PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY MD FORUM from Page 8 Eastern Shore and Ocean City, Segal said his plan would be simple. The retired lecturer recommends people work four days a week instead of five, employees telecommute and free taxi service at the last stop at bus depots. “We don’t believe in accommodating the car. We believe in shrinking the role of the car,” he said. Baron said he supports a study of the Bay Bridge to assess whether a third span should be built or other options. He said fewer people have been on the roads due to the pandemic
while working from home. Baron, who released a climate plan March 8, said utilizing electric vehicles would help reduce vehicles dependent on gasoline and also improve the environment. “I have nothing against cars and automobiles, as long as they are clean,” he said. “We are moving toward hybrid and electric vehicles.” Gansler said work on the Bay Bridge would be a low priority in order to focus on mass transit. “We don’t need to build another bridge to get more people in the Eastern Shore,” he said. He said public-private-partnership (P3) projects such as the Pur-
5 Six of the Maryland Democratic candidates for governor participate in a candidate’s forum March 15 at Attaboy Barrel House in Frederick. From left to right: Jerome Segal, Doug Gansler, Ashwani Jain, John King, Jr., Laura Neuman and Jon Baron. (Robert R. Roberts/The Washington Informer)
ple Line light-rail project remain effective when private businesses manage the work under government regulations. The P3 model allows a lead contractor to work
Prince George’s County Council Candidates Participate in Forum William J. Ford WI Staff Writer
5 Edward Burroughs III. (Photo courtesy Edward Burroughs III Facebook page)
12 MARCH 17 - 23, 2022
A third group of Prince George’s County Council candidates participate in a virtual forum on criminal justice reform. The specific questions from Progressive Maryland’s Reentry Work Group dealt with policies to aid ex-offenders, or returning citizens coming home after serving time in jail or prison. Four candidates, Edward Burroughs III, Samuel Elira, Sr., Stanford Fraser and Krystal Oriadha, participated in the discussion Friday, March 11 seeking seats to represent council districts 7, 8, 9 and at-large. As of Friday, the state Board of Elections website shows 16 people have collectively filed to run in the three districts and the two at-large seats on the 11-member board. Burroughs, who became sworn in on the council Feb. 14 after winning a special election to represent District 8,
must run again in the June 28 primary because the term expires for the council member he replaced, Monique Anderson-Walker. So far, four other Democrats have filed paperwork to run for the seat. Oriadha, of Seat Pleasant, remains the only registered Democrat running for the District 7 seat. Council member Rodney Streeter of Hillcrest hasn’t officially filed documentation and the deadline closes Tuesday, March 22. Gary Falls, a registered Republican from Oxon Hill, represents the only registered Republican in the District 7 race. Council member Sydney Harrison of Upper Marlboro represents the area of the jurisdiction in District 9 known as “South County.” None of the three candidates seeking election in District 9 attended the forum
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with other entities to assume the risk by handling the design, finance and construction until a project becomes completed. “The problem in Maryland is the procurement process is so backward . . . so ineffective and so inefficient and it also lacks transparency,” Gansler said after the forum. “We need to revisit our procurement process so that minority-owned and women-owned businesses are at the table.” Primary Election Pushed Back Several hours before Tuesday’s forum, the Maryland Court of Appeals announced the primary election will be pushed back from June 28 to July 19. That means the deadline for candidates, previously set for Feb. 22 and postponed until Tuesday, March 22, has now been extended to April 15. The decision occurred on the same day Anne Arundel County Circuit Court heard challenges from the legislature’s decision to revamp the state’s Congressional districts. The Maryland Court of Appeals will hear testimony against the state legislative map on March 23. The appeals court decision didn’t sit well with former Prince George’s County Executive Rushern L. Baker III, a Democratic candidate for governor who didn’t attend Tuesday’s forum.
Baker expressed some of his thoughts on his Twitter page including whether the state and local election boards could secure personnel for the primary election in the summer. “This latest mess, which seems to happen on a regular basis here in Maryland, is a stark reminder that we need to reform the process by which our congressional and legislative district maps are chosen,” he said. “Because whichever side of the aisle you happen to be on, it's clear this isn't working for the people and does little but inspire confusion, resentment and apathy within our political system.” As for the forum, Baker and three other candidates were not in attendance: state Comptroller Peter Franchot; author and former nonprofit executive Wes Moore; and former Democratic National Party chair Tom Perez. Perez stayed home to rest after he tested positive for COVID-19 last week. Moore and his running mate, former Del. Aruna Miller of Montgomery County, released a transportation plan Monday that includes expansion of Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, converting the state’s fleet into electric vehicles and supporting the RedLine light rail project in Baltimore. WI @WJFjabariwill
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