County Business Leaders and Elected Officials Continue to Push Forward As COVID-19 Numbers Continue to Decline

Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson and Maryland President Pro Tempore Melony Griffith delivered promising news at the most recent meeting of the Greater Prince George’s County Business Roundtable held May 12.

Griffith, the popular senator, shared news of the progress made during the 2021 Maryland Legislative Session with the Roundtable’s board of prominent business leaders and elected officials.

*Unemployment insurance has been a major concern for Maryland residents. For this reason, on May 12, the Senate Finance & Budget and Taxation committees held a virtual committee briefing, to hear testimony directly from Marylanders. Over 1,100+ people signed up to testify. The committees heard 270 live testimonies over 9 hours.

*Senate President Bill Ferguson appointed Griffith to represent the Maryland State Senate on the Council for the Procurement of Health, Educational, and Social Services May 14.

* May was Military Appreciation Month. Griffith led in an initiative to support veterans living at Charlotte Hall Veterans’ Home.

* Senator Griffith is also the first African American woman elected as President Pro Tempore for the Maryland Senate. At the request of Senate President Ferguson, Griffith led the Advisory Workgroup on Equity and Inclusion. To review the report click here

The findings of the report have already influenced decisions and budgeting for education (particularly in the case of Maryland’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities), criminal justice and police reform.

Ferguson and Griffith weren’t the only speakers in attendance to offer welcomed remarks.

Kelly Schultz, Maryland’s Secretary of Commerce announced that the near future looks bright for Maryland businesses, in spite of COVID-19.

“There is promise for the future and a lot of hope,” Schultz said. “In Prince George’s County there are going to be opportunities that will be announced by David Iannucci over at the Prince George’s County Economic Development Corporation. We see that prosperity is returning to the state and he will be able to share some of the specifics very soon.”

Schultz briefly discussed progress of the Relief Act Fund in Maryland.

“In my [career] working in the state government, I have never seen a bill that passed in the first week of February and immediately signed into law and then immediately implemented,” to bring relief to Maryland citizens all across the state.

Schultz noted that a large portion of that effort was passed down to the Department of Commerce and referenced a few of those points.

*Small business grant of $9,000 per business for those businesses who do not collect retail tax.

*Grants are not only based and targeted toward small businesses, they are also offered with geographic and equity objectives as priority.

*The Restaurant Relief Fund ($6.3 million) and the Hotel Relief Fund ($1.5 million).

*$75,000 for online sales and telework assistance

*Legislation has been developed and passed to aid with incentive packages aimed at science industries, bio security, bio science and technology.

*The implementation of new tax credits for small and minority businesses, and a reorganization of the veterans tax credit program for vets who are business owners.

For more details on specific information, click here

New Prince George’s County Police Chief Malik Aziz, who was slated to officially start in the position in May, attended the Roundtable as his first public address.

“It feels like home,” Aziz said after greater Prince George’s business Roundtable president and CEO M.H. Jim Estepp officially welcomed the county’s new top cop to Prince George’s. “It already feels like family.” The veteran police officer comes to the county from his previous position in Texas and has enjoyed his stay at National Harbor as he took time to settle in to the area.

“I truly believe in a vibrant, robust and progressive relationship with the business community,” Aziz said. “I look forward to a productive and positive relationship.”

“We will do anything we can to help support you,” Estepp said. “We want you to know we have your back.”

Filmmaker Jimmy Jenkins opened the meeting and announced the latest with his upcoming projects.

It was announced that the new student life building may be named in honor of recently retired president of Prince George’s community College Dr. Charlene Dukes.

Additionally, leaders shared news of the June 8 ribbon-cutting at the new University of Maryland Capital Region Medical Center. The facility is expected to officially open June 12.

The next meeting of the Roundtable is scheduled for July 2021.