Delegate Jon S. Cardin

As a legislator, one of my priorities is to listen to my constituents and recognize the concerns that they are facing every day. It is clear to me that creating and maintaining jobs are critical issues for families in our Northwest Baltimore County community and throughout our state.

While Maryland is faring better than most states in our nation (over 2% lower than the national average) that matters little to the person who is struggling to find employment. Putting people back to work is job #1 this session.

I am proud to co-sponsor Governor O'Malley's Job Creation Tax Credit proposal as a means to create new jobs in our state. This legislation provides for a business to receive a $3,000 credit for every unemployed Marylander that it hires. Once this program is fully implemented, it will account for up to 6,700 Marylanders returning to work.

The Governor's proposals are aimed at strengthening small businesses. Baltimore County's small businesses are an important engine for creating jobs to bring our region through the national recession. By supporting these entrepreneurs, our state is supporting the big business of tomorrow.

Your state government also recognizes that the "green economy" is the next frontier for job creation. America aims to be the leader of this green revolution and Maryland is poised to be the leading state in our nation. I am also a co-sponsor of the tax credit for the next generation of electric vehicles, of which the transmissions will be built right here in Baltimore County.

To the same ends, I support the proposal to accelerate Maryland's Solar Renewable Portfolio Standards requirements, which I believe will result in more residential and commercial solar installation - more jobs, more energy savings. This in turn will create new, skilled employment opportunities in this green industry. In addition, I support the reauthorization of the Renewable Energy Production tax credit and legislation to enhance the feasibility of the production of off-shore wind energy in Maryland.

By supporting all of these measures I am confident that we will create high paying, high-tech jobs in the short term that will lead to lasting long term benefits for our economy and our environment.

On Saturday, January 30, I will jump into the Chesapeake at the Maryland Special Olympics Polar Bear Plunge. I look forward to joining some of you in the water at Sandy Point State Park for this terrific annual event. For those not plunging, I would be honored if you contacted my office to learn how to sponsor the plunge.

I had the opportunity to meet with a number of groups this week to learn about my constituents' views on important issues. It was great to meet with Maryland's Clerks of the Court, Registers of Wills, Chiefs of Police, Sheriffs and Fireman. I also visited with realtors, MDSPCA, UMD at Baltimore medical and law students, soil conservationists and the MD Hospital Association.