Maryland Senate District 39

A: Our state’s economy has taken several hits from actions by the Trump Administration over the last year. Maryland is a national hub for federal research with over sixty federal facilities doing key research in biomedical engineering, cybersecurity, climate science and public health. Those facilities have been subjected to huge losses from federal decisions. Maryland’s constitution requires a balanced budget. As a leader on the Senate Budget & Taxation Committee, I’m proud of our work to make responsible financial decisions that retain our investments in necessary public services like education while keeping costs down for middle class families.

I spend every day ensuring our public education system gives every child the access to the nation’s best schools. We’ve continuously protected our investment in schools despite deep cuts in other parts of the budget. Our budget also funds the public safety programs needed to keep communities safe without unfairly targeting communities of color and economic development programs like tax credits for biotech and job creation. In return, we have asked the wealthiest Marylanders, making over half a million dollars, to give a little more in taxes to protect these programs for those who need it most.

A: Education, Cost of Living and Public Safety

We’ve made record investments in education and we are seeing results. Our schools consistently rank in the top ten in the country, and student achievement is rising. We must continue to prioritize funding for K - 12 education, which is fundamental to our quality of life in Montgomery County. From gas prices, to groceries, to healthcare, to childcare, and so on, rising prices as a result of the Trump Administration’s attack on our economy are requiring Maryland families to make tough choices. I have been focused on passing solutions like the the Utility Relief Act and expanding the Prescription Drug Affordability Board to lower everyday costs on regular people. Our violent crime rate is at its lowest level since 1975, thanks in part to common sense public safety initiatives passed by the General Assembly. However, the Trump Administration and ICE’s assault on our communities has made us less safe. I shepherded through legislation to stop police departments from working with ICE and was the lead sponsor on a bill that will keep ICE out of our schools.

A: Increased energy demand, a Trump Administration who has cancelled clean energy projects that would provide affordable and environmentally friendly electricity for years to come, and a regional grid operator in PJM that is prioritizing profits instead of approving new electricity projects has created unbearably high energy costs for Marylanders. Maryland is leading by example and I am fighting the Trump Administration and PJM to remove these barriers, lower costs and preserve our future. This session, we passed the Utility Relief Act which will lower utility rates for Marylanders, especially those who need the most help, and does not allow utility companies to increase profits on the backs of working families.

Additionally, prescription drug prices have become unbearably high for many people. Last year, I led the passage of an expansion of the Prescription Drug Affordability Board to bring down medication costs for all Marylanders.

A: I had the honor of being an original member of the Maryland Commission on Innovation & Excellence in Education (the Kirwan Commission), which led to the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future legislation and aligned our goals for equity and professional excellence with funding. I served on that commission for five years and am the only original member still serving in the Senate to help see through the implementation and necessary adjustments.

I remain a firm believer in the importance of the Blueprint’s implementation, and, as Chairwoman of the Budget & Taxation Committee’s Education Subcommittee, I will continue to work with my colleagues on a balanced approach that will ensure that public education remains a priority.

A: My job is to fight on behalf of my constituents, listen to their problems, find solutions to those problems and build infrastructure that improves their daily lives. I stood up to the Trump Administration by blocking ICE from coming into our state or our schools and protecting a woman’s right to choose after Trump appointed judges tore down Roe v Wade. I spend every day fielding calls from my constituents about issues in their lives. From problems as complicated as losing their job because of federal government cuts or as simple as a road in need of repair, and I ensure their government helps become the solution to those problems. Finally, I have brought millions of dollars back into District 39, funding over 40 parks and community centers, improving our childcare resources, funding healthcare facilities and much more. I spend every day talking to my constituents, in the grocery store, or at a community meeting, or in a school or at church. I have an open door policy with my constituents and I ask them to review my performance based on my ability to listen to them with kindness and empathy and how effectively I help to find a solution.

A: Maryland desperately needs new leadership to break through our budget trap. We have to cut waste, close loopholes abused by the state’s wealthiest corporations, and grow our economy.

When it comes to cutting waste, a recent study by Physicians for a National Health Program found that Maryland could save between $300 million and $520 million per year just by reforming how we run Medicaid. Deeper health care reform outside Medicaid could save our state billions. Other states like Connecticut are starting to make these changes. Why hasn’t Maryland? Because big insurance companies like UnitedHealthcare give thousands to politicians to protect their role in managing public programs. If we are serious about cutting waste, that has to change. On revenue, too many of the largest companies in our state are not paying their fair share. We can close loopholes without making Maryland uncompetitive. Finally, our campaign is proposing the world’s first Clean Energy Opportunity Zones: specialized areas where tax policy, permitting, workforce development, and technology transfer are coordinated to attract next-generation solar, advanced battery, and clean tech companies to Maryland. We can fight climate change and grow our economy. This is a plan to do both.

