Employ Best Practices, Enjoy Proven Success

Counties and municipalities all over the country are facing the same challenges we are.  School funding and overcrowding, traffic and public transit issues, open space preservation, building and growth, job creation – the list goes on.  We need to identify best practices in other jurisdictions and put them to work for us here in Anne Arundel County.  We need to make smart investments in proven solutions.  This is the path to our success, and it will take good leadership to find it and follow it.

Take Stock, Reward Stockholders
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As a “services business,” Anne Arundel County needs to be run like one.  Every dollar spent should provide a necessary service and every decision-maker should be accountable to the stockholders – the citizens of Anne Arundel County.  In the short term, we need to do three things: clear the bureaucratic path for individuals and small businesses, look for ways to better enforce our existing zoning and conservation laws, and give county citizens the information they deserve by delivering report cards.

Measuring sticks must be in place and the lines of communication open.  The goal in making these changes would be to deliver a dividend to county citizens in the form of quality government services at a price we can all afford.

Learn Here, Live Here (back to top)

Training and education are important keys to economic growth.  Anne Arundel Community College is a nationally-recognized hub for job training and work force development.  Whether they earn a high school diploma or an advanced degree here in the county, students need incentives to stay here, to work here, and to contribute to this community and this economy.  Looking forward, our outstanding public library system and network of senior centers are important partners for life-long learning.

Retain Talent, Train for Success (back to top)

There is a simple formula for effective public safety services in the county.  We need to retain talented individuals who can lead by example.  And we need to make good investments in technology and training to help them do their jobs.  The men and women who put themselves in harm’s way for us deserve the resources and equipment needed to keep them safe.  Many people come to Anne Arundel County because it is a good place to live, work and raise a family.  Options must be explored to maintain our competitive edge against neighboring counties.

Nurture Economic Growth, Conserve Natural Resources (back to top)

We have a responsibility to nurture local businesses and help them grow deep and sustaining roots here.  Further, we must look for opportunities to draw in compatible enterprises to engage our local work force.  In those cases, incentives can effectively be used to encourage redevelopment in areas of the county with existing infrastructure.  Irreplaceable green space must be preserved, and smart traffic management must be a primary focus.

Our environment, our natural resources, our Chesapeake Bay – these things are not partisan “issues.”  We are privileged in our proximity to the bay and all of its wonders, but with that privilege comes responsibility.  We are all stewards of our environment.  In that role, we need to explore long-term, regional approaches to controlling erosion and run-off and stemming the flow of pollutants into the air and water.  In the short term, we need to strictly and consistently enforce our existing zoning and conservation laws.

Reward Dedication, Expand Communication (back to top)

It is our responsibility to support teachers in higher learning, pay them competitive salaries so that they may better experience life outside the classroom, and provide them with the resources they need to impart their knowledge.  In addition, we need to look at ways to better engage parents, local businesses and mentors to create a learning environment that extends beyond the classroom.  Most importantly, we need to create a working and learning environment that is insulated from contract and political cycles.  We can do that by keeping the lines of communication open between the parents, the teachers, the school board, the superintendent and the administration year-round – not just at negotiation time.