Taxes
Taxes were already too high in Maryland before Governor Martin O'Malley
and the Democrat controlled General Assembly decided to take more of
our hard earned money by passing the largest tax increase in the
history of Maryland. In less than one year, Democrats raised the sales
tax, income tax, tobacco tax, and business tax. All of these taxes will
cost Marylanders an additional $1.4 billion a year.
I pledge to work to rollback all of the
tax increases enacted by Governor O'Malley and promise to vote against
any new proposed tax increases.
Lowering taxes will bring more businesses to the state, create jobs, and lead to increased economic prosperity. You deserve to keep more of your hard earned money.
Fiscal Responsibility
The size of Maryland's budget has grown from $17 billion in 1999 to
over $31.5 billion in 2009 (Maryland Department of Legislative
Services). This represents an almost 100 percent increase in the size
of government in the last 10 years.
Our state's budget is full of wasteful spending. The State of Maryland
uses your hard earned money on projects like taxpayer-funded abortion,
heroin needles for drug addicts in Baltimore City, and welfare for
illegal aliens. Just as families have to cut spending during hard
times, the state of Maryland has to do the same instead of constantly
going to taxpayers and taking more of your hard earned money.
Job Creation
I believe high taxes and over regulation are destroying jobs in Maryland and sending employers to other states. We need to cut taxes, cut government red tape for small business owners, and work to create private-sector jobs.
Cut Taxes
Roll back the O'Malley tax increases
Create Private-Sector Jobs
Competitively bid out non-essential government services to the private-sector
Cut Red Tape for Business Owners
Establish a Business Ombudsman to assist businesses with regulations and to report on how government agencies work with businesses
Review all existing occupational licensing requirements and eliminate unnecessary ones
Exempt small businesses from unnecessary regulations
Tax Credits
$500 tax credit on unemployment taxes for hiring a worker who has been on unemployment for more than 60 days
$1,200 income tax credit for employers who keep previously unemployed workers for more than 12 months
Transportation
While the state has increased spending in every other area,
it has spent
too little to upgrade our roads. As a commuter to D.C., I know how
frustrating it is to sit in bumper-to-bumper traffic on roads carrying
far more cars than they were designed for. Several of our road systems,
including I-270 and Route-15, are a disgrace.
For years the General Assembly has taken the
revenue from the gas and car taxes, which are supposed to be dedicated
for road maintenance and repairs, and diverted that money into the
state's general fund where it is spent on non-transportation projects.
We need to put in legislative safeguards to ensure
the General Assembly cannot continue to steal money from our
Transportation fund. We also need to stop funding mass transit with
money that is supposed to be used for building roads.
Reducing traffic congestion and building new roads will be one of my top priorities.
Traditional Family Values
Our government must protect the sanctity of all human life. I am strongly pro-life and will work in the legislature to stop your tax dollars from being used to pay for abortions.
I support marriage as the union between one man and one woman.
Second Amendment
During my time working for State Senator Alex Mooney and later as a
Task Force Director at the American Legislative Exchange Council
(ALEC), I have had the opportunity to work on many issues important to
gun owners. I have worked to pass right-to-carry legislation in
Maryland and around the country and worked to pass "castle doctrine"
legislation which allows law-abiding citizens to protect their homes
and property.
During the 2008 legislative
session of the Maryland General Assembly, I testified in front of the
Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee in support of Senate Bill 944
which would have prevented the seizure of firearms from law-abiding
citizens during declared emergencies.
I am an NRA member and have been interviewed twice on NRA radio to talk about the second amendment rights of Americans.
Illegal Immigration
I believe immigrants who come to this country legally are a great asset
and make this nation stronger. However, illegal immigration has become
a huge problem as the federal government has been unwilling to enforce
our borders. Unfortunately, our state has enacted numerous policies
which only reward and encourage illegal immigration. I am opposed to
providing driver's licenses to illegal immigrants. Maryland is
currently one of only six states which still grant licenses to illegal
aliens. I also support making English the official language of the State.
I am also opposed to government welfare benefits and taxpayer handouts for illegal immigrants.
Education Reform
We need to continue to work ensure the pace of school construction
matches the pace of residential development. I will work to control
overcrowding in our classrooms.
I will also make it a priority to ensure we maintain
quality teachers in our schools. Finally our state needs to maintain
policies that respect the choice of parents who choose to home school
their children or send them to private schools.
Protecting Quality of Life
We are blessed to live in such a beautiful part of the state surrounded
by mountains, farms, and rivers. We need to balance the need to build
new homes and businesses with the need to preserve our region and our
quality of life.
Hunting and fishing have long been traditions in my family; I want to
make sure our streams and forests are preserved so the next generation
can enjoy them.
