Institute Names Steve Walters as Chief Economist
The Maryland Public Policy Institute today announced that acclaimed economist and author Dr. Stephen J.K. Walters will serve as its Chief Economist. Dr. Walters will advise the Institute on Maryland’s most pressing economic policy issues, including the revival of Baltimore’s economy and the consequences of statewide tax policies and regulations under consideration in Annapolis.
“Dr. Walters possesses a deep sense of what it takes to formulate transformative policies so that cities like Baltimore can thrive in the 21st century,” said Christopher B. Summers, president and chief executive officer of the Institute. “And as Maryland considers massive tax increases to pay for the Kirwan Commission recommendations, he’ll play a critical role in setting the economic agenda for the Institute and for Maryland.”
A resident of Baltimore City, Dr. Walters’ background as an applied microeconomist includes expertise on urban policy and renewal, government regulation of business, and property tax reduction as a way to unleash economic growth in urban communities. As Professor of Economics at Loyola University Maryland, he was named Loyola’s Distinguished Teacher of the Year in 2005. Dr. Walters contributes commentary for The Baltimore Sun, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and many other outlets on the economic problems of cities. He is also the author of Boom Towns: Restoring the Urban American Dream and Enterprise, Government, and the Public, and serves as an Adjunct Scholar at the Cato Institute and as a Fellow of the Institute for Applied Economics, Global Health, and the Study of Business Enterprise at The Johns Hopkins University.
“Baltimore and Maryland face many crucial policy decisions in coming months and years,” said Dr. Walters. “We need to make the right choices to help all the state’s citizens thrive, and the Institute will be a key contributor in this process.”
Read one of Dr. Walters’ recent articles on crime in Baltimore here: https://www.mdpolicy.org/research/detail/in-baltimore-are-life-and-liberty-in-conflict
About the Maryland Public Policy Institute: Founded in 2001, the Maryland Public Policy Institute is a nonpartisan public policy research and education organization that focuses on state policy issues. The Institute’s mission is to formulate and promote public policies at all levels of government based on principles of free enterprise, limited government, and civil society. Learn more at mdpolicy.org.