Showing posts with label Susan Lee. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Susan Lee. Show all posts
Thursday, October 07, 2010
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Friday, August 27, 2010
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Labor Steps Up for Karen Montgomery
District 14 Senate challenger Karen Montgomery had a decent showing in her campaign finance report for the period ending August 10. She started with $58,224.09, raised $45,442.27 and finished with $ 78,317.72. This will not equal Senator Rona Kramer’s self-funding capability, but it will be enough to compete.
Labor PACs gave Montgomery $19,100, nearly half her contributions, and SEIU PACs gave her $13,000. One or more of the unions may lend Montgomery some ground support and even finance an independent expenditure criticizing Kramer. One more fact worth noting is that Montgomery received $1,000 from Delegate Susan Lee (D-16) despite the fact that Lee is engaged in a free-for-all House race in her district.
Monday, August 09, 2010
Delegate Susan Lee Endorses Hans Riemer
Delegate Susan Lee (D-16) has endorsed challenger Hans Riemer for an at-large County Council seat. This is Riemer's third endorsement by an elected official in a row that has come from outside District 5, where he ran for council in 2006. (The prior three are from a majority of the Gaithersburg City Council, Delegate Kathleen Dumais and Delegate Brian Feldman.) Following is Riemer's press release.
For Immediate Release
August 6, 2010
Del. Susan Lee Endorses Hans Riemer for County Council
Del. Lee: "Hans knows how to bring people together and get real results."
Contact: Ken Silverman, Campaign Manager
240-389-4276 or ken@hansriemer.com
BETHESDA - Delegate Susan Lee, Democrat from District 16, endorsed Hans Riemer for Montgomery County Council At Large today. Del. Lee joins fellow D16 Delegate Bill Frick and seven other members of Montgomery County's state delegation in supporting Hans Riemer. Delegate Lee has represented Bethesda, Potomac and Chevy Chase in Annapolis since 2002.
"I know Hans will be an effective advocate for all of the citizens in Montgomery County on the County Council," Lee said. "Between his work getting young people out to vote for Obama, the coalition he built to stop Bush from privatizing Social Security and his efforts to get seniors involved at AARP, Hans knows how to bring people together and get real results."
"We need to bring new people into the process to get better results," said Riemer. "Every corner of Montgomery County deserves a voice on the County Council, and that's why I'm so proud to have the support of Delegate Lee and so many other community leaders and voters across the county."
Delegate Lee joins the Coalition of Asian Pacific American Democrats (CAPAD), Senator Jamie Raskin, Delegates Kathleen Dumais, Brian Feldman, Bill Frick, Sheila Hixson, Tom Hucker, Karen Montgomery and Kirill Reznik, Councilmembers Valerie Ervin and Nancy Navarro, the Washington Post, the Sierra Club, the Montgomery County Education Association and many others in supporting Hans Riemer's candidacy.
A veteran of President Obama's senior campaign staff, Hans Riemer has spent the last two years working on pension reform and community engagement at AARP while advocating for protecting Metro and Ride On and building the Purple Line here in Montgomery County. He was a key leader in assembling the national campaign to stop President Bush from privatizing Social Security. Hans and his wife Angela live in Silver Spring with their three year old son Henry.
####
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Notes and Observations in District 16
By Marc Korman.
The race for District 16 is heating up with 13 candidates and 100 degree temperatures. Here are a few random notes and observations from the front, combined with some free advice to the candidates.
For those not living and breathing the race, the 13 candidates are: Incumbents Bill Frick; and Susan Lee; Attorney and former District 19 Democratic Club Officer John Adams; Attorney and repeat candidate Charlie Chester; Attorney Peter Dennis, also the son of Civic Federation President Peggy Dennis; Town of Somerset Councilman Bill Farley; Real estate management business owner and Montgomery County Young Democrats President Scott Goldberg; Attorney Craig Herskowitz; Attorney and health policy strategist Hrant Jamgochian; Former NARAL Pro-Choice Maryland Executive Director and MomsRising’s Director for Environmental and Workplace issues Ariana Kelly; Former Obama campaign staffer Kyle Lierman, also the son of local political bigwig Terry Lierman; Common Cause Board Member Michael Sriqui; And attorney and former Housing Opportunities Commission Chair Mark Winston. Whoa, that’s a lot of candidates.
The District 16 Democratic Club hosted a forum for all of the Delegate candidates at the Bethesda Library last week. Twelve of the candidates, including the two incumbents, attended. Craig Herskowitz was out of town for work but had a statement read.
The consensus among the individuals I spoke to were that the big winners were the two incumbents, Bill Frick and Susan Lee, and challenger Scott Goldberg. Other candidates had high points, but these three were consistently great. Frick and Lee were essentially endorsed by all of the other challengers during a question about what legislator you would like to emulate, cementing the impression that the 11 challengers are fighting for one open seat. Goldberg’s one two punch of strong and humorous delivery plus real policy proposals stood out even to those in the capacity crowd supporting other challengers. The funniest moment of the debate belonged to the moderator, who gave the field a grand total of 15 seconds to explain how they would solve the budget deficit.
The Bethesda-Chevy Chase Breakfast Club is also working its way through the challengers. The first installment featured Bill Farley, Craig Herskowitz, Ariana Kelly, and Kyle Lierman. Also in attendance was District 18 Challenger Dana Beyer. The moderator was kind enough to grant the candidates a grand total of 30 seconds to explain their approach to the budget.
