All general election candidates running in District 42, home of Towson University, were given the opportunity to answer the same questions. At the time of publication, the following candidates responded to the questions:
Jim Brochin - (Democrat) running for State Senator:
Question 1: The 42nd district is home to Towson University and Goucher College. These institutions generate economic development for the county but they also generate town-gown community issues. What is your vision for the town-gown relationship in Towson?
Answer: It's important to support and work with both Universities. Their students and their families eat in local restaurants, shop in our town, and use local services (e.g., car servicing and computer repair) -- all of which benefit the local economy. At the same time, Towson and Goucher offer cultural advantages to the community: programs open to the public that are related to art, public affairs, music, and sports. Additionally, both institutions are working on expanding on-campus housing and parking. This vision of residents and students enjoying and benefiting from each other creates a win-win situation.
Question 2: More and more students who are in need of financial assistance are not receiving the help that they need in order to avoid accumulating college loans. What is your plan to help students, who are your constituents, and will be Maryland's future workforce?
Answer: Higher education is much more expensive than it was 20 years ago. Many of today's students graduate with a mountain of debt. They need financial assistance so that they can concentrate on buying homes and raising families once they graduate and enter the workforce. During my 8 years in office, I have continually supported tuition freezes within the University of Maryland System. I have also supported increases in financial aid. Helping our students financially is an investment in the nation's future. I believe it is outrageous when the only thing that keeps a young mind out of college is cost.
Kevin Carney - (Republican) running for State Senator:
Question 1: The 42nd district is home to Towson University and Goucher College. These institutions generate economic development for the county but they also generate town-gown community issues. What is your vision for the town-gown relationship in Towson?
Answer: The future of Towson requires a firm commitment and leadership. First and foremost is the commitment of the new County Executive and County Council. As State Senator I would participate in creating the vision and plan. I would also, in conjunction with the entire Baltimore County delegation, work to secure State Economic Development dollars necessary to fund infrastructure and improvements. I have experience with community associations, addressing concerns and negotiating plans that satisfy all stakeholders. One idea is to consider relocating Towson University's graduate school into the heart of Towson, bringing vibrancy and an anchor any future development.
Question 2: More and more students who are in need of financial assistance are not receiving the help that they need in order to avoid accumulating college loans. What is your plan to help students, who are your constituents, and will be Maryland's future workforce?
Answer: I would support legislation that keeps tuition affordable while also preserving the high quality that Maryland institutions offer. We must continue to focus our efforts on targeting assistance on need-based and merit-based aid. I am a strong proponent of 529-like plans that allow parents to save funds tax-free for higher educational needs. My focus would be on increasing need-based aid and keeping tuition affordable. One way is by ensuring no in-state tuition for illegal aliens, as my opponent has supported, and audit our in-state residency. We should continue to offer incentives for students in needed fields to stay in Maryland.
Lori Albin - (Democrat) running for House of Delegates:
Question 1: The 42nd district is home to Towson University and Goucher College. These institutions generate economic development for the county but they also generate town-gown community issues. What is your vision for the town-gown relationship in Towson?
Answer: The ideal town-gown relationship is a seamless connection between TU, Goucher, and the rest of Towson. Creating an official Towson Partnership that meets monthly to discuss issues and forestall problems will increase communication, coalition build, and coordinate current efforts between all stakeholders. The Partnership should include representatives of TU, Goucher, the GTCCA, Baltimore County Government, including public safety, and the Towson Chamber of Commerce.
The ultimate goal must be to build on the synergy of the Partnership and create a dynamic, knowledge-driven, creative and cohesive community.
Question 2: More and more students who are in need of financial assistance are not receiving the help that they need in order to avoid accumulating college loans. What is your plan to help students, who are your constituents, and will be Maryland's future workforce?
Answer: Higher education must be a path to upward mobility; not an avenue to financial hardship.
Limiting college opportunity because of debt load has high long-term costs that must be factored in by policy makers when crafting solutions to this problem. Maryland's economy depends on high skilled workers and when debt reduces opportunity, leaders must step up and make a difference.
Maryland must increase efforts to reduce time-to-degree and facilitate transfer agreements between two and four year institutions. Public-private partnerships that create work/study opportunities and scholarships must be developed. "Loan literacy" must also be a priority.
Susan Aumann - (Republican) running for House of Delegates:
Question 1: The 42nd district is home to Towson University and Goucher College. These institutions generate economic development for the county but they also generate town-gown community issues. What is your vision for the town-gown relationship in Towson?
Answer: The town-gown relationship is improving with Goucher and Towson University students through communication and respect. The students and graduates fill our work force needs and attracts businesses because of their talents and innovations. Towson and Goucher created community liaisons to respond to the community councils about events and challenges that present themselves. Better communication will allow both the community and the institutions to find compromises and solutions that favor both. I will continue to work on advocating for our fine schools and the wonderful communities that surround them.
Question 2: More and more students who are in need of financial assistance are not receiving the help that they need in order to avoid accumulating college loans. What is your plan to help students, who are your constituents, and will be Maryland's future workforce?
Answer: Providing access to financial aid is important to higher education. The 529 College Savings Plans are tax free savings plans for tuition that help. Need based aid is harder to obtain due to the recession because endowments are lower. It is critical that the legislature limits increases in tuition so more Marylanders receive an education without excessive student loans. Retaining the Sellinger program is important because it provides financial aid to Goucher, Notre Dame and Loyola students. I will continue to support financial aid programs that allow our students to receive the assistance they need to meet Maryland's workforce demands.
