Issues

Investing in Our Schools & Our Kids

As a former high school teacher and school district administrator, there is nothing more important than fully supporting our public schools. As Neil Postman wrote: “Children are the living messages we send to a time we will not see.” We need to ensure that our children have the proper start and investments to succeed.

If elected I will work to ensure:

Full and robust funding for public schools as the legislature considers changes to the state funding formula.
A more responsive formula for school construction dollars to accommodate Montgomery County’s ever-increasing school aged population.
Better access to more affordable child care and early learning opportunities to give kids a leg up and parents the full opportunity to work.

Caring for Our Seniors

As some in our population get older, we need to ensure they have robust supports so they can age in their homes and live a fulfilling and healthy retirement. Every person should be able to live out their gold years with dignity and without having to burden their loved ones.

If elected I will:

Expand & support programs like local “Villages” that help seniors stay active, connected, and engaged.
Strengthen Medicaid and in-home services programs that enable seniors to age in their homes.
Support strong retirement and long-term care planning programs.

Gun Safety Measures

As a teacher in Baltimore City, too many of my students had experienced the pain and anguish of gun violence. No one should feel unsafe in their community and no child should fear for their lives in school. I am proud of our accomplishments in Maryland to pass some of the strongest gun safety laws in the nation, but there’s still more work to be done.

If elected, I will:

Fight for more robust mental health supports for individuals of all ages to help prevent gun violence and gun suicides.
Ensure domestic abusers and animal abusers do not have access to firearms.
Work to close loopholes and better enforce our existing laws.

Jobs & the Economy

Our community has some of the best educated and most talented people in the nation. We have to do all we can to nurture that talent while also ensuring that we have a growing economy that benefits all Marylanders.

If elected I will:

Work with the business, labor, and education community to develop robust career and technical education pathways to create a viable, future ready workforce.
Help incubate and promote start-ups and new business ventures in Montgomery County and throughout Maryland.
Simplify the regulatory process for small businesses.

Health & the Environment

Maryland is not immune from the environmental disasters that have affected Texas, Florida, and Flint, Michigan. As the catastrophic impacts of climate change, such as increasingly severe storms and flooding, become more obvious and costly, we should focus on policies that make Maryland a leader in creating a sustainable future. We must strengthen regulations to keep our air and water clean and improve the quality of life in our neighborhoods. Our environment, health, and economic future depend on it.

If elected, I will work to:

Improve monitoring, public information, and standards for air and water quality.
Promote investment in sustainable infrastructure, like renewable energy, green schools, mass transit, and green government procurement.
Support state-wide achievement of the Paris Agreement’s goals through strong measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, policies that promote investment that builds resilience to climate change, and continue to improve the health local streams and rivers as well as the Chesapeake Bay.
Promote fossil fuel divestment state-wide.
Create new green jobs in growth industries such as geothermal, wind, and solar power and energy efficiency.

Improved Transit & Infrastructure

Traffic is suffocating Montgomery County. Metro is in disarray. We need to reduce commuting times and protect the environment by providing better transit alternatives. A reliable transit and infrastructure system are key to a strong economy and a healthy environment. Unfortunately, our region is struggling with traffic and a rail system that needs more support. For Montgomery County to continue to grow we need to do better and move beyond the old-fashioned model of constantly expanding roads. Traffic is suffocating our communities and decreasing our quality of life through long commuting times, increasing rates of asthma and other respiratory diseases, and contributing to global warming.

If elected, I will work to:

Reduce traffic congestion, commuting times, and local air pollution by increased support for electric and hybrid vehicles, Metro, local bus service, bicycle lanes, and pedestrian-friendly planning.
Provide dedicated funding and improved governance for Metro.
Push for interconnected transit networks so cars are not the only viable option for commuters across the state.

Access to Healthcare & A Woman’s Right to Choose

Access to healthcare should be a right and not a privilege. And every woman should have the freedom to make the decision about their own health. While Maryland is ahead of many other states, there is still more we can do.