(3/2022) My name is Kelly Schulz, and I am running to make Maryland safe, steady, and prosperous.

I love Maryland, and I want to continue to build upon the success that our state has made over these last eight years. We’ve come a long way, and we can’t go back to the failed policies of the past.

That’s why we need our state to be safe, steady, and prosperous – that is what I will be committed to doing as your next governor.

When I was growing up, I wanted to be the first person in my family to graduate from college, and I was on track to do that, but at almost 20 years old, I dropped out of school, and my husband and I welcomed our first child, Brandon. A few years later we were blessed with another son, Bradley.

For the next 15 years, I raised my two boys, waited tables, tended bar, and did anything I could to provide for my family. I know the challenges facing every Maryland parent.

If you have to live constantly worrying about carjackings, or that your kids could get hit by a stray bullet, you can’t raise your family. You can’t prosper.

It breaks my heart to see Marylanders living in fear of violent crime. Imagine not being able to walk out of your front door without knowing you are safe. Imagine being the victim of a violent crime and learning that the prosecutor let the perpetrator off easy. Or the violent criminal gets to go free for just a few thousand dollars in bail.

When I am governor, I will make sure that Maryland is safe, because without safety, nothing else matters. I’ll support our brave men and women in law enforcement with the resources and training they need and I’ll fight to make sure criminals, especially repeat violent offenders remain behind bars.

As a mom, I value the importance of a strong education, so that our kids can grow and prosper - this is why our state needs steady and consistent leadership for our schools. I have introduced a Parental Bill of Rights which serves as a blueprint to ensure that parents are empowered and that every child is given the best chance to succeed.

I will make sure that we bring accountability and transparency to our schools so that taxpayer dollars are being spent in the classroom, helping kids learn the skills they need to flourish.

I strongly believe that a child’s zip code should never determine the quality of education that they receive. This means working to provide real school choice options for parents and students, expanding innovative solutions such as the PTECH Schools Program, and investing in technical and vocational education.

I will make sure we have the best schools in the country and those schools will be accountable to parents and students, not to politicians.

Finally, we need to make sure that Maryland will be prosperous. We need to make sure that Marylanders can go to sleep knowing that they can pay their bills, pay their mortgage, and save for retirement – it means making sure that tomorrow will be a brighter day and that you and your family have a future in Maryland.

Working in Governor Hogan’s administration as the Secretary of Labor and the Secretary of Commerce we were able to improve the lives of Marylanders through nationally recognized job training and apprenticeship programs and we worked to make Maryland the most improved state for business in the nation. We need to continue to on this path to expand opportunities for even more Marylanders.

I will fight to make Maryland more affordable. I can promise you this, every one of my opponents is going to raise your taxes. And we cannot prosper if we become the highest taxed-state in the country. I will fight every effort by the legislature to raise taxes and I will use my platform and position to fight for tax cuts every single year that I am in office.

It breaks my heart that Marylanders are fleeing our state to retire elsewhere, hardworking Marylanders earned their pensions and retirement accounts here, they shouldn’t have to leave our state to escape out of control taxes. This is why one of my top priorities as governor will be to give Maryland retirees the tax relief that they deserve.

Let’s also help make Marylanders more prosperous by repealing the Inflation Tax. Our state is one of the only states to index the gas tax to inflation. So, when inflation is out of control and rising, so are our gas taxes, making life more unaffordable than it already is.

As governor, I will stop and repeal the Inflation Tax just like Governor Hogan stopped and repealed the Rain Tax.

The truth is, when I was 20 years old, pregnant, newly married, and waiting tables, I never dreamed I could run for Governor.

But my experience, as a mother, small business owner, delegate, Cabinet Secretary, and even a waitress has made me uniquely qualified to be your next Governor.

I hope you will join me to fight for Maryland’s future and to make Maryland safe, steady, and prosperous.

Kelly Schulz is a Republican candidate for governor of Maryland.