Tom Hucker in the news

05/09/2007 - Passing the nation's first state Living Wage Law

03/13/2009 - Bill for Pre-K Development Passed - The House of Delegates passed a bill yesterday requiring the state Department of Education to adopt a business plan for the creation of universal pre-kindergarten education. Del. Tom Hucker (D-Montgomery), the sponsor, said this is the first time the House has indicated its support for public pre-K in Maryland. He said it would allow the state to obtain federal grants available to states that have started planning for the early childhood education.

"Maryland used to be a leader," he said, noting that Virginia and the District have started offering the pre-kindergarten classes. "We've fallen behind, and this allows us to catch up to our neighbors."

Rosalind S. Helderman

06/10/2009 - Passing a Universal Pre-Kindergarten bill

05/22/2009 - Passage of the Mercury Cleanup bill

03/07/2009 - Working to Protect Consumers and Dogs

01/15/2009 - Fighting to Protect Human Services

02/19/2009 - Advocating for Wine Shipping to Maryland

02/21/2007 - Backers of 'living wage' bill address House committee - ...Del. Thomas Hucker, a Montgomery County Democrat, estimates that 50,000 workers on state contracts would get the higher wage. Before his election, Hucker spent years lobbying for living wage legislation on behalf of Progressive Maryland, a coalition of unions, community groups and members of the clergy.

02/01/2007 - O'Malley Pushes 'Shared Agenda,' Notes Budget Challenges - ... Del. Thomas Hucker (D-Montgomery), who plans to sponsor the legislation, said the minimum pay under a current formula would be $11.95 an hour.

08/23/2006 - First-time candidates take funds lead in District 20 - ... Two first-time Democratic candidates lead the pack in fundraising in Maryland's House District 20, where two incumbents are trying to hold on to their seats while five Democrats are attempting to the void being left by Del. Peter Franchot's run for state comptroller .

07/19/2006 - Hucker aims to make difference in House - ...Hucker has been an activist for about 10 years, but now he said he'd like to take his energy and commitment to the next level. He is running for a seat in the Maryland House of Delegates in District 20.

06/14/2006 - Legislature makes businesses uneasy - ...Tom Hucker, who is on leave as executive director of the liberal advocacy group Progressive Maryland while he runs for the state House of Delegates, thinks much needs to be done. Fire the Public Service Commission members, he said. Get back the multimillions in "stranded costs" paid to Constellation for the loss in value of its power plants that was expected but never materialized, he said. And stop the merger, too, he said.

06/09/2006 - Teachers union's backing is key in Montgomery - ...Tom Hucker (Dist. 20, House of Delegates) listens as he and others are endorsed by the Montgomery County Education Association in Rockville Thursday morning.

05/14/2006 - Community adopts standards for incoming Wal-Mart - ...Progressive Maryland director Tom Hucker said this agreement was not a huge step for Wal-Mart, and that the store will still be an unfortunate presence in the community.

11/09/2005 - Paycheck to paycheck gets harder and harder - ...The vast majority in poverty are working families who are just one or two paychecks away from catastrophe...Part of this is because the cost of living has risen, but incomes have not kept up, and in some cases have actually gone down, Hucker said.

09/09/2005 - Duncan, O’Malley urge override of vetoes - For Doug Duncan and Martin O'Malley to be in the same room, singing off the same page ... shows the importance of these issues,” Hucker said.

06/30/2005 - Davis to regroup, tries for $7.15 minimum wage - ...Tom Hucker, executive director of Progressive Maryland, an activist organization that supported this year's wage bill, said an increase to $7.15 is overdue. But Hucker also said he does not want to see the legislature give up the override campaign.

06/24/2005 - President Bush pushes Social Security reform in Silver Spring - ... "Regardless of how the market performs, we'd have to put away at least $7.9 billion right now" to provide retirees with a level of income equal to what they are receiving under the current Social Security system, Progressive Maryland Executive Director Tom Hucker told protesters after the president's meeting.

05/14/2005 - In Cities Facing Budget Deficits, Cellphone Becomes a Taxpayer - ...Progressive Maryland, a nonprofit group that promotes "pro-working-family legislation," said Maryland lawmakers should raise the corporate tax and scale back taxes on consumers... "When you have a thriving corporate sector paying less and less tax, the taxes get foisted on working and middle-class families," said Tom Hucker, executive director of the group.

04/01/2005 - Dems pack Progressive Maryland dinner - ...Tom Hucker joked that Miller is "one of the most progressive senators -- from Calvert County," but gave him kudos for fighting to keep jury trials in medical malpractice cases, fighting to force Wal-Mart to provide health insurance and raising the minimum wage.

01/07/2005 - Who's News - ... the allegedly nonpartisan duo provided plenty of fodder for the grist mill this year, filling in for a divided and dysfunctional Democratic Party establishment, with a report highlighting that two-thirds of Maryland's biggest corporations don't pay any state income tax and pushing the living wage bill through a reluctant General Assembly.

12/24/2004 - HMO tax could derail medical malpractice reform - "I don't think Bob Ehrlich has ever worried about poor people in his life," said Tom Hucker, director of the social advocacy group Progressive Maryland. "His crocodile tears now are unconvincing."

05/07/2004 - Businesses' share of state taxes drops - "Every kid in a dilapidated classroom and every commuter stuck in traffic is a victim of corporate tax cheating," said Tom Hucker.

02/20/2004 - Miller battles 'far left' over proposed living wage legislation - "It's going to save the state money," said Tom Hucker, executive director of Progressive Maryland. Jurisdictions that have living wage laws reduce their need for social services and bring in more tax dollars, he contended.

05/09/2003 - Tom Hucker, Progressive Maryland - ...the Silver Spring-based advocacy group helped shoot down Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr.'s slot machine bill, pushed successfully to close corporate loopholes and was part of the effort to reform CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield.

06/14/2002 - Montgomery OKs living wage that doubles federal minimum - ..."This takes 3,100 families out of poverty and puts them into the middle class," said Tom Hucker, Progressive Maryland's executive director.

11/02/2001 - Purple Line plan seen as 'wrong decision' - ...an inner Purple Line would be more convenient for working-class and minority residents living in inner Beltway communities, said Tom Hucker, director of Progressive Maryland, a group that supports working families.