Pittman and Friends Podcast

Speaker Peña-Melnyk on Leading the Maryland House of Delegates

The news makes it feel like the government can’t be decent anymore, but Maryland House Speaker Joseline Peña-Melnyk says civility is a decision you make every day. In the latest episode of the Pittman and Friends Podcast, County Executive Steuart Pittman sits down with Speaker Peña-Melnyk to discuss what it takes to lead a chamber of 141 delegates, travel the state nonstop, and still keep your focus on people who need government to work, not perform. Speaker Peña-Melnyk walks us through the end-of-session scramble around the Maryland Voting Rights Act of 2026 and why she refused to let delay tactics sink protections for Black and Brown communities. From there, we dig into democracy pressures, the realities of redistricting, and how trust gets built or broken when institutions stop listening. Affordability is a major thread, including Maryland’s utility relief package, energy rate reform, and why data centers should pay for the power they consume. We also get specific on immigration policy, the harms of 287(g) agreements that pull local law enforcement into federal immigration enforcement, and how the Trust Act aims to protect public safety by strengthening community trust. Finally, Speaker Peña-Melnyk explains how Maryland balances a tough budget early, avoids new taxes, and still tries to fund health care, eviction prevention, SNAP support, and education. If you care about Maryland politics, voting rights, immigration, utility bills, or how a state budget really gets made, this conversation is for you. If you like the stories and insights in Pittman and Friends, be sure to follow the County Executive on social media and sign up for his Weekly Letter using the links below. Weekly Letter: https://www.aacounty.org/county-executive/steuart-pittman/pittmans-pen/weekly-letter Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AACoExec X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/AACoExec Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/AACoExec/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ArundelTV

Preeti Emrick on Preparing Communities for Emergencies During Challenging Times

The next emergency might not look like a hurricane at all. It could be a cyber incident, a long heat wave that knocks out air conditioning in a high rise, or a slow-moving flood problem that turns into an evacuation decision. On the latest episode of the Pittman and Friends Podcast, County Executive Steuart Pittman sits down with Preeti Emrick, the Director of Anne Arundel County’s Office of Emergency Management. They talk about what emergency management actually is and why the work is really about coordination, clear roles, and timely public information. We walk through what happens when the Emergency Operations Center activates, how situational awareness gets built from weather forecasts, state and federal briefings, nonprofit partners, and even patterns in 911 calls. Preeti explains why training and tabletop exercises on blue sky days make the response feel like a symphony when it matters, and why modern preparedness has to include cyber incident planning alongside storms and public health emergencies. COVID is a major turning point in the conversation. We dig into misinformation, mistrust, and the reality that disasters create trauma, not just damage. Preeti shares why psychological first aid and “meeting people where they are” can be as important as logistics, especially for vulnerable communities that lose the daily safety nets they rely on. We also look ahead: what local and state leaders can do when FEMA funding is uncertain, why investing in resilience saves time and money later, and how residents can get involved through CERT and community outreach. If you like the stories and insights in Pittman and Friends, be sure to follow the County Executive on social media and sign up for his Weekly Letter using the links below. Weekly Letter: https://www.aacounty.org/county-executive/steuart-pittman/pittmans-pen/weekly-letter Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AACoExec X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/AACoExec Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/AACoExec/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ArundelTV

County Executive Pittman Delivers FY27 Proposed Budget Address

County Executive Steuart Pittman presented his Fiscal Year 2027 proposed budget on May 1 to the Anne Arundel County Council. As his final budget as County Executive, this budget demonstrates his commitment to remain fiscally disciplined, continue seeking the wisdom of residents, and prioritize opportunities for those who have too often been left behind.  The FY27 proposed budget leaves the next successor and residents a house in good order, a foundation that can truly make Anne Arundel County The Best Place - For All. Listen to the full address, and explore the FY27 Budget Investments at AACounty.Org/FY27Budget. If you like the stories and insights in Pittman and Friends, be sure to follow the County Executive on social media and sign up for his Weekly Letter using the links below. Weekly Letter: https://www.aacounty.org/county-executive/steuart-pittman/pittmans-pen/weekly-letter Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AACoExec X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/AACoExec Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/AACoExec/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ArundelTV

