Education
My father, Senator Bob Kittleman, taught me that “education” is the great equalizer in that it allows people to overcome obstacles in their lives. It is for this reason that I have always been a strong advocate for public and private education.
- Supported Education Reform Act which helped Maryland better compete for Race to the Top funding
- Supported BOAST bill which would encourage private businesses to contribute to public and private schools
- Opposed “Fairness in Negotiations Act” which took power away from locally elected school boards
- Active in Simulated Congressional Hearings in Howard and Carroll County elementary schools
- Sponsored, with Delegates Bates and Miller, TV Free Week in Howard County elementary schools
Taxes and Spending
- Opposed O’Malley’s budget that increased spending over $1 billion.
- Advocated for fiscal restraint understanding that government must live within its means.
- Opposed the 50% increase in the sales tax on alcohol
- Supports repealing tax increases, especially the 20% increase in the sales tax
- Sponsored legislation reducing government spending: 1. repeal the living wage requirement and 2. repeal the prevailing wage requirement on school construction
Job Creation
- Sponsored “Right to Work” legislation which would encourage job growth in Maryland
- Sponsored legislation prohibiting Project Labor Agreements in state contracts
- Has the highest business rating of all state senators (mbrg.org)
- Consistently opposed increased taxes on small businesses
- Strongly opposed regulations which would overly burden businesses
Energy
- Supports expanding the use of nuclear energy
- Supports use of renewable energy (solar, onshore wind, waste-to-energy) when cost effective
- Opposed Governor O’Malley’s Offshore Wind Energy Act which would cost Marylanders billions of dollars while only providing 3% of our energy needs
Immigration
- Strongly opposed legislation to provide “in state” tuition to illegal immigrants
- Supported E-Verify legislation to require employers to check immigration status of all job applicants
- Sponsored legislation to prevent local jurisdictions from providing sanctuaries to illegal immigrants
Veterans and Active Duty Military
- Supported legislation to exempt military retirement income from Maryland state taxes
- Sponsored legislation to exempt disabled active duty service members from purchasing hunting licenses
- Sponsored legislation to exempt disable active duty service members from purchasing fishing licenses
Second Amendment
- Supports every individual’s second amendment rights
Civil Marriage
- Views marriage as a civil rights/equal rights issue
- Supports equality with regard to marriage
- Voted for Civil Marriage Act in 2011 General Assembly session
Open Government
- Working to get rid of a one-party rule in Maryland
- Advocated for open meetings in Annapolis
- Successfully sponsored the requirement to put committee votes online
Good Government Initiatives
- Sponsored legislation to abolish legislative scholarships which are susceptible to corruption
- Sponsored legislation to abolish the requirement that all notaries be approved by their state senator
- Sponsored legislation to prohibit legislators who live within 50 miles of Annapolis to receive state paid housing
