Maryland House of Delegates District 32

A: To help close our structural deficit in future years, I support a mixed approach of “right-sizing” our state government — or scaling back programs that are not performing well or are no longer addressing the current needs of Marylanders — and asking the wealthy and large corporations to pay their fair share. Specifically, I support the Fair Share Maryland plan, which would generate needed revenue for our state by closing corporate loopholes and cracking down on tax fraud from the wealthiest Marylanders. If given the choice between this targeted revenue and cutting needed investments in education, transportation, and energy generation needed for a brighter future for our state, I’ll choose the former every time.

A: As of submission of this questionnaire, I have personally knocked on over 1,000 doors in my district. My future constituents consistently raise healthcare access in the face of Trump administration cuts, utility bills, and housing affordability as their top issues.

A: Lowering Energy Costs. Until recently, we had to choose between cheap and green energy. That is no longer true. The cheapest and fastest to deploy forms of energy are solar, battery storage, and onshore wind–and that was before Donald Trump started a war in Iran that caused oil and natural gas prices to spike. Now is the time to double down on green investments rather than turn towards dirtier, more expensive energy sources that take longer to deploy.

Protecting Marylanders from Trump’s Attacks on Healthcare. Trump’s biggest legislative “accomplishment” was the massive tax and benefit cut bill Republicans call the “One Big Beautiful Bill” Act. In addition to providing enormous tax giveaways to corporations and the wealthy, the bill is the largest cut to healthcare and food assistance in history. I’ll fight to prevent loss of these benefits for the most vulnerable Marylanders.

Addressing Housing Affordability Head-On. The only way we’ll get through and out of this housing crisis is to build more housing. Maryland faces unique challenges–and I don’t believe in one-size fits all approaches–but in the General Assembly, I’ll support policies that encourage smart growth in development in the areas that have the infrastructure to support it.

A: With implementation of the decade-long education reinvestment plan having started in 2022, we are about halfway through the overhaul. The blueprint calls for focusing on equity in the way we fund public education, paying our educators closer to the immense value they bring to our students and state, modernizing the way we educate our youngest students, and better preparing our graduates for the workforce of today. Simply put, the blueprint has the ability to be transformative for our students and state, but only if we fully realize its potential. While I’m always open to improving programs, I will be steadfast in my commitment to the blueprint and will oppose efforts to chip away at it. If that means supporting initiatives like the Fair Share Maryland plan to fund it, I will do so proudly.

A: Whether I’ve been in a management role or a junior one, I have always valued accountability. I see elected office no differently. As someone with experience in the Maryland General Assembly, I know how I should be judged. In addition to the ballot box, my constituents should review my job performance by: the degree to which I am able to realize the vision articulated in my campaign, the number of bills passed during the upcoming four sessions, and the amount of funding I am able to secure on behalf of local nonprofit organizations through the Legislative Bond Initiative process.

A: As a new member of the legislature, open discussions and review our community priorities, based on the current and projected needs is necessary. It is only through open discussions with all community members that we can prioritize our initiatives. There are times that tough decisions must be made and I have a history of making decisions based on what is “right” for the community.

A:

• Financial instability
• Behavioral health and criminal justice reform
• Education

A: There are factors that affect cost of living that we have no control over. However, we must ensure that factors we do have control over that our community is not taking advantage of. We need to hold power companies accountable so that they are not making decisions based on profit margins, which hurt our community members.

A: We must always review any program for needed changes. As circumstances change, we must also evaluate the need for additional funding, however we must look at the effects and search for unanticipated side effects of raising revenue and make sure that the effects do not create greater harm. Any raising of revenue cannot be on the backs of those who can least afford it.

A: It is imperative as an elected official to be available to our community members and constituents. I have lived in the same community my entire life and as a community police officer have been available to my neighbors and community members. As a member of the legislature, I will continue to be available to my community members by having regular town hall events, attending community association meetings, and allowing community members to contact me directly. It is only through open dialogue that we learn everyone’s perspective.

A: One thing we must do is tackle the huge tax increases that small businesses have experienced in recent years; Maryland is bleeding small businesses, which are the backbone of our economy. Without a strong sector of small businesses in our state, we cannot balance the budget. There are also a number of unnecessary state programs and initiatives depleting taxpayer dollars, in many cases funding bureaucratic overhead, that could otherwise be used to directly assist citizens in need, which I will address more thoroughly on the campaign trail.

A: The three most pressing issues in Maryland are 1) the massive increases in taxes and fees over the course of the past few years, 2) sanctuary policies which incentivize more illegals to come to Maryland, taking up our resources, and 3) the affordability crisis which makes the cost of housing astronomical, energy prices drastic, and day-to-day life a challenge.

A: One thing we must do is reopen natural energy plants and immediately halt the closure of active plants to bring our energy rates down. Green energy goals have burned a hole in the pockets of folks in Anne Arundel.

We must reduce stringent residential building codes to bring the cost of housing in this state, which is much higher than surrounding states, down. Owning a home is a key tenet of the American Dream. There are a number of other initiatives which I will more thoroughly address on the campaign trail.

A: The program should be rolled back. We cannot continue to endlessly increase taxes and fees for this project. We have also not seen tangible evidence of improvement in our public schools as a result of the blueprint.

A: I’d like them to reach out to me if they have any questions or concerns! My email is colinmcevers05@gmail.com.