Issue Position: Economic Development

Issue Position

Harford County, like the rest of the country, has suffered through a disastrous recession and a partial shutdown of the Federal Government, yet we have managed to grow our economy and look forward to a bright future. But that cannot continue to happen without proper planning.

Our local and state governments must provide basic infrastructure and support for private businesses and governmental agencies to grow, providing good paying jobs for our citizens. That requires economic development programs and land use plans to encourage growth in the right places and at the right time.

As Director of Economic Development for the City of Aberdeen, I have worked with private businesses and government agencies to bring jobs to Harford County. I know we can only be successful if we have a plan created through public input and supported by the business community.

An example of poor growth planning is the proposed development of a large Wal-Mart store in an already crowded area south of Bel Air where two other large developments were allowed to proceed without taking into account the potential devastating traffic effects on the community.

Harford County taxpayers are also being cheated by our legislators. Their failure to allow Harford County to levy a tax on hotel visitors puts our citizens at a distinct disadvantage with other counties. We are the only county in the state to not have such a tax. That means county taxpayers pay such a tax in other jurisdictions around the country, but their residents pay nothing in Harford County. Such taxes help fund infrastructure needs and provide support for job creating tourism activities. Our local legislators have made little or no effort to move this tax through the legislator, despite support for it from county officials, businesses and even the hotel industry.

WE CAN DO BETTER!

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