Julie Hummer Runs For Anne Arundel County Council In District 4

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, MD — It's primary election season in Maryland. Early voting runs from Thursday, July 7 through Thursday, July 14. Primary election day is Tuesday, July 19. Voters can also return their ballot by mail or place it in a dropbox.

Residents can learn when, where and how to can vote by clicking here. Voters can see which districts they live in by using this tool. Visit this link to see who is running in each district.

Patch asked County Council and county executive candidates to complete a questionnaire outlining their priorities. Anne Arundel County Council District 4 candidate Julie Hummer participated in our survey. Hummer's unedited responses are posted below.

Name

Julie Hummer

Campaign website

https://juliehummer.com

City or town of residence

Laurel

Office sought

Anne Arundel County Council, District 4

Party affiliation

Democratic

Education

Masters in Special Education, Old Dominion University; Bachelor of Arts - English, University of Virginia

Occupation

Anne Arundel County Public Schools Board of Education (5.5years), Special Education teacher (5 years), Banker (4 years)

Family

Husband Jon Hummer - systems engineer, Son Jack (21), Eric (20), Ben (20), Joseph (15), and daughter Beckett (15)

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

no

Age

54

Previous public office, appointive or elective

Appointed member of the Anne Arundel County Board of Education, 2015-2020

Why are you seeking this office?

From my days as a special education teacher, I have been committed to serving children and families, especially those who are most vulnerable and least represented. During my time on the Board of Education, while I was able to accomplish many good things, I was also made more and more aware of the issues outside of the school setting that impact our children's ability to achieve. I want to tackle those issues - from affordable housing to food insecurity to community safety to affordable childcare. I want to work to make more opportunities available for all the residents of District 4 and all of Anne Arundel County.

Please complete this statement: The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is ___, and this is what I intend to do about it.

affordable housing. The cost of buying a home and the rapid increase in rent are pricing many of our families out of housing. We are losing valuable employees because they cannot afford to live in the county, and too many of our children are living in housing insecurity. I will work to implement and expand the affordable housing trust fund to help residents in need. I will also look to update and reform our zoning codes to allow for more innovative and creative housing options in the county.

What are the major differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I have an extensive record of experience accomplishments in public service. As a Board of Education member, I worked closely to craft and oversee a $1B+ budget. I crafted policy addressing issues such as equity, biased behavior, and ethics; I moved forward more than $1B in capital infrastructure projects. I testified on legislation on the state and local level, working closely with legislators to pass the Blueprint for Education. As a parent volunteer, I led the community organization to bring the Monarch Global Academy to the Laurel area. I have shown that I get things done, and I'm ready to step in immediately to craft and pass legislation that will benefit all of Anne Arundel County,

If you are challenging an incumbent, in what way has the current officeholder failed the community?

What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign?

Along with affordable housing, I want to tackle traffic and infrastructure issues throughout the county. Anne Arundel will be receiving significant federal infrastructure funds, and I want to ensure that those dollars are used wisely and that AA residents receive those jobs. I intend to continue the work of the current administration to expand and bolster our parks and green spaces so that communities across the county have high quality recreation resources. I will prioritize raising compensation for our educators and public safety personnel so that we can recruit and retain the very best employees.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

As a Board of Education member, I championed the first transgender student guidelines in the state of Maryland and passed policies addressing equity and bullying, biased behavior and harassment. I helped craft and pass an annual $1.2B+ budget, as well as over $1B in capital infrastructure projects over 5 years. I spearheaded the renaming of a local middle school named after a segregationist-era superintendent. I worked with state legislators to craft and pass the historic Blueprint for Education. I have shown that I can work with legislators and groups across the county and state to get things done.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

Assume good intentions.
Rather than jump to a negative assumption, approach every conversation with the belief that that the other party means well, and work to find the common ground from there.

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I have lived in Anne Arundel County District 4 for nearly 20 years. My children have spent a total of 61 school years in our public schools. This is our home, and we as a family are committed to making it the best place possible for every person who lives here.