The next installment of The Dagger’s Q & A with candidates in the 2014 Gubernatorial Primary Election features the Democratic candidates running for the Maryland State Delegate District 34A seat, representing southern Harford County.
With Del. Mary-Dulany James’ decision to run for state senate, District 34A is guaranteed at least one new representative. The Democratic Primary Election includes Steve Johnson of Aberdeen, county councilwoman Mary Ann Lisanti of Havre de Grace, Pat Murray of Belcamp, Marla Posey-Moss of Aberdeen, and Maria Terry of Havre de Grace. The top two vote-getters will advance to the General Election where they will face the top two vote-getters from the Republican Primary Election race, which consists of of incumbent Del. Glen Glass of Aberdeen and Mike Blizzard and Beth Boyson, both of Havre de Grace. Their answers to The Dagger’s three questions appear below. (Note: Johnson and Terry did not respond to numerous attempts to contact them. Posey-Moss changed her mind and declined to participate.)
Dagger: State delegates often make decisions in areas where they may not have expertise, such as decriminalizing marijuana, legalizing same-sex marriage, or approving a stormwater runoff fee. Briefly describe the experience/skills you would bring to the House of Delegates and how you make decisions in areas outside your expertise.
Johnson: No response.
Lisanti: As a “citizen legislator”, it is common not to have professional expertise on the myriad of issues an elected official may face during their tenure. In those cases, I have always approached these issues by:
1. Conducting my own independent research;
2. Identifying and talking to subject matter experts
3 Identifying and talking to Interested and effected parties;
4. Evaluate all opinions and information gathered and make a decision accordingly based upon my conclusion of the “best choice” that supports and protects he “public good”.
My formal education (BA in Political Science, MS in Public Administration) and my professional training as a former City Manager has trained me to deal with most issues facing legislative bodies.
Murray: There were more than 1550 bills introduced in the House of Delegates this year. A lawmaker can read every bill, but there is no way that anyone can be an expert on every issue that comes before the General Assembly. As a Delegate, I will work to master the issues in my committee, to ensure that good ideas become good legislation – and that bad ideas never make it to the House floor. On the handful of issues that take on regional or statewide significance, I will develop expertise by doing research, asking questions, and soliciting the opinions of my constituents. My education and professional experience has prepared me to serve Harford County effectively in the House of Delegates. As an attorney, I am trained to think critically and analyze issues. As a former legislative aide, I know the system and have deep relationships with lawmakers, staff and advocates. As Director of State Affairs at Johns Hopkins, I have developed an expertise in policy areas that will continue to dominate the agenda in Annapolis, including health care, higher education and economic development. The hard work required to master the issues isn’t glamorous, but it is essential. As a Delegate, I will be committed to doing that work in order to get the best results for Harford County and the State of Maryland.
Posey-Moss: I really appreciate your outreach but at the moment I am going to decline answering these questions via this medium. However, I do invite the Dagger to sponsor a public and in-person debate to address these inquiries by the candidates of District 34A.
Terry: No response.
Dagger: Please cite a previous decision by the Harford County delegation to the Maryland General Assembly with which you either strongly agree or disagree, and why.
Johnson: No response.
Lisanti: Reinstating requests for and support of local bond bills are a vital part of supporting public / private partnerships. Next year, one of my priorities will be to work with our Community College and our Delegation to pass a bond bill for the creation of on-campus affordable housing for our students.
Murray: Our delegation has a difficult needle to thread. It is a smaller delegation, and it is more conservative – politically and culturally – than other delegations. It will never have the clout that comes from being a big delegation, or from having many members in key leadership posts. Therefore, our delegation has to play smarter and work harder. It has to work as a team, united in its commitment to getting results for the county. As readers of The Dagger are well-aware, teamwork has been elusive in our current delegation, which has limited its ability to be effective. As a Delegate, I will work with local leaders to set priorities and with my colleagues in the delegation to deliver. As a Democrat, I can bridge gaps between our delegation and the governing majority to ensure that Harford County gets its fair share. Finally, I will never put my personality ahead of the county’s priorities. There are many issues where members of our delegation may disagree, but we have to learn to disagree without being disagreeable. If the delegation cannot work together on the county’s behalf, one thing is certain: the larger and more powerful delegations will take as much as they can get, leaving our delegation fighting for table scraps. Harford County deserves better.
Posey-Moss: No response.
Terry: No response.
Dagger: The Maryland General Assembly is charged with certain responsibilities. Among them are: Enacting legislation, proposing amendments to the state Constitution, reviewing redistricting plans, and levying taxes. Looking ahead, what issues within the delegation’s purview are of specific interest or concern to you and why? Please cite two issues.
Johnson: No response.
Lisanti: 1. Funding for education; Local government is asked to fund an increasing amount of pensions, salaries and benefits for school employees. Looking forward I believe it is necessary to find a balance between local funding authority and local accountability.
2. Hotel tax; Based upon the recent advisory, the new Harford County Delegation will be faced with the task of passing enabling legislation. I plan to take a lead on this issue to obtain a fair and equitable bill that is implemented by the County Council with the support of our stakeholders and benefactors.
