Our Economy
Revitalizing Jobs & Economic Growth—So Baltimore County Can Compete and Win
Baltimore County has the second most jobs in Maryland, yet our hiring outlook ranks third worst among major U.S. metro areas, according to the Baltimore Business Journal. Maryland has dropped from 22nd to 31st in CNBC’s Top States for Business rankings, and our economic growth has stalled since 2022 (growing at just 0.6% GDP).
The problem isn’t just that we lack a clear strategy—we lack speed. In today’s economy, slow is the same as losing. Without bold leadership, Baltimore County will keep falling behind while other regions outcompete us for jobs, talent, and investment.
Nick Stewart’s plan brings a modern, results-driven approach to rebuild our jobs engine, harness our competitive advantages and move at the speed of business.
Nick’s Plan to Drive Growth and Rebuild Baltimore County’s Economy:
BoomingBaltCo Initiative:
- Cluster based Strategy: Execute a long-term economic development strategy centered on cluster growth.
- Smart Goals: Engage stakeholders and set measurable, accountable goals for expanding key industries—from logistics and manufacturing to healthcare, financial services, and technology.
- New Jobs Department: Break out economic development and workforce development into two specialized, quasi-governmental organizations — each with the flexibility, staffing, and leadership needed to compete with better-supported economic development arms like Montgomery and Fairfax counties—and hold them accountable for results.
- Committed to Success: Change is difficult for everyone but especially for veterans living with PTSD, formerly incarcerated individuals navigating post-incarceration syndrome and foster youth aging out of the system. As part of the new Jobs Department, we will embed licensed social workers to provide counseling and transitional support, helping people navigate change, overcome barriers and succeed in the workforce.
- Workforce Investments: Invest in our workforce as a core economic asset by
- Expanding workforce training, apprenticeships and hands-on career support.
- Removing barriers to employment for minority and low-income jobseekers and strengthening partnerships with unions, community colleges, and employers
- Encouraging the use of union labor for construction because such labor can reduce costs and delays.
- Increasing access to workforce housing and affordable housing options throughout the County so that employees can work closer to their work.
- reforming our public transit infrastructure so it is a reliable and accessible connection between job centers and neighborhoods.
- Exploring a program to incentivize hiring local labor for public investments and partnerships.
Reinvent the culture of government to work at the speed of business.
- No Wrong Door: Install a “concierge” or no-wrong-door approach to business services by requiring a default answer of “yes” unless an objective reason is provided, and mandate 24-hour initial responses to business-related requests.
- Office of Business Assistance: Redesign the County “Small Business Acceleration Team” as a true Office of Business Assistance, tasked with direct outreach, supportive site visits and regular reporting on results (to improve effectiveness); this will become our primary team to support small business of all types, from Main Street shops to tech startups
- Solution Labs: Use Solution Labs to reverse brain drain and fully leverage local talent by engaging students at UMBC, Towson, CCBC, Goucher and other local institutions through real-world project work. Offer pathways for recent graduates to stay and thrive here, including housing incentives and career connections.
Baltimore County has the talent, the location and the potential to lead.
With Nick Stewart’s vision and leadership, we will be able to drive growth and rebuild Baltimore County’s economy as One County (See what Nick envisions in each community here).
Instead of raising taxes or cutting services, we’ll be able to grow our tax base, create family-sustaining and fulfilling jobs, and unlock the enormous potential of Baltimore County’s economic assets.
These efforts are reflected in Nick’s plan to solve the housing crisis and revitalize our communities. Read about The Dream and Deliver Framework here.
For more on Nick’s vision for revitalizing jobs & economic growth, check out his op-ed below:
How Baltimore County can win in a chaotic economy | GUEST COMMENTARY
Baltimore County needs a vision to establish itself as a thriving local economy.