As your representative in the General Assembly, I will work to: - Oppose all proposed tax increases on businesses or any efforts to impose
government fees that will affect them.
Reach out to current Maryland business owners to form state/business alliances to facilitate a pro-business environment Create a government infrastructure that
promotes a pro-business environment Ensure that all new legislation is assessed for its impact on the State’s business climate Develop bipartisan strategic plans to bring
more businesses into Maryland, actively seeking them out and promoting Maryland as their prospective home Focus on encouraging the development of
data center facilities and IT-centric businesses that will expand jobs and the tax base.
My PositionIn this recession, Maryland has experienced a major economic
downturn on its job front. I believe that this impact has hit Maryland particularly hard when compared
to many of its neighboring states within the region. One major reason for these deteriorating economic
conditions is that we currently sport a tax burden that is worse than 45 other states. Those taxes—combined
with our deserved reputation as an intensely-regulated state that is not “business friendly”—has made Maryland
unattractive to businesses.
In
fact, our labor and corporate tax laws have forced many Maryland businesses and business owners to exit our state at rapid
rate. When those businesses exit to other states, their tax revenue and their jobs leave with them. With
lessening corporate revenues it becomes necessary, of course, to take a bigger share from individual citizens. And
as people lose jobs, they too stop contributing to the tax base. Commit to Improving the Business Climate For us to improve the future of our economy and our job market, we must start to become a more business friendly
state. Cutting business taxes, providing firms with more flexibility, eliminating government red tape and promoting Maryland
as a great home for companies—these steps will ultimately bring more jobs and revenues to the state. This
would help us to quickly rebound from the current downturn and make us more resistant to future economic cycles.
Attract Technology FirmsMy second top priority is to encourage the development of new technology facilities throughout the state.
Many developers and businessmen could be enticed to build and operate new computer hosting facilities as well as clean
Information Technology (IT) related businesses here. I will admit that my civilian job has provided me
with a particular familiarity into this part of the industry—which includes buildings like corporate data centers, co-located
hosting facilities and telecommunications hotels. It’s this experience that has given me insight
into the benefits and opportunities that Maryland has missed or passed on a regular basis—chances to add significant
jobs and increase economic activity in a real win-win situation.
Maryland is actually a hotbed of technical
talent and technological capabilities. We’re blessed with both educational institutions and widespread
staff experience that are well-suited to the challenge. However, our business development efforts in this
field have not done well.
Over the past two decades, Maryland has
trained its focus on expanding our vaunted biotech and bio-research industries. It is high time that we
expanded our technology base to include non-biotech industries, taking advantage of the many positive factors that we have
to offer. Our state should offer substantial incentives to encourage developers of high-tech structures
to build here in Maryland and should work harder to promote Maryland as a state with widespread technological opportunity.
This country has always been a great
example of the notion that hard work and good ideas should be encouraged. Maryland has shown that strengthening
our economy comes from improving our businesses and industry—not by adding the next government program We
need to return to those roots.
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