During the February 8, Maryland House of Delegates Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation and the Environment hearing on the Maryland Historical Trust budget, Baltimore City, District 46 Delegate Brooke Lierman addressed the difficult funding situation for historic preservation in Maryland.
Delegate Lierman at the February 8 hearing on Maryland Historic Trust budget.
Following the initial presentation, Delegate Lierman questioned representatives of the administration about the continued lack of funding for the Survey & Research grant program. The program assists local governments and nonprofits with grant funding for architectural and archeological research, survey and documentation, public education, and planning projects. Unfortunately, the program has also gone unfunded since 2010, despite requests by Preservation Maryland and other non-profit organizations to see funding restored.
DELEGATE LIERMAN DIRECTLY ADDRESSED THE ISSUE:
[The Maryland Historical Trust] used to have a survey and research program, and it hasn’t been funded in four or five years . . . and there was a request for it to be funded and it wasn’t and I wondered if you could explain why?
FOLLOWING UP, SHE ASKED WHAT EVERYONE IN THE PRESERVATION COMMUNITY WOULD LIKE TO KNOW:
My understanding, is that [this funding], which all neighboring states have a similar program, we’re the only [state] that doesn’t . . . Is there any plan in the future to bring that back, since it’s so helpful to the local [governments]?
Watch the Full Video [Begins at 35 minutes]
Preservation Maryland applauds Delegate Lierman for her willingness to speak up and ask questions about this vitally important program.
If you would like to join Delegate Lierman and request more funding for preservation, click the link below and become a preservation advocate today.