State of Maryland Archives: on Social Security
Arvin Vohra:
Wants to shut down the Social Security system
When we end the Social Security program and give Americans back all that they put in, we give them the opportunity to invest in a reliable retirement that the government can't steal from. If you put your money in any other program, you will have
more money at retirement than if you gave it to the government, and you would be guaranteed that increased savings. You would be making interest, a thing that Social Security doesn't provide. Currently most people don't even get back what they put in.
Source: 2018 Maryland Senate campaign website VoteVohra.com
Dec 12, 2017
Arvin Vohra:
Supports privatizing Social Security
Q: Do you support or oppose the statement, "Privatize Social Security"?A: Support. If elected, I will sponsor legislation that will pay people back what they paid in, and then shut down the Social Security program for good.
If you paid in $20, you get back $20. If you paid in $200,000, you get that back. If you're a recent immigrant and paid in nothing, you get nothing.
Source: OnTheIssues interview of 2018 Maryland Senate candidate
Mar 30, 2018
Chris Van Hollen:
Keep a more generous cost-of-living formula
Edwards hit her rival on retirement programs, saying that "when it was time to cut a deal, Mr. Van Hollen was willing to consider--those are his own words--cuts to Social Security and Medicare." She also noted that he recently endorsed a bill
that would expand Social Security benefits, which she also supports. Van Hollen pushed back, saying he led the effort to persuade President Obama not to cut Social Security by using a less-generous cost-of-living formula.
Source: Wash. Post coverage of 2016 Maryland Senate debate
Mar 5, 2015
Donna Edwards:
Fought privatization in community AND in Congress
Edwards hit her rival on retirement programs, saying that "when it was time to cut a deal, Mr. Van Hollen was willing to consider--those are his own words--cuts to Social Security and Medicare." She also noted that he recently endorsed a bill
that would expand Social Security benefits, which she also supports. Van Hollen pushed back, saying he led the effort to persuade President Obama not to cut Social Security by using a less-generous cost-of-living formula.
Edwards, a community activist before taking office, painted herself as an outsider. Although Van Hollen said he fought President George W. Bush's attempt to privatize Social Security in Congress,
Edwards--who was not elected until 2008--said that the outside pressure campaigns she was involved in had at least as much impact.
Source: Wash. Post coverage of 2016 Maryland Senate debate
Mar 5, 2015
Ian Schlakman:
Don't privatize Social Security
Q: Do you support or oppose the statement, "Privatize Social Security"?
A: Strongly oppose
Source: OnTheIssues interview of 2018 Maryland Governor candidate
Aug 21, 2018
Jamie Raskin:
Remove cap to preserve and strengthen Social Security
Protecting Medicare and Social Security For Those Who've Earned It: Jamie believes that we should preserve and strengthen Social Security without endangering the benefits seniors have earned after a lifetime of work.
He'll work to remove the cap on Social Security taxes because teachers, small businesspeople and janitors shouldn't pay a higher tax rate than CEOs. Jamie will not only work to prevent cuts, but to expand the value of Social Security benefits to seniors.
Source: 2016 Maryland House campaign website JamieRaskin.com
Nov 8, 2016
Kathy Szeliga:
Adapt the way Social Security is currently managed
We absolutely must keep the promises we have made to seniors, and we also must also work to preserve Social Security for our children and grandchildren. As a mother and a grandmother, I want to make sure that future generations have the safety net of
Social Security available to them. If we don't adapt the way Social Security is currently managed, we will leave future generations with nothing. [Source: www.kathyformaryland.com/issues ]
Source: Vote-MD.org profile for 2016 Maryland Senate race
Aug 9, 2016
Larry Hogan:
Eliminate all taxes on retirement income
Let's work together to provide relief for Maryland's retirees. We are losing many of our best and brightest citizens to other states simply because they can't afford to stay in Maryland. Once our national economy is fully recovered and we dig out of the
state's debt situation, I want to reach the point where we are able to eliminate all taxes on retirement income, just as other states have done.But, let's get started moving toward that goal right now by passing the Hometown Heroes Act to eliminate
income taxes on the pensions of those who have put their lives on the line for us: our retired military, police, fire, and first responders.
And let's work together to protect the integrity of our state pension system, which has an estimated
$20 billion unfunded liability by passing the State Retirement Choice Act for the 21st Century Workforce, which contains common sense reforms to pay down our unfunded pension liability and to create a sustainable retirement system for the future.
