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Guest Commentary: Time for New Voices, New Leaders for Maryland

Daniel Medinger

Dan Medinger, a Democrat, is running for the Maryland House of Delegates in District 9B.

By Dan Medinger

I’ve been a longtime resident of Howard County and Ellicott City and love everything about our state of Maryland – from its diverse communities to the many resources we have to live, work and play here.

As a husband, father, grandfather and a local business owner, it’s my view, along with many others, that the 2018 election is critical for Democrats nationally and locally. People are seeking progressive change in Annapolis and now is the time for new candidates, like myself, to become the leaders who will bring fresh, practical ideas to the table.

To be sure, I’ve been an active Democrat all my life and believe the Democratic Party offers the best solutions for today and the future.

As a business owner, I’ve created good-paying jobs while doing the utmost to make our clients happy. As an active board member of the Howard County Chamber of Commerce, it’s been my pleasure to work with business leaders who make our communities great and provide opportunities for our workers. As a leader in Annapolis, I’ll propose legislation providing incentives for small businesses and entrepreneurs to follow their dreams right here in Maryland. For those who are seeking good jobs, I’ll fight for equal pay for equal work and will advocate for apprenticeship programs to help our young people get started on their career path, especially those in the trades.

It’s axiomatic that we must deliver a quality 21st-century education to all children. I’ll support our teachers who have made education their mission in life. We need to invest in our schools to keep up with changing technologies and invest in building new schools to keep pace with overall enrollment growth. We need to make pre-K available because we know the consequences of not doing so will echo for a lifetime. And I’ll work to roll back the high cost of a college tuition.

Our seniors deserve an opportunity to “age in community.” No senior should be taxed out of their home or feel they have to leave Maryland. I’ll fight for seniors. I’ll propose a tax system that makes sense. I will also promote affordable health care plans that fit the budgets of the retired and senior community. And I’ll advocate for transportation and recreation opportunities that encourage our seniors to age in our communities.

Our environment hangs in the balance. I’ll be a champion for the environment. I grew up on a farm and know the value of investing in our natural resources for the future. We can leave our air, water and land better than we found it. Maryland must lead the way in green technologies – and these will create good-paying jobs, too.

Good government is very important to me. I agree with President Obama that “politicians shouldn’t be picking the voters, but rather voters should pick the politicians.” As a leader in Annapolis, I’ll oppose gerrymandering and will advocate for special elections instead of appointing members for vacated seats. And I’ll work with others to reduce the undue influence that money has in our political process, especially campaigns.

The bottom line is Maryland citizens are looking for their government to be more effective than ever – one that is responsive to their day-to-day concerns and that aims to make our state the best place to live in the country. It’s about a new group of state leaders working to help all of Maryland’s citizens ascend onward and upward together.

Dan Medinger of Ellicott City, a Democrat, is running for the Maryland House of Delegates in District 9B. He can be reached at danielmedinger.com.

 

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Guest Commentary: Time for New Voices, New Leaders for Maryland