Jobs and the Economy

Montgomery County is the economic engine of the state. In order to generate and maintain good jobs, we must support both our businesses and our workers. State government can play a powerful role in promoting a strong economic base for job creation with an imaginative mix of investments, tax incentives, lobbying of the federal government and good old fashioned promotion. 

As your delegate, I will work with businesses and the labor community towards these goals.

* Support our workers.  Minimum wage, earned sick leave, affordable childcare, fair scheduling practices - all of these are policies that support our workers and help to ensure their quality of life. I support these policies, and if elected, will work with our labor force for fair and healthy work environments. In addition, I support measures to combat discrimination in the workplace.  From fighting against harassment to wage disparities, I will work to ensure all employees feel safe and valued.

* Support our businesses.  We need to work with our businesses to enable them to thrive. We need to balance regulations that protect workers with over-regulation that harms businesses. The best way to successfully achieve this goal is to bring everyone to the table. I have a track record of bringing different sides of an issue together. If elected, I would continue that work with the goal of supporting businesses so they can run a profitable enterprise while at the same time taking care of their employees. Using state resources creatively to support innovation, technology development and entrepreneurship, and linking these activities to our institutions of higher learning must be a mainstay of economic development. 

* Support our federal agencies and their workers.   District 16 is home to the National Institutes of Health, The Walter Reed National Medical Center, and the Naval Surface Warfare Center - Carderock Division. We need to work with our federal delegation to support these agencies and the individuals they employ and facilitate collaboration with local businesses and educational institutions.

* Support our institutions of higher education.  The County is home to Montgomery College, the Universities at Shady Grove, and the Rockville Campus of Johns Hopkins. These institutions provide excellent education and training for future leaders and we must support them through the appropriations process, incentives, technology transfer programs and direct investments in training and technology commercialization.

* Support infrastructure investment.  Critical infrastructure projects, mass transit and traffic reduction are all job-creating activities that also improve our quality of life.  If elected I will work at the state level and with our congressional delegation to see that Maryland gets its fair share of any new federal dollars.