The Baltimore Sun from Baltimore, Maryland • A8

8 THE BALTIMORE SUN NEWS MONDAY, MAY 25, 2020 READERS RESPOND EDITORIALS City Council president is the No. 2 position in Baltimore government, just one resignation away frommayor not exactly an uncommon occur- rence in thisparticularcity.Twoof the past three mayors have quit amid criminal inquiries, launching the council president into the top spot, at least temporarily. Whoever wins the elected-at-large position, powerful in its own right, will chair the Board of Estimates, which develops and carries out the fiscal policy, and preside over 15-member legislative body. The City Council has the power to enact ordinances and resolutions, amend the annual budget, confirm mayoral appointments, and appropriate and issue bonds. It acts as a check and balance to the office, and its president must be mindful of that role while also working with the mayor to best forBaltimore.Relationships, specifically the ability to bring people together and keep them focused, are critical components to the job.

With five open seats on the council, at least a third of its members will be new to the role post election. need a knowledgeable and approachable leader to set the agenda and guide decisionmaking.NickMosby is best suited for the endorse him as the next City Council president. His experience andconnections suggesthecanhit is especially important now, amid the economic and public health criseswe face. Mr.Mosby, 41, served on the City Council for five years, from 2011 to 2016, and as a delegate in the Maryland House of Representatives since 2017. As an electrical engineer, the Democrat has managed multi-million dollar projects.

And as a lawmaker, pushed to pass legislation ensuring that water bills cost residents their homes, that historically black colleges and universities are appropriately funded, and that campaign finance laws are fair. He particularly distinguished himself this year through repeated calls for the state to release racial data regarding coronavirus, which revealed disparities in the health outcomes and treatment of African Americans in relation toCOVID-19 and forcedMaryland to confront the issue. This council race is the first competitive contest in about a decade, and Mr. Mosby faces strong challengers. ShannonSneedhasprovenherselfa loyal, likableandresponsive representative in District 13 over the past four years.

District 7 Councilman Leon F. Pinkett III well understands the weak- nesses in the council, particularly the lack of independent analysis, andoffers somesolid ideas todealwith them, including reallocating some resources from the office to the full council. And former Councilman Carl Stokes, who also raised the issueof racial disparities amid thepandemic, has long been a fixture in Baltimore politics and carries strong name recognition with voters, in addition to experience in education as the founder of twocharter schools andas a former city school boardmember. Mr. Mosby, too, brings name recognition to the race, though someof itbelongs Mosby.

Ms. Mosby is known on a national stage as the prosecutor willing to take on Baltimore police after Freddie 2015 death and, more recently, through criminal justice reformefforts undertaken, including refusing to prosecute marijuana possession cases, recognizing that such prosecutions disproportionately affect low-income people of color. Some in the community have raised concerns about a dynamic that could result if Nick Mosby wins the council president seat, but we believe you can hold back a person for the accomplishments of their spouse. We do, however, expect him to recuse himself from any decision that directly affects her agency, which receives roughly $36 million in city funds each year. Ascouncil be safe streets, better schools, more jobs and improved health care.

He intends to use data to drive decision making and leverage his relationships in Annapolis to the benefit of Baltimore. He has our endorsement. Editorial board: Nick Mosby for City Council president note: The Baltimore Sun editorial board, the opinion arm of the news organization, endorses political candidates to help voters make informed decisions at the ballot box or, as is the case for most this year, the mailbox. We came to a consensus after analyzing candidate platforms and news coverage, and interviewing political experts and voters. Lastly, we interviewed the top candidates in the race individually.

We then discussed each pros and cons to make our decision. COMING TUESDAY: Baltimore Sun endorsements in open City Council races. Mosby Baltimore voters probably spent much time pondering the role of Baltimore City Comptroller. Even the title, which traces its origin to the late 15th century and isdefinedas in checking financial seems archaic and abit stuffy.Here’s a betterway todescribe it: fiscalwatchdog, thepersonwhomakessure the taxpayers getting fleeced; the chief auditor. Rarely in this history has that post held greater importance.

some- times described as the third most powerful position in city government after mayor and City Council president, might be first right now in terms of keeping the trust in accountability and transparency in government. why longtime Councilman Bill Henry, 51, of Radnor- Winston, is our choice to serve in this important, if often overlooked, post in city government. not only given to restraint as a champion of term limits (a conviction he believes precluded him from running for a fourth consecutive term on thecouncil, althoughnosuchrestriction ison thebooks), buthis experience scrutinizing the inner workings of city government and overall skepticism is just what the accountant ordered. WhenMr.Henry sayshewill benoautomatic vote on theBoard of Estimates for whomever is elected mayor, we are inclined to believe him. The North Baltimore councilman is not a numbers cruncher by training, but not exactly what the post demands.

The city has accountants. What it needs is someone who will supervise them, whowill modernize and update computerized auditing programs, hold elected officials and their minions accountable for their spending, andmake the finances far more accessible to the public. That happening now under incumbent Joan M. Pratt who has held the post for 25 years. There is little reason to believe those reforms will happen withoutMr.Henry’s intervention.

Ms. Pratt, 68, has gotten much attention on the pages of this newspaper of late and not for anything she might wish to brag about.Most alarminghas beenher personal and financial ties to disgraced former Mayor Catherine Pugh of fame with whom she co-owned the thePigtown consignment shop that proved useful forMs. money laundering. The comptroller signed off on a false tax return for the shop, but says she was duped by her City Hall colleague. We are inclined to believe her.