Murray: My top priorities are growing our economy and protecting our public schools. Our economy is heavily dependent on federal spending, no sure thing in an era of divided government and partisan gridlock in Washington. We need to diversify our economic portfolio by focusing on private sector job creation, so that cuts in federal spending do not disproportionately affect our economy. We need to build stronger partnerships between universities and federal installations, including Aberdeen Proving Ground, with an eye towards using scientific research to create jobs and grow companies. We need to make smart investments in the community college and the University Center to train our workforce. We need to create a regulatory and tax climate that lets the world know that Maryland is open for business. Our public schools are integral to our quality of life and our economic vitality. We need to retain and recruit the brightest teachers, because a great teacher is vital to a child’s education. We need to end the cycle that leaves teachers wondering about layoffs at the end of every school year. We need to fight for our fair share of school construction dollars, and we need to make targeted investments in pre-kindergarten. No one has a monopoly on good ideas, and I look forward to working across the aisle in government and with leaders in the business and non-profit communities to make sure that we are an economic leader and Harford County’s schools create meaningful opportunities for our kids.
Posey-Moss: No response.
Terry: No response.
Previous Entries:
Harford County Council President – Democratic Candidates
Harford County Council President – Republican Candidates
Harford County Council District A (Edgewood/Joppatowne) – Republican Candidates
Harford County Council District C (Bel Air) – Republican Candidates
Harford County Council District D (North Harford) – Republican Candidates
Harford County Council District E (Aberdeen/Churchville) – Democratic Candidates
Harford County Council District E (Aberdeen/Churchville) – Republican Candidates
Harford County Council District F (Havre de Grace) – Republican Candidates
Harford/Cecil County State Senate District 35 Republican Candidates
Harford/Cecil County State Delegate District 35B Republican Candidates
Harford County State Senate District 34 Democratic Candidates
Harford County State Delegate District 34A Republican Candidates
A vote for Johnson is a vote for Helton.
Well….I was leaning toward voting for Lisanti and Murray as my two choices, but now I’m certainly going to vote for them. I thank both of them for taking their time to answer the questions and share their views. Both candidates appear to be smart and sensible folks that will represent District 34-A well in Annapolis!
Good luck Mary Ann and Patrick!
If they succeed in the primary, Lisanti and Murray are likely the two strongest candidates the local Democratic Party will be fielding this Fall. Harford County voters who truly want responsible and effective legislators representing them in Annapolis will put aside their knee-jerk tendency to vote Republican regardless of the low quality of the GOP candidates. Ms. Posey-Moss would also be a reasonable choice. Too bad she chose not to respond.
Lisanti is adept at putting your tax dollars into her pocket. Greenway grant money dissapeared. How many “non profits” does she get paid from. A vote for lisanti is a vote for Omalley. Lady stop stealing my money
Mary Lisanti has demonstrated the toughness to oppose bad zoning bills, poorly framed and unneeded charter amendments on the county council. Often, she was the only one opposed to bills that could only be described as political patronage bills. I only wish I was a registered Dem. She’d have my votes in the primary and will have my vote in the general election. She has guts.
I can’t get over her involvement with that skanky, polluted piece of trashy property on Water street… or the fact that when you meet her in person she’s a condescending, arrogant Bitch.Other than that, she’s great.
Explain this, Murry says he grew up in Harford County and wants to serve where he grew up. Last I checked Forrest Hill was in Districe 35. He settles on a townhouse days before the filing deadline. What happened to the residency requirement? Brings a ton of money from PAC’s outside Harford County. Works for the leaders in the house that never supported Harford County. The same ones that brought us The Rain Tax, Bridge Toll rate increase. Loss of Highway user funds… The list goes on. A woilf in Art Heltons Sheeps clothing.
Mr. None Says – Patrick Murray has been interested in the political process his entire adult life, and has worked to promote progressive causes in some of the country’s most politically regressive states.He has done at this at the expense of his own economic well being. Whatever you think about Democrats and their political philosophy, you have absolutely no valid basis with which to associate Murray with Art Helton or Art Helton-like characters. You’d never get them to admit this, but the very people in Annapolis with whom Murray has worked wish Helton would just go away and stop embarrassing the Democratic Party.
Lasanti took the Beech Tree money! Follow the money trail. Talk to her previous assistant. Murray has never lived in 34A, hasn’t lived in Harford Co. since he graduated in 97, is a lobbyist, none of his campaign money came from anyone in Harford Co., he supported NO businesses in Harford Co. when spending his campaign money, and all of his pictures on his campaign mailers are from Baltimore (NO HARFORD COUNTY PEOPLE). He claims to support Harford Co., are you kidding me?
Harford County voters are lazy. They will believe what ever someone tells them, instead of checking the people out for themselves. So, they deserve more of the terrible representation they have been receiving in Annapolis.
Every time I have spoken with her she has been nothing buy condesending. Another elitist thief