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Steven J. Arentz

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Steven James Arentz (born April 17, 1951) is an American politician from the Republican Party who is a member of the Maryland House of Delegates representing the 36th district since 2013. He was previously the president of the Queen Anne's County Board of Commissioners from 2010 to 2013.

Steven J. Arentz
Arentz in 2020
Member of the Maryland House of Delegates
from the 36th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
November 19, 2013
Serving with Jay Jacobs, Jeff Ghrist
Appointed byMartin O'Malley
Preceded byStephen S. Hershey Jr.
President of the Queen Anne's County Board of County Commissioners
In office
December 14, 2010 – November 19, 2013
Preceded byJoseph F. Cupani
Succeeded byJim Moran
Personal details
Born (1951-04-17) April 17, 1951 (age 73)
Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
SpouseBiana
Children2

Early life and career

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Arentz was born in Hollywood, California,[1] and grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,[2] where he attended the Community College of Allegheny County and the Control Data Institute. He later attended Newbury Junior College.[1] Arentz previously owned his own business, Hemingway's Restaurant, until its closure in October 2010,[3] and has worked as a realtor for Long & Foster since 2003.[1]

Arentz is married to his wife, Biana, and has two children.[4]

Political career

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In 2010, Arentz was elected to the Queen Anne's County Board of Commissioners[5] and served as chair of the Roads Board and Sanitary Commission until November 19, 2013. At the same time, he served as a member on the Queen Anne's County Board of Health and on the Task Force on Government Sustainability.[1] Following his resignation from the county commission, businessman James Moran was appointed to serve the remainder of his term.[6]

 
Arentz in the House Economic Matters Committee, 2023

In August 2013, following the resignation of Senate minority leader E. J. Pipkin, Arentz applied to serve the remainder of Pipkin's term in the Maryland Senate.[7] After Stephen S. Hershey Jr. was appointed to the seat, he applied to fill Hershey's seat the Maryland House of Delegates. The Republican Central Committees in Queen Anne's, Kent, and Caroline counties voted to recommend Arentz to the seat in October 2013,[8] and Governor Martin O'Malley appointed him to the seat later on November 12.[9] Arentz was sworn in on November 19, 2013.[4] He was elected to a full four-year term in 2014.[10]

Arentz was a member of the Appropriations Committee from 2014 to 2015, and has served on the Economic Matters Committee since 2015. He also served as the Deputy Minority Whip for the Maryland House Republican Caucus from 2017 to 2020.[1]

Political positions

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Development initiatives

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Arentz supported the Four Seasons project, a proposed waterfront housing development on Kent Island.[11][12] In July 2013, opponents of the housing project filed an ethics complaint against Arentz, claiming that he would benefit from the project since it was a few hundred yards away from a commercial building that he owned, a conflict of interest that plaintiffs said should have prevented him from voting on a measure to approve the developers' request for a wetlands permit. Arentz rejected any conflict of interest, saying that he would "gain nothing more than any other citizen in this county who has a business".[13] Other members of the Queen Anne's County Board of Commissioners also defended Arentz's vote on the bill, predicting that Arentz would from being a realtor before he could sell any homes built at Four Seasons.[14]

Education

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During the 2014 legislative session, Arentz introduced legislation that would limit the amount of time students spent on school laptops.[15] He reintroduced the bill in 2018.[16]

In 2015, Arentz introduced a bill that would establish a two-way text messaging tip system for reporting bullying at schools.[17]

In March 2021, Arentz voted against legislation to provide free menstrual products in school bathrooms.[18]

Environment

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During the 2014 legislative session, Arentz spoke in support of a bill that would allow the use of hydraulic dredges to catch clams south of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge.[19]

In October 2017, Arentz said that he supported renewable energy, but complained that solar arrays along state highways were taking away farmland and not creating jobs.[20] He opposed the Climate Solutions Now Act, casting doubt onto the bill's goals to achieve 100 percent renewable energy dependency,[21] questioning whether the state could recoup for the energy lost from the transition away from fossil fuel industries,[22] and predicting that the bill's cost would fall onto ratepayers.[23]

Fiscal issues

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During the 2014 legislative session, Arentz voted against a bill to raise the minimum wage to $10.10 an hour.[24] In 2019, he opposed a bill to raise the state's minimum wage to $15 an hour.[20]

In April 2018, Arentz voted against the Reform on Tap Act, a bill backed by Comptroller Peter Franchot to deregulate the state's craft beer industry.[25]

In April 2022, Arentz said he opposed legislation that would provide workers with 24 weeks of paid family leave, which he said would hurt businesses.[26]

Social issues

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During the 2016 legislative session, Arentz introduced legislation that would extend state hate crime protections to first responders. The bill died in committee.[27]

In March 2021, Arentz voted against legislation to repeal "Maryland, My Maryland" as the official state song.[28]

