Survey Results

Page: 2006 Maryland State Questionnaire

1. Candidate Last Name:
	answered question	17
	skipped question	0
		Response Count
[ShowReplies]		17

2. Candidate First Name
	answered question	17
	skipped question	0
		Response Count
[ShowReplies]		17

3. Office Seeking
	answered question	17
	skipped question	0
		Response Count
[ShowReplies]		17

4. District
	answered question	17
	skipped question	0
		Response Count
[ShowReplies]		17

5. Party:
	answered question		17
	skipped question		0
		Response Percent	Response Count
Democrat		100.0%	17
Republican		0.0%	0
Other (please specify)		0.0%	0

6. Campaign Address:
	answered question		17
	skipped question		0
		Response Percent	Response Count
Committee Name: [ShowReplies]		100.0%	17
Street Address: [ShowReplies]		100.0%	17
City: [ShowReplies]		100.0%	17
State: [ShowReplies]		100.0%	17
Zip: [ShowReplies]		100.0%	17

7. Candidate Contact Information:
	answered question		17
	skipped question		0
		Response Percent	Response Count
Phone: [ShowReplies]		100.0%	17
Fax: [ShowReplies]		100.0%	17
Email: [ShowReplies]		100.0%	17

8. Treasurer Name & Address:
	answered question		17
	skipped question		0
		Response Percent	Response Count
Treasurer Name: [ShowReplies]		100.0%	17
Street Address: [ShowReplies]		100.0%	17
City: [ShowReplies]		100.0%	17
State: [ShowReplies]		100.0%	17
Zip: [ShowReplies]		100.0%	17

9. Does your campaign accept PAC contributions?
	answered question		17
	skipped question		0
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		94.1%	16
No		5.9%	1

10. Restrictions on PAC contributions
	answered question	10
	skipped question	7
		Response Count
[ShowReplies]		10

11. Previous Elected/Appointed Office
	answered question		13
	skipped question		4
		Response Percent	Response Count
1 [ShowReplies]		100.0%	13
2 [ShowReplies]		53.8%	7
3 [ShowReplies]		30.8%	4
4 [ShowReplies]		7.7%	1
5		0.0%	0
6		0.0%	0

12. Term of Previous Office
	answered question		11
	skipped question		6
		Response Percent	Response Count
1 [ShowReplies]		100.0%	11
2 [ShowReplies]		63.6%	7
3 [ShowReplies]		36.4%	4
4 [ShowReplies]		9.1%	1
5		0.0%	0
6		0.0%	0

13. Have you ever received the AFL-CIO endorsement?
	answered question		17
	skipped question		0
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		23.5%	4
No		76.5%	13

14. When?
	answered question	6
	skipped question	11
		Response Count
[ShowReplies]		6

15. Have you ever assisted a labor organization to achieve any of its goals?
	answered question		17
	skipped question		0
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		88.2%	15
No		11.8%	2

16. Please Explain:
	answered question	17
	skipped question	0
		Response Count
[ShowReplies]		17

17. Please explain why you seek labor's endorsement?
	answered question	17
	skipped question	0
		Response Count
[ShowReplies]		17

Page: 2006 Maryland State Questionnaire

18. The minimum wage no longer guarantees a full-time worker enough to feed her family without food stamps. If it had been indexed to inflation, the minimum wage would be over $9.00/hour now. Currently at least four states and the District of Columbia have enacted state minimum wage rates in excess of $7.00 per hour. Do you support a bill to raising the state minimum wage to $7.00 per hour in 2008, $7.50 an hour in 2009, and indexing for future inflation?
	answered question		17
	skipped question		0
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		94.1%	16
No		5.9%	1

19. Comments
	answered question	12
	skipped question	5
		Response Count
[ShowReplies]		12

20. The state currently employs contractors that often pay wages below the poverty level. The three largest jurisdictions in Maryland and the District of Columbia have passed a “Living Wage” law applicable to their contractors. Do you support passing a “Living Wage” for state contractors similar to the 2004 HB 391 that was vetoed by Governor Ehrlich?
	answered question		17
	skipped question		0
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		100.0%	17
No		0.0%	0

21. Comments
	answered question	6
	skipped question	11
		Response Count
[ShowReplies]		6

22. The District of Columbia has passed a “Labor Peace Act” in order to insure to protect its economic interests in major development projects. The act requires that project employers and labor organizations reach agreements that typically guarantee that no strikes or lock outs will occur and that employers will recognize labor organizations if they have a “majority showing”—typically through authorization cards. Do you favor a “labor peace” bill in Maryland similar to one passed in the District of Columbia that requires employers who receive state economic benefits to reach agreements that construction and operations of the project will not be obstructed by strikes or other work stoppages?
	answered question		17
	skipped question		0
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		76.5%	13
No		23.5%	4

