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Ben Jealous' issues

What he would focus on if he were Governor
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Ben Jealous is a civil rights leader, community organizer, educator, investor and Rhodes Scholar. Below are the following issues Ben Jealous has outlined he will focus on. You can see more in-depth information on his website by clicking here

Education

  • Wants to raise teacher pay 29%
  • Fund full-day universal Pre-K by legalizing and taxing marijuana for adult use
  • Prioritize funding for Maryland's most impoverished districts and fight concentrated poverty through community schools
  • Force Annapolis to keep its promise about using casino and lottery money to increase education spending. 

Medicare For All

  • Wants to implement a Medicare-For-All System in Maryland
  • Stop rising premiums 
  • Negotiate with pharmaceutical companies to lower drug prices

Criminal Justice

  • Create Gun Courts which will identify strong cases so high-risk repeat offenders are dealt with quickly
  • Expanding the Justice Reinvestment Act to reduce the prison population by 30 percent which would save up to $600 million
  • End cash bail in Maryland
  • Legalize Marijuana for adult use

Ending The Student Debt Crisis

  • Make community college free for all Marylanders
  • Make all four-year public institutions debt-free for Marylanders
  • Establish a program which would allow those with debt to refinance their loans
  • Restore and protect Maryland's historically black colleges and universities

Police Reform

  • Pass hearing board reforms that would make voting civilians would be in charge of reviewing police misconduct complaints. 
  • End Nondisclosure Agreements for Police Misconduct Settlements
  • Reform the Law Enforcement Officers Bill of Rights so allegations of police brutality are investigated no matter the filing date
  • Create a Special Prosecutor's Office with oversight of all cases of alleged police misconduct
  • Create a Public Database for Officer Use of Force so they are easily accessible and searchable to the public

Great Cities: A Vision for Maryland's Future

  • Close the wealth, pay, and opportunity gaps
  • Invest in infrastructure and the built environment
  • Expand housing and community development
  • Expand equitable opportunity in key growth industries
  • Invest in youth and their career pathways

Opioid Crisis

  • Devote an additional $2 million in funding to buy more Naloxone for public health professionals and public spaces that need it most
  • Expand the number of 24/7 crisis centers
  • Create and fund Overdose Outreach Teams in more areas
  • Target the manufacturers and pill mills that created this problem
  • Create a state Office of Pain Management, Addiction, and Recovery

Jobs

  • Raise the minimum wage to $15 
  • Ensure all Marylanders have access to high-speed internet
  • Debt free college

Civil Rights

  • Ensure prisoners returning society have the opportunity to access employment
  • Develop a state procurement and employment process that is inclusive to all
  • Protect and expand protects to LGBTQ
  • Ensure Maryland leads the nation in fostering Women and Minority Business Enterprises (WMBEs)

Immigration

  • Wants to pass the TRUST Act to keep law enforcement focused on public safety rather than immigration
  • Defend DREAMers
  • Celebrate every Marylander who becomes a citizen
  • Make Maryland a welcoming state to refugees

Environment

  • Set a deadline for 100% clean and renewable energy
  • Return Maryland's focus on smart growth so we develop without encroaching on environmentally important areas
  • Make sure no community is disproportionately impacted by pollution and integrate environmental justice policies

Seniors

  • Increase staffing to combat elder abuse
  • End senior home losses from water bills and property taxes
  • Ensure affordable prescriptions and home care with Medicare-for-All
  • Create a database and training program for best care practices around the state
  • Help family caregivers build community and networks of support