Business

Maryland has a long-running reputation for being anti-business. But our state is in the top fifth of states by GDP per capita, beating the national average by roughly 10 percent every year for the last 10 years. Our only real competitor for business for Virginia, whom we beat in terms of overall climate. But these advantages are felt mostly by large businesses, many of them multinational or with headquarters outside of the state. Much more can be done to make Maryland’s business climate more friendly to aspiring and new business owners.

We can cut the filing costs for small and family-owned business. For many small and startup operations, an annual $300 filing fee is enough to harm profits each year. We can cut the red tape and make it easier to get started. Unnecessary and harmful regulations can be lifted to increase opportunity.

Maryland is business friendly–to big businesses with the money and influence to get what they want. That’s not good enough. Maryland must be business friendly with a level playing field so small businesspeople and entrepreneurs can succeed, too.

Education

Maryland’s public education includes some of the finest in the country, but the benefits are not reaching everyone. Our students, even when graduating, are not always ready to go to college. And if they are not ready for college, they are not ready for the workforce.

Our parents were told, we were told, and we have told our children that education is the key to success. We want to have the best schools and best colleges.

To get the best, we have to support our schools and universities. The Kirwan Commission has made strong recommendations, but there is more we can do. Our students deserve the best, and we can deliver it for them with commitment, forethought, and common sense.

Environment

There’s a great deal of talk about the environment. While some people think there’s a debate about climate change, scientists are completely in agreement that climate change is real, man-made, and a serious threat to people everywhere.

In Maryland, we work to protect the Chesapeake Bay when it is in our economic interests. It supports our business and play and we ask much of it. We can do our part to stop polluted runoff. This will ensure the wildlife population that gives us business and play will still be there tomorrow.

Finally, we have more miles of coastline than any other state. Denying climate change is not an option. Lands throughout have a high risk of flooding and will for the foreseeable future. We must work with both Federal and Maryland resources to develop flood mitigation strategies that can permanently protect our communities.

Our environment is the most important resource we have, but it also our most delicate. Climate change is affecting everyone, already. We have already seen the earliest strikes as storms increase in intensity and frequency. We must prepare for these risks and do what we can to prevent them if possible and mitigate when not.

Health Care

Here in Maryland, we are fortunate to have, not one, but two world-class healthcare systems grounded in cutting-edge research and compassionate care for patients. And while the Affordable Care Act has given many more people access to these systems, the current administration is trying to tear that up. This isn’t our way.

We need broad plan designed to increase access to healthcare for all and ensure that health protections are secured for everyone. We must allow all Marylanders to buy into the Medicaid managed care organization. “Medicaid for Maryland” will ensure access to health care that’s always there.

Together, we can protect each other and stop the Federal government from cutting holes in our social safety net.

Public Safety

Our public safety should be a highest priority for our government. We can make sure law enforcement has the resources they need while making sure individual rights are protected from unwarranted intrusion.

Our national handgun debate is too much about hot-button buzzwords and too little about action. On the right, “thoughts and prayers” have prevented absolutely zero handgun deaths. Ever. And on the left, calls for “common sense” legislation have fallen upon deaf ears of executives of both parties on the state and Federal level. The time has come for real gun control. Mass shootings have made that clear. We must implement meaningful regulations on firearms and partner with other states to keep them out of Maryland.

We must also reduce the reliance on policing to solve every problem we encounter. Police are expected to respond to health care crises, mental health crises, personal crises, and so many other things they lack the equipment, training, and experience for. Our law enforcement agencies should be partnered with social work agencies, mental health professionals, and others to ensure responses are appropriate for the situation at hand. Finally, those adjuncts to law enforcement must be properly funded to deal with the problems they will face.

Transport

Maryland is known for its traffic, and its reputation is awful. I used to drive more than 50 miles each way to go to work in Alexandria. I understand that frustration when traffic is backing up and there’s no viable alternative.

Mass transit is the key to reducing driving and improving local employment opportunities. Jobs cluster at transit hubs and a few minutes on a train is much easier than driving. We need A concerted plan to manage growth in Baltimore by tying redevelopment and public transit together. Jobs and homes should both be transit-accessible. Similar expansion of the DC Metro will support those serving our nation. Taking cars off the road will make the commutes easier for those without Metro access.

At the same time, mass transit will not work for everyone. We must ensure that our highways, bridges, and other transportation infrastructure are safe. They must be repaired when needed and replaced if necessary. Aging infrastructure is a risk we all bear and must be ready to address.

Our transportation should serve us, not the other way around.