Kate Stein – Democrat for Delegate

From Annapolis & the Campaign Trail: This Week’s Highlights

Dear Friends, Family, and Fellow Advocates,

As the Maryland legislature’s 90-day session winds down, I wanted to share a few personal campaign and legislative highlights from the week.

🗺️ From the Campaign Trail

🍦 Small Business Conversations at Chevy Chase Lake

On Saturday, I had the opportunity to speak with small business owners, employees, and craftspeople at Chevy Chase Lake, all gathered for the grand opening of the newest Sarah’s Homemade. Dogs, pie, pottery, craft-making, live music, and, of course, ice cream. Steve made a beeline for the pies.

🏪 Protecting Small Businesses & Renters

I learned that small businesses are grappling with many of the same rent and landlord issues that individuals and families face. Seeing a lot of vacant storefronts? Those empty storefronts may be the result of commercial rent increases forcing out tenants. As your delegate, I will fight for greater protections for individuals, families, and small businesses that rent — including stronger limits on rent increases and evictions.

I also spoke with several small business owners who still worked full-time jobs or were considering returning to employment, even though they are passionate about running their own businesses. There is too much bureaucracy and paperwork, and it all feels too precarious. We need to make it less difficult and less frightening to run a business. In Annapolis, I will fight for state enabling legislation that lowers the hurdles, reduces the paperwork, and improves access to affordable health benefits for entrepreneurs.

🏛️ Update from Annapolis

As a volunteer, I have had the privilege of leading advocacy this session on behalf of two organizations. I chair public policy for the Montgomery County Commission on Aging (CoA) and lead a team of passionate advocates for the Montgomery County Women’s Democratic Club (WDC). Both organizations supported several dozen bills this year.

Two bills are especially meaningful to me, as I both conceived of and led advocacy for them:

HB 1280 / SB 809

Sponsored by Delegate Wims and Senator King — authorizes and funds a feasibility study of a universal stipend for family caregivers of elderly individuals or people with disabilities.

HB 1356 / SB 857

Sponsored by Delegate Lopez and Senator Waldstreicher — would prohibit employers from firing employees for engaging in lawful speech and protest outside of work.

🎉 A Legislative Highlight: HB 1280 / SB 809 Passes Both Chambers

I felt real joy when I learned that HB 1280 / SB 809 has passed both chambers and is headed to the governor’s desk. Delegate Wims helped recruit Senator King, gave me the opportunity to pitch the bill, trusted me to recruit advocates, and engaged me in discussions with the Comptroller and the University of Maryland. He is my hero. We all testified about the hardships of caregiving and the impossible choices so many families face.

“Nearly 25% of adult Marylanders are providing care for a friend or family member at any given time.”

Daily, people ask: Do I quit my job to provide loving care? Do I work more hours and spend less time with my loved one? Do I move my mother to a nursing home? What are my choices?

Too many people face impossible choices: between caring for loved ones and earning a living, between healthcare and food, between rent and electricity. Meanwhile, the cost of living, rent, and taxes keep rising.

The impossible choices we face in Maryland are the result of choices made in Annapolis. We need different people who will make different choices. This is why I am running.

✊ If Elected, I Will Fight To:

› Prioritize the caregivers who keep our economy running
› Create social supports for innovators and entrepreneurs
› Protect small businesses and individuals from steep rent increases and eviction
› Protect workers’ rights to lawful speech and protest
› Incentivize the kind of development we want
› Invest in green energy and require large energy users to fund grid expansion
› Close the corporate tax loophole through which a third of Maryland’s wealthiest businesses pay no state taxes

📅 Join Us & Support the Campaign

If you are local — in District 18 or the wider county — you are invited to the next meet & greet on Tuesday, April 14, at 6 pm. Register here. If you can’t make this one, I hope to see you at the next. Please drop me a note if you have time to sign up to volunteer or are interested in hosting or co-hosting a meet & greet.

If you are not local and would like to contribute to the campaign, you can do so here via ActBlue. You do not need to be a resident of the district, county, or even state to donate. There is no public financing for state delegate elections. Individual campaign donations of any amount (up to the $6,000 individual limit per cycle) from within the United States are welcome and deeply appreciated.

Donate › RSVP – Apr 14 ›

Please share this with anyone you think might be interested in what I’m doing — or might be interested in supporting the campaign.

I’m always happy to hear from you and welcome your advice. While I have many years of experience and know how to get things done, this is the first time I have run for public office.

With gratitude,

Kate

Democratic Candidate for Delegate, District 18
202.294.5141  |  www.katesteind18.com

Dignity  ·  Fairness  ·  Family  ·  Community

By Authority: Kate Stein for D18. Deborah Williams, Treasurer.