Legum has campaigned hard to convince voters he can do the job. The attorney has shown both enterprise and a solid understanding of state issues. He wants to fast-track state permits and reduce unemployment insurance to revitalize small businesses. Instead of offering vague ideas on cutting government expenses, he is proposing four-day workweeks and zero-based budgeting.

You can read the full endorsement here.

Our campaign has also been endorsed by the League of Conservation Voters, the Sierra Club and the Teachers Association of Anne Arundel County.

I believe that, even in times of economic uncertainty, we must continue to invest in our public schools system. It is the foundation of all future economic growth.

We also need to focus more time and resources in the classroom, establish real standards and accountability for students and schools, better training and pay for teachers, and stronger links between schools and the communities they serve.

I’m proud that Maryland’s teachers have confidence that I can get the job done.

• Payroll tax holiday. Suspend or reduce for the emergency period, say one year, the Social Security payroll tax on workers.

• Accelerated or full expensing of business investment. Economists differ about its success on past occasions, and certainly it involves a degree of pulling forward investment that would have happened eventually. But it seems well matched to the current situation where so much money is cowering on the sidelines, and a burst of new investment might jump-start growth that enables more investment in the future.

Some of his ideas I oppose strongly:

• A “freedom window.” Might we try some sort of regulatory forbearance period in which the job-killing practice of agonizingly slow environmental permitting is suspended, perhaps in favor of a self-certification safe harbor process?

I think the recent oil spill in the Gulf illustrates the danger in taking short cuts on environmental permitting.

But with unemployment over 9% nationally and over 7% in Maryland we certainly need a more aggressive effort to get people back to work. I don’t believe good ideas come with a party label.

Among the four Democrats, we support the two incumbents – House Speaker Michael E. Busch and Del. Virginia Clagett – and political newcomer Judd Legum… Legum, an attorney, is committed to restoring the environment and serves on the Severn River Commission.

You can read more about my views on the environment here.

If you’d like to get involved in the campaign email volunteer@juddlegum.com.

So how do citizens get a louder voice?

The first step is getting more people out to vote. There is a huge opportunity in this year’s election to increase participation across the board, early voting. Starting Friday at 10AM, you can vote early at a variety of locations around Anne Arundel County.

Here are the two that are most convenient to residents of District 30:

Annapolis Senior Activity Center
119 South Villa Avenue
Annapolis, MD 21401 [Map]

Edgewater Library
25 Stepneys Lane
Edgewater, MD 21037 [Map]

The polls will be open from 10AM to 8PM on Friday, September 3 through Thursday, September 9 (except for Sunday, September 5 when early voting centers are closed.)

Everyone should vote early. You may think you will be able to vote on Election Day (September 14) but your kid could get sick or you might have to stay late at work. Bank your vote now and no matter what happens, your voice will be heard.

If you are reading this blog post, I’m fairly confident that, one way or another, you’ll be voting. But make sure to tell all your friends, family and neighbors about early voting.

While you are at it, tell them to vote for Judd Legum for Delegate!

Legum For Delegate Raises $0 From State Lobbyists and PACs
Campaign has collected over $107,000 in total contributions this cycle

Judd Legum, candidate for State Delegate in Maryland’s District 30, reported raising $0 from state lobbyists and PACs for the period ending August 10. “Government should work for the people they represent, not for the special interests who line their pockets,” Legum said, “I have never taken money from state lobbyists or PACs, and I never will.”

Legum is the only candidate running in District 30 who has pledged to refuse contributions from state lobbyists and PACs.

Overall, Legum has raised $107,579.82 in total contributions including $98,927.26 in monetary contributions and $8,652.56 in in-kind contributions. As of the August 10 reporting date, the campaign maintained over $81,000 cash on hand.

The totals include robust and enthusiastic support in Maryland. The campaign has received 453 contributions from 314 individual Marylanders. About two-thirds of the contributions from Maryland came from within the boundaries of District 30.

This campaign is powered by individuals. If you want to get involved, sign up to volunteer here.

COLLEGE PARK – Swimming in the rivers that feed the Chesapeake Bay after a hard rain could be as hazardous to your health as hopping into an unflushed toilet.

