Maryland House of Delegates District 13

A: Because Maryland faces projected financial shortfalls, we must make tough choices in the upcoming years. This includes reevaluating some of our state’s biggest budget items, like the Blueprint for Success, to ensure school systems can fund the requirements. We also need to reduce medical costs, which are a major driver of the deficit. Tax loopholes need to be addressed, and corporations need to start contributing their fair share to Marylanders. Ultimately, we need to focus on broadening the tax base and require growing sectors to contribute proportionally.

A: As a candidate and a teacher, I have talked with thousands of Howard County residents. For many of them, the three most pressing issues include: (1) Affordability and cost of living, (2) economic and job opportunities, and (3) public education — both human resources/staffing, and funding.

A: To lower the cost of living for most Marylanders, we need to zero in on high housing and energy expenses. This can be addressed through housing policies that make it easier to build affordable housing for diverse neighborhoods, and initiatives that protect residents from energy companies that currently pass on their costs to consumers.

A: This is a complicated question that requires a new approach to the crisis we are experiencing in education. Resources are strained — staffing shortages, aging buildings and expensive teaching tools that include 1:1 technology. We need to study all of our options, including raising more revenue and adjusting programs that do not directly impact classrooms. Our students and their families deserve the best educational experience in the country, so we must reassess the current demands we are placing on staff and students in order to ensure we are working efficiently.

A: I want my constituents to know who I am and feel comfortable reaching out to me if they don’t already see me in the community. Being a representative for a community requires that we stay in relationship throughout my tenure as delegate.

A: The state has had issues with structural deficits for many years and has always managed to get to a balanced annual budget using a combination of spending cuts and revenue increases. It is likely that the state will use a combination of steps to reach a balanced budget next year as well. Medicaid spending will have to be closely looked at to ensure it is being run as efficiently as possible. Similarly, the blueprint will have to be analyzed for programs that can be trimmed or timelines that can be modified. In addition, revenue streams and costs for programs that were designed to be self-sufficient will need to be assessed to determine if their revenue streams (e.g., fees) are enough to support the program.

A:

• Affordability
• Economic growth
• Healthcare

A: As a member of the Health Committee, I will continue to work to keep healthcare accessible for all Marylanders including by working to keep the costs of health insurance as low as possible (the rates of the Maryland Health Connection — Maryland’s official health insurance marketplace — are some of the lowest in the country) and continuing to lower prescription drugs costs. These steps help reduce the risks and the burden on our vulnerable populations where healthcare costs, and the medical debt that often follows if people are uninsured, can have the most detrimental and long-term consequences.

A: It may end up being a combination of both. There have already been steps taken that have changed blueprint timelines and modify some of its programs; that is likely to continue. It would not be surprising if the state looked for new or additional revenue options to ensure our children are getting the best education we are able to provide.

A: I would like them to know that I am accessible to them — they can call, email, talk to me in the grocery store or wherever about issues that are of concern to them. In addition, my office is ready to help them with challenges they may be having with the state agencies. My constituents won’t always agree with me, but I want them to always believe that I am doing my best to represent them well in Annapolis.

A: Closing a structural deficit requires honest conversations, not political convenience. I approach this in two ways: responsible spending review and targeted revenue solutions. On the spending side, I support a thorough audit of programs and administrative overhead across state agencies, prioritizing services that deliver direct impact to residents while eliminating inefficiencies that don’t. On the revenue side, we need to look at modernizing our tax structure, including ensuring that corporations and high-income earners pay their fair share, rather than balancing the budget on the backs of working families and essential services. As we saw in states like Colorado, they slightly raised taxes on those making over $300,000 and now all school breakfast and lunches are free. As to any cuts considered, we must weigh those cuts against real consequences for real people. I won’t support reductions that gut education, healthcare access, or services for vulnerable populations. The deficit is serious, but so is the harm caused by reckless cuts made without community input.

A: Affordable housing and cost of living top my list. Too many Maryland families are one paycheck away from crisis. As the Maryland comptroller recently reported, more people are leaving the state because housing is simply not financially attainable. Rent and home prices have outpaced wages for too long, and that is not sustainable. I am also constantly meeting constituents who do not live in the same county where they work. That should not be the reality for anyone trying to build a life here. Related to affordability, we must do more to address the rising costs of electricity and groceries, which are squeezing household budgets every month.

Education funding and equity come next. Every child deserves access to a well-resourced school regardless of Zip code. The gaps in school infrastructure, mental health support, and teacher retention are urgent and cannot keep being pushed to the back burner.

Third is economic opportunity and workforce development. Too many residents are locked out of pathways to good jobs. We need real investment in language access, job training, and small-business support so that prosperity is available to everyone, not just a few.

A: The cost of living crisis touches everything: housing, healthcare, groceries, childcare, and transportation. On housing, I support expanding funding for affordable housing development, strengthening tenant protections, and investing in green infrastructure that reduces long-term utility costs. On healthcare, I support expanding access to community health centers and fighting pharmaceutical pricing that squeezes working families. On childcare, the cost is simply out of reach for too many parents, and expanding subsidies while incentivizing employer-supported childcare are practical steps in the right direction. On small businesses, lowering barriers for entrepreneurs creates local jobs and keeps money circulating in our neighborhoods. Taken together, these investments make daily life more manageable for the people I represent going forward.

A: Rolling back the blueprint is not an option I support. A promise was made to children and our educators, and walking away from that promise would set back Maryland’s schools for a generation. We need to raise new revenue, but do it thoughtfully. That means looking at progressive revenue options that do not fall disproportionately on low- and middle-income families. It also means holding the implementation accountable so every dollar invested in the blueprint is spent efficiently and reaches students and classrooms directly. The blueprint exists because our schools needed transformation. The answer to a funding shortfall is not retreat. It is finding the will to fully fund what we know works.

A: I said it from the beginning of my campaign: I work for you, not the other way around. I expect to be held accountable. I want constituents to review my voting record and ask whether it reflects the values and priorities of District 13. I want them to show up at town halls, reach out to my office, and tell me directly when I get it right and when I fall short. I am constantly in the community and many will find me accessible. A representative who avoids scrutiny is not serving their community. I am here to earn your trust continuously, not just once every four years.