Whitman Expo to Honor Delegate Melvin L. Stukes with Fundraising Reception at 11:45am on Friday, June 17.

The Maryland Delegate most responsible for helping to ensure the non-passage of a bill that would have ended the sales tax exemption for coins will be honored with a fundraising reception at the June Baltimore Expo (June 16-19 at the Baltimore Convention Center).

The reception for Del. Melvin L. Stukes will be held at 11:45am on Friday, June 17 in Hall F, just inside the entrance to the Bourse.

Whitman Expo General Manager David Crenshaw said Delegate Melvin Stukes (D-Baltimore City) was instrumental in ensuring the bill never gained traction.

“Having worked for the better part of a decade as the Lead Revenue Specialist in the Compliance Division of the Comptroller of the Treasury, Delegate Stukes understood from the beginning that repealing this particular tax exemption would hurt the economy of Baltimore and, thereby, the State of Maryland. He helped his House colleagues understand the many policy considerations that weighed overwhelmingly against passage of the measure.

“He was also an effective advocate in the face of a good deal of misinformation surrounding this bill. The numismatic community owes Delegate Stukes a debt of gratitude that is surpassed only by that which he is owed by his constituents and fellow Marylanders,” Crenshaw said.

Crenshaw said the reception is an opportunity to meet and personally thank Del. Stukes and to contribute to his campaign coffers.

“We need to help ensure that this very capable advocate for commonsense remains firmly in office in Maryland. I urge everyone who can to make a contribution to Del. Stukes campaign fund. Checks should be made payable to ‘People for Melvin L. Stukes,’ and they may not exceed $4,000 under Maryland law,” Crenshaw said.

Del. Stukes is a veteran of the United States Air Force and a former Baltimore City Councilman from the 6th District. He was a 1984 recipient of the U.S. Presidential Award for Volunteerism.