Herskowitz has staked his campaign on speed cameras and constituent service, pretty much declining to comment on other issues and referring individuals to his website. Although no one loves the speed cameras, my own view is that he cannot mount a successful campaign in a crowded field on these narrow issues alone and should talk about some of his other ideas along with these passions.
Kelly and Lierman seem to view the race as between them, at least when they appear together. That thinking is understandable given that MPW and others have consistently cited them as the frontrunners. They both have a strong ground game and the resources to win. But I would just remind them that a race with two perceived frontrunners often creates opportunities for Trojan horse candidates (Just ask Howard Dean and Dick Gephardt about Iowa in 2004). With so many candidates in the field, there are plenty of places for voters to turn besides Lierman or Kelly.
Bill Farley is a Town of Somerset Councilmember, making him the only challenger with elected office experience and giving him a stronghold in one of the top performing precincts in the primary. I have no idea if he is working the doors or has money for mail, but he has a good candidate profile. However I am not sure what his message is and his approach to the Purple Line should also be explained. He supports starting over with some type of trench or cut and cover approach. That is an unrealistic option at this stage and in practical terms means Farley opposes the Purple Line.
If you care about the lawn sign primary, which does not win elections but is fun for bloggers, Lierman, Jamgochian, and the incumbent team have a strong start in Bethesda with a sprinkling of other candidates as well. I have not been to the northern or western portions of the district lately to see the signs there. So far the only mass mail I have received is from Mark Winston and Michael Sriqui.
Based on my conversations and impressions in the district, candidates are distinguishing themselves in many ways. Hrant Jamgochian is impressing people with his smarts, nice guy approach, and health care background. Winston is picking up what I view as strong endorsements including Ike Leggett’s and the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Chamber of Commerce. Many long time District 16 residents I speak with think highly of Charlie Chester and his experience.
My advice to the candidates? Keep knocking on doors and stay hydrated.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Brian Feldman, Susan Lee Endorse Manno for Senate
Montgomery County House Delegation Chair Brian Feldman (D-15) and Vice-Chair Susan Lee (D-16) have endorsed Delegate Roger Manno for the District 19 Senate seat. This is interesting considering that nearly the entire Senate leadership endorsed incumbent Senator Mike Lenett. Following is Manno's press release.
Manno Endorsed by Chair and Vice-Chair of Montgomery House Delegation 
Silver Spring, MD - This morning, Delegates Brian Feldman (D-15) and Susan Lee (D-16), Chair and Vice-Chair of the Montgomery County House Delegation, formally endorsed Delegate Roger Manno's candidacy for the Maryland State Senate.
Chairman Feldman stated: "Delegate Manno's principled leadership and work ethic were essential on several of the most important progressive issues debated in the General Assembly over the past 4 years. His work as Vice-Chair of our Delegation's County Affairs Committee helped the County address some extremely challenging issues, including those relating to joblessness, social justice, and small business."
Delegate Susan Lee, House Delegation Vice-Chair, also remarked: "Delegate Manno is a rare champion for those who's voice is not heard. From workforce and economic development issues, to health care, to transit funding, to senior protection issues, Delegate Manno has stood on principle to the ultimate benefit of our great County. His broad, inclusive, coalition-building focus and ability to effectively collaborate with other legislators should be a model for bringing people together in politics - and I wholeheartedly support him as our next State Senator."
As a freshman lawmaker, Delegate Manno's 2008 appointment as Vice-Chairman of the County Affairs Committee is extremely unique. The Committee deals with a myriad of local issues before the General Assembly that are of specific concern to Montgomery County. No other freshman legislator has been tapped to serve in such a leadership position in Montgomery County's House Delegation.
"Delegates Lee and Feldman have led our County through some of the most difficult economic times in history, and it has been an honor to work closely with them to protect and strengthen the County's position in the state," stated Manno. "Our work together continues next year as the State House and State Senate address the difficult challenges facing Montgomery residents, including health care measures, job and workforce development challenges, and educational measures for all of our residents."
Manno's collaborative work within the Delegation helped Montgomery County secure record funding for school construction and greater per-pupil funding from the state, including more than $44 million in State capital funds for Montgomery County projects in 2010, and an increase of $53 million for K-12 education to address our growing enrollment and needs. Manno also coordinated hearings for the Montgomery and Prince George's delegations in 2010 to examine WMATA transit challenges, identifying funding efficiencies and sustainable solutions for METRO ridership.
Manno's collaborative work with 19th District Delegates Hank Heller and Benjamin Kramer yielded creative transportation and land use solutions, including efforts with County Executive Isiah Leggett to save the 140-year old Willson Family Farm, Intercounty Connector (ICC) mitigation measures, and ongoing efforts to secure specific federal dollars for road and infrastructure improvements within the 19th District.
Manno's 2010 endorsements for State Senate include:
· State Delegate Henry “Hank” Heller
Leisure World’s 24-year incumbent State Delegate and Dean of the District 19 Delegation in Annapolis
· State Senator Leonard Teitelbaum (ret.)
Leisure World’s 20-year State Senator and State Delegate
· State Delegate Carol Petzold (ret.)
District 19’s 20-year State Delegate
· State Delegate Adrienne Mandel (ret.)
