BALTIMORE – Democratic candidate for governor Jim Shea released the following statement on Sine Die and the 2018 Maryland legislative session.
“I commend the General Assembly for a productive session that addressed many of the issues that Marylanders care about most. Maryland’s legislature stood up for students’ safety by passing “red flag” legislation allowing for early intervention and a ban on bump stocks. They chose to invest in better transit, rather than road expansions, by fully funding Metro. And they alleviated the burden of the Republican federal tax plan for many Marylanders by passing tax relief.
“However, we can – and need – to do more. Governor Hogan pushed through his $8.5 billion Amazon deal without any public cost-benefit analysis. He refused to put his name on a bill that will make it easier for Marylanders to register to vote. And once again, bills to move to a $15 minimum wage and 50% renewable energy died in the General Assembly.
“I am running for governor because I want to prioritize Maryland children and families by implementing the Kirwan Commission’s education policies and funding recommendations. I will grow our state’s economy from the bottom up and the middle out by investing in our state and its people, including by championing a $15 minimum wage. I will support not only Metro, but transit networks across the state. And I will protect our environment by committing to 50% renewable energy by 2030. We can make the 2019 legislative session even better for Maryland.”
About Jim Shea and Councilman Brandon Scott
Jim Shea is the former Chair of the Board of Regents of the University System of Maryland, the Empower Baltimore Management Corporation, and the Downtown Partnership of Baltimore. He is also the former Chair of Venable LLP, the largest law firm in the state of Maryland.
Brandon Scott is a Baltimore City Councilmember and Chair of the Public Safety Committee. He has served as a community organizer with Big Brothers and Big Sisters and as a representative on the boards of the CollegeBound Foundation, the Center for Urban Families, and Baltimore Community Mediation Center. He is a graduate of Mergenthaler Vocational-Technical High School in Baltimore and St. Mary’s College of Maryland.