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2014 Questionnaire
For Candidates Running for Local Government Office

Progressive Maryland is a grassroots advocacy organization that defends the interests of Marylands
working families. We have over 23,000 members and supporters statewide and over 40 of Marylands
strongest labor, civil rights, faith and like-minded organizations as affiliates. We maintain offices in
Silver Spring and Baltimore. Learn more at www.ProgressiveMaryland.org
Progressive Maryland supports candidates who favor a pro-working family agenda that builds a
strong middle class in Maryland. Elections can have an enormous impact on our work to reduce
income inequality and improve the lives of working families in Maryland. It is our responsibility to
advocate for working families by engaging in the political process and we do so utilizing our vast
membership base, electronic communications and professional door-to-door canvass.
To be considered for Progressive Marylands endorsement, please return the completed
questionnaire to our Executive Director Kate Planco Waybright at Kate@progressivemaryland.org no
later than noon on Monday, April 28, 2014. Your responses will be available to the public at
www.ProgressiveMaryland.org

Candidate Information
Candidate Last Name:
___________________________________________________________

Candidate First Name:
___________________________________________________________

Office Seeking:
___________________________________________________________
Samios-Uy
Jason
Baltimore County Council

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District:
___________________________________________________________
Party:
___________________________________________________________


Campaign Contact Information
Committee Name:
___________________________________________________________

Street Address:
___________________________________________________________

City:
___________________________________________________________

Zip Code:
___________________________________________________________

Business Phone:
___________________________________________________________
District 6
Republican
Jason Samios-Uy for County Council
5722 Emelia Avenue
Baltimore
21206
410-866-3036

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Fax:
___________________________________________________________

Campaign Website:
___________________________________________________________

Candidate Contact Information

Cell Phone:
___________________________________________________________

Email Address:
___________________________________________________________

Treasurer Contact Information
Treasurer Name:
___________________________________________________________

Street Address:
___________________________________________________________

www.jasonforbaltimore.com
H.S. Samios-Uy
5728 Emelia Avenue

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City:
___________________________________________________________

Zip Code:
___________________________________________________________

Phone:
___________________________________________________________

Candidate History
Previous Elected Offices:






Baltimore
21206
410-866-6423
N/A - First time running for public office.

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Which Years Did You Serve:

Have you ever received an endorsement from Progressive Maryland? YES_____ or NO_____
If Yes, when:





Have you ever assisted Progressive Maryland in achieving its goals? YES_____ or NO_____
Describe:




N/A
X
X
I've recently learned about your organization but after some research I see this organization is working
for fairness for all of the people of Maryland

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Major Endorsements (Elected Officials/Organizations/Opinion Leaders):

Issue Questions
1. The skyrocketing cost of campaigns gives wealthy individuals and large
corporations too much power in deciding who gets elected. Its time to
return that power to everyday voters. Do you support enacting a voluntary
public campaign finance system for elections at the local level?

YES_____ or NO_____
Comments:




2. Will you support passage of a Large Retailer Accountability Act which
would require that retail stores larger than 75,000 square feet pay a living
wage, provide adequate health benefits, and engage in first source hiring
agreements?

YES_____ or NO_____
X
As a candidate who's running a grass roots campaign, I don't see why it seems like those with big
budget accounts are those who are elected. People vote, not money. I want to talk with and meet the
people I'll be representing, not dollar bills. Public financing opens elections to more diversity and gives
those citizens who may not have access to big money but are interested in being a representative of
the people a fair chance at running for public office. It also promotes more involvement from the
constituents because they have more of a say. I fully support enacting a public campaign finance
system for elections at the local level.
X

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Comments:




3. Public employee collective bargaining rights, absent a comprehensive
law like the National Labor Relations Act for private sector workers, consist
of a patchwork of laws around the country and throughout the state of
Maryland. Being that the County Council and County Executive are
routinely asked to express support/opposition to pending legislation in
Annapolis, would you support legislation for a comprehensive public
employee collective bargaining law in Maryland?
YES_____ or NO_____
Comments:



4. Do you support legislation that would require final and binding arbitration
of all labor disputes by public employees?


