Revenews

Revenews is produced by the Office of Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot to bring you the latest tax and financial news, as well as a closer look at the people, places and organizations that make Maryland special.

The World Cup in Baltimore? 04/08/2022

The World Cup in Baltimore? Baltimore is one of 17 U.S. cities in the running to host games in the 2026 World Cup. With sites likely to be selected in May, resident agency soccer fans Alan Brody and Alex Butler talk with Terry Hasseltine, President of the Baltimore Maryland 2026 Bid, about the chances of being chosen, what it would mean for Maryland and talk of a joint Baltimore-Washington, D.C-bid that could improve the prospects of being picked. /episode/index/show/comptrollermd/id/22732115

I Scream, You Scream 03/25/2022

I Scream, You Scream In this episode we are joined by Sean Smeeton and Detric Mccoy, respectively the founder and owner of Taharka Brothers Ice Cream. They discuss the origins of this Baltimore-based business, the innovations they've made before and during COVID-19, and the social change efforts their business supports in and around the Baltimore area. /episode/index/show/comptrollermd/id/22573424

Tax Season 101 01/27/2022

Tax Season 101 The 2022 tax season is underway and two top agency gurus, Debora Gorman and Pat Guiles, give us a crash course on some of the big news for this year, including extended deadlines for state individual income taxes, changes to look out for and how to get help preparing and filing taxes from the Comptroller’s Office. /episode/index/show/comptrollermd/id/21924314

2022 General Assembly Preview 01/10/2022

2022 General Assembly Preview We’re joined once again by State Senator Craig Zucker for an overview of the upcoming 90-day Maryland General Assembly session, which begins January 12th. We talk about another legislative session impacted by COVID-19, the big issues likely to dominate discussion and balancing family life and legislative responsibilities as an elected official. Stick around at the end as Craig shares a few lighter moments from his Senate tenure. /episode/index/show/comptrollermd/id/21730250

Maryland’s (Ex) Treasurer: A Treasure 12/21/2021

Maryland’s (Ex) Treasurer: A Treasure In this year-end episode, we chat with now-retired Treasurer Nancy Kopp about her incredible 50-year public service career, the changes she’s seen, her relationship with Comptroller Franchot and advice for her successor, Dereck Davis. Listen closely as we “dig up” something you may not know about this legendary Marylander and her plans for post-political life. /episode/index/show/comptrollermd/id/21563693

Shop Local and Save for the Holidays 11/24/2021

Shop Local and Save for the Holidays It’s the most wonderful time of year! Holiday shopping season is upon us and that means the Comptroller’s annual push to support small, local businesses. Once again, several Maryland-based credit unions are offering special rewards and incentives to its members who buy local and we’re joined by Becky Smith of SECU to tell us more about the initiative, how credit unions differ from banks and how the pandemic has changed their approach. /episode/index/show/comptrollermd/id/21276647

Revenue Recap, Fiscal Forecast 10/08/2021

Revenue Recap, Fiscal Forecast Thanks largely to the success of federal relief, Maryland has an extra $5 billion in the bank. Bureau of Revenue Estimates Director Andy Schaufele joins us to break down the recent Fiscal Year 2021 Closeout Report and updated revenue projections for FY 2022 and 2023. Then we chat with Janice Shih, director of the Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic at Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service about their work and how a new law allows them to help more taxpayers. /episode/index/show/comptrollermd/id/20758232

Alongside President Bush on 9/11 09/10/2021

Alongside President Bush on 9/11 Community Affairs and Outreach Manager Kia Baskerville, then a CBS News producer covering the White House, shares her recollections of travelling in Florida on September 11, 2001 with President George W. Bush when news broke of the terrorist attacks in New York and the Pentagon. Kia takes us behind the scenes of what it was like on Air Force One and back in the Oval Office on such a tumultuous day and the bond she developed with the First Family. /episode/index/show/comptrollermd/id/20433638

Back to School 08/31/2021

Back to School Summer is nearly over and many schools are back in session. We discuss youth activism, political involvement and college in the age of COVID with two of our summer interns, Megan Moulsdale and Tim Jones (05:29). Afterwards, a riveting conversation with Dr. Steven Thomas, founder of the HAIR Campaign, which has achieved national attention for its work enlisting black barbershops and beauty salons in the fight to achieve health equity (40:29). /episode/index/show/comptrollermd/id/20326643

Shopping, Savings, Scholarships 08/06/2021

Shopping, Savings, Scholarships Shop Maryland Tax-Free Week runs August 8-14 and we’re joined by Sarah Price of the Maryland Retailers Association to talk about how businesses have managed to survive during the pandemic and the scholarship contest that has become an annual highlight of the tax-free week. Afterwards, Fells Point Surf Co. owner Ali Schuch gives us a firsthand perspective of running a business in challenging times. /episode/index/show/comptrollermd/id/20058284

