Baltimore County’s Economic Development Advisory Board dropped a big proposal Wednesday, calling for a sweeping overhaul of how the county sells itself to employers and investors. The centerpiece recommendation would pull business-attraction and retention work out of a county department and place it in a new, independent public-private organization, while workforce programs and tourism would remain inside government. County leaders say the shakeup is aimed at sharpening the county’s edge in the regional fight for jobs and capital.
Board pushes public-private pivot
The advisory board’s top recommendation is the creation of an independent public-private entity that would take the lead on business attraction and retention, modeled on similar outfits already operating in Baltimore City and several neighboring counties. As reported by the Dundalk Eagle, the idea is to give Baltimore County a more nimble, competitive engine to grow its economy, lure new investment and support long-term job creation.
Officials say current setup is a handicap
“The current structure for economic development is a competitive disadvantage for Baltimore County,” advisory-board chair Neil Meltzer said in remarks summarized in the county news release. Board member Paul Tiburzi said the board believes adopting the recommendation would give the county a stronger platform to compete for jobs and support entrepreneurs, and the report notes any structural change would require action by the Baltimore County Council. The county release and the board’s summary were detailed in reporting by the Dundalk Eagle.
County capacity and budget questions
The advisory board highlighted capacity gaps in the county’s current economic-development setup, a concern echoed in county budget documents that show relatively modest allocations for economic and workforce programs. The FY 2026 Legislative Budget Analysis breaks down personnel and program funding for the Department of Economic and Workforce Development and helps set the context for why the board is pushing a different operating model. The Baltimore County FY 2026 Legislative Budget Analysis lays out those figures.
What stays in government and what comes next
The report would keep workforce development, tourism, agriculture and arts and sciences inside county government, while shifting business-attraction responsibilities to the proposed independent entity. Baltimore County’s Department of Economic and Workforce Development continues to run career centers, industry outreach and tourism promotion, according to the county’s departmental overview. Baltimore County Government provides more detail on those programs.
The advisory board, a mix of executives from major employers, small businesses, chambers of commerce and higher-education leaders, met monthly over the past year before issuing the recommendations, and its proposals now move to the County Council for consideration. The board’s membership roster and meeting records are posted on the county’s boards portal at Baltimore County Boards.