District 19’s 12-year State Delegate and current Commissioner at WSSC
· State Delegate Sue Hecht
Chair of the Maryland Green Caucus
· Montgomery County Councilwoman Valerie Ervin
Chair of the Education Committee
Progressive Maryland - NARAL Pro-Choice Maryland - Coalition of Asian Pacific American Democrats (CAPAD-MD) - Montgomery County Youth Slate - DC Building and Construction Trades Council (AFL-CIO) - Baltimore Building and Construction Trades Council (AFL-CIO) - Communications Workers of America (District 2, including 76 locals, AFL-CIO) - United Food and Commercial Workers Local 27 (CTW) - Asbestos Workers Local 24 (AFL-CIO) - Boilermakers Local 193 (AFL-CIO) - Bricklayers Local 1 of MD, VA & DC (AFL-CIO) - Plasterers’ & Cement Masons Local 43 (AFL-CIO) - Plumbers & Steamfitters Local 486 (AFL-CIO) - Road Sprinkler Fitters Local 669 (AFL-CIO) - Sheet Metal Workers Local 100 (AFL-CIO) - Sprinkler Fitters Local 536 (AFL-CIO) - Teamsters Local 311 (AFL-CIO) - Electrical Workers Local 24 (AFL-CIO) - Elevator Constructors Local 7 (AFL-CIO) - Iron Workers Local 16 (AFL-CIO) - Operating Engineers Local 37 (AFL-CIO) - IBEW Electrical Workers Local 26 (AFL-CIO) - Elevator Constructors Local 10 (AFL-CIO) - Iron Workers Local 5 (AFL-CIO) - Operating Engineers Local 77 (AFL-CIO) - Operative Plasterers & Cement Masons Local 891 (AFL-CIO) - Painters District Council Local 51 (AFL-CIO) - Plumbers Local 5 (AFL-CIO) - Reinforced Rodmen Local 201 (AFL-CIO), Roofers & Waterproofers Local 30 (AFL-CIO) - Sheet Metal Workers Local 100 (AFL-CIO) - Sprinkler Fitters Local 669 (AFL-CIO) - Steamfitters Local 602 (AFL-CIO).
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Primaries to Watch IV, Part Three
By Marc Korman and Adam Pagnucco.
Here are races Six and Five!
6. District 16 Open Seat
Previous Rank: #7
Marc
Chaos is the order of the day in District 16. There are thirteen candidates vying for three Delegate seats. Perhaps that should not be a surprise since eleven ran for one seat in 2007 when Delegate Frick was appointed. It is an odd race. One of the incumbents has never run before, one of the challengers has run five times, and the district has little to drive turnout at the top of the ticket.
Obama campaign staffer Kyle Lierman, business owner and Montgomery County Young Democrats President Scott Goldberg, and former NARAL Executive Director Ariana Kelly have been the most active thus far. But Mark Winston is coming out strong with Ike Leggett’s endorsement and Hrant Jamgochian has been carpet bombing the district with signs and campaign frisbees.
Bill Frick and Susan Lee have been canvassing with teammate Brian Frosh and few have anything bad to say about them. Frosh has really stepped up for Frick and Lee, spending lots of time door knocking despite not having a primary and being the heavy favorite in November. Most people think the real fight is for the third Delegate slot. With a race this crowded with a low turnout, it could be anyone’s for the taking.
A fun little note is that one of the three Republicans waiting in the general will be Prince Arora, who ran as a Democrat for the appointment in 2007.
Full disclosure, I am a member of the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee from District 16 and have supported Bill Frick.
Adam
There are too many candidates in this race. Most of them will get lost in the shuffle and District 16 residents will learn to get very acquainted with throwing out mailers. This greatly helps incumbents Susan Lee and Bill Frick, who should win solidly by racking up institutional support and cash and running with Senator Brian Frosh.
So for the challengers, how do you stand out? There are usually two ways to do so: endorsements and money. Ariana Kelly is the early endorsement leader, collecting support from MCEA, NARAL, NOW and SEIU. There could be more to come. Kyle Lierman will rely on his famous last name and his Obama connections to raise great heaping gobs of cash. Kelly is the only female Democratic candidate other than Lee and Lierman’s campaign experience is unparalleled. All of these factors make these two stand out.
The others are all white males who will probably wind up agreeing on most issues. As the deluge of literature begins to swamp mailboxes, voters will have a hard time telling them apart. These candidates must figure out a way to break out from the pack. Could it be Mark Winston, who was endorsed by Ike Leggett? Could it be Young Dems leader Scott Goldberg? Could it be someone else? Or will this be a Kelly-Lierman race? It’s too early to tell.
5. District 14 State Senate Challenge
Previous Rank: #5
Marc
Karen Montgomery is knocking on doors and talking about progressive issues. Rona Kramer has slated up with incumbent Delegate Anne Kaiser, and Delegate candidates Craig Zucker and Bo Newsome and is talking about Montgomery missing the 2007 Special Session. Absenteeism is an old, effective campaign favorite and Kramer will make a big deal out of it. Both candidates are out working but given Kramer’s money this is a real uphill climb for Montgomery. Progressives are happy to have a champion talking about issues such as the death penalty, but it may not be enough against the entrenched Kramer.
Adam
Jamie Raskin toppled Ida Ruben in 2006 in part by tapping into a wave of progressive activism in Silver Spring and Takoma Park. One of the questions in this cycle has been where those progressives would wind up. A school of thought held that many of them would head up US-29, New Hampshire Avenue and Georgia Avenue to help a credible liberal defeat Rona Kramer. So where are they?
This race is behaving rather predictably so far. Montgomery is racking up endorsements from unions and environmentalists. Kramer has assembled a slate for self-defense and will soon be spending lots of money on mail. If Montgomery’s endorsements are accompanied by real live boots on the ground, she has a chance. Otherwise, Kramer is going to win.
More tomorrow!