A: In addition to lowering the cost of living, Maryland’s three most pressing issues are stopping the Trump administration’s attacks on our communities, improving schools and community safety, and preparing for the challenges of the 21st century.

First, Maryland must do everything in its power to fight back against Trump’s authoritarian agenda. That means protecting fair representation by resisting Trump-backed gerrymandering and keeping ICE out of Maryland communities. There is still much work to do to keep detention centers out of Maryland and protect Marylanders’ personal data from ICE. Second, we need stronger schools and safer communities. I helped run Roca Maryland, the state’s largest community violence prevention program, and I have seen that public safety requires both accountability and prevention. We need after-school programs, recreation centers, mental health support, vocational training, and stronger gun laws. Third, Maryland must meet the challenges of the 21st century. Annapolis has not acted fast enough on AI or climate change. As a computer scientist, Fulbright machine-learning researcher, Stanford-trained energy engineer, and founder of two technology companies, I will focus on preparing our workforce, regulating algorithms to protect mental health, reducing AI risks, and building Maryland’s clean-energy economy.

A: Maryland families are getting squeezed because Annapolis too often listens to powerful corporations instead of residents. Utility companies spent $2.2 million lobbying legislators, while Marylanders were hit with higher electric bills. That is why I do not take corporate or lobbyist money. If we want to lower costs, we have to break the link between corporate influence and state policy.

First, I would fight to reduce utility bills by banning utility companies from donating to the politicians who regulate them, restoring real energy choice for homeowners, and accelerating low-cost wind and solar through permitting reform. I would also require data centers to pay 100% of the grid costs they create, so families are not forced to subsidize massive corporations. Second, we need to lower health care costs. Maryland should move toward universal health care and begin by reforming wasteful parts of our current system, including Medicaid managed care. Finally, Maryland must take on private equity control of our housing stock and HOA management companies. People, not big business, should own the homes in our state. Lower health care costs, lower utility bills, and less corporate influence would make Maryland more affordable for working families.

A: When I graduated from Montgomery County Public Schools, they were among the best in the country. That is no longer true. And across Maryland, we have never fully built a school system that creates opportunity for every child. The Blueprint is an important part of fixing that, but we cannot pretend money alone will solve the problem. I do not support rolling back the core promise of the Blueprint. But I do believe it must be modified so we address the deeper drivers of poor outcomes and make implementation more cost-effective.

First, we have to rebuild school culture. Classrooms should feel like communities where students, parents, teachers, and coaches are all reinforcing the same expectations. Too often, trust between parents and teachers has broken down, and discipline suffers. Without real transparency and parent-teacher school culture labs to set shared norms, no amount of money will solve the problem. Second, we need much stronger parent engagement, including labor and workplace policies that make it easier for parents to participate. Third, we must confront social media and AI, which are damaging attention, learning, and mental health. The Blueprint should be phased in responsibly while we tackle these underlying problems.

A: It is time for a fundamental change in how democracy works in District 39. We have some of the lowest turnout in the state and one of the weakest Democratic Party organizations in the county. My goal is not simply to represent District 39, but to lead us in representing ourselves.

That starts immediately after the election. I will hold an open community meeting for anyone in District 39 to help shape our legislative priorities for the next session. We will work to fill precinct vacancies across the district so residents have a stronger voice before, during, and after the legislative session. I will sponsor and fight hard for the legislation our community needs, but an effective grassroots movement cannot stop on Election Day. My experience advocating in Annapolis has shown me that change only happens when communities stay organized, visible, and involved. Constituents should judge me not just by my votes, but by whether I helped build a district-wide movement that brings more people into the democratic process and gives our community real power in Annapolis.

A: Maryland’s structural deficit requires a disciplined, pro-growth plan that pairs fair revenue with targeted savings. My approach has three parts: close loopholes, grow the tax base, and right-size spending.