At least that is the key finding of a water quality experiment conducted last month by reporters at the University of Maryland working for News21, a national consortium of journalism schools.

The team took water samples before and after significant rainfall at seven beaches and recreation spots along five rivers that feed the Chesapeake Bay, including two in Anne Arundel County.

Their goal was to gauge the impact of stormwater – one of the fastest-growing pollution sources in the Chesapeake Bay – on bacteria levels in the water

You can find more information about stormwater, including steps you can take to limit stormwater runoff from your property, here.

Annapolis, Md. – Today, two of the state’s leading environmental organizations, the Maryland League of Conservation Voters and the Sierra Club, endorsed Judd Legum for the House of Delegates in District 30.

Legum is the only challenger not running for an open House seat to be endorsed by both organizations.

“Judd Legum is an exciting new leader who will bring fresh energy and perspective to the General Assembly and the fight to restore the Chesapeake Bay and protect our natural resources,” said Cindy Schwartz, Executive Director of the Maryland League of Conservation voters, “We are impressed with his understanding of and commitment to environmental issues. The Maryland League of Conservation Voters enthusiastically endorses his candidacy.”

David Prosten, chair of the Anne Arundel Sierra Club, said, “Judd Legum has a thoughtful and well-articulated understanding of environmental issues and clearly views the health of the Bay and its tributaries as a top priority. He understands the nexus of land use, transportation and other concerns that have an impact on our quality of life. He deserves the support of every voter.”

“I’m running because the next four years represent the best – and possibly last – chance to make real progress in restoring the Chesapeake Bay to health,” said Legum, “I’m proud to have the support of two organizations who care so deeply and work so hard to protect the Bay and our environment.”

Legum is currently an Annapolis Representative to the Severn River Commission, a joint body of the City of Annapolis and Anne Arundel County, charged with providing advice to protect the Severn River Watershed.

The Maryland League of Conservation Voters and the Maryland Sierra Club represent tens of thousands of members throughout Maryland.

There is no silver bullet, but there are some fresh approaches to transportation that hold promise. One idea I’d put near the top of the list is called Complete Streets.

What is a Complete Street? Here is a definition from the National Coalition for Complete Streets:

Complete streets are designed and operated to enable safe access for all users. Pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists and transit riders of all ages and abilities must be able to safely move along and across a complete street.

Creating complete streets means transportation agencies must change their orientation toward building primarily for cars. Instituting a complete streets policy ensures that transportation agencies routinely design and operate the entire right of way to enable safe access for all users. Places with complete streets policies are making sure that their streets and roads work for drivers, transit users, pedestrians, and bicyclists, as well as for older people, children, and people with disabilities.

A complete street can mean different things in different places. In a city, a complete street may include a sidewalk, pedestrian crossings, a bike lane and a bus lane. In a rural area a complete street might simply have a well defined shoulder for biking and walking.

How can Complete Streets help tackle traffic congestion?

Designing streets only for automobiles reduces opportunities for safe travel choices that can ease traffic congestion: walking, bicycling, and taking public transportation. Americans drove almost three trillion miles in 2008, and many of those trips were very short. Half of all trips are three miles or less and 28% are one mile or less.

…Currently, short bicycling and walking trips account for 23 billion miles traveled annually. Shifting even a small portion of travelers out of single occupancy vehicles can have a big effect on congestion. In 2008, when national vehicle miles traveled (VMT) dropped by 3.6% , congestion plunged 30% in the nation’s 100 most congested areas.

Complete Streets can also reduce traffic accidents, improve air quality and help children get physical activity and gain independence.

In 2000, Maryland became one of a handful of states to adopt a Complete Streets policy. But there has not been adequate follow through. A 2009 study found Maryland “ranks 49th among the 50 states in per capita spending of federal transportation funds on bicycling and walking projects. The study puts Maryland’s per capita spending on such projects at 45 cents – compared with a national average of $1.46.”

We need to strengthen our policy and invest in Complete Streets throughout Maryland. (In Annapolis, Forrest Drive would be prime candidate.) Although state transpiration dollars are scarce, this is an area where federal grant money could be available.