Candidate name: Bill Askinazi

Party affiliation: Republican

Place of residence: Potomac

Date of birth: April 28, 1958

Place of birth: New York, New York

Current occupation: Retired electrical engineer

Education: J.D., Georgetown Law; M.B.A., University of Connecticut,; B.A., Exeter University, Devon, England (non-degree, comparative governments)

Community associations, involvement: Maryland-India Business Roundtable, Founder and Board member; Asian Heritage Center Foundation for Maryland, Co-Founder ; Republican Jewish Coalition, Board of Governors (2000-06); Advisory Board, Germantown-Greater Gaithersburg Chamber of Commerce, Board of Directors, Legal Counsel (1996;1997) Legislative Affairs Chair, (1996, 1997); Circle of Hope Therapeutic Riding Non-Profit, Former Board of Directors; Potomac Boys Club, Baseball and Montgomery County Rec Basketball Coach and 2002 Champion Team (l996-2004); Montgomery County Schools Career Day Activist (1995-2004); Maryland VIP CEO Business Roundtable (1996; 1997); Organizer and Counsel to Entertainment Farming, Inc. Civil War Reenactment benefiting 501(c) (3) historical preservation charity; Organizer and host for ‘‘Legislative Reception ” at Loews Hotel in Annapolis for all Maryland Legislators; Community Activist for ‘‘Fairness in School Boundary Redistricting” (l997); Member and Volunteer: Montgomery County Tourist and Visitors Bureau (l997); American Heart Ass’n Volunteer; Adopt-A-Road sponsor and local clean-up coordinator (2001-present);

Professional associations: Admitted to Bars of Maryland, Connecticut; District of Columbia ; U.S. Ct. App. (2d Cir.); U.S. Dist. Ct. (Conn.); U.S. Dist. Ct. (Md.); U.S. Supreme Court. Member, Presidential Appointment, Merit Awards Panel (2006);

Leadership Montgomery; Greater Washington Initiative (GWI Business Region); Greater Baltimore Alliance, Advisory Board (2003); University Maryland (UMBC), President’s Advisory Council; University of District of Columbia Business School, Advisory Board, Montgomery County Bar Association, Past Chair -American Corporate Counsel Association (‘‘ACCA”); American Arbitration Association; Past Chair of Connecticut Young Lawyers (5,000 member lawyers); Connecticut House of Delegates (1988-1990); ABA Certified Delegate from Connecticut to ABA House of Delegates (1990); Past member Board of Trustees, Connecticut Law PAC (Legislative Lobbying PAC); Maryland Women’s Heritage Museum, Board of Directors; MACO (Maryland Assn of Counties); CORENET (real estate development professionals); Rockville Economic Dev. Council as appointed by Mayor Giammo; Maryland High Tech Council, General Counsel Comm.

Family: Married; Three children, Matthew, Jessica, and Alex

Campaign office: TEAM ASKINAZI, 12504 Palatine Ct., Potomac, Md. 20854 301-983-5110 www.askinazi4senate.com

Link to state Board of Elections campaign finance database

Full-Funding of teachers⁄infrastructure and optimizing education

Empowering small business through grants, training and loan programs

Restoring authority to local communities by making government transparent

How would you rate the performance of the current representatives of your district?

Good. They are fine folks, however, because of my experience with government and business I can build a better concnsus to get more results for District 15.

Do you support amending the constitution to give the legislature more budget authority?

No.

Is the rate of growth in Maryland too fast, too slow or about right, and why?

The rate of growth in Maryland is about right, in Montgomery County it is too fast.

What programs would you like to add or cut from the state budget? How would you pay for additional programs? What would you do with the money from any cuts you make?

As an Assistant Secretary for the states economic engine, the Department of Business & Economic Development (‘‘DBED”) I would add $50M to its budget to produce and attract jobs and retrain displaced workers and enhance their skills. I helped create four main street community access offices with multi-lingual secretaries to serve the diverse business’s of Montgomery County. I would bolster the Office of Disabilities and fund

additional mental health clinics. I would also double the funding for affordable housing subsidies and emergency services. Lastly, I would fund an increase of the Transportation budget. In order to pay for these programs I would audit each agency and create a 12% internal savings on average due to inefficiencies and redundancies. I would consider an increase in the tobacco tax as well.