23. Comments
	answered question	11
	skipped question	6
		Response Count
[ShowReplies]		11

24. With the retail sector of Maryland’s economy growing rapidly, do you favor a bill that would insure that large employers who build new stores in Maryland over 75,000 square feet be required to pay a “living wage” and be required to adhere to local hiring provisions similar a bill under consideration in the District of Columbia?
	answered question		17
	skipped question		0
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		88.2%	15
No		11.8%	2

25. Comments
	answered question	9
	skipped question	8
		Response Count
[ShowReplies]		9

26. Do you support legislation requiring appropriate State Departments to submit unified annual public documents in both written and electronic format reporting the amount of subsidies, the number of new jobs created, the wages and fringe benefits, the length of time a corporation is committed to being in the State, along with appropriate compliance enforcement measures?
	answered question		17
	skipped question		0
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		94.1%	16
No		5.9%	1

27. Comments
	answered question	8
	skipped question	9
		Response Count
[ShowReplies]		8

28. Some builders are contracting for construction services to be performed by offshore contractors that do not meet Maryland standards on safety, environmental protections, ant discrimination, quality or productivity. Do you support legislation prohibiting the procurement of state contracts for services rendered outside the United States and prohibiting offshore contractors from bidding on or having construction contracts in Maryland?
	answered question		17
	skipped question		0
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		88.2%	15
No		11.8%	2

29. Comments
	answered question	8
	skipped question	9
		Response Count
[ShowReplies]		8

30. As states look for new revenue sources, more and more of them have legalized some forms of gambling. Which of the following proposals for legalized gaming in Maryland do you support?
	answered question		17
	skipped question		0
		Response Percent	Response Count
Slots at Racetracks		0.0%	0
Casinos		0.0%	0
Slots at locations to spur economic development		0.0%	0
Casinos at locations to spur economic development		0.0%	0
No expansion of gambling		94.1%	16
Other (please specify) [ShowReplies]		5.9%	1

31. Comments
	answered question	8
	skipped question	9
		Response Count
[ShowReplies]		8

32. If the state were to expand legalized gambling, where should the revenue go?
	answered question		17
	skipped question		0
		Response Percent	Response Count
Support Racing in Maryland		0.0%	0
Education		76.5%	13
Combination of Racing and Education		0.0%	0
General Fund		17.6%	3
Other (please specify) [ShowReplies]		5.9%	1

33. Comments
	answered question	8
	skipped question	9
		Response Count
[ShowReplies]		8

Page: 2006 Maryland State Questionnaire

34. Do you support legislation that provides that any public entity be required to recognize a union providing that union submits authorization cards by a majority of eligible members and provides that once a union is recognized that all persons covered in the bargaining unit pay reasonable service fees, if they choose not to belong to the recognized union?
	answered question		17
	skipped question		0
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		94.1%	16
No		5.9%	1

35. Comments
	answered question	6
	skipped question	11
		Response Count
[ShowReplies]		6

36. Do you support legislation that would require final and binding arbitration of all labor disputes by public employees?
	answered question		17
	skipped question		0
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		88.2%	15
No		11.8%	2

37. Comments
	answered question	9
	skipped question	8
		Response Count
[ShowReplies]		9

38. Do you support broadening eligibility for collective bargaining to include graduate assistants and faculty in the state higher education system?
	answered question		17
	skipped question		0
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		94.1%	16
No		5.9%	1

39. Comments
	answered question	4
	skipped question	13
		Response Count
[ShowReplies]		4

40. Maryland’s community colleges were established by state law and receive part of their funding from the General Assembly. Yet, unlike K-12 public school employees in each county, community college workers do not have the right to organize and engage in collective bargaining. Do you support granting collective bargaining rights to community college employees?
	answered question		17
	skipped question		0
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		94.1%	16
No		5.9%	1

41. Comments
	answered question	4
	skipped question	13
		Response Count
[ShowReplies]		4

42. Currently many state and local government employees are not required to pay their fair share of union representation. Do you support union security clauses, including agency fee or fair share language in the state employee collective bargaining law and for other government agencies throughout Maryland?
	answered question		17
	skipped question		0
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		100.0%	17
No		0.0%	0

43. Comments
	answered question	8
	skipped question	9
		Response Count
[ShowReplies]		8

44. Do you support amendments to the current Maryland state & higher education collective bargaining laws, similar to the AFSCME 2006 bill, that provide deterrents for failing to negotiate in good faith, a process for the parties to reach an agreement during negotiations and define unfair labor practices?
	answered question		17
	skipped question		0
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		100.0%	17
No		0.0%	0

