One of Maryland’s most powerful unions has urged legislators to pass a bill aimed at tallying the costs and benefits of tax breaks used to spur development within the state.
AFSCME, which represents 45,000 government workers across the state, submitted written testimony supporting SB 733, Task Force to Study Transparency in Tax Incentives. The bill would authorize a state body to analyze a variety of tax incentives and subsidies that have been used extensively to lure developers to build across the state.
“Tax incentives are a significant tool used by governments to promote economic development and attract investment. However, without proper oversight and transparency measures, there is a risk of misuse or ineffectiveness,” the union wrote.
“Establishing a task force will help ensure that tax incentives are administered accountability and in the best interest of the public.”
AFSCME is the third major union to back the legislation. Previously both the Maryland AFL-CIO and the SEIU, which represents hospital workers, expressed support for the measure.
The bill passed the senate with a 47-0 vote and is now set to go before the Ways and Means Committee on Tuesday. Committee Chair Delegate Vanessa Atterbeary did not respond to a request for comment on if she plans to support the measure.
SB 733 was introduced by State Senator Jill Carter. The bill would authorize a task force to gather data and recommend processes to increase transparency and accountability for how tax breaks are used. It would also seek ways to measure how effective the subsidies are and if they deliver equitable—or even quantifiable—outcomes.
Carter said the growing support from unions is a recognition that transparency regarding tax incentives has been lacking.
“If you want to give a tax break to working people, it’s unaffordable,” Carter told TRNN. “But if it’s a developer, there seems to be no issue.”
“We have a moral imperative to do better.”
The incentives in question include a variety of tax breaks with innocuous sounding acronyms like TIF and PILOT. TIFs (Tax Increment Finance) allow developers to invest up to 30 years of future property taxes into construction costs and infrastructure rather than these taxes being paid to the city. PILOTs (Payment In Lieu of Taxes) phase in taxes over time, offering a discounted rate for anywhere between 10 to 25 years.
Both are responsible for incentivizing the bulk of new development in Baltimore.
But the city also must, in part, pay for breaks tied to an array of state programs. Among those are the Brownfields Revitalization credit, which offers incentives to rehabilitate environmentally degraded property, and Enterprise Zone credits, which award breaks to businesses that add jobs and build in impoverished neighborhoods.
This report is part of our ongoing investigative series which delves into the use of tax breaks to subsidize development in Baltimore and beyond. The centerpiece of this series is the documentary, Tax Broke, a film that revealed Baltimore city has granted hundreds of millions of tax breaks to spur growth without requisite transparency.
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Senior Investigative Reporter & Capitol Hill Correspondent
Stephen Janis is an award-winning investigative journalist, author, and documentary filmmaker whose work has shaped accountability journalism in Baltimore and beyond. As a Capitol Hill Correspondent and senior reporter at The Real News Network, he continues to uncover the systems behind inequality, corruption, and power while turning complex investigations into stories that inspire reform and public engagement.
His first feature documentary, The Friendliest Town, was distributed by Gravitas Ventures and received an Award of Distinction from The Impact Doc Film Festival and a Humanitarian Award from The Indie Film Fest. He co-created and co-hosts The Police Accountability Report, which has reached more than fifty million viewers on YouTube and helped spark national conversations on policing and transparency. His work has also appeared on Unsolved Mysteries (Netflix), Dead of Night (Investigation Discovery), Relentless (NBC), and Sins of the City (TV One).
Stephen has co-authored several books on policing, corruption, and the roots of violence, including Why Do We Kill: The Pathology of Murder in Baltimore and You Can’t Stop Murder: Truths About Policing in Baltimore and Beyond. He also co-hosts the true crime podcast Land of the Unsolved, which investigates cold cases through a lens of justice and accountability.
Before joining The Real News Network, Stephen worked as an investigative producer for WBFF Fox 45, where his reporting earned three Capital Emmys. Known for embracing technology as a tool for social awareness, he uses data analysis, digital production, and emerging storytelling platforms to connect investigative journalism with younger audiences while maintaining its integrity and depth.
Stephen’s work is grounded in clarity, empathy, and a belief that journalism should not only expose the truth but empower people to act on it.
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Senior Investigative Reporter & Capitol Hill Correspondent
Taya Graham is an award-winning investigative journalist, documentary filmmaker, and Capitol Hill Correspondent whose work bridges rigorous reporting with deep community impact. As the host of The Police Accountability Report at The Real News Network, she has become a trusted voice for transparency in policing and governance, using a mix of field reporting, data analysis, and citizen storytelling to expose systemic injustices. The show has garnered more than 50 million views across platforms, drawing a national audience to issues of accountability and reform.
Her work spans platforms and audiences, from producing Truth and Reconciliation, the acclaimed WYPR podcast exploring race and justice, to co-directing the award-winning documentaries The Friendliest Town and Tax Broke. Her five-year investigation into Baltimore’s tax incentive system (TIFs and PILOTs) revealed how corporate subsidies perpetuate inequality, sparking legislative action and community advocacy.
In addition to her reporting, Taya played a key role in shaping The Real News Network’s internal policies and labor framework, including helping draft the language around the organization’s AI policy in its collective bargaining agreement. Her work ensured that innovation and worker protections coexist, setting a model for how newsrooms can adopt technology responsibly.
Taya’s career began at The Afro-American Newspaper and Historic Black University Morgan State Radio, where she honed her craft in public service storytelling. She continues to lead with the belief that journalism should not only inform but empower—meeting new audiences where they are and inspiring them to engage in the democratic process.
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