Mary A. Lehman
Member of the Maryland House of Delegates
from the 21st district
Assumed office
January 9, 2019
Serving with Joseline Peña-Melnyk (D) and Ben Barnes (D)
Preceded byBarbara A. Frush
ConstituencyAnne Arundel County, Prince George's County
Personal details
Born (1964-04-08) April 8, 1964
Cheverly, Maryland, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Children4
ResidenceWest Laurel, Maryland[1]

Mary Angela Lehman (born April 8, 1964) is an American politician from the Democratic Party and is a current member of the Maryland House of Delegates representing District 21.

Early life and career

Lehman was born in Cheverly, Maryland, on April 8, 1964.[2] She grew up in Greenbelt, Maryland,[3] and attended the University of Maryland, where in 1987 she received her Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and Bachelor of Science in Journalism.[2]

From 1993 to 1994, Lehman worked as a spokesperson for Citizens Against the Stadium II, a group that protested the construction of the FedExField football stadium in Laurel, Maryland.[4] After a vote on condemning the Commanders' proposed football stadium was tabled by the Prince George's County Council, she accused the football team of engaging in "the politics of intimidation" by threatening not to work with the city if the resolution passed.[5] Team officials eventually announced that the stadium would be built in Landover after meeting with local residents.[6][7]

In 2003, Lehman began working as an educational liaison to Prince George's County council member Tom Dernoga.[2] In 2007, she began working for delegate Joseline Peña-Melnyk, who encouraged her to run for public office.[3]

From 2010 to 2018, Lehman served on the Prince George's County Council, succeeding Tom Dernoga, who was term-limited.[2][1] As a councilwoman, she oversaw the opening of the Prince George's Laurel Library Branch and lobbied for the library to have solar panels, pervious parking surfaces, electric car chargers, low flow toilets and sinks, and emergency lighting. She also had a role in saving the University of Maryland Laurel Medical Center from closure.[3][8][9]

In February 2018, Lehman, who was term limited from running for another term on the Prince George's County Council, announced her candidacy for the Maryland House of Delegates in District 21.[10][3] She came in third place in the 2018 Democratic primary, defeating primary opponent Matt Dernoga by only 222 votes.[11]

In the legislature

Lehman was sworn in as a member of the Maryland House of Delegates on January 9, 2019, and is a member of the Environment and Transportation Committee, the housing and real property subcommittee, and agriculture and open space subcommittee.[2]

Lehman is a member of the Maryland Legislative Transit Caucus and the Women Legislators of Maryland, and is an associate member of the Maryland Legislative Latino Caucus.[2]

In January 2020, Lehman filed to run as a convention delegate for Joe Biden at the 2020 Democratic National Convention.[12]

Political positions

Elections

In 2014, Lehman voted to approve an amendment to the county's charter that would give members of the county council another four-year term opposed to only two consecutive terms.[13]

Lehman opposed legislation introduced by delegate Dereck E. Davis during the 2019 legislative session that would set up a public financing system for county campaigns in the 2026 election cycle, saying that the 2026 timeline was too far away.[14] She also voted against legislation that would lift the ban on developer contributions in county political races.[15]

Environment

In 2012, Lehman promoted legislation introduced by delegate Barbara Frush that would allow the Prince George's County council to require shoppers to pay for disposable bags.[16] The bill was unexpectedly killed in the House Environmental Matters Committee, where it received a 12–11 vote to kill the bill.[17]

Lehman introduced legislation in the 2019 legislative session that would have set strict standards for recycling crumb rubber-modified turf.[18] She withdrew the bill later in the session, but planned to reintroduce it in the next legislative session.[19]

Lehman received a score of 100 percent on the Maryland League of Conversation Voters' 2021 legislative scorecard.[20]

Housing

Lehman introduced legislation in the 2022 legislative session that would require landlords to prove they are in compliance with local laws and state statutes when they file a failure to pay rent case.[21]

