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Politics Roundup: Korman Campaign Video, Endorsements Roll In

By WTOP Staff

Korman Releases Campaign Video As D-16 Race Heats Up — The two Bethesda residents many thought were frontrunners for two open District 16 delegate seats will have a bit more work to do after incumbent Bill Frick dropped out of the attorney general’s race and filed to continue in his delegate seat.

Marc Korman this week released a campaign video in a race that has heated up thanks to Frick’s reversal.

District 16 House of Delegates candidate Marc Korman speaks at a fundraiser in September (file photo)In the video, Korman emphasizes getting school construction dollars for Montgomery County, creating a dedicated funding source for Metro, raising the minimum wage and attracting green jobs.

“Our economic success and quality of life depends on maintaining our excellent school system and improving our transportation network,” says Korman, who also touts an endorsement from the Sierra Club.

Korman and Hrant Jamgochian, who narrowly lost the 2010 Democratic primary for House delegate, were thought to have the most support and best chance of replacing Frick and Del. Susan Lee, who’s running for Brian Frosh’s vacant D-16 state Senate seat.

But trailing in attorney general polls, Frick made a filing day decision to file for re-election, meaning there are now two incumbents running for three D-16 delegate seats. Del. Ariana Kelly is also up for re-election.

Mizeur Gets Intriguing National Endorsement — Not to be forgotten in the Democratic gubernatorial campaign is Heather Mizeur. The state delegate from Takoma Park has been pushing herself as a true progressive compared to opponents Doug Gansler and Anthony Brown.

On Wednesday, a national political action organization founded by former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean gave Mizeur its support:

“Heather Mizeur won’t just make history as Maryland’s first woman governor and the first gay governor in American history. She’ll make history as an unabashed progressive champion with the vision and leadership needed to get things done in Annapolis.  From her fight to raise the minimum wage to her battle to make the Old Line State a leader in marriage equality, Heather has always stood strong for Maryland’s working families and, today, Democracy for America’s members in Maryland and across the country are proud to stand with her in the race for Governor.”  – Charles Chamberlain, Executive Director, Democracy for America

It’s Democracy for America’s first gubernatorial endorsement of the 2014 election cycle. The group has raised more than $5 million for candidates since Dean founded it in 2004.

Trachtenberg Hosting Campaign Kick-off at Strathmore — The other local contest of great interest is incumbent District 1 County Councilmember Roger Berliner against former ally and at-large Councilmember Duchy Trachtenberg.

Trachtenberg, the North Bethesda resident who narrowly lost a heated at-large re-election campaign in 2010, surprised many by filing for Berliner’s seat on filing deadline day. There’s reason for animosity. Berliner backed Trachtenberg in the 2010 race before backing Hans Riemer, her chief challenger who won one of four at-large seats. Trachtenberg has gone on the record saying that has nothing to do with her bid for the District 1 seat.

She’ll kick-off her campaign with a free event set for Thursday, March 27 at the Strathmore Mansion:

Too many folks in Montgomery County have stopped believing we can change our politics and improve our county. Our campaign is about proving that we can!

Join us at our campaign kick-off event. We expect a large crowd and some very special guests.

Upcounty Challenger Gets Upcounty Endorsement — This year’s at-large Council race will match incumbents Riemer, Marc Elrich, George Leventhal and Nancy Floreen against a few challengers, including Dickerson resident Beth Daly.

Daly on Tuesday announced the endorsement of longtime state Del. Charles Barkley, who represents Gaithersburg and Montgomery Village in District 39:

“Beth has the ability to bring people together,” said Barkley. “She is willing to listen to all the different sides, but if she believes in something strongly, she will certainly be there with you…that is true of the Ten Mile Creek Coalition…The other thing that makes Beth stand out is that she is from what we call the up county.  We need some up county representation in that group [of at-large council members].”  Barkley added, “And it would not hurt to have another female’s perspective on the Council.”

Riemer, Elrich and Leventhal happen to all live in Takoma Park. Floreen lives in Garrett Park.

Video via Marc Korman

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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