YES_____ or NO_____
I am a supporter of local business and if a large retailer is taking away from local business, it can at
least hire locally and take care of those employees with adequate pay and health benefits. Fair is fair
and if a store is that large, it can probably afford to take care of its employees. If it doesn't want to do
that, we can use the space for smaller, local businesses.
I do not want to answer yes or no to this question of support. I would need to do more research and
speak with union representatives about comprehensive collective bargaining because there are many
good things I see that go along with it. For example, the distribution of information and community
involvement are great aspects of comprehensive public employee collective bargaining but then there
are questions I would like cleared up about individual vs. staff driven organizations and the expense
associated with comprehensive public employee collective bargaining.
X

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Comments:




5. Do you support requiring any businesses which receive public support,
in the form of industrial revenue bonds, enterprise zone benefits, tax
increment financing, tax breaks and the like, to provide jobs with living
wages and health benefits?

YES_____ or NO_____
Comments:




6. Once a contract agreement has been reached between a collective
bargaining agent and the county or other government entity, do you commit
to fully funding those contracts?

YES_____ or NO_____
Arbitration is the norm for labor disputes and it is more efficient that a drawn out court procedure.
Since is it final and binding, it's just as good and but as long as each party understands the decision of
the arbitrator (except in special cases) is final and cannot be overturned.
X
Businesses should be taking care of their employees, anyway, as the employees are what keep the
business running smoothly. It seems fair to me that if the business is saving money with tax breaks
and the like, the business must take care of the employees with that extra money.
X

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Comments:








7. Do you support legislation that requires any public entities to recognize a
union, providing that union submits authorization cards by a majority of
eligible members and that once a union is recognized, all persons covered
in the bargaining unit pay reasonable service fees, if they choose not to
belong to the recognized union?

YES_____ or NO_____
Comments:





If a contract agreement has been reached between a collective bargaining agent and the county or
other government entity, it would mean both parties are agreeable to the terms of the contract so I
would support full funding of a contract.
I cannot honestly answer yes or no to this question. Fair is fair and if a union is working to better the
workplace for all employees and if all employees are going to benefit, all employees should contribute.
However, I also believe each individual has the right to do what he or she feels best and if an
individual does not want to be a member of a union, he or she should not have to be or pay the dues
associated with the union because he or she didn't ask for the support. HOWEVER, I also believe the
union should NOT have to provide benefits to any non-union members who do no pay dues. As I
understand it, it is law in Maryland that unions must include non-union members in their collective
bargaining, whether or not that non-member wants to be included or not. I would support legislation
that states unions would not have to provide benefits or support to individuals who choose not to be a
member.

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Assisting Progressive Maryland & Allies

For the measures above that you have agreed to support would you be willing to:

Co-sponsor legislation? YES_____ or NO_____

Work with our lobbyists to pass a bill? YES_____ or NO_____

Testify at a hearing in support of legislation? YES_____ or NO_____

Speak at public events in support of legislation? YES_____ or NO_____

Write a letter in support of legislation? YES_____ or NO_____

Write an op-ed in support of legislation? YES_____ or NO_____

In order to build progressive grassroots organizations, would you be willing to help by:

X
X
X
X
X
X

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Speaking at Progressive Maryland events?

Urging employers to respect their employees right to form a union by
remaining neutral during a union campaign?

Urge employers to recognize a union voluntarily when the majority of their
employees choose to form a union?

Write a letter to unorganized workers endorsing an organizing drive by a
labor union?


Walk a picket line with a labor union?


YES_____ or NO_____

YES_____ or NO_____
YES_____ or NO_____

YES_____ or NO_____

YES_____ or NO_____


I could not answer yes or no to the last two questions as I believe my support would be on a case by
case basis. I would write a letter to unorganized workers endorsing an organizing drive by a labor
union if the company for which these people worked was really treating their employees unfairly but I
would have to research and gather information to see if this was the case and I would be more than
happy to forward the information I gained from research on to the workers for them to decide. The
same would apply for the last question. If a company was really treating it's employees unfairly and
employees had reasonable demands that were not being met or if a company broke the contract
between itself and the union, yes, I would walk a picket line with a labor union.
X
X
X