Taxes

Lehman introduced legislation in the 2020 legislative session that would require corporate combined tax reporting.[22] The bill passed the House of Delegates but did not receive a vote in the state senate.[23] She also cosponsored legislation that would create a multi-state compact to end corporate tax breaks aimed at getting businesses to move across state lines.[24]

Transportation

As a councilwoman, Lehman was vocally opposed to a proposed high-speed maglev train that would run from Washington, D.C., to Baltimore, citing concerns over the train's environmental impact, cost, and economic potential.[25] In the 2018 legislative session, she filed legislation that would have provided state income and property tax credits to companies affected by the maglev's construction.[3]

Lehman introduced legislation in the 2020 legislative session that would give local governments veto power over state-backed toll road projects.[26] She said that she would oppose a repeal of existing laws that give Eastern Shore counties the right to block state-backed toll facilities.[27]

Electoral history

Prince George's County Councilman district 1 Democratic primary election, 2010[28]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Mary A. Lehman 3,065 41.6%
Democratic Frederick Smalls 1,994 27.1%
Democratic Valerie L. Cunningham 1,001 13.6%
Democratic Sam Epps 865 11.7%
Democratic Crystal R. Thompson 442 6.0%
Prince George's County Councilman district 1 general election, 2010[29]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Mary A. Lehman 19,703 99.2%
Other write-ins Other write-ins 153 0.8%
Prince George's County Councilman district 1 Democratic primary election, 2014[30]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Mary A. Lehman 5,719 100%
Prince George's County Councilman district 1 general election, 2014[31]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Mary A. Lehman 18,466 99.0%
Other write-ins Other write-ins 179 1.0%
Maryland House of Delegates district 21 Democratic primary election, 2018[11]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Joseline Peña-Melnyk 8,770 30.0%
Democratic Ben Barnes 5,538 25.5%
Democratic Mary A. Lehman 5,538 18.9%
Democratic Matt Dernoga 5,316 18.2%
Democratic Brencis Smith 1,169 4.0%
Democratic James E. McDowell Jr. 1,027 3.5%
Maryland House of Delegates district 21 general election, 2018[32]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Ben Barnes 27,567 26.3%
Democratic Joseline Peña-Melnyk 26,889 25.7%
Democratic Mary A. Lehman 26,809 25.6%
Republican Richard Douglas 8,519 8.1%
Republican Chike Anyawu 8,313 7.9%
Unaffiliated Ray Ranker 6,472 6.2%
Other write-ins Other write-ins 234 0.2%

