by By Cory McCray, a senatorhttps://afro.com/
Although there are obstacles in every community that can prevent individuals from moving forward, no obstacle is insurmountable if we band together. The challenges faced by justice-involved people who are prepared to rebuild after serving their time are too frequently disregarded. These issues still exist not because they are unimportant but rather because there has been a long-standing lack of the planning, funding, and legislation required to solve them.
I’ve lived in Baltimore City my entire life, and it has one of the highest rates of incarceration in Maryland. In some parts of the city, the concentration is much more pronounced. Tax costs continue to mount after a person completes their sentence, creating an unmanageable burden that jeopardizes the successful reintegration into society that our justice system seeks to accomplish.
Although the numbers in Baltimore are especially alarming, this problem affects communities all around Maryland. Working with Dr. Carmen Johnson of Prince George’s County, the former Housing Chair for the State Conference of the NAACP, helped me to understand this reality. She contacted me earlier this year regarding collaborating on a piece of legislation she was working on, which would eventually become Senate Bill 295, the Maryland Fair Taxation for Justice-Involved Individuals Act.
Dr. Johnson was imprisoned for three years in 2015 on federal charges. She was in serious financial trouble since she was unable to handle the business and tax-related matters associated with two businesses—one non-profit and one for-profit—during that time away. Her capacity to effectively reintegrate into society was hampered by the growing tax obligation she faced upon release, which included fines and interest. Her experience brought to light a stark reality for many associated with the legal system: the system intended to rehabilitate was unintentionally making it harder for them to succeed. With Delegate Greg Wimms spearheading the effort in the House of Delegates, her story served as the impetus for Senate Bill 295, which I was honored to successfully sponsor in the Senate. The law becomes operative on July 1.
Justice-involved individuals may set up payment arrangements for unpaid income taxes accrued during incarceration for a maximum of ten years under SB 295. Importantly, the interest and penalties accumulated within that time are waived by the legislation. The scheme spans taxable years 2025 through 2029 and is applicable to people who spent six months to ten years in state or federal penitentiary facilities.
To get this over the finish line during the session, teamwork was required. Maryland Comptroller Brooke Lierman and the CASH Campaign of Maryland both provided testimony in favor of this measure. A non-profit group called the CASH Campaign provides services to people with low and moderate incomes, including free tax preparation help for those who make less than a certain amount every year. The CASH Campaign is one organization that has a firsthand understanding of the financial hardship that some people experience while attempting to rebuild their lives and works to provide workable solutions that uphold both human dignity and budgetary discipline.
With the commencement of the Fresh Start Tax Payments Program, Comptroller Brooke Lierman and her office have already started to manage the program. To raise awareness of the initiative, the Comptroller’s Office will collaborate with the Maryland Judiciary, the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, and neighborhood organizations. Eligible people will be made aware of these chances both during their incarceration and after their release thanks to this cooperative strategy.
Maryland has traditionally taken the lead in tackling issues that other states have ignored and striking a balance between opportunity and justice. By removing obstacles to effective reintegration, this act improves our legal system. All Marylanders benefit from increased public safety and economic prosperity when we make it possible for people to obtain homes, work, support their families, and give back to their communities. Rebuilt lives and stronger communities will be used to gauge the program’s effectiveness.
People rise to the occasion when we provide them with the resources they need to succeed after serving their sentence. Human potential is unlocked when needless obstacles to real accomplishment are removed, which is advantageous to all. A vital first step in creating a more fair and reasonable system for all Marylanders is Senate Bill 295.
This commentary’s viewpoints are the author’s own and may not represent those of the AFRO.
