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.
Episodes
310 episodes
Budget’s in the Books, Now What?
In this episode, Kevin Kinnally and Michael Sanderson break down the whole budget plan from the 2025 session. In a year with an unmatched amount of fiscal pressure and federal angst, State fiscal leaders assembled a complex budget plan to resol...
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Season 1
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Episode 320
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1:05:11
MACo's 2025 Legislative Session Wrap Up
Join Sarah Sample and Dominic Butchko from the MACo Policy Team as they take listeners through MACo's major portfolio of issues from the just-wrapped 2025 legislative session. From energy to public safety, capital facilities, and education, the...
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Season 1
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Episode 319
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57:15
The Budget Balance Beam, Covering Annapolis With Pamela Wood
The clock is ticking in Annapolis! With just a few weeks left in Maryland’s legislative session, all eyes are on the budget—how will lawmakers navigate looming shortfalls, tax debates, and rising costs? This week on the Conduit Street Podca...
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Season 1
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Episode 318
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36:02
Crossover Week and Maryland's Housing Crunch
With crossover week in full swing, housing policy takes center stage in Annapolis. This week on the Conduit Street Podcast, hosts Kevin Kinnally and Dominic Butchko break down Maryland’s housing challenges and the debate surro...
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Season 1
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Episode 317
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46:39
The Year of the Impossible County Budget
As Maryland counties build their budgets, uncertainty from both Washington and Annapolis creates major challenges. In this episode, Kevin Kinnally, Michael Sanderson, and Sarah Sample break down the key fiscal debates shaping the future of loca...
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Season 1
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Episode 316
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43:16
Josh Kurtz on Politics, Journalism, and What’s Next After Maryland Matters
Veteran Maryland political journalist Josh Kurtz, founder of Maryland Matters, joins Conduit Street Podcast host Michael Sanderson to "talk shop.” Kurtz has a decades-long career covering state politics and policy and brings much to the table a...
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Season 1
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Episode 315
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43:18
The Pulse on Maryland’s Energy
Maryland's energy future is at a crossroads. In this episode, Kevin Kinnally, Michael Sanderson, and Dominic Butchko break down the latest energy legislation making waves in Annapolis. From rate hikes and grid reliability to renewable energy ex...
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Season 1
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Episode 314
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57:16
Notes From Nebraska & Maryland Parallels
This week on the Conduit Street Podcast, MACo's Director, Michael Sanderson, welcomes his counterpart from the Nebraska Association of Counties, Jon Cannon. They discuss policy issues facing the "cornhusker state," which (as is so often true) h...
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Season 1
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Episode 313
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43:07
Education Priorities for Maryland's Future
This week on the Conduit Street Podcast, hosts Michael Sanderson and Sarah Sample are joined by Mary Pat Fannon, Executive Director of the Public School Superintendents Association of Maryland. With numerous bills aimed at education policy and ...
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Season 1
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Episode 312
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45:44
Signals From the West With Commissioner Paul Edwards
This week on the Conduit Street Podcast, hosts Kevin Kinnally and Michael Sanderson head to the MACo office for a chat with Commissioner Paul Edwards of Garrett County, geographically Maryland’s westernmost and second-largest county. As the wes...
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Season 1
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Episode 311
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37:50
Breaking Down the Budget
The Governor's FY26 budget has arrived, bringing with it a $3 billion gap, $2 billion in proposed cuts, and a host of decisions that directly affect Maryland’s counties. In this episode, Kevin Kinnally and Michael Sanderson dive into the big-pi...
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Season 1
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Episode 310
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40:25
Panel: 2025 General Assembly Forecast at the 2024 Winter MACoCon
What’s ahead for Maryland in the 2025 legislative session? In this special episode of the Conduit Street Podcast, we’re bringing you a recording of a must-hear panel from the 2024 MACo Winter Conference. Legislative leaders and the Administrati...
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Season 1
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Episode 309
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1:15:00
Aging Well in Maryland
In this episode of the Conduit Street Podcast, MACo Associate Policy Director Sarah Sample delves into the critical and evolving work of Maryland's aging services community. She is joined by two seasoned leaders: Secretary Carmel Roque...