Maryland’s Media, Three Years Since The Capital Tragedy 06/28/2021

Maryland’s Media, Three Years Since The Capital Tragedy In this special episode, Alan and Callie remember the June 28, 2018, Annapolis Capital shooting with Communications Director Susan O’Brien, who worked for Mayor Gavin Buckley at the time and shares what that tragic day and the days that followed were like. Then, we talk about the broader state of the media, both locally and nationally with Lucy Dalglish, dean of the Phillip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland. /episode/index/show/comptrollermd/id/19631042

PROTECT Week and Juneteenth 06/10/2021

PROTECT Week and Juneteenth June 13-19 is PROTECT Week, highlighting elder financial abuse. The Comptroller’s Office is a lead partner in the campaign and guest host Maureen O’Prey joins Alan to talk about it with Sydney Palinkas from ElderSAFE. Then, Chris Haley, who heads the Study of the Legacy of Slavery in Maryland at the State Archives talks about Juneteenth and the quest for racial justice in America. /episode/index/show/comptrollermd/id/19430108

Fueling Up For Summer 05/28/2021

Fueling Up For Summer New co-host Callie Pfeiffer joins Alan to talk with Chuck Ulm, deputy director of the agency’s Field Enforcement Bureau, to find out why the Comptroller is in charge of motor fuel regulation and what role the office had to keep gas flowing in the wake of the Colonial Pipeline hack. Then, we look forward to summer with Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan, who’s preparing for the unofficial start of tourist season this Memorial Day Weekend. /episode/index/show/comptrollermd/id/19274747

One Year – We Made It! 05/17/2021

One Year – We Made It! It’s a bittersweet episode as we celebrate the first anniversary of Revenews while saying goodbye to Sam, who is taking her talents to Boston University’s Global Development Policy Center. Alan and Sam reflect on highlights from the past year, then chat with Julie Verratti, Associate Administrator for the SBA’s Office of Field Operations, about the federal programs available to small business owners. Finally, a few colleagues say farewell to Sam. /episode/index/show/comptrollermd/id/19138286

College Savings & Summer Shopping 05/03/2021

College Savings & Summer Shopping This week, Alan and Sam break down college savings plans with Maryland 529 Executive Director Erin Layton to help you prepare for the future (07:50). Then they catch up with Amie McCaslin, a resilient business owner who faced both floods in Ellicott City and is opening a new storefront in Ocean City called Salt & Co (36:20). /episode/index/show/comptrollermd/id/18957668

The COVID session and (Merri)weathering a Pandemic 04/15/2021

The COVID session and (Merri)weathering a Pandemic The 2021 General Assembly wrapped up an unprecedented 90-day session with pandemic relief and police reform taking top billing. We’re joined by Legislative Director Justin Hayes and Deputy Director Sean Ford to break it down. Then, Ian Kennedy, head of the Downtown Columbia Arts and Culture Commission, which owns Merriweather Post Pavilion, talks about how the music died at entertainment venues during the last year and when concerts may return. /episode/index/show/comptrollermd/id/18740159

The Agency’s Leading Women 04/01/2021

The Agency’s Leading Women In this special episode, Deputy Comptroller Sharonne Bonardi chats with her predecessor and mentor Linda Tanton about being the first female Deputy Comptroller, the challenges she faced in breaking that barrier and the changed roles of women in leadership over the years. /episode/index/show/comptrollermd/id/18570161

Celebrating Women’s History Month 03/18/2021

Celebrating Women’s History Month It’s Women’s History Month and St. Patrick’s Day! Accordingly, Alan and Sam chat with Maureen O’Prey about her role in the office and her other passions: history, beer, and the history of beer (10:53). Next up is Karlys Kline, founder of the Women’s Giving Circle and beloved in Frederick and far beyond (40:54). It’s an episode you won’t want to miss! /episode/index/show/comptrollermd/id/18381056

The RELIEF Act 02/25/2021

The RELIEF Act In four days, the Comptroller’s Office processed roughly 415,000 electronic payments and paper checks to Marylanders who qualified for state stimulus relief, representing 98% of all recipients. How did it happen and what are some of the most frequently asked questions. We go behind the scenes with Ombudsman Dana Buker, who deals directly with taxpayers trying to navigate the sometimes-thorny bureaucratic channels in search of help. /episode/index/show/comptrollermd/id/18091529

Fall in Love with an Energy Star Appliance 02/08/2021

Fall in Love with an Energy Star Appliance Tax season and Shop Maryland Energy Weekend are almost here! We chat with Robin McKinney of the CASH Campaign about free tax preparation and the Earned Income Tax Credit. Next up, business owners Joe Ochs & Curt Spicher on the huge the tax-free weekend is. Then, Amey Bayes of BGE and Larissa Johnson from the Montgomery County Dept. of Environmental Protection encourage you to save money AND the planet with energy efficient appliances. /episode/index/show/comptrollermd/id/17865014

