FIGHTING SECTION 8 EXPANSION & ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION
When elected to the Maryland House of
Delegates, I vow to present and support legislation that emphasizes community
preservation: we will protect and
preserve our communities by fighting
forced Section 8 expansion into our neighborhoods and by combatting illegal immigration in the
state of Maryland.
Property owners have worked their entire lives making their homes and
creating their livelihoods in this community, while property values plummet in
neighborhoods with introduction & expansion of Section 8 residences. It’s
no wonder that long-time residents of our communities are firmly against
Section 8 expansion into, and within, our community.
It destabilizes the community and brings a hoard of social problems. The
increase in crime threatens our safety daily, the safety of our most vulnerable
neighbors, and of our own family members. Housing authorities throughout
Maryland express ongoing concerns that many Section 8 households hold citizens
with significant criminal records. Very often, these criminal records involve
drug-related charges. Should we welcome Section 8 expansion into, and within,
our community given these facts? I think not – and many long-time residents of
Maryland agree with me.
An expansion of housing vouchers means an expansion of the false
narrative that it is necessary to award publicly-funded homes to those who can
demonstrate a need – and leaves nothing to be said about the efforts that many
families make through struggle, sacrifice, and thrift to improve their
residence prospects and avoid (or discontinue) dependence on this form of
welfare.
Landlords often welcome Section 8 tenants into their properties because
of the guarantee of direct deposit by the government for the majority of the
rent due. The effect, sadly, upon the community is twofold: it takes
opportunities away from working class families who would just as soon rent
those properties, and it accelerates the decline in quality of living in the
community. It accelerates the crime rate; it puts greater demand on public
services (police & emergency services), which eventually leads to increases
in taxation; it changes academic reputations of schools; an influx of
low-income renters causes a lack of buying power in the community, and the
economy further suffers. The entire community suffers.
In latter 2017 Baltimore has
announced that it will provide legal assistance, with taxpayer money, for
immigrants facing deportation, as a part of the SAFE Cities Network. As an
elected representative of the state of Maryland, specifically Baltimore County,
I will vehemently oppose any initiative, directive, or legislation calling for
publicly-funded assistance for individuals facing deportation, or illegal
immigrants residing in our state. The fact is that the welfare state is
tremendously expensive to taxpayers and I believe that only American citizens
should reap the benefits of programs into which American citizens pay.
According to the Pew Research Center in 2017, there are likely over 11
million illegal immigrants in American today. As the ‘melting pot’ of the
world, we have a rich history of welcoming immigrants from around the world to
America – to become American citizens. The importance of becoming a citizen is
complex, but it is worth noting that it officiates an individual to pay into,
and reap the rewards of, a complex system of public services. Accordingly, we
have a pathway for immigrants to attain United States citizenship. We must hold
immigrants seeking to prosper and benefit by residence in America to the same
standard – to be expected to apply for citizenship, or to otherwise conduct
business in America entirely within the parameters of the law as applicable.
Granting ‘breaks’ to illegal immigrants – through public funding – is
inherently wrong. As your elected representative, I will stand firmly against
it.
When elected to the Maryland House of
Delegates, I vow to present and support legislation that emphasizes community
preservation: we will protect and
preserve our communities by fighting
forced Section 8 expansion into our neighborhoods and by combatting illegal immigration in the
state of Maryland.
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