Brian Feldman (D), a 41-year-old Potomac resident who has never before held public office, will be representing the 15th district in the General Assembly.
Like many of the legislators heading to Annapolis this week, Feldman will have one main concern.
“The overarching issue of the day in the next session will be the budget,” Feldman said.
He is concerned with the magnitude of the shortfall. “This is the worst fiscal crisis in at least a decade — probably longer,” Feldman said. Feldman says he is up to the challenge noting his experience as a tax attorney.
“I campaigned on my fiscal experience,” he said.
He hopes to work with the other members of the District’s delegation to maintain programs in the county. “My highest priority is to keep the gains we’ve made in District 15 and in Montgomery County,” he said.
Feldman’s concerns stem partly from the election results — and Governor-elect Robert Ehrlich’s relatively weak support in this area. “We have a Governor-elect that may not feel any debt to the county in terms of his election,” he said.
He expects the issue to be felt at the local level as well. “Given the big budget crunch we face, all the local governments are faced with potential cuts from the state,” he said.
Transportation is an area of concern, with many proposed projects, but not many dollars to implement them. “What sometimes gets lost is that the federal government plays a large role in funding transportation projects,” Feldman said.
However, the federal government is having fiscal problems of its own.
“The federal government is simply not going to fund a lot of large projects,” Feldman said. He believes that the state must pick one or two of the top priorities and seek funding for those.
“If we bicker, it’s going to put us at a disadvantage,” Feldman said. Other areas of the country seeking the same funds may present a more united front.
Feldman is also concerned with other non-budgetary matters. “There are issues like gun control and abortion rights where there are potential conflicts,” he said. Feldman believes that Ehrlich’s (R) beliefs on these issues may be in conflict with those of the majority of Montgomery County’s residents.
The new delegate will sit on the Economic Matters Committee. The committee will discuss economic development issues, consumer protection, public utilities and real estate, among other issues.
According to Feldman, the Commerce and Government Matters Committee has been eliminated and his new committee may absorb some of its areas of responsibility.