questionnaire- bill frick - state delegate candidate (2010)

8/13/2019 Questionnaire- Bill Frick - State Delegate Candidate (2010)

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House Candidate ___________________

Maryland State Education AssociationMontgomery County Education Association NEA

2010Questionnaire For Candidates for Maryland Delegate

Candidates Name Bill Frick

Address 6403 Winston Drive

City, Zip Bethesda, MD 20817

Occupation Attorney / Delegate Legislative District 16

Home Telephone 301-320-0293 Office Telephone 240-479-9293

[email protected]_______ Web Address www.billfrick.com

Name of Campaign Contact & Telephone (just contact me for now)

Name of Election Committee Friends of Bill Frick

Treasurers Name Jeremy Rabinovitz

Address PO Box 30203

City, Zip Bethesda, MD 20824

I understand the answers obtained from this questionnaire will be circulated among your members andwill be posted on the MCEA website.

Date April 16, 2010 Signature /s/ Bill Frick


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1. While our members recognize the fiscal challenges faced by the state, they are concerned about the possibility of shifting pension costs to the counties and how that would have an impact on local fundingfor schools systems. How would you ensure that solutions developed to deal with spending priorities,including pensions, do not hurt students and education employees?

We need to start and end by solving problems. Shifting teacher pensions from the state to the county solvesno problems for citizens; it simply passes the buck or rather the lack of bucks from one branch of stategovernment to another, crowding out other local spending priorities. The shift does represent a loss for

Montgomery County, as the state spending on teacher pensions is one of the few state aid programs thatbenefits Montgomery without wealth-adjustment or similar qualification.

State employee pensions including legislative pensions have to be evaluated as a whole. We need tolook at the states pitiful return on investments, the qualifications of pension board members, and all otherrelated issues as we examine pension funding. Only then will we actually solve problems that affect citizens

not just the problems that affect our politicians.

The following are MSEA position statements on critical issues in the MSEA Legislative Program. For eachissue, please indicate whether you agree or disagree with the MSEA position. Be certain each comment clearlyindicates your position. There is space provided for you to elaborate on your positions.Agree with the MSEA position statement Would support legislation that reflects the MSEA positionDisagree with the MSEA position statement Would oppose legislation that reflects the MSEA position.

2. The existing Maintenance of Effort law dealing with a minimum level of local funding for public educationis intended to reinforce the shared responsibility between the state and counties for adequate funding of our

public schools. MSEA is opposed to efforts to reduce or weaken the minimum funding requirement. Doyou agree or disagree with MSEAs position?

x____Agree with MSEA position ________Disagree with MSEA position

Comment:

As a Ways and Means member, I had some involvement in the MOE policy bill that came through theHouse this year. I think most of the stakeholders agreed that MOE is a cornerstone of state education spending,a mechanism that prevents some counties from simply using state money to backfill spending reductions made

by the counties. I support common-sense improvements in the waiver and penalty provisions, such as ensuringthat any penalty is levied on future years and not directly on education.


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3. The Thornton Commission recommended an adjustment in State Education aid to reflect regionaldifferences in the cost of providing educational services, called the Geographic Cost of Education Index(GCEI). MSEA believes GCEI is an integral part of full funding for the Thornton plan and should beincluded in the States school finance system.

____x___Agree with MSEA position ________Disagree with MSEA positionComment:

4.

Public schools accept and educate all students who enter them. Diversion of public funds from publicschools jeopardizes this mission. Therefore, MSEA opposes draining funds from public schools through private or religious school vouchers, direct state funds for programs, textbooks, technology, direct state aidto non-public schools at risk of closing, or tax credits for private school tuition.

___x____Agree with MSEA position ________Disagree with MSEA positionComment:

I voted against the BOAST bill in the Ways and Means Committee in the 2010 session, and will do so if thequestion comes before me in the future whether or not I am endorsed by MCEA.


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5. As we look ahead to the next four years, we realize that budget and revenue changes are inevitable. To raiseadditional revenues, MSEA supports full utilization of existing revenue producers (homestead tax credit andlocal income tax), spreading the base (combined reporting for corporations and sales tax on services), andreform of the states income tax brackets. Would you consider these options and do you have suggestionsfor additional revenue producers?

_____x__Agree with MSEA position ________Disagree with MSEA positionComment:

Raising the gasoline tax and liquor taxes is overdue, which I support. I also voted to impose the sales tax onservices during the Special Session in 2007. If we look toward implementing combined reporting, I think weneed to consider alternative apportionment methods that will not penalize payroll and local investments.

6. MSEA opposes contracting out, to the private sector, management and/or delivery of goods and servicestraditionally provided by public school employees.


7. MSEA opposes public funding of religious and private for-profit charter schools and kindergarten programs.MSEA does not oppose public charter schools that meet the following criteria.

Are under the control of local school boards All students are eligible Are held to the same standards as other public schools Staff members have the same collective bargaining rights as their counterparts in mainstream public

schools and Must be qualitatively different from what is available in mainstream public schools and not just an

avenue for parental choice.

___x____Agree with MSEA position _________Disagree with MSEA positionComment:


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8. MSEA supports increased funding and resources at the national, state and local level for meaningful professional development for school personnel.

_x_____Agree with MSEA position ________Disagree with MSEA positionComment:

9. MSEA supports a comprehensive system of assessment and accountability that relies on multiple measuresof student achievement and prohibits the use of a sole test for high-stakes decisions. High-stakes decisionsabout students and schools should not be made on the basis of one test.


10. MSEA supports a single salary schedule to insure that all educators are fairly compensated. Any system that provides additional compensation beyond the single salary schedule should meet the following criteria:

a) The design of the system must be collectively bargained. b) Additional compensation must not be based solely on student test scores.c) The criteria to determine eligibility for additional compensation must be clearly stated and

subject to objective measurement.d) The system should not directly or indirectly limit the number of education employees who are

eligible for the additional compensation. All education employees should have the opportunityto meet the standards and receive the extra pay. The system may recognize and rewardadditional knowledge and skills the employees have acquired over the course of their careers.


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e) Full funding should be available to sustain the system.f) The system should not diminish the professional status of those education employees who do not

receive the additional compensation.

____x___Agree with MSEA position ________Disagree with MSEA positionComment:

11. School buildings are the place of learning for 843,861 children and are the workplace for over 80,000employees. The state Interagency Committee on School Construction currently has a $900 backlog ofrequests for school construction projects. MSEA supports continued state funding of at least $250 millionannually for school construction.

__x_____Agree with MSEA position ________Disagree with MSEA position

Comment:

I agree with robust investment in school construction, and am pleased with the OMalley administrationsschool construction spending overall, notwithstanding that more could have been done using federal stimulus

bond programs.


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Leadership positions in civic and community organizations:

State Delegate, District 16Vice President, District 16 Democratic Club (ret.)District 16 Precinct official (ret.)

Please share with us what you consider to be your most significant achievements:

Being a good dad to Katie (age 4) and Charlie (age 1.5 yrs)Convincing my wife, Bethany, to marry me (ca. 2001)Being a responsive and hard working state delegate (District 16, 2007-2010)


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List your top three priorities for Maryland:

We have to not only survive the current recession, but thrive in it.We need to maintain and improve on our current education system and quality of life.We need to maintain and improve on our competitive climate relative to other states.


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Please return the completed questionnaire by Sunday, April 18, 2010 at midnight. to MCEA, 12 TaftCourt; Rockville, Md. 20850, (attention Jon A. Gerson) or via fax at 301-309-9563 or email yourresponse to [email protected]
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]

questionnaire- bill frick - state delegate candidate (2010)

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