Democrats' Progressive Agenda to Focus on Lifting Maryland's Middle Class

Maryland’s Democrats are standing with the state’s middle class this legislative session, leaders said Tuesday morning as they unveiled a legislative priorities package that includes a $15 minimum wage, increased child care credits and reforming health care.

“We think these pieces of legislation build a stronger middle class here in the state of Maryland and that’s what we’re all about,” House Speaker Michael E. Busch (D-Anne Arundel) said at a news conference.

Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. (D-Calvert) said that while Maryland voters had re-elected Republican Gov. Lawrence J. Hogan Jr. in November, they also elected a more progressive and more Democratic legislature with a mandate to pursue progressive policies.

“We think we have a mandate to move forward for middle class and working Marylanders,” Miller said, adding that Democratic leadership would work with the governor on some of his priorities as well, including on economic development programs for poor neighborhoods and tougher criminal sentencing laws for repeat offenders.

Read more: https://www.marylandmatters.org/2019/01/29/democrats-progressive-agenda-to-focus-on-lifting-marylands-middle-class/