A Better Future Can’t Wait
Just three weeks remain until Sine Die on April 9, which will mark the end of this year’s legislative session. As we approach that date, activity in Annapolis is reaching a heightened pace. Yesterday was the General Assembly’s crossover day (i.e. the day when bills from one chamber – either the House or Senate – must have passed in at least one of the chambers if they are likely to become law) and we are pleased that each of our three public safety bills has successfully made it through the House of Delegates.
In addition to the legislative work in Annapolis, our team has been working hard on delivering constituent services at home in the 45th District and, of course, the Senate campaign continues to operate at full steam.
Taking a Stand on Education Funding
I authored an op-ed this month for The AFRO regarding the current status of education funding for public schools in the 45th District. You can read the full editorial, which is excerpted below, here.
“Since 2011, funding for vital public school infrastructure projects in the 45th District has ranked last or second-to-last each year compared to the rest of Baltimore City. While other electoral districts in the city have received up to three times the financial support for newly built or renovated schools, our district has lagged dramatically behind. These statistics are especially distressing given the existing disadvantages that our students already face…”
Legislative Updates
Last month I told you about three pieces of legislation that I am sponsoring regarding public safety in Baltimore.
HB 440 will require redistricting for police districts to occur every 10 years following the U.S. Census, HB 561 will require periodic financial audits (at least one every 6 years) of the Baltimore Police Department, and HB 1259 will require that $1 million is dedicated to community policing programs for every $5 million or more that is allocated to the city by the Governor’s Office for Crime Control and Prevention.
I am pleased to report that all three of these bills have been passed by the Maryland House of Delegates and are now awaiting action by the Senate. If you’d like additional information on why I introduced each of the bills, feel free to read my op-ed in The Baltimore Sun.
“Dr. Seuss Day”
One of the most important things we can do as role models for the youth is instill in them a joy of reading and learning. It was in this spirit that I was happy to participate in “Read Across America” with the second graders of Brehms Lane Elementary School. It turns out that one of my favorite Dr. Seuss books, The Foot Book, was a big hit with the students!
Endorsement Announcements & Campaign Happenings
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We are proud to have earned additional support for the Senate campaign over the past month.
First, thank you to Maryland Working Families for their recent endorsement. Introducing and supporting legislation that is focused on making Baltimore a more equitable place, especially for the working families of the 45th District, has always been at the forefront of my agenda. If elected to the Senate, my team and I will have an even greater platform to advocate for policies that will make it easier for hardworking families to thrive and prosper in our city. I would also like to thank Darius Craig of New Broadway East for his recent video endorsement.
Since we officially hit the campaign trail in September, we’ve had the opportunity to knock on over 15,000 doors. During that timeframe, we also logged in over 5,000 calls. We appreciate the opportunity to serve – whether on the phone or in person.
One More Thing…
This month’s “Conversation with Cory” will be held on Saturday, March 31 at Rita Church Community Center ( 2101 St. Lo Drive, Baltimore, MD 21213) at 10:00AM. Baltimore City Police Commissioner Darryl De Sousa will join us to talk about public safety issues.
Listening. Learning. Leading.
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