Articles – Havis website
No to Speed Cameras
In 2009, the Maryland General Assembly passed a law that allows local jurisdictions to install speed cameras to automatically record and fine drivers for exceeding the posted speed limits in certain locations. Since then, almost all of us in Maryland have, at one time or another, been treated to an irritating notice in the mail charging us with a “speed camera” violation, and demanding payment of a $40 penalty.
Although these speed cameras were originally intended to slow traffic in school and work zones, their use has now been expanded with the obvious intent to generate millions in extra government revenue under the guise of “traffic safety.”
The revenue-generating purpose of speed cameras is clear, since research now shows that they have no real effect or value to promote safe driving. In a recent Baltimore County Police Report, for example, studying accident frequency over time where speed cameras were located, no significant difference was found from before when the cameras were not present. The Report stated: “No difference exists in the number of accidents before/after camera implementation” (from Maryland Drivers Alliance, http://www.stopbigbrothermd.org)
The Maryland Drivers Alliance also points out the deceptive use of speed cameras and many specific reasons why they are a bad idea. For example, “Many towns and cities in Maryland have even started creating new school zones solely for the purpose of deploying speed cameras, in one case even trying to lower speed limits just so they could issue more tickets. The desire for more public funds at any cost ignores the fact that using law enforcement for revenue generation is harmful to our justice system, creating a conflict of interest by the state against the accused….The ‘profit’ motive for local governments discourages the use of effective alternatives to curb excessive speeding.”
One effective alternative to punitive speed cameras is radar speed indicators next to the posted speed limit signs so motorists can self-regulate their driving speed in a voluntary, non-punitive manner. This sensible, citizen-friendly approach would respectfully alert motorists to moderate their speed, without creating the fear and distraction of a speed camera trap with its automatic fine.
In the Maryland State Senate, I would work to repeal the law that authorizes these unnecessary and punitive speed camera devices.
Public Safety
Criminal laws aim to provide vital public safety to protect citizens from the harmful actions of others – not to simply punish offenders through long and counter-productive prison sentences. Sadly, Maryland has a long history of incarcerating offenders in large numbers that are among the highest in the nation. And, once incarcerated, little attention is given to correction and rehabilitation that would ensure their safe return to normal life in society.
While serious offenders must be securely isolated from society, many minor offenders will not benefit from long, punitive sentences that are both costly and counter-productive. We should therefore find ways to reduce the large number of non-violent offenders in prison, such as by de-criminalizing marijuana use, and establishing voluntary treatment programs for drug addiction. And, many non-violent criminals could be safely held in custody through home-based confinement using monitoring devices or in supervised assisted living facilities.
Effective crime prevention must also look to prison reform that aims to correct and rehabilitate inmates, rather than merely punish them by serving time. Needed, therefore, is more focus on education, mental health therapy, practical work projects, and addiction recover programs for inmates.
Reducing the prison population can also be achieved by turning over incarcerated illegal aliens to federal ICE agents for processing under the pertinent immigration laws.
Prison reform must also include the close monitoring and training of correction officials, to assure that inmates receive humane and ethical supervision. Happily, there are some very effective experiments and models of such reform in other states that should be studied for use in Maryland as well.
Accountability to Citizens
For too long, political leaders in the General Assembly have made citizens accountable to them for benefit and relief from oppressive government, such as through special interest laws and regulations rather through government that serves all in a fair and equitable manner. Elected leaders should instead be accountable to all the citizens alike, which is the essence of their role as true public servants of all the people.
As Maryland Senator, I would work to restore this proper role and function of elected officials to listen and be accountable to all citizens, instead of targeting groups and individuals through special interest legislation. To implement this, I would seek regular citizen input and advice in the preparation and support of specific legislation.
Promote Individual Liberty
The large and complex nature of Maryland government places a severe burden on the ordinary citizen’s ability to live a peaceful and productive life based on his own specific needs and interests. While government must assure a basic level of public safety and consumer protection for all, this function must not unduly interfere with the individual’s freedom for private and personal decision-making in society. Maryland government must therefore protect and promote individual liberty by removing unnecessary obstacles to this basic constitutional right.
In the Maryland State Senate, I would promote such individual liberty through free market solutions that reduce the burden of unnecessary and restrictive government laws and regulation.
Lower Taxes
In Maryland, the heavy tax burden on ordinary citizens today is eroding initiative and discouraging their successful investment and participation in the economy in many ways. High Maryland taxes have already forced many in Maryland to leave the state for lower tax states elsewhere.