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Tuesday, June 08, 2010
Leventhal and Lee Endorse Hoan Dang
District 19 Delegate candidate Hoan Dang has earned endorsements from County Council Member George Leventhal and Delegate Susan Lee (D-16). Following is Dang's press release.
For Immediate Release: Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Contact: Vel Hernandez
info@hoandang.com
STATE DELEGATE CANDIDATE HOAN DANG ACCEPTS ENDORSEMENTS OF COUNCILMEMBER GEORGE LEVENTHAL, STATE DELEGATE SUSAN LEE
SILVER SPRING, MD – State Delegate candidate (District 19) Hoan Dang is pleased to accept today the endorsements of Montgomery County Councilmember George Leventhal (At-Large) and State Delegate Susan C. Lee (D-16).
“I am very honored to accept the endorsements of Councilmember Leventhal and Delegate Lee, who both share with me a passion for serving others and improving the quality of life where we live. They are strong and well-respected leaders in and around our community, and I truly appreciate their support for my candidacy and for my plan to transform District 19 into an even better place to live, learn, work and prosper.”
Councilmember Leventhal, who has a polished background in political and community activities and has successfully held numerous community leadership positions throughout Montgomery County, has served in the County Council as an at-large member since 2002. He lauded Dang for his reputable experience in leadership and community service.
“My support goes to the Democrats who have the longest and best track record of service to our community. Hoan Dang is respected by prominent leaders throughout Montgomery County for all he has done to enfranchise and empower diverse constituency groups and make our county an even better place to live,” he said.
Delegate Lee, who also has extensive experience in civic and political activities throughout the state of Maryland, has served in the House of Delegates representing District 16 since 2002. In her endorsement, Delegate Lee praised Dang for his extensive track record in serving the community.
"Hoan Dang has an outstanding track record in the community. He understands the everyday issues and has lived the challenges faced by many hard working individuals and families in District 19,” she said.
Please visit www.HoanDang.com for more information on Hoan Dang’s candidacy to represent District 19 in the Maryland House of Delegates.
###
Authority: Friends of Hoan Dang, Maury Hodak, Treasurer
Wednesday, May 05, 2010
District 16’s Town Hall, Part One: The Long Goodbye
By Marc Korman.
On April 26th I attended the District 16 town hall. With Delegate Bronrott’s resignation effective at midnight on the 26th, it was his last official act as a legislator and a chance for him and his colleagues to update their constituents on the legislative session.
Delegate Bill Bronrott
Delegate Bronrott spoke last, but in tribute to his service I am moving him to the front. Everyone who spoke mentioned Bronrott’s 12 years of service, with Delegate Frick even tearing up a bit. In his own comments, Bronrott took a moment to discuss each of the District 16 legislators he worked with over his tenure including the current crew and former Delegates Goldwater and Kopp.
Bronrott compared the House of Delegates to any family’s house. You love it and the people inside, but you do not always love everything they do. He then spoke about the changes over 12 years in the state. He discussed the improvements in K-12 Education, emergency medical services, the University of Maryland, improved environmental standards, the increased interest in pedestrian safety, and the decline in drunk driving from 50% of all traffic deaths being alcohol related to 33%. That work is not done of course and in response to a question, Bronrott promoted interlock devices and an alcohol tax increase, two efforts that did not pass during the session, as further solutions.
The first questioner of the night was Simon Atlas, my fellow central committeemember from District 16. He told everyone in the audience the procedure for filling the vacant delegate seat at our May 11th meeting. Simon confirmed that a caretaker was going to be appointed who would not run in the fall election.
Bill Bronrott helped immerse me in District 16 politics, including inviting me to my first meeting of the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Democratic Breakfast Club and giving me a list of people to approach for Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee Spring Ball donations. He was a tireless advocate for his issues and a solid progressive vote who will be missed by his constituents.
Delegate Susan Lee
Delegate Lee framed her comments in terms of the budget. She said it was a tough session with painful cuts including furloughs and cutting positions. But there were real results including: a budget that is smaller than last year, though that is partly due to a decline in federal funds; the state has maintained its AAA bond rating; the rainy day fund has $633 million in it, which is 5% of general fund revenues and important in keeping the AAA bond rating; and there is a fund balance of $195.5 million, which means if spending and revenues exactly match projections $195.5 million will remain in the state’s coffers at the end of the year. Of course, when was the last time the projections exactly matched the reality?
Lee talked about some of her own legislative initiatives. Her signature issue has been identity theft and in 2010 she continued that pursuit. She successfully shepherded through two bills on the topic. HB 785 requires uniform reporting of identity theft cases so the state and local law enforcement can share information with each other and share it with the Federal Trade Commission. HB 779 requires specialized police training for identity theft.
Next time we will take a look at the other District 16 legislators’ comments.
Sunday, May 02, 2010
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Primaries to Watch III, Part Two
By Marc Korman and Adam Pagnucco.
Here are races Eight and Seven!
8. District 14 Delegate Open Seats
Prior Rank: #6
Marc
The incumbents in District 14 do not lack for ambition as demonstrated by Herman Taylor’s quixotic run for Congress and Karen Montgomery’s decision to take on Rona Kramer (more on that later). Their decisions create two open seats.
Craig Zucker appears to be close to a sure thing for one of them. He has been running for eight years, has raised lots of money, and appears to have broad support. A second opening upsets his apple cart because folks who ruled out fighting him for one open seat are taking a second look.
