05/25/2022
New Harford Democratic Club
Summary of Guest Speakers Presentations
Meeting May 4, 2022
Lavy Mammen, Candidate for Harford County Council, District F.
Mr. Mammen has lived in Harford County for more than twenty years. He is a global engineer and has also served as a substitute teacher to become familiar with local education issues. He is a past president of Toastmasters.
He is running on three pillars. (1)To conduct a survey of homes in District F to ensure an equal distribution of resources. (2) Publish the total Harford County budget on line by 2025. He stated, “…I will find $10-25 million in savings within the current budget and use the funds to create neighborhood broadband assess across the county.” And (3) To assure all county operations are carbon neutral by 2050, convert to a fully electric fleet, and place a moratorium on new development. He also stated he will work for a “New Jobs Act,” address outsourcing and a “New Insulin Act” to cap cost growth.
Sharon Jacobs, Running for School Board in District “F”
Ms. Jacobs has served in the military where she earned a degree in Industrial Engineer from the Naval Post Graduate School in Monterey, CA. She formed her own consulting firm after leaving the Army. She is running on a platform of Quality Education, Fiscal Responsibility and Governance Transparency.
She feels quality education starts at the home where students should receive the support they need to succeed. She favors smaller class sizes and efforts to provide mental health support for students. She also feels student mental health issues are not being met. While good mental health starts at home the schools are not recognizing this issue. Her Fiscal Responsibility platform includes adequate salaries for teacher and staff, funding for student support, spending surplus funds wisely, and bringing the public into the budget process.
Questions for Sharon: Email her at [email protected]
Carol Bruce, Running for School Board in District “E”
Ms. Bruce has resided in Cecil and Harford Counties most of her life. She possesses an MBA and has long term experience with local and state government. She is running for the Board of Education at the encouragement of the Democratic Central Committee. She proposes a closer look at the diversity and equity in the Board of Education. She places a high priority on the importance of educating the families on course content being offered. Ms.Bruce says there is a lack of mental health staff in the schools.
Delegate Steve Johnson, Maryland State Delegate, District 34 A, Harford County
Legislative update.
Delegate Johnson, speaker for next month’s meeting, briefly reviewed the status of several bills addressed in the recent legislative session. The Human Trafficking Bill, the collective bargaining bill for library workers. and the reduction of the alcohol licensing fee bill for Ripken Stadium died in the Senate. The bill to allow Glass and Aluminum Containers at Ripkin Stadium passed. Also passed were the Resort Licensing Fee to allow alcohol sales, Gas Tax Moratorium Bill, and the bill that moved Oral Hygiene and Other Medical Supplies to a tax exempt status.
In other action, the Legislature capped insurance co-pays at $30.00, provided $900,000 for the Arts Center in Havre de Grace, $850,000 for the B&O Train Station rehabilitation, and $700,000 for The Discovery Center and funds VFW Hall improvements