Oz Bengur - (Democrat) running for House of Delegates:
Question 1: The 42nd district is home to Towson University and Goucher College. These institutions generate economic development for the county but they also generate town-gown community issues. What is your vision for the town-gown relationship in Towson?
Answer: Towson University and Goucher College are tremendous assets to the County and Towson and we are fortunate to have them in our community. I think more can be done to take advantage of what Towson and Goucher offer our area and to highlight the positive contributions they can provide.
I would work for improved cooperation between the County and the University on such matters as housing, transportation, land use and quality of life issues. I would like to see more opportunities for the surrounding community to become engaged in programs and events the two schools offer. And I would like to the County to be bolder in finding ways to integrate Towson and Goucher into our surrounding community.
Question 2: More and more students who are in need of financial assistance are not receiving the help that they need in order to avoid accumulating college loans. What is your plan to help students, who are your constituents, and will be Maryland's future workforce?
Answer: A college education is the key to opportunity, getting a good job and lifelong success. We must continue to make sure that all students regardless of financial ability have access to a college education. I am a strong advocate for keeping tuitions affordable for all students and providing loans and scholarships to those that cannot afford tuition. This is especially important in these economic times when many families are struggling to make ends meet.
John C. Fiastro, Jr. - (Republican) running for House of Delegates:
Question 1: The 42nd district is home to Towson University and Goucher College. These institutions generate economic development for the county but they also generate town-gown community issues. What is your vision for the town-gown relationship in Towson?
Answer: As a Towson University graduate and lifelong area resident, I understand the pressures put on the both Goucher and Towson to be good neighbors to the Greater Towson community. Unfortunately, the growing size of these institutions has moved students far off campus. Some students live over 20 miles away. Towson could be a true college town. The state legislature and the county could provide tax-credits so that housing could be constructed closer to Towson's center. Students' feet on the street would provide merchants and eateries the critical mass to be profitable.
Question 2: More and more students who are in need of financial assistance are not receiving the help that they need in order to avoid accumulating college loans. What is your plan to help students, who are your constituents, and will be Maryland's future workforce?
Answer: Unfortunately, Maryland's budgetary constraints make it difficult to continue to promise a tuition freeze. I would advocate increased marketing of the Maryland College Savings Fund that would allow students and their parents the benefit of paying before matriculation. Also, the commitment of Sellinger funding must be maintained for the state's private schools like Goucher College as well. This comparatively small expenditure reduces the pressure on our public institutions and thus keeps tuition costs down.
William J. Frank - (Republican) running for House of Delegates
Question 1: The 42nd district is home to Towson University and Goucher College. These institutions generate economic development for the county but they also generate town-gown community issues. What is your vision for the town-gown relationship in Towson?
Answer: The greater Towson community can certainly do more to embrace both Towson University and Goucher College. Towson is indeed a college town but it hardly feels or looks like it. Merchants up and down York Road and throughout Towson should be proudly displaying black and gold, offering student discounts, and the like. The county and state should continue to improve transit, parking and housing in Towson for students and long-term residents alike. The government and private sector should work on fostering a better overall town-gown spirit throughout Towson. I am eager to work on these issues in my next term.
Question 2: More and more students who are in need of financial assistance are not receiving the help that they need in order to avoid accumulating college loans. What is your plan to help students, who are your constituents, and will be Maryland's future workforce?
Answer: The reality is that, given our dreadful budgetary situation, not all deserving students will receive the assistance they need. With two daughters currently in college, I am very aware of this situation. However, we should restructure assistance programs to make certain the most deserving students receive the help they need without incurring crushing debt upon graduation. We should also help students in high demand fields like medicine, nursing and engineering to more easily receive assistance, and to make it more flexible to pay back student loans.
Stephen W. Lafferty - (Democrat) running for House of Delegates:
Question 1: The 42nd district is home to Towson University and Goucher College. These institutions generate economic development for the county but they also generate town-gown community issues. What is your vision for the town-gown relationship in Towson?
Answer: The Towson University Relations Committee provides a positive way for representatives of the University community, businesses, government and neighborhoods to interact and address problems and concerns. I hope that any further expansion plans, and issues of housing, traffic mitigation, code enforcement and policing will be front and center in the town-gown discussions. We must encourage and capitalize on the students spending power and both Goucher's and Towson's presence to bolster downtown Towson businesses. I urge the University will also consider locating operations in downtown to further bolster the local economy.
Question 2: More and more students who are in need of financial assistance are not receiving the help that they need in order to avoid accumulating college loans. What is your plan to help students, who are your constituents, and will be Maryland's future workforce?
Answer: We must find ways to stabilize tuition and costs. I proudly supported the tuition freeze for three years and hope we can continue to keep tuition costs affordable. I am also pleased to be able to award Legislative Scholarships to deserving youth in order to defray many costs. I urge more Towson University students to apply for my scholarship and those of the other legislators in the district. To the extent we can, part-time employment opportunities need to be expanded as well.
The chart below highlights primary election winners from the State of Maryland, as reported by the Maryland State Board of Elections.
The chart below highlights the primary election winners for the office of State Senator in each legislative district. If you need assistance locating which legislative district you are currently registered in, please click here.
The chart below highlights the primary election winners for the office of Delegate in each legislative district. If you need assistance locating which legislative district you are currently registered in, please click here.
