House Bill 1011, entitled the Democracy in Education Act 2011, would have empowered city voters to decide the issue of a partially elected school board at the November 2011 election.

The Baltimore City House Delegation, during its weekly Annapolis meeting this past Friday, March 25, 2011, considered the bill and voted on whether or not to give it their support. Though 10 of the 18 city delegates sponsored the measure, the bill was voted unfavorable by a vote of 7 to 5 essentially sealing its fate for the year.

Here is video from the hearing and vote:

There I was. Standing on the House Floor at the State Capital with Speaker Michael Busch…yes that Michael Busch. How did I get there?

Well, it all started with a call from Delegate Jill Carter inviting me to come and accept an award on behalf of one of the greatest clergy/activists that Baltimore has ever seen – Rev. Vernon Dobson.

On the last day of Black History Month, the Maryland House of Delegates, at the behest of Del. Jill Carter, produced a resolution in honor of Dobson. And it was truly my honor to stand and accept it on his behalf with one of the most dedicated delegates that Baltimore has ever seen standing on my immediate right. (Though she is actively being marginalized by the power structure in Annapolis and even by the other representatives of the 41st district like Del. Sandy Rosenberg, she is, in fact, one that the Baltimore community can really count on.) Standing to my left was the gentleman who had not long ago attempted to broadside Carter by stripping her of her subcommittee chairmanship (or chairwomanship?) which prompted a flurry of posts from this blogger. There I was standing in between the two. (You can’t tell me that God doesn’t have a sense of humor.)

However, I couldn’t turn down the opportunity to stand in Dobson’s shoes – even if for but a moment. It was the type of honor that challenged me to be better.

Dobson was one of the members of the vaunted “Goon Squad” of Baltimore – a grouping of clergy, lawyers, politicians, and activists who stirred much trouble for justice in Baltimore during the late 60′s while fighting segregation.

Dobson was not only an activist, but he is a scholar whose life was molded by the likes of Mordacai Johnson, Benjamin Mays, Howard Thurman, Ralph Bunche, Thurgood Marshall among others. While age and some health challenges have slowed Rev. Dobson down a bit, the work that he has done still speaks loudly for him. The Maryland Food Bank, Baltimoreans United In Leadership Development (B.U.I.L.D.), and the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance were either created or enhanced with Dobson’s hand in the mix.

For years now, I’ve been praying and working for the development of another Goon Squad here in Baltimore modeled after the squad of Dobson’s day. We desperately need a coagulation of dedicated community servants working together to engage the issues of our time. I tried to manufacture and force it a few years back with a group called Young Clergy for Social Change, but that group had a short-lived season. Now, however, I see the seedlings of something on the horizon that excites me. I see God orchestrating the lives of some pretty impressive local servants even as The Almighty continues to settle me in my new charge as a pastor. Some of my colleagues are being positioned to begin pastoring themselves. Others are contemplating running for political office. It’s not all together yet, but in the fullness of time, I do sense that God will bring what’s needed and use the willing to make a difference here.

It was great to stand in Dobson’s shoes for that moment and prayerfully, I’ll be granted the opportunity to follow the best of his legacy for many years to come.

Ask most Marylanders today which of their bills most quickly drives their blood pressure to its boiling point and there is a great likelihood that they’ll talk to you about their energy bill – probably using very colorful 4-letter words.

Well, Tuesday, March 3, 2009, many activists are hoping that residents will direct some of that outrage at the Senate Finance Committee in Annapolis. The Committee will be hearing Senate Bill 795; a bill which many believe will re-regulate energy rates in the state and bring our bills back down to reasonable levels.

To let your voice be heard on this issue, please flood the offices of the members of the Senate Finance Committee with calls and emails…or…just …continue cursing out the BGE Customer Service Reps every other day. (I’d go with grabbing the ear of the Senators if I were you.)

But how did we get here?

The Maryland Coalition for BGE Reregulation recently published an interesting bulletin answering that very question:

Is your BGE bill too high?

BLAME DELEGATE SANDY ROSENBERG.
Rosenberg is the only Baltimore City sponsor of hb 703 currently serving in the legislature. Hold him accountable.

THE BILL (1999 Deregulation bill, hb 703, created the problem)

THE VOTE COUNT (These Baltimore legislators voted for the bill that created the our problem: Delegate Ann Marie Doory, Del. Maggie McInstosh, Del. Peter Hammen, Del. Harrison, Del. Carolyn Krysiak,)

Hold them accountable in 2010. Vote them out!

*Only one Baltimore senator voted for the senate deregulation bill, sb 300, Nathaniel McFadden.

OUR ONLY HOPE:

Baltimore Delegates Jill P. Carter and Melvin Stukes are working to lower your BGE rates. They are co-sponsoring a REREGULATION Bill in the current 2009 session, cross-filed in the senate by Senators Pipkin and Rosepepe. Support them and support their bill!

***Del. McDonough, and others, are also co-sponsors of reregulation worthy of mention and support. This post focuses on Baltimore City legislators. Del. McDonough represents Baltimore County.