Jane Cox on Why Local History Matters and What Stories Come Next

A historic house disappears and a neighborhood loses more than a structure, it loses an anchor. That’s where the conversation starts on the latest episode of Pittman and Friends podcast when County Executive Steuart Pittman sits down with the Executive Director of the Chesapeake Crossroads Heritage Area, Jane Cox. They discuss how “sense of place” is built and how quickly it can be erased when we stop paying attention to the stories under our feet.  Jane walks us through her path from doing archeological digs at London Town to leading cultural resources work in Anne Arundel County, then stepping into her new role at the Chesapeake Crossroads Heritage Area. We talk about what preservation looks like inside planning and zoning, why public outreach matters as much as policy, and how heritage tourism can drive economic development while protecting authentic places across Anne Arundel county. From there, we dive into a hidden powerhouse story: the Steward Shipyard on the West River near Galesville, founded in 1751 and burned by the British in 1781. It’s a gateway into the Revolutionary era and the upcoming Annapolis 250, including the push to frame 250 not as a single weekend, but as a longer “Season of Freedom” starting around Juneteenth. We also wrestle with the question that always surfaces at anniversaries: whose history gets celebrated, and how do we tell the truth about slavery, loyalty, and legacy? We close by discussing ideas for practical next steps: the need for a preservation master plan shaped by community input, do we create an advisory group that helps leaders make smarter calls, and keeping momentum on Crownsville with National Register designation and a museum vision that can handle difficult history with care. Subscribe, share, and leave a review, and then tell us: what place in Anne Arundel County holds your strongest sense of place? If you like the stories and insights in Pittman and Friends, be sure to follow the County Executive on social media and sign up for his Weekly Letter using the links below. Weekly Letter: https://www.aacounty.org/county-executive/steuart-pittman/pittmans-pen/weekly-letter Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AACoExec X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/AACoExec Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/AACoExec/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ArundelTV

Michael Sanderson of MACo on County Power

Most of what you count on each day doesn’t come from Washington. It comes from your county: the roads you drive, the schools your kids attend, the health services that protect communities, the recycling system you expect to work, and the local decisions that shape what your neighborhood becomes. On the latest episode of the Pittman and Friends Podcast, County Executive Steuart Pittman sits down with Michael Sanderson, Executive Director of the Maryland Association of Counties (MACo), and they get straight to the pressure points of Maryland politics and public policy and how they impact local government.  We walk through how MACo represents county leaders in Annapolis, why an open public hearing process can prevent bad legislation, and how a truly bipartisan organization still finds common ground when the rest of American politics feels stuck. Then we tackle two issues that define daily life for residents: transportation funding and housing. Michael explains why Maryland’s local road funding never fully recovered after the Great Recession, why that gap squeezes county budgets, and why so many people misunderstand what gas taxes actually pay for.  From there, we get into the housing shortage, zoning, smart growth, environmental limits, and the “Smith Island cake” problem: layer after layer of approvals that can make building painfully slow. We also debate the toughest question underneath it all, when state preemption is a necessary tool for progress and when local control is the wiser path for land use, infrastructure, and community trust. We wrap with grounded advice for leaders making hard budget calls and a rare note of optimism rooted in local accountability.  Subscribe for more practical conversations about how government really works, share this with a friend who cares about roads or housing, and leave a review so more listeners can find the show.  If you like the stories and insights in Pittman and Friends, be sure to follow the County Executive on social media and sign up for his Weekly Letter using the links below. Weekly Letter: https://www.aacounty.org/county-executive/steuart-pittman/pittmans-pen/weekly-letter Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AACoExec X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/AACoExec Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/AACoExec/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ArundelTV