January 2, 2024

Ready Report: Happy 2024, Green Raw Deal, Sykesville Road Alert

First, I would like to wish you all a Happy New Year! I’m going to be praying and working to make 2024 a great year – it will certainly be an important one for the future of our community and our country.

Senator Ready on Fox 45 – Moore Administration Proposing a “Green Raw Deal”

Last week, I went on Fox 45 to discuss a new “Climate Pollution Reduction” plan focused on reducing emissions to “net zero” by 2045. The cost? Over $1 Billion…every year! Click here to read more about the issue, and watch a video where you can hear some of my concerns.

Governor Moore’s Administration is pushing this plan that will be paid for by:

  1. Restricting how often and far people drive annually
  2. Taxing your driving by the mile
  3. Creating fees for transporting fuel and other materials
  4. Spending taxpayer dollars on retro-electrification in old buildings
  5. Requiring electric in most new construction
  6. A “Cap and Tax” system for private businesses that exceeds these new radical emissions standards

Here’s the thing – Maryland has already reduced our emissions by 30% since 2006 because Maryland taxpayers/energy ratepayers have paid and are paying Billions of dollars to subsidize clean energy (but only things like wind, solar, and trash burning, not the most effective and cost efficient renewables like nuclear and hydroelectric). A large portion of that reduction can be credited to converting coal energy production to natural gas – which this plan would to phase out!

What actual environmental impact would this have? Even though experts who support these policies and believe the world will end if we don’t raise taxes and stop using oil acknowledge Maryland can have essentially zero impact on even the East Coast climate no matter what we do, much less the globe.

Would this $1 Billion in taxes every year at least help make our Bay or air cleaner? Nothing in this even touches Chesapeake Bay cleanup and as far as making air cleaner – most of what we do here in Maryland on emissions is heavily impacted by pollution flow from the Ohio Valley and Pennsylvania. So…even going to “net zero” (which is a deceiving term – more on that in the future) – won’t make a dramatic difference on air quality locally.

If this concerns you, contact your State Senator (if it’s not me) and State Delegates to tell them to say no to raising energy, small business and travel taxes for NO appreciable benefit. You can find who your representatives are at MDElect.net.

Sykesville Roadwork – SHA to Improve Drainage on MD 851 (Springfield Ave)

The Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration will improve drainage on MD 851 (Springfield Avenue) between Main Street and Central Avenue in Sykesville, Carroll County beginning next month. The half-mile closure and detour of MD 851 is expected to be in effect until March 2024, weather permitting.

Starting at 8 a.m. Monday, January 8, MD 851 will close to traffic so crews can remove an underground culvert and drainages pipes located in the center of the roadway and install new structures. The detour route directs motorists to use Main Street to Sandosky Road to MD 32 (Sykesville Road) and MD 851.

Community Overdose Action Town Hall in Carroll County – January 17th

The Maryland Opioid Operational Command Center will be hosting a Town Hall in Carroll County on Wednesday, January 17th at 6:30pm. The event will take place at the Carroll County Public Safety Training Center, located at 50 Kate Wagner Road in Westminster.

The key goal is to get feedback from the community about what can be done at the state and local level to increase substance use-related support. Special Secretary of Opioid Response Emily Keller will be present to provide an update on state-level priorities. More information about this event can be found by clicking here.

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