Do you support the findings of the Commission on Innovation and Excellence in Education? Are you committed to funding associated reforms, and if so, how?
Young: Yes I support it. I am committed to Funding it.
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Is Maryland’s transportation spending appropriately balanced between roads and transit? Does the state have the resources to meet its transportation needs? With the cancellation of the Red Line and the advent of BaltimoreLink, is the Baltimore region adequately served by transit?
Young: Yes but we need seperate streams of funding so they aren’t always competing. No we do not presently have the funding to adequately meet ou transportation needs. Baltimore is not adequately served. I feel an above ground system woud be more economical, coud be achieved much faster and wouldbetter serve Baltimore. The old trolley routes would cover the city well.
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Do you support the legalization of recreational marijuana?
Young: I think we should phase it in as was done in Washington and Oregon. Now that the dispenseries and growers are coming on line it will be much simpler.
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At a time when the federal government’s commitment to Chesapeake Bay restoration is questionable, what new steps should Maryland take to protect this resource?
Young: We have to eep pressure on Washington but we need to continue our efforts to protect the streams and rivers that feed the Bay, strenghten our relationshps with the other jurisdictions that are in the Bay watershead and bac fill funding where we can.
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What steps should Maryland take to ensure the broadest possible access to affordable health care?
Young: We should press forward with efforts for universal single payer health insurance. Again we shoul back fill where we can. We also needto work to hold down costs on drugs.
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What role should the state play in helping Baltimore address violent crime?
Young: I think we are trying to do that but the answer is not police alone. We need to support better education and job training, efforts to bring jobs to Baltimore and affordable housing. Baltimore used to be the economic engine of Md. We need to support efforts to bring it back to self sufficiency at a minimum.
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How would you characterize Maryland’s business climate? What can the state do to foster the creation of more family-supporting jobs?
Young: Md.’s business climate is not as bad as has been portrayed. We need to promote not denegrate our business climate. Review and elimination of duplicative regulations should continue. An educated workforce is one of ourgreatest attributes. We need to strengthen our efforts to bring that attribute to the minority communities and we need to partner our efforts with the bussiness community.
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Do you support the creation of a non-partisan, independent body to draw legislative and congressional district maps after each census?
Young: Yes, but it should be done Nation wide. Hopefully in reviewing the cases before it the Supreme Court will do that. MD is not an Island. When we give up seats and other states don’t it weakens our National position.
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Does the Law Enforcement Officers Bill of Rights adequately balance protections for police and the public? Should it be changed, and if so, how?
Young: No! It should be reviewed by a balanced board insuring everyone’e rights and protection. We must support our polce but wemust also protect our citizenry. There are too many cases accross the country of force being used unnecessarily particulary with minorities. We can do better for all.
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What strategy would you adopt to address the opioid addiction and overdose crisis?
Young: We need a comprehensive strategy to address this problem. We shoud start with doctors who over prescribe. we need to put more emphasis on treatment and trseating this as an addiction rather than a crime. If we were to do that we could get ridof the street sales of heroin which would stopa huge portion of the deaths.
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What if anything should the state do to address income inequality?
Young: Weshould start with equal pay for equal work. We also need a livable wage as opposedto a minimum wage. We need more and better jobs and the training to go with them. Their are thousands of existing good jobs available in the trades without qualified people to take them. It would also help if we gave more respect to the trades. Everyone can’t or doesn’t want to go to college.
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Do the state’s Public Information Act and open meetings laws adequately ensure Marylanders’ ability to exercise oversight of the government?
Young: I think in general they are adequate but am always willing to consider ideas for improvements.
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