Affordability

Let’s work together to make life affordable again.

What’s too expensive? Everything!

We used to be a nation where families could get by on a single income. Now, two working adults together can barely afford rent in Southern Maryland. Families with children struggle to pay for medical bills and child care, and investments in our children’s future – like purchasing a home, or saving for college tuition – aren’t even making the list. Marylanders need help now. We need practical solutions to build more affordable housing, strengthen our health care options, and provide child care and nutrition support to Southern Maryland families.

Need help now?

As District 29’s State Senator, Chuck will develop Maryland policies to support our quality of life now and for the future. As an innovator, he is committed to building tools that connect residents to services they can use right now. If you need help, click below to learn more — and stay tuned as we continue to build more tools and services to help you find community resources.

Affordable Housing

Driving through St. Mary’s and Calvert counties, it’s easy to wonder why Southern Maryland is building yet another gas station or big box store, while affordable housing here seems like a myth. The reason is simple: Check out this picture of the actual process of approving affordable housing for residents of St. Mary’s County. (Calvert County zoning ordinance forbids many types of affordable housing entirely.)

Maryland’s most recent law to support affordable housing addressed big city problems, but allows overly complex processes like this to continue in rural areas. If we want to attract new residents to Southern Maryland and keep our talented young people local, we need state laws that encourage local governments to prioritize housing for young families.

Other states have successfully addressed housing needs by using technology to simplify permitting processes and by providing builder incentives that help even rural communities thrive. Sustainable community growth is a living cycle that starts with affordable housing.

Food Security

Did you know that food-producing farms in Southern Maryland create more than $158 million dollars in revenue? Southern Maryland is a place full of delicious food and hardworking farm families. Meanwhile, 1 out of 10 families in District 29 aren’t sure if they’ll have enough to eat every day. Chuck wants to implement free breakfasts and lunches for every child, which will bring down grocery costs for the whole community. Chuck also wants to encourage local business by increasing government support for farmer’s markets, connecting farm produce to school lunches, supporting Right to Repair laws for farm equipment, and expanding Southern Maryland capacity for food production and preservation. We can grow it here, eat it here, prepare it here, and feed everyone – let’s look for ways to expand food options for Southern Maryland and make food affordable for all.

Medical Expenses

Medical monopolies are driving up the cost of health care, and Southern Maryland is taking the brunt of it with fewer providers, long wait times, and underfunded hospitals. When there aren’t enough providers and when costs are high, Marylanders wait to seek medical attention until their health issues are urgent, which makes the costs even higher. Chuck wants to attract health care providers to Southern Maryland by providing tax cuts and a high quality of life to our people. Chuck also plans on working with the Maryland Citizen’s Health Initiative to explore innovative ways to lower healthcare costs for Maryland residents.

Veterans

As a disabled veteran himself, Chuck has experienced some of the challenges of transitioning from military to civilian life. More than 30% of those who have served our country have a disability, and Chuck knows firsthand the frustration of having specialty care cancelled due to lack of availability in rural Southern Maryland. Veterans also have an increased risk of suicide and untreated mental health concerns: across the country, nearly 22 veterans commit suicide every day. Addressing the needs of veterans helps everyone in our community. We need to expand Southern Maryland’s health resources, prioritize mental health screenings and services, and provide interpersonal connection opportunities for Southern Maryland residents to help our veterans thrive.

Child Care

Across the United States, child care is experiencing a “market collapse:” it’s more expensive than ever, but those who nurture our children are paid less than some gas station attendants. New Mexico recently made all child care free. Is this possible for Maryland? Chuck wants to find out. Let’s invest in our future by investing in children: Healthy, nurtured children grow into happy, engaged adults who give back to their communities, and everyone wins.

Secondary Education

Maryland Community College Promise has a program which can provide last-dollar scholarships to all students from any family making less than $150K per year. That means 63% of District 29’s families are eligible for potentially free college tuition! Chuck wants to make sure that the Colleges of Southern Maryland and other Community Colleges across the State can continue to provide a strong education for any student who wants to attend. But college isn’t for everyone, so Chuck also wants to boost CSM’s phenomenal trade school programs so we can continue to grow all kinds of skilled workers in our region. Let’s explore how to continue to reduce the cost burden of college and trade schools for ALL families, as improved educational outcomes are an investment in our future that pays dividends for both the student and the community across a lifetime. Let’s learn and grow together to make our community stronger.

Your Voice Moves Maryland Forward

Every issue you explore helps shape a stronger future for District 29. Keep learning about the challenges and opportunities ahead — or join our campaign by contributing today.