Issues

Voted against every state budget that grows faster than existing taxes can support (all budgets 2008-2013).

Voted against every new tax and every tax increase. Maryland ranks among the top four most taxed states in the nation. The reputation and the reality of high taxes depress our economy. New employers avoid making Maryland their home, employers shut down, retirees flee the state because of burdensome taxes, and the middle class suffers because of the high cost of living.

For the past several years, Delegate Kipke has sponsored legislation to require drug testing as a condition of eligability to receive welfare benefits. Unfortunately, the bill fails to receive enough support to pass. He successfully passed an amendment to ban Maryland casinos from accepting welfare cards.

Whether a child molester, burglar, drug dealer, gang member, or just a common criminal, Delegate Kipke always takes the hard line to ensure the laws deliver the maximum penalty possible. He believes our judicial system is too liberal and needs to better deliver justice to victims.

While Delegate Kipke supports legal immigrants who do the right thing and follow the legal path to residency and citizenship, he opposes policies that make Maryland a “sanctuary state” for illegal immigrants. He co-sponsored legislation to stop giving driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants, and voted against giving taxpayer funded in-state tuition at Maryland colleges to those not in this country legally. He also opposes giving illegal immigrants welfare benefits.

Delegate Kipke has an “A” rating from the National Rifle Association and believes that law abiding citizens have a constitutional right to gun ownership. He supports laws that protect the rights of sportsmen. He also believes that a good defense is a good offence which is why he supports concealed carry permits for law abiding citizens, and believes that your home is your castle and that homeowners have the right to protect themselves. He continues to support comprehensive background checks, tougher laws for people who use guns illegally, and other effective measures to prevent gun violence.

Delegate Kipke has sponsored legislation to require a photo I.D. when voting in Maryland and passed legislation to strengthen prosecution of election fraud.

Delegate Kipke has made a significant difference to restore and conserve our environment. He worked to successfully secure funding to rebuild sewage infrastructure that had been spilling hundreds of thousands of gallons of untreated sewage into local waterways for decades. He supports common sense legislation to improve our environment such supporting record investment in the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Trust Fund.

Delegate Kipke passed laws to protect small businesses and professionals. He passed legislation to protect businesses like the hot dog stands at hardware stores from being shut down by government. He repealed the “soda fountain tax” that would have cost Maryland restaurants millions each year. He has also passed laws to allow dental hygienists to be allowed to do all of the work that they are trained to do in college.