Maryland needs a leader like Brooke Lierman
This election cycle, Maryland LCV has endorsed more than 100 candidates for elected positions in the General Assembly, County Executive, and Statewide offices. These leaders will ensure Maryland’s future will be one that confronts climate change in a bold, just and equitable manner. The State Comptroller is key to these goals. With fresh ideas and a holistic and future-minded approach to the state’s fiscal health, Brooke Lierman is the best choice Marylanders have to meet the moment and deliver on climate policy through this office.
Fighting climate change is key to Maryland’s economic stability
Important election dates
- Nov. 1: Deadline to request a mail-in ballot from the State Board of Elections or your local board for the General Election
- Oct. 27- Nov. 3: Early voting for the General Election
- Nov. 8: General Election day! To vote in person on election days, vote at your assigned polling place
- Nov. 8: Mail-in ballots must be postmarked or placed in a designated ballot drop box by 8 pm for the General Election
Using climate change as a lens to determine the best places to invest the state pensions is not simply a policy preference; it is instrumental to responsible management of the investments of more than 400,000 hard working teachers, police, judges, and others who rely on their pensions to support themselves in their retirement. It is also state law, passed this year with bipartisan support from both chambers of the General Assembly and allowed to go into law by Governor Hogan. Even further than that, it is overwhelmingly what Marylanders expressed they want to see from state leadership. In a Goucher Poll released in June to inform voters ahead of the Primary elections, 71% of Maryland Democrats said environmental issues and climate change are a major concern – making it one of the top two issues for them this election – along with nearly a quarter of Maryland Republicans listing them as a major concern.
In contrast, NOT considering climate would be undeniably reckless, counterproductive to the goals set in the Climate Solutions Now Act, and against the guidance that is increasingly issued to investors based on significant data that shows the cost of not planning ahead. Thanks to her service for two years as chair of the House Subcommittee on Pensions Oversight, Lierman has a sophisticated and forward thinking understanding of the relationship between climate change and the economic health of our state and its citizens. This hands-on experience was a key reason Lierman won Maryland LCV’s first endorsement of 2022.
Maryland needs a Comptroller that moves beyond an old-fashioned approach to state tax dollars, which suggests that the decision of how to invest state funds is one dimensional. When every dollar is hard-earned, and every dollar can be spent in countless ways, where we choose to put our money reflects our priorities as a state.
Equally important is the transparency that we must seek from our state leaders, especially those in charge of the state pocket book. Delegate Lierman has provided pages of information detailing her priorities, and providing documentation and clarity on what she will do as Comptroller. In addition to being a consistent Green Champion (voting with for the environment 98 of the time) throughout her tenure and Maryland LCV’s Legislator of the Year in 2019 for her work in passing the nation’s first statewide ban on styrofoam, Lierman has been one of the most important voices in pushing for government transparency and accountability. This commitment has been clear throughout her campaign.
In electing Brooke Lierman, Marylanders can know exactly what they are getting, thanks to her transparency.
Maryland deserves a Comptroller who thinks broadly and compassionately about our state investments, as well as with a shrewd forward-thinking assessment about what will be the responsible choices not only now, but for the future generations of Marylanders who will have to deal with the consequences of the present offices actions, or inactions. We also deserve a Comptroller who is able to transparently and clearly communicate her decisions, work and vision.
Brooke Lierman is the clear choice for Maryland Comptroller.
Notes:
https://www.gartner.com/smarterwithgartner/the-esg-imperative-7-factors-for-finance-leaders-to-considerhttps://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/sustainability/our-insights/managing-the-net-zero-transition-actions-for-stakeholders
https://www.theatlantic.com/sponsored/morgan-stanley-2016/is-the-climate-changing-for-fossil-fuel-investments/1058/https://www.forbes.com/sites/mikescott/2018/03/08/1-6-trillion-of-investments-at-risk-if-fossil-fuel-firms-fail-to-heed-climate-targets/?sh=5b2a6462a031