Detailed Responses - Maryland State Delegates District 15
Question 1
Do you support the Locally Preferred Alternative selected by Gov. O'Malley for the Purple Line, including an at-grade light rail line with a trail alongside it on the Georgetown Branch right of way between Bethesda and Silver Spring, as well as the at-grade light rail line running along Campus Drive through the University of Maryland?
Kathleen Dumais (D) Yes.
Brian J. Feldman (D) Yes. I support the Locally Preferred Alternative as well as the at-grade light rail line running along Campus Drive through the University of Maryland.
Aruna Miller (D) Yes.
Lara Wibeto (D) I support the Purple Line, completion of the CCT in a timely manner to help our county’s adults to have better access to educational opportunities, to improve air quality, for county commuters to have more time for themselves and their families as well as to create more jobs which are desperately needed right now in Montgomery County and my district. Economic development is a major issue of my campaign platform. Too many people are having to look beyond our state for employment. We need positive development and a boost for our small business owners to bring more transit opportunities to upcounty in District 15, particularly at the new Belward Farm proposed cancer research mixed use center development and Clarksburg Center where transit was mentioned as a loss of Northrup Grumman recently. If area residents support this transit option regarding the red line, they should have access to it. If transit opportunities increase, so will functional, prosperous communities. There will be a great need for more transit in Clarksburg with a newly proposed hospital for that area in progress which will be approved in the near future.
Question 2
Do you support further study of the Action Committee for Transit's plan for the I-270 Corridor as an alternative to the $4 billion plan to widen I-270?
Kathleen Dumais (D) Yes.
Brian J. Feldman (D) All alternatives should be thoroughly studied.
Aruna Miller (D) As a transportation engineer, I know it is critical to explore various alternatives and alignments when improvements have immense associated costs and environmental impacts. I firmly support light-rail Corridor Cities Transitway, other mass transit improvements and smaller widening along I-270. A complete transportation network should offer safe and efficient access to all users.
Lara Wibeto (D) Yes. I like and will support this plan in Annapolis. I’ve already mentioned my support for the red line extension as desired by residents. The demand for more MARC train access is large and we must make sure that District, county, and our Maryland region’s residents can get to work and recreational activities without losing family time or out of work time stuck in bumper to bumper traffic. I also think we have to speed up the completion of the CCT. I like the aesthetic detail of having a European Style Boulevard. County residents may actually begin to truly enjoy traveling along the Rockville Pike rather than stop and go traffic throughout most of the day. I look forward to getting on the Kentlands train to destinations along the Rockville Pike. There is a large population in the entire area surrounding Kentlands. These additional transit options will truly help upcounty residents to secure stable employment who are out of work as well as create a lot of jobs for our county’s over 26, 000 unemployed men and women.
Question 3
How can we fund WMATA?
Kathleen Dumais (D) Increase in gas tax. Dedicated funding source is necessary for/from all jurisdictions.
Brian J. Feldman (D) Fundamentally, the WMATA Compact between the member jurisdictions must provide for increased funding from each of the jurisdictions. In addition, a review of other funding mechanisms used elsewhere in the world must be thoroughly examined. For example, I would be open to a per square foot charge on commercial and federal government property benefiting from the existence of Metro service. Amounts attributable to federal property would be allocated against a federal contribution towards WMATA. I would also be open to a charge on those parking on a daily basis at business locations in the Compact area. Finally, an add-on to or dedication of a certain portion of gas taxes collected on fuel sold in the WMATA Compact area should be considered.
Aruna Miller (D) I would like to investigate making longer term funding commitments rather than the current annual commitment.
Lara Wibeto (D) You can count on my positive votes for transit funding and also to go after federal funding so that it does not take an act of Congress to get the Metro system the resources necessary to do their jobs, get paid livable wages, and to have sufficient retirement benefits to look forward to in their golden years. I take the Metro often to DC and the cars are very full during rush hour with too many young children and seniors having to stand. Expansion is critical to make sure that we can fully accommodate riders of all ages and physical capabilities. This will also decrease the chance of delays due as trains have more options as to changing trains for repairs and the tracks will also be less congested providing better rider satisfaction. The line extensions will also provide excellent additional revenue with increased ridership.
Question 4
Should any money be spent on increasing highway capacity associated with the Great Seneca Science Corridor Master Plan before a light rail Corridor Cities Transitway from Shady Grove to Clarksburg is fully funded for construction?
Kathleen Dumais (D) Yes.
Brian J. Feldman (D) I have been a long-time strong supporter of the Corridor Cities Transitway. However, most of the details surrounding the Master Plan were debated and scrutinized in the County Council, not the General Assembly. As such, I need additional information regarding some of the capacity issues before I am able to take an informed position on this question.
Aruna Miller (D) I believe Corridor Cities Transitway (CCT) should be our transportation priority, and the full funding of this much needed improvement. However, given the approved land use and density, immediate roadway and traffic operational improvements are also necessary.
Lara Wibeto (D) I would like to see a balance of both with highway improvements in moderation. We do not need a wide superhighway, but rather a balanced mix of light rail which I prefer over widening highways. I would like to see a sensible combination of a better designed highway system with possible stacking with added light rail in a more compact space that will ease highway congestion during rush hour and have less of a negative impact on the environment while still creating better transit options as well as offer more family time to my district’s and our county’s residents who commute long distances for work. Finally, the more we extend environmentally friendly light rail, the more job opportunities for my District, the county’s and state’s residents, the more business growth for our region’s business owners large and small, and freedom for many on fixed or with low incomes to get to jobs or to travel more from place to place within the beltway and throughout Montgomery County. This is the future I want for the residents that I care so much about and their families’ futures. It is my mission to support these projects legislatively to improve the job prospects, family quality time, and Maryland’s economic growth which badly needs improvement at this time and has for the past few years.