Mayor’s Dig Highlights County, City Rift?

The mayor’s jab at the county during her State of the City Address was the latest provocation between the neighboring jurisdictions.

During a segment in Monday’s speech, aimed at showing that housing incentives are luring residents back to the city, the mayor mentioned Destiny Junior, a former Baltimore County resident who bought a home in the city’s McElderry Park neighborhood.

The mayor, in an unscripted moment, then may have revealed some lingering resentment toward the wealthier, mainly suburban, county.

"It’s always a plus when it’s from Baltimore County," Rawlings-Blake said.

Although staff in both jurisdictions have repeatedly denied any tension, there have been repeated incidents that show evidence to the contrary.  

In 2011, when Rawlings-Blake was running to retain her position, the Democratic executives of Montgomery, Howard and Prince George’s counties endorsed her at an event in Federal Hill. Conspicuously missing was Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz.

Last spring, Baltimore County Councilman David Marks, a Republican, introduced legislation that would have granted residents the right to use Loch Raven reservoir for hiking and mountain biking. The only issue is that the reservoir and the land around it are owned by the city. 

Even though the bill was eventually withdrawn, after a county attorney advised  the county council that it didn’t have the authority to pass it, the incident still privately aggravated members of the administration and city council.

Then in January, during the midst of the Ravens run to the Super Bowl, Kamenetz took what some considered a swipe at the city, by trying to claim the football team as county property during an appearance on radio station WYPR.

"It's the Baltimore County Ravens," Kamenetz said on air. "We're looking to bringing that Lombardi trophy back to Baltimore County."

A spokesman for Rawlings-Blake declined to escalate the feud by noting the team brought pride to the region, but called the county executive’s attempt to claim the city’s football team "a stretch."

Patch Political Editor Bryan Sears contributed to this story.

What do you think about the seemingly antagonistic relationship between the city and county? Share your thoughts in the comments.