The 10 MGA Members Who Stood Up for Marylanders During the Pandemic:

1. Del. Julian Ivey
2. Del. Gabriel Acevero
3. Del. Vaughn Stewart
4. Del. Karen Lewis Young
5. Del. Sheila Ruth
6. Del. Frank Conaway
7. Sen. Jill Carter
8. Sen. Arthur Ellis
9. Sen. Charles Sydnor 

None of our other MGA members supported reconvening for a Special Session in 2020.

The Working People's COVID Recovery Agenda

An Agenda for Workers:

-Ensure Essential Workers are Protected and Paid Hazard Pay by Passing the Essential Workers Protection Act 

-Fix our broken unemployment insurance system

-Enact Protections for Pregnant and Breastfeeding workers.

-Support Higher Wages for Workers at Our State’s Most Important Transit Hubs by passing the Secure Maryland Wage Act

-Eliminate the suspension of a driver’s licenses due to unpaid fines and fees

-Eliminate the subminimum wage for    tipped workers and enact One Fair Wage 

-Ensure that Every Marylander Has the Ability to Use Paid Sick Time

-Ensure Every Marylander Has Paid Family Leave

Housing for All:

-Enact a Moratorium on All Evictions and Foreclosures

-Invest in Social Housing to Create Both Affordable and Livable Housing for Marylanders in Need.

-Provide Payment Assistance for Marylanders Behind on Rent and Mortgages 

-End All Utility Shut Offs During the Pandemic

-Ensure Every Person Facing an Eviction going forward Has Legal Representation.

Progressive Taxation:

-Close Corporate Tax Loopholes that Allow Large Corporations to Escape Paying Maryland Taxes. (Combined Reporting)

-End the corporate “nowhere income” tax loophole (throwback rule)

-Ensure Our State Has a Fair Equitable Tax Code that Makes The Wealthy Pay Their Fair Share.

-Add a FairTax on Digital Advertisers.

-Legalize and Tax Marijuana to Create New State Revenue

Healthcare:

-Form a study group to research a pathway for a Medicare for All style Maryland single payer healthcare system. 

- Stop hospitals from suing patients for medical debts owed by passing the Medical Debt Protection Act

- Ensure no COVID patient has to pay out of pocket expenses for treatment and care for related medical issues. 

-Hold Governor accountable for equitable and fair access to COVID vaccine.

Progressive Maryland's 2021 Legislative Agenda

Anti-Racism & Anti-Oppression: 

Progressive Maryland is fighting to end the mass incarceration of people of color in our state. Eliminating the use of cash bail, reducing pretrial detention, drug decriminalization, legalization of marijuana, and access to legal representation regardless of immigration status are all individual reforms that would bring us significantly closer to that goal. 

Revisioning the role of police in our communities is also key. We are advocating for the removal of police from schools, higher standards of transparency and accountability for police, particularly through the repeal of LEOBR, and enhancing safety within our immigrant communities by ending state cooperation with ICE. 

Economic Justice: 

We believe that all workers are entitled to safe workplaces and proper compensation. Passing the Essential Workers Protection Act will provide for our essential workers through this immediate crisis; repairing the broken unemployment insurance system, guaranteed paid sick and family leave for all, anti-discrimination legislation for working moms, and closing loopholes in minimum wage law will benefit workers now and into the future. The Transit Safety & Investment Act and Secure Wages Act would provide reliable transportation for workers, good jobs for transit workers, and convenience for all Marylanders as we enjoy shops and restaurants, supporting our economy on multiple fronts.

Healthcare:

For profit healthcare is inherently unjust. We need Medicare for All and we need to stop corporations from suing us over medical debt to pad their millions and billions in profits. We also need greater investment in community health services, including overdose prevention sites. 

Housing Justice Package:

Maryland is one of the most expensive states to live in. In these unprecedented times, we need to stop evictions, foreclosures, and utility shut-offs, provide payment assistance for Marylanders who are behind on rent and mortgages, and ensure that all people who are being threatened with eviction from their homes have legal representation. As we look to the future, we must invest in social housing and ensure that landlords’ screening processes don’t penalize potential tenants through credit checks and other similar mechanisms.

Environmental Justice: 

Black and brown communities deserve the same clean air and water as white communities. The Environmental Human Rights Amendment and ending government subsidies for trash incineration will protect communities of color from predatory land use decisions.

