Glassman, Lierman make their case to be Maryland’s next comptroller – Maryland Matters

In probably the most aggressive races in Maryland, the 2 candidates for state comptroller started a digital discussion board Thursday with a civics lesson.

Del. Brooke Lierman (D-Baltimore Metropolis) and Harford County Govt Barry Glassman (R) talked about how the comptroller is one in all three impartial elected officers statewide, sits on varied boards, and serves because the state’s tax collector.

“Our state comptroller is greater than only a bean counter,” Lierman stated. “It’s an workplace that’s uniquely located because the elected [chief financial officer] to concentrate on the financial challenges and the income-based points that we face as a state.”

Glassman, who touted his 30-year expertise in public workplace, calls the comptroller “the taxpayers’ consultant.”

“It’s a very technical, fiscal fiduciary position. We’d like expertise to do this,” he stated.

The workplace will see a brand new face after Comptroller Peter Franchot (D), who’s held the seat job January 2007, unsuccessfully sought the Democratic nomination for governor.

Lierman, 43, seeks to turn into the primary lady ever elected to the place.

If elected, Glassman, 60 can be the primary Republican comptroller in 122 years.

Throughout the one-hour discussion board, sponsored by the League of Ladies Voters of Maryland and a number of other different organizations, a number of variations surfaced.

Requested whether or not state authorities ought to think about the social and environmental impacts of firms it invests in and whether or not the state’s pension funds ought to divest from fossil gasoline pursuits, Glassman stated the main target ought to stay on funding return for workers and that coverage shouldn’t be altered primarily based on political whims.

“I don’t assume a carbon impartial or a brand new coverage comparable to that’s in all probability practical going ahead,” he stated. The aim, he stated, needs to be to ensure the “pension fund is safe for our staff.”

Lierman, who co-chairs the Normal Meeting’s Joint Committee on Pensions, stated the legislature divested from Russia after the nation invaded Ukraine this 12 months.

She stated the committee additionally decided that “local weather danger is funding danger. The Maryland state retirement and pension system wants to think about the impression of local weather change on funding danger and monitor our internet zero-line investments in local weather options to make sure the long-terms sustainability of our funding portfolio.”

As for the Hogan administration’s proposed undertaking to widen Interstate 495 and 270 utilizing toll lanes to finance the work, Lierman stated the undertaking, one in all a number of high-profile public-private infrastructure preparations, lacked “strong” accountability.

Glassman stated he helps the governor’s plan to widen the highways, particularly now that he’s been “baptized within the visitors round our Capital Beltway throughout this marketing campaign.”

“I perceive in procurement there’s some challenges. As soon as these technical challenges are solved, or resolved, I do assume [the Board of Public Works] ought to transfer forward and approve these [plans],” he stated. “Notably the place we’re with inflation, labor shortages and merchandise, day-after-day you wait the price goes up.”

Glassman and Lierman did agree the procurement course of needs to be streamlined to permit for extra minority-owned and women-owned companies to take part in greater contracts. As well as, the candidates stated the states ought to enhance the digital infrastructure to ensure these firms can obtain well timed bids on initiatives.

As they provided closing remarks, the candidates summarized their endorsements.

For Glassman: the governor, Maryland Farm Bureau and Fraternal Order of Police.

For Lierman: Democratic gubernatorial candidate Wes Moore and his operating mate, former Del. Aruna Miller, U.S. Rep. Anthony Brown, who’s operating for Maryland legal professional common, plus environmental teams and arranged labor.

The Schaefer Middle for Public Coverage on the College of Baltimore hosted the discussion board on-line. Co-sponsors had been Maryland Issues, League of Girl Voters of Maryland, Maryland Reporter, Maryland Nonprofits and Maryland Latinos Unidos.

A video of the comptroller discussion board shall be posted on-line on the Schaefer Middle’s YouTube web page in a number of days.