Two True Public Servants

Just after I sent my last newsletter, the news began rolling in that two District 16 residents were concluding their long tenured public service.  I want to take a moment to acknowledge and thank these two true public servants: State Treasurer Nancy Kopp and Attorney General Brian Frosh.

Nancy Kopp was first elected as a Delegate in District 16 in the 1974 election.  Nancy served as Speaker Pro Tem and was on the Appropriations Committee, with a particular focus on education funding issues.  In 2002, the General Assembly appointed her Treasurer, a position she has held ever since.  In that role, she is a steward of our state's fiscal resources, serves on the Maryland Board of Public Works, chairs the Maryland 529 Board, chairs the Board of Trustees of our state pension, and more.  She has also been an environmental advocate.  Earlier this week, Nancy announced that she would step down as Treasurer at the end of the year.
 
I did not know Nancy well before I started running for Delegate in 2014, but she has been extremely generous with her time and knowledge since then and I have learned a lot from following her approach to public service.  The day after she announced her retirement, we spoke to prepare for a school construction work group we both serve on.  Even as Nancy prepares to cede her position, she is as diligent and hard working as ever.
 
Brian Frosh also began his elected career as a District 16 Delegate, in 1987.  He moved to the State Senate in 1995 and quickly rose to chair the Judicial Proceedings Committee.  In addition to the complicated work there on criminal justice, he was also a trailblazer on environmental policy.  In 2014 he was elected Maryland's Attorney General where he has been the people's lawyer as a fierce consumer advocate.  He was also on the front lines during the major legal battles with the federal government over the past few years.  Yesterday, Brian announced that he would not seek a third term as Attorney General (he was eligible for re-election in 2022).
 
Even before I started running for Delegate, Brian was always generous with his time and insights and has kindly maintained that as I entered public office.  Few people can combine his intelligence, humor, and decency into one effective package.
 
 
Nancy and Brian--who overlapped representing District 16 in the legislature for 15 years--are shining beacons for our state.  Their public service and commitment should be lauded and never forgotten.  Most of us can only aspire not just to their achievements, but to the high standard they have set.  Thank you Nancy and Brian.