John A. Olszewski Jr.

John A. Olszewski Jr. (born September 10, 1982) is an American politician and the current Baltimore County Executive. He previously served two terms in the Maryland House of Delegates representing District 6.

John A. Olszewski Jr.
John A. Olszewski, Jr. in 2007
14th Executive of Baltimore County
Incumbent
Assumed office December 3, 2018
Preceded by	Donald Mohler
Member of the Maryland House of Delegates from District 6
In office June 12, 2006 – January 14, 2015
Preceded by	John S. Arnick
Constituency	District 6, Baltimore County
Personal details
Born	(1982-09-10) September 10, 1982 Baltimore City, Maryland
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Marisa
Relations	John A. Olszewski Sr. member, Baltimore County Council
Children	1
Residence	Dundalk, Maryland
Alma mater	Goucher College (B.A.) George Washington University (M.A.) University of Maryland, Baltimore County (Ph.D.)
Occupation	Educator, politician

Early life and education

Olszewski was born the eldest of three boys to John Olszewski Sr. and Sherry Olszewski in Baltimore, Maryland on September 10, 1982.[1] He was raised in Dundalk, Maryland, and graduated from Sparrows Point High School in 2000.[2]

Following high school, he attended Goucher College, from which he graduated with a bachelor's in political science and American studies.[2] After college, Olszewski pursued a master's in political management from George Washington University, which he obtained in 2006.[2] He began teaching at Patapsco High School and Center for the Arts a year prior to his first election in 2006, focusing on social studies and special education.[2] In 2017, Olszewski earned a doctorate from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.[2]

Career

Olszewski was appointed to the Baltimore County Board of Education as the Student Member of the Board, serving from 1999 to 2000.[3] He was elected to a term on the Maryland Democratic State Central Committee, serving from 2002 to 2006.[3]

He served on the Task Force to Study Raising the Compulsory Age of Education to 18 and served as a member of the Commission to Develop the Maryland Model for Funding Higher Education.[3] Olszewski was also a member of the 2009 State Plan for Postsecondary Education Work Group.[3] He served on Maryland's P-20 Leadership Council, the Joint Information Technology and Biotechnology Committee, the Task Force on Job Creation in Baltimore County, and as a co-chair of the Maryland Youth Advisory Council.[3] In addition, Delegate Olszewski was elected as chairman of the Baltimore County Delegation in 2011.[2][3]

After serving as a classroom teacher at Patapsco High School and Center for the Arts for five years, Olszewski served another two years as a resource teacher in the Department of Parent Support Services in Baltimore County. He enrolled as a PhD student in the University of Maryland, Baltimore County's (UMBC) Public Policy program, where he also served as a graduate assistant. Olszewski graduated from the program in 2017.

He also has taught two classes at Goucher College, one on "Leadership for Change" and another on "Campaigns and Elections," and has lectured internationally on the subject of "Leadership for Change" with George Washington University's Governance Program. Olszewski is a 2010 graduate of Leadership Baltimore County.

Olszewski remains active in his community and district, serving as a block captain for the St. Helena Neighborhood Association and as a member of and volunteer for various organizations, including the Dundalk Renaissance Corporation and the Back River Restoration Committee.

Olszewski ran for a seat in the Maryland Senate in 2014, but lost in the general election. After serving as a member of the Ways and Means Committee (dealing with education policy, gaming law, election law, tax law, transportation law, and horseracing), he became a member of the House Economic Matters Committee, which deals with issues of public utilities, insurance, worker's compensation, unemployment insurance, banking, science, technology, and business regulation. He also led the 21-member Baltimore County Delegation in the House of Delegates as its chairman—the youngest ever to be elected to that position.

In 2018, Olszewski was elected Baltimore County Executive. He was inaugurated on Dec. 3, 2018 for his four-year term.