The most public candidate thus far is teacher, occasional MPW guest blogger, and activist Eric Luedtke. We last saw Luedtke at the end of 2009 when he pulled the plug on a challenge to Kramer before it really started. What made him an attractive candidate then still holds true and he has the benefit of not challenging a self financing incumbent. Others will likely get into the race. As I have written before, the desire for a candidate that brings more diversity to District 14 is strong.
Full disclosure, I donated to Eric Luedtke.
Adam
Two open seats and two credible candidates. Yawn… I have nothing more to say about Craig “Lock” Zucker since he reported more than $50,000 in the bank before even formally starting his campaign. MCEA Board Member Luedtke will work hard and get lots of progressive backing for the other seat. Even though this district has the largest concentration of African Americans in the county along the US-29 corridor, I am hearing nothing to indicate that any candidate of color is getting in yet. Can someone wake me up if there’s another credible candidate of any kind?
The only interesting thing about this Delegate race is how it will interplay with the Senate race. I could see Zucker and Delegate Anne Kaiser supporting incumbent Rona Kramer and Luedtke supporting challenger Karen Montgomery. Or maybe not. Come on, people, give us something spicy to write about! Don’t make Saqib Ali do all the work!
7. District 16 Delegate Open Seat
Prior Rank: #8 as “Oldak vs. District 16”
Marc
Bill Bronrott’s resignation creates the fifth legislative vacancy in Montgomery County during this term. All indications are that the Central Committee will appoint a caretaker (that is certainly how my vote will be cast) and will let candidates for a four year term run without an incumbent in the fall.
It looks like two of the bigger name candidates, Reggie Oldak and Don Mooers, are taking a pass. But lots of hats are already in the ring including 2006 District 18 candidate Dan Farrington, Montgomery County Young Democrats president Scott Goldberg, Obama campaign guru Kyle Lierman, and possibly many others including Lise Van Susteren.
Another wrinkle in District 16 is that Bill Frick faces the same problem as Kirill Reznik in District 39: he will be before the voters for the first time. Frick has had strong fundraising and worked the district hard over the past three years, but he will have to work much harder than had all three incumbents run together.
Full disclosure, I am a Montgomery County Democratic Central Committeemember from District 16, cast a vote to appoint Bill Frick in 2007, and have donated to him.
Adam
Oldak’s decision not to get in deprives this contest of a top-tier challenger with a record of getting D16 votes. She received the Post endorsement last time and almost knocked off long-time incumbent Marilyn Goldwater, whose retirement created the opening for Frick. Now we have to look at everyone else.
The early favorite is Dan Farrington, who ran a great race in District 18 in 2006. Farrington received the Post and Gazette endorsements but lost narrowly to Jeff Waldstreicher, who had the Apple Ballot, for the open Delegate seat. The two were the hardest-working candidates in a good field and Farrington raised FAR more non-self-financed money than anyone else. I found Farrington to be so impressive that I sent him a $100 check immediately after seeing him at a campaign coffee that year. One problem he has is his opposition to the Purple Line’s proposed rail alignment, a position that helped him finish second in the Chevy Chase precincts but will not be so helpful in Bethesda. Still, if Farrington goes into high gear, the other candidates will have to bust their behinds to keep up.
As for the incumbents, Bill “Stud of the Statehouse” Frick will finish first and Susan Lee will finish second. Don’t prove me wrong, Bill!
We’ll have races Six and Five tomorrow.
Tuesday, March 02, 2010
Transactions Worth Noting, Part Two
Here’s a few more tidbits for the politically obsessed!
Here are the candidates to whom the giant MoCo county employees union MCGEO gave more than $1,000 over the last reporting period.
Council Member Valerie Ervin: $5,000 on 4/8/09
Council Member George Leventhal: $3,000 on 7/11/09
Senator Jamie Raskin (D-20): $2,000 on 9/21/09
Delegate Tom Hucker (D-20): $1,500 on 10/7/09
Lieutenant Governor Anthony Brown: $3,000 on 10/20/09
Governor Martin O’Malley: $1,300 on 10/26/09
Delegate Norman Conway (D-38B): $2,000 on 11/23/09
County Council candidate Becky Wagner: $3,000 on 11/25/09
Delegate Tom Hucker (D-20): $1,500 on 12/22/09
Looks like MCGEO has forgiven Wagner for her long-ago opposition to living wage! That’s what happens when the alternative is Duchy Trachtenberg.
Here are all the individual contributions received by Delegate Saqib Ali (D-39) of at least $1,000 over the last reporting period.
Kashif A. Firozvi, Silver Spring, MD: $2,500 on 1/12/10
Amer Ahmad, Powell, OH: $2,400 on 1/7/10
Mirza N. Baig, West Des Moines, IA: $2,000 on 12/8/09
Mohsin Jaffer, Weston, FL: $2,000 on 1/12/10
Pinky Singh, Potomac, MD: $1,000 on 8/11/09
Saleem Khan, Woodbridge, VA: $1,000 on 8/11/09
Shahid J. Hashmi, Darnestown, MD: $1,000 on 9/2/09
Zeelaf Munir, Lewes, DE: $1,000 on 9/18/09
Anas Abuzaakouk, Burke, VA: $1,000 on 11/2/09
Ikram Koreshi, Ashburn, VA: $1,000 on 11/29/09
Nasser Basir, Highland, MD: $1,000 on 12/4/09
Yahya M. Hendi, Frederick, MD: $1,000 on 12/8/09
Zahid Butt, Ellicott City, MD: $1,000 on 12/8/09
Mohammed M. Mohiuddin, Frederick, MD: $1,000 on 12/8/09
Mudusarr I. Raza, Frederick, MD: $1,000 on 12/31/09
Here are all the individual contributions received by Delegate Susan Lee (D-16) of at least $1,000 over the last reporting period.
