The Board of Public Works is a three-member body consisting of the

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Comptroller A comptroller (pronounced either the same as ''controller'' or as ) is a management-level position responsible for supervising the quality of accounting and financial reporting of an organization. A financial comptroller is a senior-level executi ...

, and

Treasurer A treasurer is the person responsible for running the treasury of an organization. The significant core functions of a corporate treasurer include cash and liquidity management, risk management, and corporate finance. Government The treasury o ...

of the state of

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...

in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

. It oversees many aspects of the state's finances.

History and purpose

The board was established by the

Maryland Constitution of 1864 The Maryland Constitution of 1864 was the third of the four constitutions which have governed the U.S. state of Maryland. A controversial product of the Civil War and in effect only until 1867, when the state's present constitution was adopted, ...

, replacing the Commissioners of Public Works and various other boards. The board acts as a

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on the power of the General Assembly and also guarantees "that significant State expenditures are necessary and appropriate, fiscally responsible, fair, and lawful" and that "executive decisions are made responsibly and responsively".

Duties

A unique institution amongst both the federal and

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sover ...

governments, the board is also quite powerful, possessing the final say in spending through loans approved by the

Maryland General Assembly The Maryland General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maryland that convenes within the State House in Annapolis. It is a bicameral body: the upper chamber, the Maryland Senate, has 47 representatives and the lower chamb ...

and in capital improvements (except roads and bridges). In addition, the board has the authority to borrow money and provide supplemental funding for state agencies. All state land purchases are carried out by the board and all contracts for office space and leases are approved by the board. While the state legislature is not in session, the board takes up many of its fiscal responsibilities in ensuring the operation of the state government.

Current members

References

External links

Maryland Board of Public Works
{{MD Gov branches Government of Maryland 1864 establishments in Maryland