Are there specific taxes or fees that you would cut?

Electricity prices have a record increase in July, 2006. I would introduce a tax credit for small business those on reduced and fixed income to cope with these dramatic increases. I would also expand the Biotech tax credit to attract investment in our 400 biotech companies and expand HUB zones for minority business expansion. I would pursue taxes from those corporation located outside Maryland who do business in Maryland.

Do you support slot machines for Maryland? Why or why not?

I support slot machines as it is a form of free speech and a good source of revenue. All of our neighboring states have them and millions of tax dollars are lost to them. We have Lotto and Bingo, poker and horse tracks, dog racing and scratch-offs. Let’s not be hypocrites.

Do you support giving driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants?

No.

Do you support in-state tuition to illegal immigrants?

No.

What is the biggest problem facing higher education and what would you do to solve it?

We have a dramatic shortage of scientists and engineers. I would bolster these course in K-12, offer enhanced mentor⁄intern opportunities in high school, increase global exchanges, offer tuition tax credits to scientists and engineers who work in Maryland for at least three years after graduation to earn the credit pro rata.

Where would you get more money for the Transportation Trust Fund?

I would consider an increase in the tobacco tax and enhance efficiencies in state government. Slots alone would fully fund the issue. I spent three years in state government and there is ample room for budget management initiative without layoffs.

What specific transportation projects do you see as priorities for the state?

Complete the ICC, build an inner purple line, build a corridor-cities light rail route from Shady Grove to Fredrick.

Should there be a dedicated funding source for Washington and Baltimore mass transit?

No.

Would you re-regulate the electricity industry?

It was a folly to deregulate the electricity industry in 1999 and effectively cap the costs of

electricity as market gas and coal prices increased dramatically. Of course prices would explode when the cap came off of the steam kettle. Deregulation of the airline and trucking industries worked because the free market and competition allowed price reductions without quality sacrifices. The electric industry is not a comparison because of the huge infrastructure costs of generation, distribution and transmission lines. I would re-regulate the industry with an oversight agency staffed by competent merit based members of the public.

Do you believe Maryland’s gun control laws are too strict, not strict enough or just right?

Law-abiding Marylanders have a constitutional right to bear reasonable arms with ceratin reasonable restrictions. Criminals and lunatics do not. The laws are generally right in most areas.

What is your position on abortion?

I support Roe v. wade and a woman’s right to choose.

Should the Maryland constitution be changed to allow same-sex marriages?

I support same-sex unions and parity for health benefits and other employer entitlements offered to heterosexual unions. I believe, however, that marriage is a unique and defined institution between a man and a woman and oppose an amendment to change the Maryland constitution.

Does the state need stricter controls to protect the environment?

Protecting our air, water and natral resources are a high priority. The Chesapeake Bay is fouled by plumes of silt and mud whicj suffocates shellfish and underwater plants. We need to enact stricter environmental protections and enforce the ones on the books.

What is your position on the Corridor Cities Transitway? Assuming you support it, do you believe it should be a bus or light-rail system? What would you do to advance its funding?

Support it with a light rail. I would fund it from slots.

The upcounty remains one of Montgomery County’s fastest growing areas and a growing crime problem is a concern for residents? What is your plan for providing state support to the local mission of protecting public safety?

I am proud to have been a classmate of Police Chief Tom Manger recently in Leadership Montgomery. We participated in a police training sessions. I would increase funding for safety vests, squad car expenditures, training centers, diversity hiring and education, anti-gang funding in the schools and after school rec center funding. I would increase the training and hiring particularly of Asian-American and African-American and Hispanic police officers. Given that we are proximate to the nations capital, I would foster enhanced regional communications and coordination of emergency responders including police and fire personnel.