This evening marks Maryland LCV’s 16th annual Environmental Leadership Awards. Tonight’s honorees have demonstrated that the best way to empower everyday citizens is to build greener, more sustainable communities throughout Maryland. Likewise, the best way to restore power to voters in our elections is to get money out, and the solution for Howard County is Question A.
Question A is a microcosm the for public campaign funding movement swelling throughout the country. Led by Howard County Councilmember sponsors Jen Terrasa and Jon Weinstein, Howard County Council sent the proposed amendment to the county charter to the ballot last March. If Question A passes on November 8th, The Citizens’ Election Fund would become the second public campaign funding system for local elections in the state of Maryland and the first in the country to appear on the ballot all by itself.
We all can agree that elected officials are more accountable to the interests of voters when they are not beholding to corporate and big dollar campaign donors. Maryland LCV believes that protecting the environment means increasing government responsiveness to the concerns of voters, especially at the local level. That is why Maryland LCV is fully invested in scoring a win in Howard County this fall (#HoCoYesOnA) and building capacity for Howard County electeds to lead on the environment, just like the honorees of the 2016 Environmental Leadership Awards.
Cheers,
Devon Hawkins-Anderson