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Season 1
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Episode 308
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57:33
Blueprint for Success: Dr. Carey Wright’s Vision for Maryland Education
In this episode of the Conduit Street Podcast, we bring you an engaging conversation with Dr. Carey Wright, Maryland State Superintendent of Schools, recorded live at the 2024 MACo Winter Conference. Dr. Wright joined MACo Executive Di...
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Season 1
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Episode 307
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1:07:14
Maryland’s Fiscal Crisis and County Implications
Maryland faces a growing fiscal crisis, with projections of a nearly $6 billion structural deficit by 2030. This week on the Conduit Street Podcast, our hosts are back to their old tricks, digging into the latest (bad) news about the State's fi...
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Season 1
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Episode 306
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50:23
Maryland's Energy Future and the Effect on Local Govt
As Maryland faces rising energy demand, ambitious climate goals, and shifting federal mandates, what does the future of energy look like? On this week’s episode of the Conduit Street Podcast, Kevin Kinnally, Michael Sanderson, and Domi...
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Season 1
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Episode 305
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41:11
Mystery and Mechanics of Modern Elections
On the latest episode of the Conduit Street Podcast, Shantelle Malcolm-Lym joins Kevin Kinnally to break down the Electoral College and its impact on American democracy. They explore how this centuries-old system came to be, why it continues to...
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Season 1
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Episode 304
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9:53
Ask Me Anything With Michael Sanderson and Kevin Kinnally Pt 2
In this special two-part Ask Me Anything series of the Conduit Street Podcast, our host, Shantelle Malcolm-Lym, dives into part two of listener-submitted questions. Tune in as Michael Sanderson and Kevin Kinnally tackle a new set of questio...
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Season 1
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Episode 303
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41:39
Ask Me Anything With Michael Sanderson and Kevin Kinnally Pt 1
In this special two-part Ask Me Anything series of the Conduit Street Podcast, our host, Shantelle Malcolm-Lym, dives into listener-submitted questions that cover everything from under-the-radar Maryland policies to personal takes on Maryland-t...
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Season 1
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Episode 302
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42:08
Creating Inclusive Spaces With Sparks@Play
In this episode of the Conduit Street Podcast, Kevin Kinnally and Karrington Anderson, in her podcast debut, dive into the world of inclusive playgrounds and the vital role they play in fostering diversity, connection, and community. Ji...
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Season 1
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Episode 301
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40:28
Shaping Maryland’s Future Through Public Service Leadership at the University of Baltimore
Join hosts Kevin Kinnally and Shantelle Malcolm-Lym on this special episode of the Conduit Street Podcast as they sit down with Roger Hartley, Dean of the College of Public Affairs at the University of Baltimore, and Dr. Ann Cotten, Executive D...
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Season 1
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Episode 300
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45:32
AMA Teaser: Can You Stump the Conduit Street Podcast Hosts?
This week on the Conduit Street Podcast, we're doing something a little different! Instead of our usual episode, we’re gearing up for our first-ever Ask Me Anything (AMA) episode, where YOU get to ask the questions! Want to kno...
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Season 1
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Episode 299
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4:10
Where Are We? Breaking Down the State's Fiscal Picture
This week on the Conduit Street Podcast, hosts Kevin Kinnally and Michael Sanderson navigate the fiscal landscape facing Maryland and her counties. They dig into the fiscal year closeout, and the latest revenue forecast, and try to separate the...
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Season 1
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Episode 298
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47:05
Navigating Year Three of Maryland's Education Plan
This week on the Conduit Street podcast, MACo's policy team discusses the implementation of the Blueprint for Maryland's Future. Now, in year three of the rollout, stakeholders are assessing where the visionary education plan stands al...
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Season 1
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Episode 297
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57:45
Baltimore City Evolving and Thriving
This week on the Conduit Street Podcast, host Michael Sanderson talks with Faith Leach, Baltimore City's Chief Administrative Officer. They explore Baltimore’s innovative approaches to tackling fiscal challenges and its progress in modernizing ...
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Season 1
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Episode 296
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42:27