Democracy Reform:

When corporations and the super wealthy fund our elections, our elected officials are more responsive to their donors than everyday Marylanders. We need publicly financed elections for General Assembly races to reduce the outsize influence of big money in our government.

Education:

We must override the Governor’s Veto of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future and increase funding for K-12 education, including funding to expand internet access in low-income communities. At the college level, many of our community college professors and employees are paid barely above minimum wage despite their professional expertise and important role in our society and economy. Granting them access to collective bargaining rights will empower them to fight for fair compensation.

Progressive Taxation:

Corporations and the wealthy benefit financially from police and fire departments, roads and public transit, an educated workforce, and many other services provided by the government. We need to ensure they are paying their fair share of taxes by closing loopholes and raising taxes for multi-millionaires.

Mission:

Progressive Maryland is a multi-racial, working-class political organization that is building a movement to save our planet and put working people in control of our government and economy while ending all forms of structural oppression within our state.  

We are committed to the following values--

Anti-Racism & Anti-Oppression: We stand against all forms of oppression and exploitation.

Economic Justice: We are building a thriving economy that is controlled by everyday people, not the wealthiest 1%.

Environmental Justice: The future of our planet is in jeopardy. We must protect life on earth by transitioning to clean and renewable energy.

Democracy: We are committed to ending the corrupting influence the wealthy have in our political system and bringing everyone’s voices to the democratic process.

Education: A quality education is a right for all and a tool for liberation for oppressed and exploited people.

Community Empowerment: The most powerful social movements are led by people impacted by the issues they seek to change.

Non-Violence: We believe in the power of nonviolent resistance and organizing within the electoral arena to achieve our political objectives.

Political Independence:We believe in being accountable to the working class people of Maryland, not party bosses or corporate interests.

🎉 Exciting news: The Catalogue for Philanthropy has chosen Progressive Maryland as one of the best nonprofits in the DC region! We were selected from a competitive applicant pool by passing through a rigorous review process conducted by a team of 170+ pro bono reviewers from foundations, corporate giving programs, peer nonprofits, local government agencies, and the philanthropic advisory community. We are so honored to be part of this powerful cohort of local changemakers! 🔥

Progressive Maryland is proud to endorse the following candidates for the 2020 Maryland General Election: 

BALTIMORE CITY:

Brandon Scott for Baltimore City Mayor --- CONGRATULATIONS!

Bill Henry for Baltimore City Comptroller --- CONGRATULATIONS!

Zeke Cohen for Baltimore City Council, District 1 --- CONGRATULATIONS!

Danielle McCray for Baltimore City Council, District 2 --- CONGRATULATIONS!

Ryan Dorsey for Baltimore City Council, District 3 --- CONGRATULATIONS!

Kris Burnett for Baltimore City Council, District 8 --- CONGRATULATIONS!

John Bullock for Baltimore City Council, District 9 --- CONGRATULATIONS!

Phylicia Porter for Baltimore City Council, District 10 --- CONGRATULATIONS!

Franca Muller Paz for Baltimore City Council, District 12

Odette Ramos for Baltimore City Council, District 14 --- CONGRATULATIONS!

CALVERT COUNTY:

Antoine White for Calvert County School Board, District 2 --- CONGRATULATIONS!

MONTGOMERY COUNTY:

Marylin Pierre for Montgomery County Circuit Court Judge

Sunil Dasgupta for Montgomery County Board of Education At Large

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY:

April Ademiluyi for Prince George's County Circuit Court Judge --- CONGRATULATIONS!

Gladys Weatherspoon for Prince George's County Circuit Court Judge --- CONGRATULATIONS!

David Murray for Prince George's County Board of Education, District 1 --- CONGRATULATIONS!

Shayla Adams-Stafford for Prince George's County Board of Education, District 4 --- CONGRATULATIONS!

Raaheela Ahmed for Prince George's County Board of Education, District 5 --- CONGRATULATIONS!

Kenneth Harris for Prince George's County Board of Education, District 7 --- CONGRATULATIONS!

Edward Burroughs for Prince George's County Board of Education, District 8 --- CONGRATULATIONS!

LOWER SHORE & NORTHERN MARYLAND COUNTIES:

Mia Mason for Congress, Congressional District 1

Learn more by following our candidate endorsements on Facebook and Twitter.