Legislators push to bring manufacturing back to Maryland

In the last 10 years, Maryland has lost 25,000 manufacturing jobs. That’s why Sen. Roger Manno (D) has introduced legislation in the state house, with the hopes of bringing some of the those factories back.

The bill is called Maryland Strong Manufacturing Development Act and would allow for certain zones to be opened up across the state where manufacturers could get a tax credits for setting up shop there.

A key part of the bill, we’re told, is that the power to designate where these zones are would be located would be in the hands of the county government, not the state.

“We think that counties and localities know best and they should be in the drivers seat when it comes to where we should put a manufacturing zone, what that zone should look like,” Manno said.

Manno said the bill has been in the works for more than two years and has been co-sponsored by 43 of the 46 senators including Eastern Shore senators Addie Eckardt and Jim Mathias.