chiefs of Delmarva Forum will take place on Thursday, May 22, 11:30 AM -1:00 PM, at the Cambria Hotel Ocean City Bayfront, 13 St. Louis Avenue, Ocean City, MD 21842.

The forum is presented by DK Law Group. Register at salisburyarea.com.

Members – $38, Non-Members – $48, includes a full lunch. Sponsorships are available.