Maryland delegates approved legislation that will encourage private partners to invest in public infrastructure, a move Republican lawmakers in the House say will turn the state’s bidding process into a shadow government operation.
The House of Delegates voted 81-52 on Monday evening in favor of the bill pushed by Gov. Martin O’Malley, who assigned Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown to spearhead the measure through the House and Senate.
Allowing private dollars to invest in the state’s infrastructure will allow Maryland to grow in ways it otherwise could not afford given the state’s limited resources, Brown said prior to Monday’s vote.
“It’s really not a Democrat or Republican initiative, it’s a good government initiative to build out infrastructure, particularly in a time when the public resources aren’t what they used to be,” Brown told the Kojo Nnamdi Show Monday afternoon.
The state’s roads, schools, and public transit options all stand to benefit from an infusion of private money, he said.
Detractors in the House said the bidding process would be anything but transparent, and blasted O’Malley for sending the state down a path that will be less open to public scrutiny.
“We are living in a modern age where every person in this body believes in transparency, and here we’re going into a piece of legislation that will be the cornerstone of shadow government,” said Del. Patrick McDonough, R-Baltimore. “This modern, progressive general assembly is ready to vote against transparency, against competitive bidding, and against disclosure.”