Source: 2017 State of the State address to Maryland Legislature
Feb 1, 2017
Larry Hogan:
Time to finally pass the Retirement Tax Elimination Act
Our state's sky-high retirement taxes remain the one area where we are still not effectively competing with other states. The time has come for the General Assembly to finally pass the Retirement Tax Elimination Act to eliminate every single penny of
state retirement taxes for everyone, so that Marylanders who have spent their lives working and raising a family here, and contributing so much to our state, can afford to retire here in Maryland near their kids and grandkids.
Source: 2022 State of the State Address to Maryland legislature
Feb 2, 2022
Martin O`Malley:
Repeal income tax on retired veterans; & later all retirees
Nearly every day I hear from folks who say that they love the state of Maryland, that they have spent their entire lives here, and that they don't want to leave their kids and grandkids. But, that they simply cannot afford to stay here on a fixed income.
Eventually, once we solve our current budget crisis, and turn our economy around, I want to reach the point where we are able to do away with income taxes on all retirement income, just as many other states have done.
This week, we will start heading toward that goal by submitting legislation that repeals income taxes on pensions for retired military, police, fire, and first responders.
These brave men and women have put their lives on the line for us--they deserve it--and they have earned these tax breaks.
Source: State of the State address to 2015 Maryland Legislature
Feb 4, 2015
Peter Franchot:
Tax incentives for seniors for mentorship program
The Franchot administration will create a groundbreaking, statewide mentorship program. This will be an investment in community building that will improve outcomes for our youth and quality of life for seniors. For example, a Franchot administration
will:- Facilitate at least one million mentoring hours by the end of his first term.
- Propose a tax incentive for seniors to be applied to retiree income, in order to encourage participation.
Source: 2022 Maryland Gubernatorial campaign website TK.com
Jul 19, 2021
Shawn Quinn:
Neutral on privatizing Social Security
Q: Do you support or oppose the statement, "Privatize Social Security"?
A: Neutral.
Source: OnTheIssues interview of 2018 Maryland Governor candidate
May 13, 2018
Thomas Perez:
Enforce laws misclassifying workers to avoid taxes
Maryland's Workplace Fraud Act focuses on employee misclassification in the construction and landscaping industries. With the growing gig economy it is more important than ever to classify workers accurately. Misclassifying an employee
as an independent contractor avoids taxes, unemployment insurance, Social Security, Medicaid, and Medicare. Tom will fight for workers and demand that employers properly compensate all citizens working in Maryland.
Source: 2021 Maryland Governor campaign website TomPerez.com
Jul 18, 2021
David Trone:
Cosponsored bill to keep social security trust fund solvent
Maryland Congressman David Trone was joined by Connecticut U.S. Representative John Larson about legislation to keep the social security trust fund solvent, and then some. Both lawmakers are behind a bill to fortify the federal program giving seniors
income stability in their retirement years and affordable health benefits. "Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security--Congressman Larsen has a phenomenal bill that will fix Social Security for the next 75 years," said Trone.
Source: DC News Now on 2024 Maryland Senate race
Sep 12, 2022
Angela Alsobrooks:
Opposes defunding or privatizing Social Security, Medicare
Angela will advocate for the protection and preservation of Social Security and Medicare. She views these programs as a promise made to seniors and firmly opposes any efforts to defund or privatize them.
Angela strongly stands against raising the retirement age or cutting benefits for either program. Additionally, she advocates for eliminating the payroll cap on Social Security taxes to ensure the long-term solvency of the program.
Source: 2024 Maryland Senate campaign website AngelaAlsobrooks.com
Feb 16, 2024
David Trone:
Dedicate portion of capital gains taxes to Social Security
[Candidate for U.S. Rep., Dist. 6 | Maryland General | November 3, 2020]: "To fix the funding [for Social Security], we should increase the cap on taxable wages. Currently, Americans with higher incomes only pay payroll taxes that fund
Social Security on the first $128,400 of their income. Raising the cap will help make Social Security solvent for the next generation.
We also need to find a way to dedicate a portion of federal capital gains taxes to Social Security. Many wealthy people make their income largely or entirely from capital gains.
Not only are capital gains taxed at a lower rate than income, but this income is not subject to the payroll tax. We should fix this to ensure
Source: AFA iVoterGuide on 2024 Maryland Senate race
Nov 3, 2020
Page last updated: Mar 14, 2026