1) Close loopholes and modernize revenue. Adopt combined reporting to stop profit shifting, strengthen enforcement on high-end tax avoidance, and review outdated tax expenditures that no longer deliver economic value. 2) Grow the tax base through workforce expansion. Invest in the care economy (childcare, elder care, home-based services) to bring more people, especially women, back into the workforce. Scale pipelines into health professions, construction trades and clean energy jobs so Marylanders can access good-paying work and expand long-term revenue. 3) Make targeted, responsible cuts and efficiencies. I support performance-based budgeting and will: Sunset or scale back ineffective programs that fail outcome benchmarks. Audit and cap underperforming tax credits and subsidies. Reduce duplicative administrative overhead across agencies and consolidate back-office functions. Pause or re-sequence low-impact capital projects while protecting housing, transit, school priorities, and disability services. Implement procurement reforms to lower contract costs and prevent waste. This plan avoids across-the-board cuts that harm working households while restoring fiscal balance and investing in the drivers of growth.

A: 1) Affordable Housing. Housing drives costs. I will use my HUD experience to expand supply by reforming zoning and speeding approvals, preserve affordable units, expand first-time homeownership, support accessory dwelling units, vouchers, eviction prevention, and tenant protections, and cap property taxes for seniors.

2) Economic Mobility and Workforce Stability. Reliance on federal jobs leaves families vulnerable to layoffs and reductions in force that weaken household stability and the tax base. We need faster, clearer pathways to work, including short-term reskilling, paid registered apprenticeships, and direct pipelines into construction and clean energy, helping people transition quickly into good-paying jobs. This must include school-to-career options for recent high school graduates and accessible training and hiring for people with disabilities, paired with support for small businesses, including access to capital, technical assistance, and procurement to expand local hiring.

3) Public Safety and Community Well-Being. Safety is a justice issue tied to investment in young people. We must invest in youth services, workforce pathways, and mental health care, including crisis response, and advance smart justice reform with reentry support and alternatives for nonviolent offenses. Together, these priorities strengthen Marylanders’ economic security, resilience, and quality of life.

A: As a working mom raising an active young family, I am facing the same challenges households across Maryland face every day. Costs are rising faster than wages, especially for housing, childcare, healthcare, utilities, and basic needs. In our district, the loss of essential services is making it worse. Grocery stores are closing, pharmacies are leaving, and urgent care clinics are on the brink, forcing families to travel farther and spend more just to access basic care and necessities.

My plan focuses on lowering costs where they hit hardest: expanding housing supply to reduce rents and mortgages; cutting transportation costs by shortening commutes and improving access to services; expanding first-time homeownership; lowering out-of-pocket healthcare costs through competition and workforce expansion; reducing childcare expenses by strengthening the care workforce; and stabilizing utility bills through rate oversight and energy efficiency. We should not accept service loss as inevitable. Our communities deserve access close to home. The goal is simple: put money back in people’s pockets, help seniors retire with dignity, and ensure the next generation can afford to build their lives and families here in Maryland.

A: We should not roll back the Blueprint. It is a long-term investment in our children, workforce, and economy. We do not need to rely solely on new tax revenue to fund this commitment. Instead, we should take a disciplined approach that prioritizes results, sustainability, and smarter use of existing resources, including better alignment of federal funding, economic growth that expands the tax base, and cost savings through efficiency and coordination.

First, we must ensure every dollar delivers impact by strengthening accountability, measuring outcomes, and phasing implementation where needed to stay within available resources. Second, we should identify efficiencies within existing education and administrative spending to reduce waste without undermining classroom outcomes. Third, we must better align and coordinate federal, state, and local funding streams to maximize impact and avoid duplication. Maryland has strong funding structures, but we are not coordinating them as effectively as we could, and that is costing us impact and efficiency. Finally, we must align education investments with workforce needs, especially in trades, healthcare, and high-demand sectors so students graduate with real pathways to employment. Education is economic policy. If we want a stronger workforce and long-term growth, we must stay committed to investing in our schools.

A: Accountability should not happen every four years. It must be a standard that is upheld every day. As a working mom raising my family here, you will see me in this community—at school events, local games, and neighborhood gatherings—not just during election season, but because this is where my life is.I will hold regular town halls, share clear updates on legislation and budget decisions, and create real opportunities for residents to engage directly with me. I also believe in measurable results, and I will track progress on priorities like lowering costs, expanding workforce participation, and improving access to care.As a former Legislative Director in the Maryland State Senate, I understand what it takes to do this job well, and I will hire staff based on their ability to deliver first-class constituent services. I will also require ongoing training to maintain that standard. That will result in prompt responses, clear communication, respectful and culturally competent service, and real follow-through, helping residents navigate state agencies, resolve issues, and get results.