In the General Assembly, the current leadership has been a primary continuing drag on progress towards lower taxes, favoring instead irresponsible, excessive taxing and spending, which has made Maryland one of the highest taxed states in the nation. This destructive pattern of excessive taxing and spending favors only a narrow few special interests, rather than the general good of all.
High taxing and spending is unsound government policy because it stifles free market economic growth, reduces the available tax base, and promotes a spiraling pattern of inefficiency, corruption and government dependency that is hard to break. For example, leadership in the General Assembly has established a pattern of excessive spending for government welfare and subsidies, which has created an incentive to perpetuate a dependent lifestyle among many. To sustain such spending, taxes must be continually raised from among the more productive, responsible elements of society.
The solution to this high spending for long-term government dependency is to create a sufficiently strong incentive to pursue a more independent, self-sufficient life style. For example, require able-bodied welfare recipients to work and maintain a drug-free life style. In this way, we can lower taxes and resolve issues of chronic poverty and unemployment through free market solutions that assure a favorable climate for new business investment and job growth in the non-government sector of the economy.
Today, leaders in the General Assembly often justify higher taxes and spending to improve public education. However, many studies in Maryland and elsewhere show that more spending is unrelated, and possibly even harmful, to quality in this area. For example, a 2015 report by the General Assembly’s Department of Legislative Services (DLS) found that Prince George’s and Montgomery Counties already spend nearly the same amount per pupil, $15,171 and $15,553 respectively, yet Montgomery County is ranked #1 in terms of student performance and Prince George’s County is ranked #23. The school system that spends the second most per student is Baltimore City at $16,740 per pupil, and yet their student performance is ranked #24 — the lowest in the entire state!
In fact, quality in public education will only come through non-financial changes in the system. For example, research conducted by the National Center on Education and the Economy (NCEE) found that over 50% of teachers in Maryland leave the profession not due to low wages, but rather due to non-economic issues, such as stress and conflict with excessive restrictions and administrative control from above. In addition, other studies show that funding increases in public education go predominantly to administrative, rather than instructional costs. In one recent national study, it was reported that several counties in Maryland ranked among the highest in the nation for percentage of public education spending for administration, as opposed to instruction.
Maryland citizens need relief from this oppressive burden of ever increasing taxes and spending, to make our state a much more attractive place for all to life and work. With more responsible leadership in the General Assembly, taxes can be significantly reduced without harm to progress and quality in public education and other essential services. In the Maryland state Senate, I will work for lower taxes, fees and penalties, while maintaining and even improving the quality and value of essential government services.
Improving Public Education in Maryland
by Lee Havis
In Maryland, public education has long been an important priority for government spending since the state constitution has mandated a system of free public schools. The General Assembly further supports this system by compulsory attendance laws and allocating some 50% of the entire state budget to this enterprise.
Despite this noble purpose and commitment, however, the current public school system has become largely wasteful, mismanaged and unresponsive to its fundamental purpose. Sadly, it is now top-heavy with centralized administration that has made innovation, reform, and accountability to citizens and taxpayers extremely difficult, if not entirely impossible, to achieve.
Historically, the General Assembly has sought to correct these problems and improve public education by increasing taxes and spending in this area. However, this “more money” approach has not worked because the cause of these problems is not primarily financial. In lower tax states, for example, with comparable demographic conditions, elected leaders have found ways to significantly lower per-pupil expenditure to achieve higher student achievement scores, higher on-time graduation rate, and lower dropout rates than similar jurisdictions in Maryland.
The real solution to better education in Maryland lies not in more money, but rather in providing greater freedom, choice and competition in the field, such as by reducing and eliminating the extremely restrictive control over non-government, free market education. And, in the state system, control must be de-centralized to replace the current dysfunctional top-down structure with a grassroots framework at the level of each school, community or local school district.
In a de-centralized system, local school districts could employ their own unique criteria for hiring, instruction, and curriculum in public education, employing means more suitable to their unique economic reality. In a modern changing economy, for example, many diverse options in education are available, such as internet, distance learning, individualized tutoring, mixed age classrooms, charter schools, and vouchers to maximize parental choice. Public education in Maryland would then become a vibrant laboratory for innovation and excellence to meet the specific needs of each local school community, as well as the general public also.
In the Maryland state Senate, I would work to implement these vital changes to improve public education to make it more responsive to today’s modern economy, to become a leading model for better education in the whole country.