Legislative Look-Ahead 01/12/2021

Legislative Look-Ahead With the 2021 General Assembly starting this week, Sam and Alan get a preview from Sen. Craig Zucker, a longtime Comptroller employee, and Justin Hayes, the Comptroller's legislative director. We also get a lay of the land in the COVID-19 era from Sen. Clarence Lam, the chamber's only practicing physician and Nicole Stallings from the MD Hospital Association. /episode/index/show/comptrollermd/id/17518787

Leading Women of Maryland's Economy 12/18/2020

Leading Women of Maryland's Economy It’s the holiday season, and Alan and Sam are wrapping up the year by interviewing Deputy Comptroller Sharonne Bonardi (09:04) about her influential role in managing the day-to-day of the agency and adapting to such a tough year. We then chat with Ali von Paris (33:33), CEO and founder of Route One Apparel, about starting the company out of her dorm room at UMD ten years ago and the importance of shopping local. /episode/index/show/comptrollermd/id/17252192

Thanksgiving & Non-Profits During a Pandemic 11/25/2020

Thanksgiving & Non-Profits During a Pandemic In a special Thanksgiving edition, we learn about the Maryland Charity Campaign from agency chairperson Patti Tracey, and talk to a pair of nonprofit leaders – Carmen del Guercio of the Maryland Food Bank and Jeff Griffin of the Franciscan Center – to hear how operations have changed during the pandemic, and their needs heading into the holiday season. We close with a montage of Comptroller employees saying what they’re thankful for this year. /episode/index/show/comptrollermd/id/16953377

Shop Maryland for the Holidays 11/06/2020

Shop Maryland for the Holidays Special co-host Maureen O’Prey pinch hits today as we talk with the Maryland DC Credit Union Association about their members’ partnership on the Comptroller’s Shop Maryland for the Holidays initiative. Then, we check in with Scott Sanders, founding partner of Tobacco Barn Distillery in St. Mary’s County, to hear about their latest unique venture involving bourbon and a military fighter jet. /episode/index/show/comptrollermd/id/16711019

Hispanic Heritage Month 10/20/2020

Hispanic Heritage Month In honor of the just-concluded Hispanic Heritage Month, Alan and Sam chat with the Comptroller’s Hispanic Affairs Outreach Manager Adriana Lee about how our office is engaging with Hispanic communities across the state to foster better awareness of tax issues (9:23). Next up, Jimmy Vargas, a Silver Spring accountant, provides some helpful tips and advice on how to get your taxes done right (29:30). /episode/index/show/comptrollermd/id/16482554

Checking The Numbers 10/02/2020

Checking The Numbers We look at the state’s latest revenue estimates and what they mean. Then, we talk with Sandy Zinck, director of the General Accounting Division, which drafts the annual reports that drive Maryland’s financial standing. Then, Paul Schurick from the Oyster Recovery Partnership discusses restoring Maryland’s oyster population, their importance to the health of the Chesapeake Bay and the Shell Recycling Alliance. /episode/index/show/comptrollermd/id/16252580

The Importance of the Census 09/11/2020

The Importance of the Census The Census is more than a once-every-10-years population count. We talk with State Planning Secretary Robert McCord to learn how it determines the amount of federal funding Maryland gets and how the Covid-19 pandemic has impacted collection efforts (6:50). Then, we hear from Laura Gaver House, whose family farm in Mt. Airy is a popular fall destination for apples, pumpkins and fun for all ages (29:20). /episode/index/show/comptrollermd/id/15974441

The Digital Divide in Urban and Rural MD 08/27/2020

The Digital Divide in Urban and Rural MD Most Maryland students will start school this year virtually. We discuss the digital divide in urban and rural communities with Rick Gordon, director of the Governor's Office of Rural Broadband, and Andrew Coy, a co-organizer of the Baltimore Digital Equity Coalition (6:40). Then we talk to Charelle James, executive director of Urban Teachers, a Baltimore-based nonprofit that trains career educators through an immersive 4-year program (39:45). /episode/index/show/comptrollermd/id/15777959

Shop Local, Save Money 08/06/2020

Shop Local, Save Money Shop Maryland Tax-Free Week is Sunday, August 9 throughSaturday, August 15. We talk with Maryland Retailers Association President Cailey Locklair (4:03) about how important the week is for businesses during Covid-19, and how Maryland college students can win scholarships. Then, we hear from Josh Levinson (18:52), co-owner of Charm City Run, about the origin and growth of the business, the challenges during the pandemic and more. /episode/index/show/comptrollermd/id/15515201

Baseball is Back! 07/23/2020

Baseball is Back! Opening Day is here. We step away from our usual tax talk to focus on America’s pastime. Batting leadoff is Len Foxwell, Comptroller Franchot’s chief of staff and a Washington Nationals megafan. On deck is Jennifer Grondahl, a top Baltimore Orioles executive. In the 3-hole is Ben McDonald, the No. 1 selection in the 1989 MLB Draft and a current O’s broadcaster. And hitting cleanup is Jon Meoli, the Orioles beat writer for the Baltimore Sun. /episode/index/show/comptrollermd/id/15330332

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