David Y. Han, Bowie, MD: $2,000 on 12/9/09
Ngoc Q. Chu, Rockville, MD: $1,000 on 1/12/10
Rita Lee, Silver Spring, MD: $1,000 on 12/18/09
David Yao, Bethesda, MD: $1,000 on 12/18/09
Belkis Leong-Hong, Gaithersburg, MD: $1,000 on 12/16/09
Chieh San Cheng, Potomac, MD: $1,000 on 12/11/09
Young Suk Choi, Ellicott City, MD: $1,000 on 12/11/09
Na Bee Yi, Tracy’s Landing, MD: $1,000 on 12/9/09
Kyung Soon Oh, McLean, VA: $1,000 on 12/9/09
Linda Pak Han, Bowie, MD: $1,000 on 12/9/09
Catherine L. Kohn, Bethesda, MD: $1,000 on 11/2/09
Steve P. Choi, Potomac, MD: $1,000 on 11/2/09
Kun K. Sin, Silver Spring, MD: $1,000 on 8/7/09
Hak Soo Park, Waldorf, MD: $1,000 on 8/7/09
Heung T. Moon, Rockville, MD: $1,000 on 8/7/09
Soo J. Lee, Potomac, MD: $1,000 on 8/7/09
Young Son, Laurel, MD: $1,000 on 8/7/09
Young Cheon Kim, Fairfax, VA: $1,000 on 8/7/09
Charles Y. Kim, Gaithersburg, MD: $1,000 on 8/7/09
Hee J. Chung, Fairfax Station, VA: $1,000 on 8/7/09
Soon B. Kim, Bethesda, MD: $1,000 on 8/7/09
MPW Contributor and MCEA Board Member Eric Luedtke opened a campaign account in a brief, and ultimately abandoned, challenge to Senator Rona Kramer (D-14). Luedtke raised $5,700. His contributors included MCEA President Doug Prouty ($250), former District 4 County Council candidate Pat Ryan ($250), Action Committee for Transit President Ben Ross ($250), former MCDCC Member Oscar Ramirez ($200), MoCo Sierra Club Chair David Hauck ($200), Delegate Heather Mizeur staffer Patrick Metz ($100), Delegate Saqib Ali staffer Merry Eisner ($100), District 2 County Council candidate Sharon Dooley ($100) and MPW writer Marc Korman ($100). Congratulations to all of them, as we guarantee that every one of these people has earned a place on Rona Kramer’s enemies list!
Delegate Luiz Simmons (D-17) has paid a late fee on every single report he has filed since his current campaign account opened in 2006. Way to bat one thousand, Lou!
I am the Treasurer of the District 18 Democratic Team, which includes Senator Rich Madaleno and Delegates Ana Sol Gutierrez, Jeff Waldstreicher and Al Carr, and have given them all great heaping gobs of money over the years. I have also contributed to County Executive Ike Leggett, Delegate Tom Hucker (D-20) and County Council Members George Leventhal, Nancy Floreen, Marc Elrich and Valerie Ervin as well as to Hans Riemer’s 2006 campaign. No, I am not printing the amounts, because if my wife saw them, she would blow me to smithereens and permanently delete MPW. But if you would like to research my contributions or anyone else’s, you can do so at the State Board of Elections website. And all the politicians should know right now that my nanny bills prevent me from giving anyone any more money, so don’t ask!
Tuesday, February 09, 2010
District 16 Delegation Slams SHA on Snow Removal, Pepco on Power
Senator Brian Frosh and Delegates Bill Bronrott, Susan Lee and Bill Frick sent the following sharply worded letters to the State Highway Administration on snow plowing and Pepco on power restoration. Additionally, Delegate Frick appeared on WTOP this afternoon calling for better coordination between state and county authorities on snow plowing.
Monday, January 18, 2010
District 16 Delegation Opposes Ride-On Cuts in Bethesda and Chevy Chase
The District 16 Delegation - Senator Brian Frosh and Delegates Bill Bronrott, Susan Lee and Bill Frick - has sent the following letter protesting the County Executive's planned Ride-On cuts in Bethesda and Chevy Chase.
Tuesday, August 04, 2009
MD Delegates Roger Manno and Susan Lee on Political Pulse on Ch. 16 TV
MD State Delegates Roger Manno (District 19) and Susan Lee (District 16) will be on the "Political Pulse" political talk show on:
Tues, August 4th at 9:30 p.m.
Thurs, August 6th at 9:00 p.m.
Fri-Sunday (August 7th-9th) at 6:00 p.m.
Topics that will be discussed include Governor O'Malley's proposed budget cuts and whether Montgomery County will have to pay some of the expenditures (like school employee pensions) that are currently being paid by the State.
Political Pulse is on Channel 16 TV in Montgomery County.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Feldman, Lee Re-Elected as Leaders of MoCo House Delegation
Following is the press release from the Montgomery County Delegation.
NEWS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Sara Hartman, 301-858-3018
Feldman Re-elected Chair and Lee Re-elected Vice Chair of the Montgomery County House Delegation
ROCKVILLE , MD , June 10, 2009 -- The Montgomery County House Delegation to the Maryland General Assembly unanimously re-elected Delegate Brian J. Feldman (D-15) as its Chair to serve a third year and re-elected Delegate Susan C. Lee (D-16) to serve a fourth year as Vice Chair at the Delegation’s annual organizational meeting yesterday evening.
