Trio of Maryland Counties Set to Enter Transfer Portal with West Virginia Listed as Preferred Destintation
By Connect-Bridgeport Staff on October 22, 2021 via Connect-Bridgeport.com
Gov. Jim Justice and West Virginia legislative leaders today announced their support for a proposal to make three western Maryland counties part of West Virginia.
Several lawmakers from Garrett, Allegany, and Washington counties in Maryland recently authored a pair of letters asking the West Virginia Legislature to consider adding them to the Mountain State.
Several lawmakers from Garrett, Allegany, and Washington counties in Maryland recently authored a pair of letters asking the West Virginia Legislature to consider adding them to the Mountain State.
“We’ve got it going on right now in West Virginia. We are knocking it out of the park. Why wouldn’t you want to come?” Gov. Justice said. “We want everyone to know that we are standing here with open arms. We welcome these counties and would be tickled to death to have them and the great folks of that incredible state.”
Gov. Justice went on to announce that he is working with legislative leadership to call a Special Session soon so that lawmakers can consider a resolution to make the offer official.
The Governor was joined for the announcement by West Virginia Senate President Craig Blair, House Speaker Roger Hanshaw, and Delegate Gary Howell.
Garrett, Allegany, and Washington counties are predominantly bordered by West Virginia, not Maryland. The three counties are more mountainous and rural than their state’s urban population centers, with the region being known as “Mountain Maryland.”
The three counties have a combined population over 251,000 and include the cities of Cumberland and Hagerstown, both of which would be among the top 10 most-populated cities in West Virginia if they joined.
This isn’t the first time during Gov. Justice’s tenure that counties in a neighboring state have sought to move to West Virginia.
In early 2020, Gov. Justice addressed calls for Virginia counties to join West Virginia, an effort termed “Vexit,” shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic struck the continental U.S. in earnest.
“In sports, when you have a team that has the right coach, the right players, and puts it all together in every way, people start wanting to jump on the bandwagon,” Gov. Justice said. “All I would say to people is get on the bandwagon. It’s a tremendous opportunity. There’s incredible stuff happening in the state of West Virginia, and I would say come and join the team. We would welcome you in every way and you sure as the dickens would never regret it.”
The three counties have a combined population over 251,000 and include the cities of Cumberland and Hagerstown, both of which would be among the top 10 most-populated cities in West Virginia if they joined.
This isn’t the first time during Gov. Justice’s tenure that counties in a neighboring state have sought to move to West Virginia.
In early 2020, Gov. Justice addressed calls for Virginia counties to join West Virginia, an effort termed “Vexit,” shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic struck the continental U.S. in earnest.
“In sports, when you have a team that has the right coach, the right players, and puts it all together in every way, people start wanting to jump on the bandwagon,” Gov. Justice said. “All I would say to people is get on the bandwagon. It’s a tremendous opportunity. There’s incredible stuff happening in the state of West Virginia, and I would say come and join the team. We would welcome you in every way and you sure as the dickens would never regret it.”
