Conduit Street Podcast
From the halls of the State House to the heart of county government, the Conduit Street Podcast breaks down the decisions shaping Marylanders’ daily lives. Produced by the Maryland Association of Counties (MACo), this weekly podcast offers smart, accessible insights on the latest state and local policy — with counties always at the center.
Explore how legislation, executive actions, and agency decisions affect essential public services like education, infrastructure, public safety, health, and other core functions that matter most to Maryland residents. With special guests from across the state and the occasional world-famous dad joke, Conduit Street keeps you informed, engaged, and ready for what’s next.
Whether you’re a policymaker, a public servant, or just policy-curious, this is your front-row seat to Maryland’s political landscape.
Conduit Street Podcast
The Briefing Room: Smith Island Cake Effect
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Housing costs rarely rise because of one single policy, fee, or requirement. More often, they build layer by layer until the numbers no longer work. Capturing a Maryland icon, a housing advocate started to tag the layer-upon-layer of process as the "Smith Island Cake Effect."
In Episode 5 of The Briefing Room’s housing finance series, Dom Butchko and Terry Hickey are joined by Maryland Comptroller Brooke Lierman to explore the “Smith Island Cake Effect” and the many interconnected pressures shaping the cost of housing production. They talk through the layers and discuss where there are deeply considered policies, and where there are streamlining opportunities, to help advance Maryland toward more housing supply at every level.
Notes:2025 Housing & the Economy Report
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