45. Comments
	answered question	5
	skipped question	12
		Response Count
[ShowReplies]		5

46. State government sometimes privatizes state services or functions. It often does so with the rationale that private firms can do the job better, cheaper and more efficiently than the public sector. Evidence has shown that any intial savings are quickly erased in subsequent years as private firms raise their rates and increase their profit margins. Do you oppose contracting out state services?
	answered question		17
	skipped question		0
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		94.1%	16
No		5.9%	1

47. Comments
	answered question	9
	skipped question	8
		Response Count
[ShowReplies]		9

Page: 2006 Maryland State Questionnaire

48. Do you support a “Workers Freedom Act” that would prohibit employers from compelling workers to attend mandatory meetings to listen to their employers’ religious and political beliefs, including the employer’s beliefs about joining a union?
	answered question		17
	skipped question		0
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		94.1%	16
No		5.9%	1

49. Comments
	answered question	8
	skipped question	9
		Response Count
[ShowReplies]		8

50. Opponents of collective bargaining propose legislation that would require unions to represent all workers, but would not require represented workers to pay their fair share of the collective bargaining representations costs. Such laws have been misnamed “Right-to-Work” laws. Do you oppose enacting “Right-to-Work” laws in Maryland?
	answered question		17
	skipped question		0
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		100.0%	17
No		0.0%	0

51. Comments
	answered question	5
	skipped question	12
		Response Count
[ShowReplies]		5

52. Right wing interests and large corporations have tried in recent years to stifle labor’s political and legislative voice through a friendly sounding proposal called “paycheck protection.” It seeks to tip the balance of power to corporations by requiring unions to spend an incalculable amount of time and money jumping through bureaucratic hoops. Do you oppose “Paycheck Protection” in Maryland?
	answered question		17
	skipped question		0
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		100.0%	17
No		0.0%	0

53. Comments
	answered question	5
	skipped question	12
		Response Count
[ShowReplies]		5

Page: 2006 Maryland State Questionnaire

54. Do you favor government guaranteed universal health care initiative for Maryland?
	answered question		17
	skipped question		0
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		94.1%	16
No		5.9%	1

55. Comments
	answered question	12
	skipped question	5
		Response Count
[ShowReplies]		12

56. Large companies have been found to be shifting costs of providing health care to taxpayer-funded government provided programs like Medicare and Maryland Children’s Health Insurance Program. Do you support expanding the “Fair Share” Health Care law to cover more large companies?
	answered question		17
	skipped question		0
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		100.0%	17
No		0.0%	0

57. Comments
	answered question	10
	skipped question	7
		Response Count
[ShowReplies]		10

58. Do you support ‘Health Care Disclosure’ legislation that requires annual reporting on which employers have employees and/or their dependents using public health programs?
	answered question		17
	skipped question		0
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		100.0%	17
No		0.0%	0

59. Comments
	answered question	11
	skipped question	6
		Response Count
[ShowReplies]		11

Page: 2006 Maryland State Questionnaire

60. Maryland school employee pensions at 38% of pre-retirement earnings are among the worst in the nation. Nearby Pennsylvania provides 71% of pre-retirement earnings. Do you favor a bill to increase school employee pensions to 60% of pre-retirement earnings?
	answered question		17
	skipped question		0
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		100.0%	17
No		0.0%	0

61. Comments
	answered question	11
	skipped question	6
		Response Count
[ShowReplies]		11

62. The Maryland General Assembly passed a law in 2002 that stripped Prince George’s County of a school board elected through a single member district system and replaced it with an appointed board for four years. The 2002 law provides that Prince George’s return to an elected school board this year. However, the method of election would be mixed between district-based residencies and at-large residencies with all positions elected at- large. If endorsed by the Prince George's Delegation, would you support returning the election system to single member districts?
	answered question		17
	skipped question		0
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		100.0%	17
No		0.0%	0

63. Comments
	answered question	10
	skipped question	7
		Response Count
[ShowReplies]		10

64. The “Thornton” bill was enacted in 2002 to increase and equalize funding for schools in Maryland. The funding is being phased in over a six-year period. Do you support full funding of the Thornton formula, including the Geographic Cost of Education Index?
	answered question		17
	skipped question		0
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		100.0%	17
No		0.0%	0

65. Comments
	answered question	8
	skipped question	9
		Response Count
[ShowReplies]		8

66. In line with the recommendation of the Maryland Association of Boards of Education, do you support funding school construction at $400 million per year through 2012?
	answered question		17
	skipped question		0
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		100.0%	17
No		0.0%	0

67. Comments
	answered question	6
	skipped question	11
		Response Count
[ShowReplies]		6

Page: 2006 Maryland State Questionnaire

68. Less than one-third of Maryland’s unemployed actually receive unemployment insurance benefits while the national average is still just over 40%. At least 12 states have expanded eligibility by adopting an Alternative Base Period (ABP). The ABP, unlike current eligibility standards, takes into consideration the most recently completed quarter of work to determine eligibility. States that adopted the ABP have expanded eligibility by as much as 25% at a cost of around 7% of total benefits paid. Do you support an amendment to Maryland’s Unemployment Insurance law to add the Alternative Base Period?
	answered question		17
	skipped question		0
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		94.1%	16
No		5.9%	1

