Del. Brooke E. Lierman, a Democrat from Baltimore, and Harford County Govt Barry Glassman, a Republican, are presenting dueling visions of the job of comptroller to voters within the closing days of the marketing campaign.
Maryland
In Maryland comptroller race, two views of the same job
Whereas Glassman sees the function of Maryland’s chief monetary officer as a nonpartisan test on a authorities run principally by Democrats, Lierman mentioned she hopes to make use of the place to advance values she feels are shared by most residents.
They’re vying to interchange Peter Franchot, who has been comptroller since 2006 however stepped down this 12 months to run unsuccessfully for the Democratic nomination for governor. The comptroller serves four-year phrases and, in contrast to the governor, shouldn’t be restricted to 2 phrases.
If elected, Lierman could be the primary lady independently elected to the statewide workplace in Maryland on a ticket poised to make historical past with the state’s first Black governor and legal professional normal on the poll, alongside a candidate for lieutenant governor who could be the primary immigrant and Asian American to carry statewide workplace.
Extra low key in temperament and beliefs than the remainder of the statewide Republican slate, Glassman is operating as a mainstream conservative with a coveted endorsement. Gov. Larry Hogan (R) minimize his solely marketing campaign advert this cycle for Glassman, portraying them because the “center males” strolling down the middle of a rustic highway earlier than hopping in a pale yellow convertible, license plate: “Middlemen.”
Glassman mentioned he wrote in Hogan for president slightly than vote to reelect President Donald Trump in 2020 and, in contrast to Republican gubernatorial candidate Dan Cox, Glassman by no means disputed the results of that election.
“Clearly, what I imagine in shouldn’t be according to folks on the ticket,” he mentioned in a telephone interview Wednesday, of a lineup that additionally consists of legal professional normal candidate Michael Peroutka. Peroutka has mentioned that if elected, he wouldn’t help legal guidelines enacted by the legislature if he believes they’re in battle along with his understanding of God’s legislation.
Democrats, nonetheless, say Glassman’s voting file on weapons, abortion and environmental coverage over 16 years within the state Home of Delegates and state Senate present he’s extra conservative than he would really like voters within the blue state to imagine.
“My opponent is aware of that his political opinions are exterior the mainstream, so his technique is to fake that the job of comptroller is only a bean counter slightly than an workplace that’s uniquely located to assist sort out the financial challenges that households and small companies are going through,” Lierman mentioned in a telephone interview Thursday.
The state comptroller, referred to as the state’s chief monetary officer or accountant, collects about $16 billion yearly in taxes, together with taxes on particular person and enterprise revenue, gross sales, gasoline, alcohol and tobacco. The workplace additionally handles info expertise for the state, paying the state’s payments and worker paychecks. The company has 1,100 workers and a funds of $110 million.
As comptroller, Lierman mentioned she would modernize the workplace by upgrading expertise to assist small enterprise house owners pay taxes extra effectively, and attain out to households and seniors who’re eligible for however not but receiving tax credit.
“That cash may also help these households construct monetary resilience,” she mentioned. “Particularly in these difficult occasions with inflation, households are counting their {dollars}, and we want to ensure the comptroller’s workplace is their advocate.”
Glassman mentioned he wished to run for comptroller as a result of he sees the function as largely bipartisan and would use his vote on the highly effective Board of Public Works to vet contracts and depart policymaking as much as the legislature.
“As comptroller, I’m going to comply with state legislation,” he mentioned.
Lierman, co-chair of the particular joint committee on pensions within the legislature, mentioned she would watchdog state pension fund investments in firms which might be prone to the damaging impacts of local weather change.
“We are able to’t bury our head within the sand,” she mentioned. “We’ve got to be good and comply with the market and safe our pension fund in order that it continues to get a robust return.”
Glassman mentioned he would regulate the state’s funding portfolio in uncommon circumstances.
“You’ve obtained to have a look at return and be cognizant of the truth that you’re dealing with pension funds that actually a whole bunch of hundreds of lecturers will depend on for years to come back,” he mentioned. “I’d not politicize investments.”
Glassman, who mentioned he doesn’t have the marketing campaign funds to promote as a lot as Lierman, mentioned a Washington Publish endorsement gave his marketing campaign a lift. (The Washington Publish’s editorial and opinions divisions are separate.)
Lierman downplayed the worth of partisan stability, pointing to former Democratic comptroller Louis L. Goldstein, whose four-decade stint as comptroller principally coincided with Democratic management of state authorities.
“He by no means had an issue calling out waste, fraud and abuse, and neither will I,” she mentioned.
Lierman, 43, lives within the Fells Level neighborhood and works as a civil rights and incapacity lawyer on the Baltimore agency Brown, Goldstein & Levy. She has a bachelor’s diploma from Dartmouth School and a legislation diploma from the College of Texas at Austin College of Legislation. She has served two phrases within the Home and bested Bowie Mayor Tim Adams for the Democratic nomination for comptroller.
Glassman, 60, was born and raised in Harford County, a traditionally rural county that has develop into extra suburban, on a farm and served as a volunteer firefighter and EMT earlier than incomes a bachelor’s diploma from Washington School in Chestertown. He raised sheep for many years and continues to be energetic in 4-H applications.
He labored in insurance coverage for Baltimore Fuel and Electrical whereas serving within the legislature and retired to run for county govt in 2014. Beneath his management, Glassman mentioned the county grew its surplus, gave seniors a tax break and maintains a totally funded pension fund. He beforehand served as president of the Maryland Affiliation of Counties.
Glassman mentioned lots of the land use and coverage questions raised on the county stage are nonpartisan, making ready him to hold out what he sees because the duties of comptroller. For him, the race boils all the way down to the “query of stability.”