References

  1. 1 2 Dzwonchyk, Melanie (July 28, 2017). "Laurel mayor enters Prince George's County Council race". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved February 26, 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "MARY A. LEHMAN". Maryland House of Delegates. Retrieved August 9, 2020.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Nocera, Jess (February 25, 2019). "Now a delegate, Mary Lehman returns to the fray". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved February 26, 2022.
  4. ↑ Richards, Katherine (May 8, 1994). "Foes of Redskins stadium in Laurel seek to prohibit use of Arundel funds for it". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved February 26, 2022.
  5. ↑ Richards, Katherine (July 27, 1994). "Laurel council tables measure against stadium". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved February 26, 2022.
  6. ↑ Hermann, Peter (January 23, 1994). "Stadium opponents mildly mollified by Redskins' proposed shift westward". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved February 26, 2022.
  7. ↑ Glaros, Tony (October 14, 2015). "Lehman sees herself as 'a voice for the average people' [Commentary]". Capital Gazette. Retrieved February 26, 2022.
  8. ↑ Michaels, Andrew (September 22, 2015). "84 more layoffs announced at Laurel Regional Hospital". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved February 26, 2022.
  9. ↑ Michaels, Andrew (September 1, 2017). "UMMS assumes ownership of Dimensions Healthcare System". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved February 26, 2022.
  10. ↑ Iyer, Kaanita (February 19, 2018). "Prince George's House Primary Starting to Look Like a Family Feud". Maryland Matters. Retrieved February 26, 2022.
  11. 1 2 "Official 2018 Gubernatorial Primary Election results for House of Delegates". elections.maryland.gov. Maryland State Board of Elections. Retrieved February 26, 2022.
  12. ↑ Kurtz, Josh (January 27, 2020). "No Surprise: Biden Is Dem Establishment Choice, Convention Filings Show". Maryland Matters. Retrieved February 26, 2022.
  13. ↑ Yeager, Amanada (July 30, 2014). "Prince George's County to revisit term limits on November ballot". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved February 26, 2022.
  14. ↑ Kurtz, Josh (January 24, 2019). "Prince George's Lawmakers Ponder Bill to Unleash Developer Cash". Maryland Matters. Retrieved February 26, 2022.
  15. ↑ Kurtz, Josh (January 25, 2019). "Bill on Prince George's Developer Contributions Advances". Maryland Matters. Retrieved February 26, 2022.
  16. ↑ McPherson, Lindsey (February 1, 2012). "County Council member Lehman, Del. Frush pushing for disposable bag fee in Prince George's". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved February 26, 2022.
  17. ↑ McPherson, Lindsey (March 28, 2012). "Prince George's bag fee bill unexpectedly killed in House committee". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved February 26, 2022.
  18. ↑ Moore, Miles (March 5, 2019). "Maryland bill would set standards for crumb rubber-modified turf". Rubber News. Retrieved February 26, 2022.
  19. ↑ Ross, Dan (December 21, 2019). "Fields of Waste: Artificial Turf Becomes Mounting Disposal Mess". Maryland Matters. Retrieved February 26, 2022.
  20. ↑ Shwe, Elizabeth (November 18, 2021). "Md. LCV Finds Hogan an Inconsistent Leader, Praises Lawmakers on Environmental Justice, Transportation". Maryland Matters. Retrieved February 26, 2022.
  21. ↑ Leckrone, Bennett (February 1, 2022). "Fair Housing Advocates Urge Lawmakers to Allow Local Just-Cause Eviction Laws". Maryland Matters. Retrieved February 26, 2022.
  22. ↑ Gaines, Danielle E. (January 16, 2020). "Progressives Push Tax Reform Proposals to Fund Kirwan Plan". Maryland Matters. Retrieved February 26, 2022.
  23. ↑ "Legislation - HB0473". mgaleg.maryland.gov. Maryland General Assembly. Retrieved February 26, 2022.
  24. ↑ Gaines, Danielle E. (January 28, 2020). "Delegates Call for Multi-State Plan to End Corporate Giveaways". Maryland Matters. Retrieved February 26, 2022.
  25. ↑ Jones, Katie V. (March 1, 2018). "Laurel City Council says no to maglev train". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved February 26, 2022.
  26. ↑ DePuyt, Bruce (January 19, 2020). "Lawmakers Seek Local Veto Power of Toll Road Projects in Md". Maryland Matters. Retrieved February 26, 2022.
  27. ↑ DePuyt, Bruce (February 14, 2020). "Panel Chairman Expresses Skepticism Over 'County Consent' Bill". Maryland Matters. Retrieved February 26, 2022.
  28. ↑ "Official 2010 Gubernatorial Primary Election results for Prince George's County". elections.maryland.gov. Maryland State Board of Elections. Retrieved February 26, 2022.
  29. ↑ "Official 2010 Gubernatorial General Election results for Prince George's County". elections.maryland.gov. Maryland State Board of Elections. Retrieved February 26, 2022.
  30. ↑ "Official 2014 Gubernatorial Primary Election results for Prince George's County". elections.maryland.gov. Maryland State Board of Elections. Retrieved February 26, 2022.
  31. ↑ "Official 2014 Gubernatorial General Election results for Prince George's County". elections.maryland.gov. Maryland State Board of Elections. Retrieved February 26, 2022.
  32. ↑ "Official 2018 Gubernatorial General Election results for House of Delegates". elections.maryland.gov. Maryland State Board of Elections. Retrieved February 26, 2022.
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