Committee Passes Landmark Local Hiring Ordinance

Dear Baltimoreans,

I would like to thank the members of the City Council’s Taxation, Finance & Economic Development Committee for successfully passing my bill to increase local hiring in Baltimore City.

The committee’s vote represents a progressive first-step toward improving resident participation in city-funded projects. My colleagues on the Council and I share the goal of finding a way to get residents to work.

But the reality is that there has been a failure of good-faith hiring efforts in Baltimore City. We must do more to get our unemployed and underemployed residents working again, and this bill’s successful passage is a step forward.

I applaud the committee’s work on this important legislation, and I look forward to the full City Council having an opportunity to stand in support of increased employment for all citizens.

The legislation will move to second reader during the May 13, 2013, City Council meeting