69. Comments
	answered question	7
	skipped question	10
		Response Count
[ShowReplies]		7

70. Increasing numbers of people work one or more part-time jobs to make a living. Employers must pay the Unemployment Insurance tax on full-time and part-time workers. However, Maryland’s Unemployment Insurance law states that a person is only eligible for benefits if seeking full-time employment. Unless workers lie and say they are looking for full-time work, they cannot get unemployment benefits it they are aid off from their part-time job. Will you support an amendment to Maryland’s Unemployment Insurance law that will make laid-off part-time workers eligible for benefits?
	answered question		17
	skipped question		0
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		94.1%	16
No		5.9%	1

71. Comments
	answered question	8
	skipped question	9
		Response Count
[ShowReplies]		8

72. In 2003, The Maryland Court of Appeals held in Harris v. Board of Education of Howard County, that an injury does not need to result from unusual activity to be covered as an accidental injury. Do you support upholding the Harris decision?
	answered question		17
	skipped question		0
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		100.0%	17
No		0.0%	0

73. Comments
	answered question	6
	skipped question	11
		Response Count
[ShowReplies]		6

74. Within the workers compensation system, do you support maintaining the worker’s choice to prompt, effective medical care by health care professionals of the worker’s choice, not the employer or insurer’s doctors?
	answered question		17
	skipped question		0
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		100.0%	17
No		0.0%	0

75. Comments
	answered question	6
	skipped question	11
		Response Count
[ShowReplies]		6

Page: 2006 Maryland State Questionnaire

76. Transit construction projects have ground to a halt since 2002. Which of the following do you favor funding?
	answered question		17
	skipped question		0
	Yes	No	Rating Count
Baltimore Transit Plan	76.5% (13)	23.5% (4)	17
Inner Purple Line	88.2% (15)	11.8% (2)	17
Corridor Cities Transitway	94.1% (16)	5.9% (1)	17

77. Comments
	answered question	14
	skipped question	3
		Response Count
[ShowReplies]		14

78. An efficient and effective mass transit system is essential for economic growth in the metropolitan Washington, DC area, and the growing cost of such a system cannot be borne by the riding public. The federal government and local business are both beneficiaries of mass transit. Do you support efforts to require the federal government to commit funding to the operating cost of WMATA base on the number of federal workers who ride mass transit; such dedicated funding will not be an excuse for modifying the labor protection features of the WMATA compact; such dedicated funding will not be the sole source of government support and will also focus on raising money from the business community?
	answered question		17
	skipped question		0
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		94.1%	16
No		5.9%	1

79. Comments
	answered question	9
	skipped question	8
		Response Count
[ShowReplies]		9

80. The skyrocketing cost of campaigns gives wealthy individuals and large corporations too much power in deciding who gets elected in Maryland. These same moneyed interests enjoy privileged access in Annapolis after the election on account of their campaign contributions. According to a recent Gonzales poll, 73% of Marylanders favor enacting a voluntary public campaign finance system. Do you support enacting a voluntary public campaign finance system for Maryland General Assembly races that is similar to systems enacted in Maine, Arizona and Connecticut and embodied in the 2005 HB 1031.
	answered question		17
	skipped question		0
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		100.0%	17
No		0.0%	0

81. Comments
	answered question	10
	skipped question	7
		Response Count
[ShowReplies]		10

Page: 2006 Maryland State Questionnaire

82. For the measures above that you have agreed to support, would you be willing to:
	answered question		17
	skipped question		0
		Response Percent	Response Count
Co-sponsor legislation		100.0%	17
Work with our lobbyists to pass the bill		100.0%	17
Testify at a hearing in support of legislation		94.1%	16
Speak at public events in support of legislation		100.0%	17
Write a letter in support of legislation		82.4%	14
Other (please specify) [ShowReplies]		35.3%	6

83. In order to help strengthen working people’s interests, would you be willing to:
	answered question		17
	skipped question		0
		Response Percent	Response Count
Urge employers to respect their employees right to form a union by remaining neutral during a union organizing campaign		88.2%	15
Urge employers to recognize a union voluntarily when the majority of their employees choose to form one?		88.2%	15
Write a letter to unorganized workers endorsing an organizing drive by a labor union?		64.7%	11
Write a letter to urge an employer to re-hire a worker fired because he supported the union during an organizing drive?		82.4%	14
Urge the public to utilize union produced products (like Cingular Wireless)?		64.7%	11
Walk a picket line in support of a labor union?		70.6%	12
Other (please specify) [ShowReplies]		35.3%	6