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State Senator · Legislative District 40 · Maryland · 2026 Primary
Maryland State Senators represent their local districts in the General Assembly, where they propose and vote on laws covering issues like education, transportation, and public safety. They are responsible for approving the state’s annual budget and have the unique power to confirm or reject the Governor’s appointments for judges and agency leaders. This office is critical because its decisions determine how state tax dollars are spent and which policies govern your local community.
View all candidates in this raceSteven Messmer is a Democrat running for Maryland State Senate District 40 who identifies as a public school teacher, nonprofit lawyer, Christian, and long-time resident of lower-income neighborhoods in Baltimore City. He taught math at a community high school where students were 99% low-income and racial minorities, and he works as a staff attorney helping lower-income clients with inheritance matters through Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service. His main priority if elected will be economic justice, focusing on fixing tax sale systems that extort low-income residents, ending ground rent, repealing the inheritance tax, fixing probate law, and stopping gerrymandering. He believes government systems often prey on poverty rather than help it.
Sources: Campaign website
The Government Doesn't Work for West Baltimore.
West Baltimore's first problem is not that the government isn't doing enough to help but it's doing too much to hurt.
If elected, my main priority will be economic justice. I'll fix tax sale, end ground rent, repeal the inheritance tax, fix probate, and stop gerrymandering.
I'm running because we need laws that work and that work for everyone.
Source: messmerformaryland.org
Tax Sale
Fixing the tax sale system that extorts low-income people and drains resources for debt-buyers' profit
“The tax sale is a leech on our society, draining resources from our lowest-income residents for the profit of faceless corporations and their lawyers.”
Ground Rent
Ending ground rent through government purchase plan where people pay it as part of property taxes until recouped
“I have a plan to end ground rent. It won't cost the government that much, it's very equitable and very easy to administer.”
Inheritance Tax
Repealing the inheritance tax which he describes as discrimination against those without children or family
“Maryland's other death tax is a punishment for not having children. The Maryland inheritance tax is only paid by non-wealthy people.”
Probate Law
Eliminating probate fees, publication requirements in newspapers, and nominal bond requirements that hurt low-income residents
“If you have ever gone to the register of wills after a loved one died, then you know how complicated and convoluted probate law is.”
Gerrymandering
Stopping gerrymandering as part of his economic justice platform
“I'll fix tax sale, end ground rent, repeal the inheritance tax, fix probate, and stop gerrymandering.”
Steven Messmer is a staff attorney at Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service helping low-income clients with inheritance matters. He wrote commentary for Maryland Matters titled "Maryland's other death tax is a punishment for not having children" published January 22, 2026, describing the state's inheritance tax as a subtle discriminator against those without children or family members to inherit from.
“I'll fix tax sale, end ground rent, repeal the inheritance tax, fix probate, and stop gerrymandering.”
Source“Ground rent means you can lose your home and all its equity if you don't pay $100. In Baltimore, we have ground rent on many homes, especially Black and low-income homes.”
Source“Democracy is more important than the Democratic Party. To believe in democracy, is to believe that everyone's right to vote must be protected.”
Source