Now serving in his second term in the House of Delegates, Delegate Feldman currently chairs the House Subcommittee on Banking, Economic Development, Science & Technology and is the House Chair of the legislature’s Joint Committee on Technology Oversight. He is also a member of the House Economic Matters Committee.
Outside of the General Assembly, Delegate Feldman is a practicing attorney with a Washington D.C. law firm and an adjunct professor at Johns Hopkins University. He lives in Potomac with his wife and two children.
Delegate Lee has been a member of the House of Delegates since 2002. She is a Deputy Majority Whip and a member of the House Judiciary Committee where she also serves as chair of the Juvenile Law Subcommittee. Additionally, Delegate Lee holds the position of 1st Vice President for the Women Legislators of Maryland and she is a member of the National Conference of State Legislatures Communications, Financial Services & Interstate Commerce Committee. Delegate Lee is Of Counsel to a Washington D.C. law firm and lives in Bethesda with her husband.
###
Thursday, May 14, 2009
A Tale of Five Sessions, Part Two
By Marc Korman.
Last time, we reviewed each D16 legislator’s view on the 2009 legislative session. Today we will see what their constituents had to say during the event’s Q&A.
Before diving into the questions asked, it is worth noting what was not asked. Unlike the last two years, no one asked about the Purple Line or the effect of the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process on Bethesda.
The D16 team took thirteen questions. I will divide them into the categories of civil rights and liberties, environment, taxes, and miscellaneous.
Civil Rights and Liberties
Two questions were asked of Senator Frosh on these issues. The first was whether the General Assembly had determined the genesis of the police spying. Senator Frosh said it was not entirely clear, but the Police Superintendent took responsibility, saying it was a decision made by him.
The second question was much more rigorous. Scott Davenport, a D16 constituent and president of Equality Maryland’s Board, asked Senator Frosh why he would not let SB 566 out of committee. The legislation would prohibit discrimination based on gender identity, explicitly adding transgendered individuals to the state civil rights law.
Senator Frosh gave a vigorous defense of his actions regarding the bill and went on the offense against Equality Maryland. According to Senator Frosh, he has now brought the transgender bill to a vote three times. The first time was two years ago, when it failed. The other two times were this year, when both times the committee voted to table the bill. Equality Maryland’s position is that this year’s votes were procedural and not substantive votes on the bill. If Senator Frosh would force that vote, Equality Maryland says the bill would move out of committee and to the full Senate. The House of Delegates will not consider the bill until the Senate does.
Senator Frosh also questioned Equality Maryland’s singular focus on the transgender bill, at the expense of other issues like civil unions. Although he said he supports marriage equality and has told Senator Rich Madaleno he would cosponsor a constitutional amendment to that effect next session, he felt that civil unions were more achievable and would make a real difference.
A recent court decision, Schroer v. Billington, may have also changed the equation on transgender issues. That case found that the prohibition on gender discrimination in the federal Civil Rights Act included transgendered individuals. Senator Frosh indicated his belief that state civil rights law may do the same and thought Equality Maryland should work to test the law in court. Of course, the federal case is likely to work its way through the appeals process and could still be reversed.
Environment
Most of the questions asked were about the environment.
One D16 constituent asked how the new Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Act would actually be executed. Senator Frosh conceded that no one quite knew how the full 25% cut by 2020, but that there would be a combination of efficiency improvements and other incremental steps to eventually reach the goal.
Another constituent raised the idea of connecting the growing green economy to workers with special needs, who often have good vocational education skills.
The next environmental questions were about the Chesapeake Bay and whether anything could be done to really improve the situation and if there were ways to increase education on the issue. Senator Frosh said that the lack of progress was not for lack of trying. Throughout his entire legislative career he had been working on the issue, and there had been no measurable improvement. What there has been is an increase in the Bay’s basin population of 1.5 million people, bringing with them new impervious surfaces and run-off that add to the damaging nutrients in the bay. But there is new hope on the horizon with the appointment of Chuck Fox to head the EPA’s national effort to save the bay.
Another set of environmental questions concerned improved efficiencies. One constituent asked about gas furnace efficiency, which Delegate Bronrott said he hoped to see improved in future years. The other question asked why the legislature had chosen to apply the International Building Code to schools and government buildings and not the well known LEED (Leadership in Environment and Energy Design) Code. Senator Frosh said Republicans in Annapolis had an extreme distaste for LEED and wanted to advance the Green Globe standard, but the legislature adopted the more efficient International Building Code standard as a compromise.
The final environmental question was on Maryland’s air and water pollution. The legislators said much progress had been made, but there were limits to what Maryland could do alone due to federal regulatory constraints.
Taxes
The two tax questions involved income tax skimming and home buyer tax credits. On income tax skimming, there was concern by one constituent that the same proposal could come again in the future. Delegate Frick acknowledged that was true, but felt the County delegation’s unity on the issue would endure in the future and be able to fight off future attempts.
The second question was posed by Matt Herrmann, president of the District 16 Democratic Club. Mr. Herrmann asked if the state had considered adding a first time home buyer tax credit, similar to recent federal legislation which allows a $8,000 tax credit for first time home buyers. Delegate Frick explained that Maryland already had a recordation tax credit and stressed that tax credits were hard hitting to the budget.
Miscellaneous
There were three other questions that were not as easily categorized.
