Progressive Maryland Major Accomplishments 2004-2010
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2010
Rest Breaks for Retail Employees
Strongly supported a bill to ensure that workers in retail establishments who work four straight hours get at least a 15 minute rest break and workers who work six straight hours get a 30 minute rest break.
Early Learning for Young Children
Helped pass a bill to keep Maryland well positioned to access copious federal funding to expand quality, affordable early learning programs for young children.
2009
Reducing Workplace Fraud
Fought to enact law cracking down on the increasing number of employers who fraudulently misclassify workers as “independent contractors”, which will restore workplace safety rules for thousands of workers and recoup millions of dollars for the state in payroll taxes.
Blueprint for Comprehensive Pre-K
Helped ensure Maryland has a comprehensive blueprint to create more high-quality pre-K, qualifying our state to receive millions of federal dollars to fund pre-K for thousands of children.
Skills Training for Youth
Backed new law requiring most contractors on large state construction projects to offer apprenticeship training programs, giving thousands of Maryland youth skills for high-paying careers in construction trades.
2008
Tax Fairness
Led the charge to make Maryland's personal and corporate income tax codes much more progressive, generating hundreds of millions of dollars per year in new revenue to protect schools and health care from draconian cuts.
Helped Save Prince George's Hospital
Educated and mobilized thousands of residents to pressure the county government to accept the state's offer to keep open a hospital system that serves 180,000 patients every year and hosts the state's second largest trauma center.
Helped Elect Progressive Leaders
Helped replace corporate crony Rep. Al Wynn with Donna Edwards, a champion of working families, by supporting her in the primary for Maryland's 4th Congressional District.
2007
Passed the First State Living Wage Law
Ran an historic grassroots campaign to pass the nation's first state-level living wage law, requiring state contractors to pay their workers wages above the poverty line, lifting tens of thousands of workers and their families toward the middle class.
Record Funding for School Construction
Using the budget surplus and aided by increased revenue from closed tax loopholes, won a record $400 million to build and repair schools and get Maryland students out of crowded trailers.
2006
Restoring Rules on Energy Pricing
Backed laws to cap skyrocketing electricity rates, restore rules to the power industry and replace crony utility commissioners. Stopped energy executives from claiming poverty as they collected massive profits and million-dollar bonuses. Forced politicians back from vacation to get bills into law.
Electing Progressive Candidates
Endorsed and helped elect dozens of pro-worker candidates for the Maryland General Assembly, and helped replace incumbent Governor and special-interest crony Bob Ehrlich with Martin O'Malley.
2005
Minimum Wage
Used the momentum from the Living Wage campaign to enact a minimum wage increase in Maryland from the disgraceful federal level of $5.15 per hour to $6.15 per hour. Overrode Governor Ehrlich's veto of the bill in January 2006 to pass it into law.
2004
Closing Corporate Tax Loopholes
Won hundreds of millions of dollars for Maryland schools, universities, and hospitals by passing a law to close the infamous "Delaware loophole" that giant multinational corporate chains use to cheat the state out of their income taxes. Continues to bring over $70 million into the state budget every year.
Medical Malpractice
Helped blunt the Governor's "reform" bill that would have rewarded a monopolistic insurance company and bad doctors at the expense of the public.
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