Yet what does that say about the competency of a fiscalwatchdogwhocouldnot spot impropri- ety right under her nose? And it does not end there. As a recent city inspector review Pratt seem inclined to ask questions of people or organizations in her circle. She was criticized for voting 30 times in the last several years for $48 million in city expenditures toward organizations with which she is con- nected. That notably, the sale of 15 city lots to the Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church for which she serves as a trustee.Aonetimeslipup?Asimple failure to recuse? A failureofher staff to 30 is a troublingpatternofbehaviorhere.Fora would seem to have lapdog tendencies. Ms.

name is well-known to city voters who keep reelecting her year after year. No doubt she has saved city residents millions of dollars, as her campaign now boasts and voted for causes like affordable housing when given the opportunity. She certainly had abundant chances to improve city living since been in the job sinceKurt L. Schmokewas mayor. But difficult to claim that Baltimore city government in 2020 is a shiny, well-oiled machine of efficiency and accountability under her watch.

time to change out some parts and see if some new oversight could get the water billing to be handled competently, for example, or CitiStat can be revived as a data-driven critique of effective- ness. To set the city on that better path, to grapple with shrinking government revenues during the coronavirus pandemic and to challenge conventional wisdom, we endorse Bill Henry as BaltimoreCityComptroller. Board: Bill Henry for city comptroller Henry Switch to laser light shows that frightenwildlife With fireworks shows being canceled due to COVID-19, PETA encourages cities to look into laser light shows which can be safely projected on a large surface, allowing spectators to drive in County cancels Fourth of July fireworks at Colum- bia lakefrontdue to May 8). Fireworks frequently cause wild- fires, contaminate water with the carcino- gen perchlorate that is found in explosives and leave behind unexploded shells, tiny pieces of plastic and other debris. During the blasts, startled deer and other animals often run into roadways and birds flee their nests, abandoning their chicks.

Fireworks were blamed for the deaths of 5,000 birds in Arkansas after red-winged blackbirds and European starlings took off in panicked flight. The night-blind birds crashed into houses, signs and other obstacles, causing blunt-force trauma and death. Dogs scared by the deafening explosions have been known to break chains, jump fences, tear through screen doors and even leap through glass windows in an attempt to escape the noise. Terrified cats often bolt as well and animal shelters report an increase in lost animals turning up in the days following fireworks displays. In addition to being kinder to the environment and safer for animals, laser light shows are less expensive to produce and provide just as much and for spectators.

Michelle Kretzer, Norfolk, Va. The writer is employed by The PETA Foundation. home workers deserve thanks On behalf of the Centers for Medicare Medicaid Services (CMS), like to thank all those who work in nursing facilities doctors, nurses, foodpreparers, housekeep- ers, and others for their unwavering dedication to compassionately caring for the vulnerable residentswho are relying on them during the COVID-19 pandemic. These facilities have been on the front lines of the pandemic, and our hearts arewith all of those who have been affected by this virus and their families shows higher risk for nursing home coronavirus outbreaks and deep racial May 21). We, at CMS, share the goal of keeping nursing facility residents safe and healthy.

Under President Donald leader- regulatoryauthor- ity to facilitate care and ensure that long-term care facilities have the guidance theyneed toprevent the spreadof COVID-19. The best thing nursing facilities can do to keep residents and themselves safe is to ensure following effective infection-control practices. These are out- lined in our guidance and include recom- mendations that employees wash their hands properly, separate ill residents from well residents, use personal protective equipment correctly, get screened for ill- ness and stay home if sick. By employing effective infection control andprevention, coordinatingwith local and state health authorities, and showing pa- tience and kindness to others, we can beat the virus, reopen America and keep our nursing home residents safe andhealthy. D.C.

The writer is administrator of the Centers Services. Credit competition for favorableBGErates Baltimore Gas and Electric recently proposed two-year rate freeze would be welcome relief for Maryland families and businesses struggling under the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic wants to freeze utility rates for 2 years, then increase them by in thatevenafter the nearly $13 increase per month in 2023 needed to make up for the payment pause, rates will still be lower than in 2008. greatnews, but not driving lower bills. Maryland ended monopoly status for electric companies like BGE almost 20 years ago. The result? Since 2008, competi- tion among power suppliers has lowered prices, translating to lower electric bills.

In fact, energy prices in PJM Interconnection, the regional power grid serving Maryland, were at record lows for 2019. BGE should thank competitive markets formaking the rate freeze possible for its customers. Instead, its parent com- pany, Chicago-based Exelon, is urging Maryland regulators to abandon competi- tion and leave regional market. Independent estimates suggest an exit could force Marylanders to pay an extra $206 million per year while Exelon would likely enjoy anice boost to its bottom line. Now, more than ever, states should encourage and expand competition among power suppliers.

Meanwhile, regional competitive mar- kets are enabling meaningful environmen- tal progress across state lines while driving down prices. As we collectively pick ourselves up from economic damage, the competitive path is the win- win track for wallets and the environment. Todd D.C. The writer is president and CEO of the Electric Power SupplyAssociation. Talk to us The Baltimore Sun welcomes comments from readers by email or online at baltimoresun.com/opinion.

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McDaniels; and Opinion Writer Peter Jensen. TRIFFON G. ALATZAS Publisher Editor-in-Chief NEWS LEADERSHIP SAMUELC.DAVIS, ManagingEditor TRICIABISHOP, Director of Content of Content Enterprise and Investigations of Content Audience andAnalytics of Content CommunityNews andMarket Editor ANNETALLENT, Director of Content BALTIMORE SUN MEDIA SHARONF.NEVINS, Vice President Advertising TIMOTHYJ. THOMAS, SeniorVice President BusinessDevelopment THE BALTIMORE SUN A Tribune Publishing Company.