Electoral history

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Queen Anne's County Commissioner At-Large District Republican primary election, 2010[29]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Steven J. Arentz 2,620 51.1
Republican Frank Frohn 1,756 34.3
Republican Robert Willis Foley, Jr. 748 14.6
Queen Anne's County Commissioner At-Large District election, 2010[30]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Steven J. Arentz 10,979 58.2
Democratic Neal Jackson 7,858 41.7
Write-in 20 0.1
Maryland House of Delegates District 36 Republican primary election, 2014[31]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jay A. Jacobs (incumbent) 6,796 26.8
Republican Steve Arentz (incumbent) 6,372 25.1
Republican Jefferson L. Ghrist 4,307 17.0
Republican Michael D. Smigiel Sr. (incumbent) 4,163 16.4
Republican Alan McCarthy 2,067 8.1
Republican J. D. Uhler 1,048 4.1
Republican Rod Heinze 641 2.5
Maryland House of Delegates District 36 election, 2014[32]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jay A. Jacobs (incumbent) 33,579 29.7
Republican Jefferson L. Ghrist 27,259 24.1
Republican Steven J. Arentz (incumbent) 25,516 22.6
Democratic Irving Pinder 14,045 12.4
Democratic Robert Alan Thornton Jr. 12,184 10.8
Write-in 313 0.3
Maryland House of Delegates District 36 election, 2018[33]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Steven J. Arentz (incumbent) 29,092 22.6
Republican Jay A. Jacobs (incumbent) 28,897 22.5
Republican Jefferson L. Ghrist (incumbent) 27,087 21.1
Democratic Crystal Woodward 16,032 12.5
Democratic Michael Ian Welker 14,201 11.0
Democratic Keirien Taylor 13,246 10.3
Write-in 72 0.1
Maryland House of Delegates District 36 election, 2022[34]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jay A. Jacobs (incumbent) 36,249 32.9
Republican Jefferson L. Ghrist (incumbent) 35,640 32.3
Republican Steven J. Arentz (incumbent) 35,541 32.2
Write-in 2,854 2.6

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "Steven J. Arentz, Maryland State Delegate". msa.maryland.gov.
  2. ^ Jackson, Alex (November 21, 2013). "Arentz appointed to fill Hershey's seat in House of Delegates". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
  3. ^ "Iconic Eastern Shore Restaurant Closing After 20 Years". Shore Update. October 20, 2010. Retrieved November 26, 2021.
  4. ^ a b Shaum, Jack (November 19, 2013). "Arentz takes oath as District 36th delegate". Cecil Daily. Retrieved November 26, 2021.
  5. ^ Knauss, Chris (December 16, 2010). "Five new QA's county commissioners take oath of office". The Star Democrat. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
  6. ^ Shaum, Jack (December 5, 2013). "Moran chosen as new QA commissioner". The Star Democrat. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
  7. ^ "14 Republicans Vie for Pipkin's Seat - Chestertown Spy". The Chestertown Spy. August 20, 2013. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
  8. ^ "Caroline & Kent Republicans Select Arentz To Receive Appointment to District 36 Delegate Vacancy - Chestertown Spy". The Chestertown Spy. October 25, 2013. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
  9. ^ Dresser, Michael (November 12, 2013). "Governor appoints GOP's Arentz to House". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
  10. ^ Wolf, Alex (November 5, 2014). "Caroline County gets rare delegate seat as Republicans sweep 36th District". The Star Democrat. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
  11. ^ Dresser, Michael (November 12, 2013). "Chesapeake Bay Foundation excluded from bridge run". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
  12. ^ Dresser, Michael; Wheeler, Timothy B. (July 19, 2013). "Kent Island project again seeks approval". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
  13. ^ Dresser, Michael (July 23, 2013). "Four Seasons project spurs ethics questions". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
  14. ^ Baldwin, Dan (September 20, 2013). "QA's citizens speak against Four Seasons". The Star Democrat. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
  15. ^ Kaltenbach, Chris (December 22, 2016). "For comedian Paula Poundstone, her audience is her best friend". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
  16. ^ Thompson, Meghan (March 6, 2018). "Parents Take Dim View of Ubiquitous School Computers, Seek State Regs". Maryland Matters. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
  17. ^ Price, Angela (March 25, 2015). "Students testify on anti-bullying text program". The Star Democrat. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
  18. ^ Spector, Candice (March 2, 2021). "Shore delegates oppose free menstrual products in school bathrooms". The Star Democrat. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
  19. ^ Menefee, Daniel (February 27, 2014). "Jacob's Oyster Dredging Bill Heads to Environmental Committee, CBF to Oppose - Chestertown Spy". The Chestertown Spy. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
  20. ^ a b Divilio, Daniel (April 25, 2019). "Delegation raises concerns over 'War on the Shore'". The Star Democrat. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
  21. ^ McIntire, Melissa (January 16, 2022). "36th District legislators say funding demands of Kirwan will hit Kent disproportionally". The Star Democrat. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
  22. ^ Shwe, Elizabeth (February 19, 2021). "Lawmakers Consider Carbon Fees For Polluters That Will Help Pay for Kirwan Bill". Maryland Matters. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
  23. ^ Shwe, Elizabeth (March 7, 2022). "After Amendments, Climate Bill Passes Senate Committee, While House Bill Faces Resistance at Hearing". Maryland Matters. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
  24. ^ Bollinger, Josh (October 16, 2014). "District 36 delegate candidates square off in forum". The Star Democrat. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
  25. ^ Connolly, Connie (April 2, 2018). "Reform on Tap Act fizzles". The Star Democrat. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
  26. ^ McCall, Tom (April 20, 2022). "Family leave, redistricting hot topics at legislative breakfast". The Star Democrat. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
  27. ^ Yeager, Amanda (January 30, 2017). "Anne Arundel lawmakers sponsor bill to give police hate crime protections". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
  28. ^ Spector, Candice (March 31, 2021). "Shore lawmakers split on push to toss Maryland's Confederate themed state song". The Star Democrat. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
  29. ^ "Official 2010 Gubernatorial Primary Election results for Queen Anne's County". Maryland State Board of Elections.
  30. ^ "Official 2010 Gubernatorial General Election results for Queen Anne's County". Maryland State Board of Elections.
  31. ^ "Official 2014 Gubernatorial Primary Election results for House of Delegates". Maryland State Board of Elections.
  32. ^ "Official 2014 Gubernatorial General Election results for House of Delegates". Maryland State Board of Elections.
  33. ^ "Official 2018 Gubernatorial General Election results for House of Delegates". Maryland State Board of Elections.
  34. ^ "Official 2022 Gubernatorial General Election results for House of Delegates". Maryland State Board of Elections.
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