(4/2018) I love spring and Easter because it reminds me of hope, grace and the promise of new life. Ultimately, I believe spring is about opportunity. It is the time for growth, renewal and strengthening our belief in ourselves and our ability to overcome obstacles. This has never been more apparent to me than now, as the official campaign season begins and I embark on one of the greatest challenges of my life to become the next Frederick County Executive.

I realized first-hand the impact we can make on the local level during my fourteen year tenure in the Frederick County Finance Division. Frederick County is full of bright-minded and hard-working citizens who wish to better themselves, their families and their communities. But often times today, these entrepreneurs and business owners are stifled by the challenges brought on by unnecessary regulations, burdensome taxes and mismanaged bureaucrats.

In fact, at a very young age, I witnessed some of the difficulties and challenges small business owners face every day. I watched the only way of life I ever knew auctioned off to the highest bidder when we sold our dairy farm operation in 1985. Always up to the challenge, my dad learned a new trade, started over, and chased his dreams. However, I saw first- hand how difficult it was to start a business in Frederick County especially one that was "outside the box." There was no specific zoning & regulations for bull ridings and the process was long and cumbersome as everyone tried to figure it out.

I am very proud to say that 20 years later, the J Bar W has entertained 10,000 fans, donated over $100,000 to PPF and Hospice and was named one of the "Top Ten Things to Do" in Frederick County. But this almost didn’t happen, it took 2 years to get through the county approval process. I hear the same repeated stories of hard working individuals struggling to start or expand a business while getting the run-around from the County. This is one of the reasons I decided to run for Frederick County Executive.

With over 6,000 businesses in Frederick County, small businesses are the backbone of our economy. As your County Executive, I will ensure our government works with small businesses, not against them. I will work to streamline the permit process to provide a more predictable, timely and flexible process for new and growing businesses.

My experience in Frederick County government provides a different perspective than others in this race. The first order of business and biggest responsibility of the County Executive is to prepare the County budget. Over half of this $582 million budget is derived from property tax revenue. During the first term of Charter government alone, Property Tax Revenue has increased almost $30 million. We sit in a County with the third highest County Property Tax Rate in Maryland. I will put a halt to the ever-increasing taxes and fees.

I pledge to bring the objectivity of a CPA to the office of County Executive and promise to be a good steward of your hard-earned tax dollars. As the former Frederick County Budget Officer, I had the honor of going to New York City and presenting the County’s budget and six year projections to the bond rating agencies, which resulted in a AAA upgrade by S&P. For the first time in history, Frederick County received AAA ratings from all three bond-rating agencies. Fewer than 50 counties in the United States have three AAA bond ratings - out of more than 3,000 counties in the country. I am proud to have played a part in obtaining that distinguished honor for Frederick County.

Currently, there are over 2,000 Frederick County employees and I used to be one of them. I have a unique perspective and opportunity no other candidate has to connect and collaborate with County employees to change the culture of county government.

This election is not just about issues. It is about leadership. Anyone in a position of power can surround themselves with loyal people to carry out their vision, but a great leader can inspire people to believe in themselves and reach their full potential. They cultivate a mindset of leadership within the organization that can bring about real change.

I may be one of the few candidates to admit, I don’t have all the answers for Frederick County. But I have the wisdom to know that and the humility to seek the expertise of those who do. Unlike many politicians and candidates, I won’t pretend to be your savior, my job as County Executive is to be your public servant. I am willing to listen to each of you and learn about the problems and concerns you face with your local government.

Every voice matters and every vote counts, especially on the local level. We need leadership that focuses on people, not politics. Leadership should promote collaboration and not instigate an "Us vs. Them" mentality. We the people deserve better than politics as usual.