Not exactly true.. in any sense.There are always underlying issues. Maryland (Baltimore) also had massive environmental issues with the Chesapeake Bay due to the
legacy of industrialization. Chesapeake Bay was the world's first recognized dead zones (Hypoxic). It's still absolutely horrible which has killed or is in the process of killing the fishing.. Oysters and Blue Crab are majorly effected. Oyster population declined by 70% since 1980... it absolutely collapsed. Right now Chesapeake Bay has 1% of it's historical levels of Oysters. That's with Federal, State and Local funding to repopulate the Oyster population and to allow Oyster farms. It's a far cry from a time when 15 million bushels (50 pounds per bushel).. so we are taking 750m pounds or $1b plus industry gone in Maryland at current prices (unwashed)..
For Blue Crab.. 40 years ago, Maryland provided 50% of Blue Crab (hard shell) in the US. Since 1990 the population of Blue Crab in Maryland has fallen from 900m to 300m. It's an industry struggling to survive even with federal, state and local dollars.
Then throw on it.. to repair the Chesapeake the State of Maryland agreed to change it's taxing policy. If you live in a watershed area.. you are taxed a "rain fall tax", known as Stormwater Remediation Fee. You literally had to pay $$$$ because it rained on your property. Only 9 counties and city of Baltimore has this tax. If you are business you aren't gonna invest if you have to pay a tax on rain based on SQ FT (of your roof), but EPA said it needed to be done.. and only Maryland did it. VA, PA, DE, and WV said "bite me". It finally got repealed under the current Governor today.
Then throw in city of Baltimore's policy polices and every arrest (not conviction) is reported to DoJ and Baltimore looks like a crime riddled city thus looking unattractive,
you can Dem Martin O'Malley for that screw up.
So hey.. you wanna stick with your story? I grew up outside of Baltimore, watching Baltimore news (WJZ, WMAR, and WBAL), WBAL 1090 AM and that's before it's right slant.. when
Ron Smith was the radio station on in the house and the car. I consider the Charm city my home and know it damn well.