ABELL REPORTS
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Maryland's Dysfunctional Residential Third-Party Energy Supply Market
It took several years for the third-party energy marketplace to find a foothold in Maryland, but after a policy change in 2009, it began to take off. And, for the next few years, consumers did see some benefits. From 2014 to 2017, however, Maryland households have been losing money by using third-party suppliers—paying about $255 million more in all than if they had stayed with their regulated utility’s supply offer. Read the full report here.
Combining Forces
In 2012, the Abell Foundation launched a research project aimed at studying metropolitan consolidations. Distinct from an annexation where a city adds to its land area, consolidation combines some or all of the government functions of two or more jurisdictions. Our broad purpose was to inform a conversation that has occurred sporadically in the Baltimore region over the past 70 years. Read the full report here.
Baltimore Police Department: Understanding its status as a state agency
In recent years, the Baltimore Police Department has come under intense scrutiny following the in-custody death of Freddie Gray in 2015 and the ensuing Department of Justice investigation, which resulted in a Federal Consent Decree.
Some legislative leaders have suggested that one way to increase police accountability is to return control of the Department from the State to the City. Others say that such a shift could create more problems than it solves and that the City already has sufficient oversight of the Police Commissioner and the Department through its hiring and firing powers and control over the police budget. This report, written by former City Solicitor George Nilson, seeks to provide context to these ongoing conversations. Read the full report here.
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Adult High School Diploma Achievement in Baltimore
The lack of a high school diploma both reflects and exacerbates some of the most severe inequities in our society. According to the U.S. Census American Community Survey, those with a high school diploma or its equivalent in Baltimore earn about $7,000 more a year than those without one (an estimated $28,396 versus $21,359). The lack of a high school credential restricts opportunities for further education and training—limiting access to the sort of postsecondary career training required for competitiveness in pursuing the region’s middle-skill jobs. Read the full report here.