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College student asseses District 39 race

Wednesday, July 26, 2006

For more of your opinions, go to www.gazette.net/letters.

Brent Hay, Montgomery Village

I am a college freshman and a newly registered voter. Since 2006 will be my first chance ever to vote, I have been actively researching the records of all my elected officials, most of which I am pleased by. However, the more I learn about my incumbent state delegate, Joan Stern, the more I wonder about her quality and effectiveness as a legislator.

*During the 1999 legislative session, Stern voted for electricity deregulation (HB 335). Our skyrocketing electricity bills today can be directly traced to that vote.

*In 2002, she was among the sponsors of the ‘‘Ferret Protection Act” (HB 1359). With all due respect to ferrets, can’t she find more important issues to address?

*This year, when we had so many pressing issues in Montgomery County, Stern spent her time in Annapolis trying to make government less accountable to the citizenry by making it harder to petition for ballot questions (MC 604).

*On May 10, a Gazette headline declared, ‘‘Stern dumped from party’s slate for state legislature.” Charles Barkley, fellow District 39 delegate said that Stern was not really a team player. ‘‘She’s being dropped,” said Barkley ... ‘‘I would say it just was not working as a team. I think the three of us (Hogan, King and Barkley) really work well as a team, but not the four of us.”

Now more than ever, residents of District 39 need a strong, effective leader in Annapolis. We need a team player who will reflect the will of the people and provider superb leadership. As for myself, I’ll be taking a serious look at candidates other than Joan Stern.