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KAGAN ANNOUNCES 2006 PLANS
ROCKVILLE, MD
(Monday, December 5, 2005) -- The following statement was released
today by former Maryland Delegate Cheryl Kagan:
Several months
ago, I announced my intention to consider running for the State
Senate in District 17. Then, as now, I fervently believed that we
must have more dynamic and effective leadership there.
Independent-minded legislators who can work across party lines while
retaining progressive principles are sorely needed in a time of
increasing partisan tensions in Annapolis.
Since beginning
that process I've been overwhelmed by the outpouring of generosity
and support I've received from friends and neighbors encouraging me
to run. Even without a formal declaration of candidacy or
fundraising event, disenchanted voters looking for new and bold
leadership to represent District 17 in the State Senate stepped
forward to donate time, endorsements, and thousands of dollars for
my prospective campaign. I deeply appreciate their confidence in
me.
2005 marks the
25th year of my working at the federal, state, and local level
toward making a difference on a woman’s right to choose; reasonable
restrictions on handgun ownership; responsible campaign finance
reform; and other issues affecting transportation, education, and
health care. I have been proud to work to elect thoughtful,
intelligent, and effective Democratic leaders like Congressman Chris
Van Hollen and former State Senator Mary Boergers, among dozens of
others.
I am lucky that my
avocation of public
service has also been my
vocation for many years. Not many people are fortunate
enough to apply their values and experiences at their job each day.
I am able to continue having an impact on education, the arts, civil
rights and human needs through my job leading a major area
grant-making foundation.
When I left the
legislature in 2003, I was asked to direct the Carl M. Freeman
Foundation. Established in 1960, it had been a quiet family-run
instrument of philanthropy for a local business leader. Over the
past 3 years, we have made incredible progress in trying to meet the
enormous needs of our local communities. Just this year, we will
have succeeded in setting up and running seven different grant
selection processes that will distribute over $1,000,000 in grants
and capacity-building assistance to non-profit groups.
I have always
valued the work of the non-profit sector, particularly in Montgomery
County. I have also learned of another way to make a difference by
partnering with some of the most effective groups in our community.
Additionally, it has been a privilege to work with and learn from
countless passionate leaders who are managing small groups that are
working hard to serve at-risk kids, needy seniors, or those with
disabilities.
For the past
several years, I have been able to run the Foundation while taking
on additional civic and political volunteer leadership positions.
Adding a State Senate campaign would have been extraordinarily
time-consuming. To undertake the winning campaign I expected to run
would have meant sacrificing my time commitment to the Foundation as
well as the groups on whose Boards I serve (including the Arts &
Humanities Council, American Jewish Committee, Charter Review
Commission, among others).
Although I am
choosing not run in 2006, I plan to be deeply involved in various
campaigns, helping common sense progressive, pro-choice, pro-ICC
candidates in contested races at the federal, state, and local
level. None of us can afford to be satisfied with the status quo in
this time of war, budget deficits, and leaders with questionable
ethical practices. I know that one person can make a difference,
and I urge my friends and supporters to stay active and seek out
dynamic new leaders who can get beyond what’s popular in order to do
what’s right for the
people they serve.
I am grateful to
the many people who encouraged my candidacy for State Senate, and I
pledge to keep my options open in the years to come.
Cheryl Kagan
Cheryl's Earlier Press Statement
Former Democratic Delegate Cheryl Kagan Announces Exploratory
Committee for District 17 State Senate Seat
(ROCKVILLE, MD
May 2, 2005) Since leaving elected office three years ago, I have
watched with increasing frustration the ongoing partisan gridlock in
Annapolis. For the past three years, the governor and the
legislature have bickered over vital issues affecting education,
transportation, health care, and jobs with benefits.
While State
Senator Jennie Forehand has served us honorably for 28 years, she
has become a predictable vote for the status quo. District 17 needs
a tested but independent leader who can take a principled stand on
difficult issues and be an effective advocate for Montgomery
County. We need a Senator whose ties to the community are fresh and
whose knowledge of the issues affecting our neighborhoods is recent.
We can no longer
politely wait in line for solutions to ongoing challenges in
mid-Montgomery County. We need to elect leaders who will speak up…
and be heard… and make a real difference in the General Assembly.
I believe it’s
time for a tougher, stronger leader to represent mid-Montgomery
County in the State Senate. I have both the credentials and the
record of independence to serve effectively there. After serving
eight years in the House of Delegates, I chose not to seek
reelection. Instead, I have continued my service to the people of
Montgomery County in other ways. As Executive Director of the Carl
M. Freeman Foundation, I have created new and innovative
grant-making and training programs that benefit local non-profit
groups. I also serve on many local boards including the Arts &
Humanities Council, the American Jewish Committee, the University of
Maryland Chancellor’s Board of Advisors at the Universities at Shady
Grove. This work has allowed me to continue to learn about the
changing needs of our county and region.
In addition to my
volunteer work with non-profit groups, I have stayed quite active in
Democratic politics. Very early on, I endorsed Sen. John Kerry for
president and was elected a Kerry delegate to the Democratic
National Convention. After Kerry secured the nomination, I served
as co-chair of the Montgomery County coordinated campaign.
In 2006, there
will be contested elections for nearly every office in Maryland. We
are lucky to live in a democracy where this level of debate and
challenge is not just tolerated but expected. Dozens of Democratic
activists have urged me to return to public office to give voters
the choice of new and more vigorous leadership in Annapolis. Even
with this encouragement, I will carefully weigh whether running for
State Senate is the best way for me to speak out on important
issues.
Today I am
launching an exploratory committee for the District 17 State Senate
seat. I invite voters in Rockville, Gaithersburg, and Garrett Park
to visit my web site:
www.cherylkagan.org. Are you satisfied with the way your
government is functioning in Annapolis? What issues are being
neglected? Is our state budget being allocated wisely? Do you
trust that your representatives are reflecting your values with
their votes?
In the coming
months, I will increase my efforts to talk with… and listen to…
neighbors around mid-Montgomery County. I will gauge whether there
is adequate political and financial support while also determining
whether the State Senate is the best place for me to continue to
make a difference in our community. By Fall, I will announce a
decision on whether to run.
Regardless of my
decision, I remain committed to improving the quality of our lives
in District 17 and our county. My experience in the legislature has
already confirmed that one person with tenacity, focus and influence
can make a difference. As long as our schools are shortchanged in
Annapolis, our transportation needs remain unmet, and our health
care too expensive, we can not afford to be satisfied with the
status quo. We deserve better, and I know that, working together,
we can-- and will-- do better for our Party, our County, and our
State.
See
New Press about Cheryl
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