SUBMITTED PHOTO
Del. Mary Beth Carozza sponsors a flag on behalf of Samuel Bowen during the inaugural Flags for Heroes display at the Worcester County Veteran’s Memorial in Ocean Pines. Bowen was reportedly was the 1,000th member of the U.S. Military to die in battle after the World Trade Center attack on Sept. 11, 2001.

By Rachel Ravina, Staff Writer

(Nov. 1, 2018) Delegate Mary Beth Carozza, 57, says it’s about public service, not politics.

“I deliberately don’t call it politics because that sounds like a game, and I think when you talk about public service, you’re letting the voters know that you’re in it for the right reasons,” she said.

Carozza, a Republican, is the delegate for District 38C of the Maryland House of Delegates, but is running against Democratic incumbent Sen. Jim Mathias for his state senate seat.

She said her interest in public service stemmed from her time at college during the Reagan Era.

“So if you’re in the nation’s capital, with a strong president who really had the United States as the world leader, and remembering those days when he said, ‘tear down that wall,’ that had such an impact of my view of America, and sparked an interest in wanting to be part of that and wanting to pursue public [service],” she said.

Carozza has called the Eastern Shore home since her family moved from Baltimore when she was in the fifth grade. She graduated from Stephen Decatur High School, and earned a bachelor’s and master’s degrees in American government from Catholic University in Washington, D.C.

After graduation, she went on to serve in government positions at the state and federal levels. She said she feels her past experiences put her in the best position to help the community.

“With that experience, that really allows you to know the best way to serve your constituents,”

Carozza said she tries to put a personal touch on interacting with voters, and said the economy, health care and education are important issues as part of her campaign.

“I do a lot of door-to-door, that’s my signature mark,” Carozza said.

Carozza praised Gov. Larry Hogan’s efforts as he also runs for his second term. She said she’s “working with Gov. Hogan, who has made jobs [and the] economy [his] top priority.”

Carozza emphasized her backing from several area business associations and said her fondness of local industry came from her parents, who owned a small business in Ocean City.

“[That] had a profound effect on how I approach my public service in supporting and fighting for small business operators and job creators,” she said.

Providing cost-effective health care is also a major concern, Carozza said.

“We have to have both access to quality services and we have to be able to afford it,” she said.

She added she’s pushed for funding of local health departments, as “they’re on the front lines.”

Carozza said she was in communication with partners in Worcester County who suggested providing peer counselors in the Atlantic General Hospital Emergency Room.

“They came to the conclusion that would be the best time that somebody would be most open to seeking assistance.”

Carozza stressed the need to find other avenues to fight the opioid crisis, but took issue with her opponent’s support of monitored heroin injection facilities where addicts might be prevented from overdosing.

“Maybe that’s an approach that works in Amsterdam or maybe even New York City, but certainly does not work locally on the shore,” she said.

Her educational priorities involve funding for area community colleges, mentorship initiatives and vocational training.

“We have incentives to keep teachers in the classroom and not breaking away and going into other parts of the administration,” Carozza said.