In the legislature

Olszewski became a member of House of Delegates on June 12, 2006,[1] having been appointed to fill the vacancy created by an appointment of the late Delegate John Arnick to the Maryland Board of Contract Appeals.[2] He stood for election in September and November of that same year and won a four-year term in his own right.[3] He served as a member of the House Ways and Means Committee and its Education and Election Law Subcommittees during that first term.[2] In September and November 2010, Delegate Olszewski was re-elected to his position, where he was given a new committee assignment with the Economic Matters Committee, serving on the property and casualty insurance and the public utility subcommittees.[2]

As County Executive

After Olszewski was inaugurated for his term he started to implement his agenda. This includes creating a more open government with six town halls being held to inform the community of his policies.[4] In October of 2019, Olszewski helped pass a law requiring landlords to take Title 8 vouchers.[5]

Legislative notes

• Voted in favor of Tax Reform Act of 2007(HB2)[6]
  • provides for a progressive income tax structure (and lowered income taxes for a large majority of Marylanders)
• Voted for the Maryland Gang Prosecution Act of 2007 (HB713)[7]
  • subjecting gang members to up to 20 years in prison and/or a fine of up to $100,000
• Voted for Jessica's Law (HB 930)[8]
  • eliminating parole for the most violent child sexual predators and creating a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years in state prison, 2007
• Voted for Public Safety – Statewide DNA Database System – Crimes of Violence and Burglary – Post conviction (HB 370)[9]
  • helping to give police officers and prosecutors greater resources to solve crimes and eliminating a backlog of 24,000 unanalyzed DNA samples, leading to 192 arrests, 2008
• Voted for Vehicle Laws – Repeated Drunk and Drugged Driving Offenses – Suspension of License (HB 293)[10]
  • strengthening Maryland's drunk driving laws by imposing a mandatory one year license suspension for a person convicted of drunk driving more than once in five years, 2009
• Voted for HB102[11]
  • creating the House Emergency Medical Services System Workgroup, leading to Maryland's budgeting of $52 million to fund three new Medevac helicopters to replace the State's aging fleet, 2009
• Voted for Civil Marriage Protection Act (HB438)[12]
  • permit civil marriage rights for same-sex couples, 2012

Personal life

In 2012, he was named one of Maryland Daily Record's top "20 in Their Twenties."[13] Honorees are chosen based on their professional accomplishments and civic involvement and celebrated for the positive impact they have on contributing to a new energy in Maryland.[14]

References

1. "Del. John Olszewski Jr. (D-Maryland) biography". congress.org. Retrieved May 3, 2012.
2. Rodman, Nicole (April 18, 2012). "Del. Olszewski makes Daily Record's list of up-and-comers". Dundalk Eagle. Archived from the original on January 22, 2013. Retrieved May 3, 2012.
3. "House of Delegates: Maryland Manual Online". Maryland State Archives. 2007. Retrieved May 3, 2012.
4. Government, Baltimore County. "Town Hall Meetings - Baltimore County". www.baltimorecountymd.gov. Retrieved 2019-11-19.
5. III, Wilborn P. Nobles. "Baltimore County Council hears from both sides of debate over low income housing proposal". baltimoresun.com. Retrieved 2019-11-19.
6. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-02-09. Retrieved 2011-12-09.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
7. "BILL INFO-2007 Regular Session-HB 713". mlis.state.md.us.
8. "BILL INFO-2007 Regular Session-HB 930". mlis.state.md.us.
9. "BILL INFO-2008 Regular Session-HB 370". mlis.state.md.us.
10. "BILL INFO-2009 Regular Session-HB 293". mlis.state.md.us.
11. "BILL INFO-2009 Regular Session-HB 102". mlis.state.md.us.
12. "BILL INFO-2012 Regular Session-HB 438". mlis.state.md.us.
13. "20 in Their Twenties: Current Winners". The Daily Record. thedailyrecord.com. Archived from the original on May 12, 2012. Retrieved May 3, 2012.
14. "The Daily Record: 20 in Their Twenties". The Daily Record. thedailyrecord.com. Retrieved May 3, 2012.