The first question was about what strings might be attached to stimulus funds the state receives. Delegates Bronrott and Frick discussed the various programs funding was going towards. While the funds do not need to be repaid, each individual program has certain requirements. For example, if a state accepts funds for unemployment payments, they must provide benefits to part time workers. Maryland now does this, but several states refused to make the change because of concerns about the long term cost after the two years of stimulus funding ended.
The second question was about the 2010 Census and the changes it might bring to District 16. It was too early for any definitive answers, but Senator Frosh doubted D16 was growing as fast as other parts of the state.
The third question was about what limits were placed on nanobiology funding, specifically whether there could be weapons funded through the state. Delegate Lee said she had not thought of the issue and would look at it further.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
A Tale of Five Sessions, Part One
By Marc Korman.
The recent District 16 town hall reminded me of the old Kurosawa film, Rashomon. The Japanese classic shows the same series of events from four different perspectives. Others may think of this as the Quentin Tarantino method. In Part One, we will look at what all four District 16 legislators had to say about the 2009 legislative session. In Part Two, we will examine the fifth perspective on the legislative session, that of the District 16 constituents who asked questions at the May 11th town hall.
Delegate Susan Lee
Delegate Lee’s primary focus was on education and her own legislative accomplishments and initiatives. Despite the financial crisis, Delegate Lee was proud that Maryland had maintained its education commitment, including funding for the Geographic Cost of Education Index for the first time. Delegate Lee linked the legislature’s commitment to education to Maryland’s recent ranking by Education Week as the top state for education. She also heralded the legislature for not shifting the cost of teacher’s pensions to the counties and keeping public university tuition frozen for a fourth straight year.
Shifting to her own agenda, Delegate Lee departed this year from her signature identity theft issue and focused on biotechnology and nanotechnology. She was happy to have helped champion the biotech investment tax credit, preserving it at a $6 million value. Governor O’Malley also signed Delegate Lee’s legislation, HB 1124. The legislation adds to the mission of the already existing nanobiotechnology program within the Maryland Technology Development Corporation, pushing investment in public private partnerships for nanobiotech. Nanobiotechnology is the specialized field of nanotechnology focused on the human body, essentially seeking improved medical treatments.
Delegate Lee also heavily pushed HB 1117 during the session. The legislation would expand the liability shield for the use of automated external defibrillators (AEDs), protecting users from civil suits. There is already immunity for the use of the devices, but the legislation would have eliminated the requirement that assistance or aid be provided in a reasonable manner for immunity to apply. That vast expansion of immunity brought concerns from trial lawyers and the bill died in the Senate.
Delegate Bill Frick
Delegate Frick discussed the session from the angle of existing and potential conflicts among the counties. Maryland has twenty-three counties and the City of Baltimore, and each one is different. But they can also be divided into a few broad categories. For example, ten Maryland counties operate under a Charter form of government, meaning they have home rule and do not general require General Assembly approval of their local legislation. Some counties are also more reliant than others on the local income tax. Montgomery and Howard Counties have the highest tax rate, 3.2%. The lowest is Worchester County, with 1.25%. As Adam Pagnucco has explored on this blog, there are also differences in the size of the teacher pension obligation in each county.
Both teacher pensions and skimming the local income tax were considered by the General Assembly to balance the state budget, as required by the state Constitution. But Montgomery County’s legislators stayed united against both of those efforts and neither were used. The budget did rely on a one time use of a reserve fund available for local income tax refunds if the collected taxes are not sufficient to cover the refund needs. The now exhausted fund will need to be repaid in the future.
Delegate Frick also discussed the Senate Finance Committee’s defeat of his credit card legislation, chronicled on this blog. However, there may soon be federal action to address the issue, as discussed at a recent press event with Congressman Van Hollen and Delegate Frick.
Delegate Bill Bronrott
Delegate Bronrott reviewed the session primarily through the scope of transportation. Some type of cut was necessary in order to balance the budget and maintain the state’s AAA bond rating, which Delegate Bronrott said sounded like “pocket protector talk” but was extremely important. Local governments took a transportation funding hit, but according to Delegate Bronrott the county government told the legislature this was their performed form of pain compared to the pension shifting or income tax skimming discussed by Delegate Frick. But stimulus funding is helping to pay for some local transportation programs, such as new hybrid buses and road and bridge maintenance.
Delegate Bronrott also highlighted his work on highway safety, which is something he labors on each session. One of the new laws going into effect on the road safety issue is SB 265, raising the driving age by six months.
Senator Brian Frosh
Given his chairmanship of the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee, it is not surprising that Senator Frosh viewed the session from the perspective of that committee. After hearing his colleagues complain about legislation that died in the Senate, he started off with an old joke about a young member of the US House of Representatives who told his senior Democratic colleague ‘I can’t wait to debate the enemy, those darn Republicans.’ To which the senior Democrat responded ‘The Republicans are not the enemy, they are the loyal opposition. The Senate is the enemy.’
The highlight of the Senator’s session appears to have been overturning the Supreme Court. In 2007, the Supreme Court reversed years of precedent and decided that manufacturer imposed minimum prices on retailers no longer violated federal anti-trust law. State law in this regard usually mirrors federal law, but SB 239 divorces the two on this specific issue and makes minimum price requirements by manufacturers a violation of anti-trust. This will allow retailers to, if they choose, set lower prices which is good for consumers.
Senator Frosh was also happy to see the two domestic violence bills involving guns pass, as well as the legislature’s step in the right direction on the death penalty. All of these initiatives flowed through the Judicial Proceedings Committee.
Conclusion
Each legislator discussed the legislative session in a different light. Next time, we will look at what their constituents had to say.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
