Joanna Conti’s
Commitment to
Anne Arundel County

We are very fortunate to live in beautiful Anne Arundel County.  Unfortunately, our current County Executive has not been making the tough decisions that are crucial to protecting our quality of life.  

I will spend my first year in office cutting spending to eliminate the $90 million deficit that has been holding us back for years, restoring integrity to our county government, and restructuring the Planning & Zoning Department.   Once our budget is under control, I will tackle the other major challenges facing the county.

Several of the goals will require more than four years to achieve.  Rather than set watered-down goals that aren't as meaningful, this outlines my long-term vision for the county.  If I am able to earn and keep the trust of the voters, I commit that by the end of my second term, Anne Arundel County’s economy will be thriving with the addition of tens of thousands of new well-paying jobs, we will be safer, our rivers will be swimmable, and our students will be achieving at a level at least equal to the best in the state. 

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As a business manager with a history of getting things done, I have learned it is crucial to set and measure performance against specific goals.  This is what I commit to doing as your County Executive:
 

I will put our fiscal house in order

Cut spending:  The current County Executive has overspent revenues by $188 million in the last three years, irresponsibly using up all but $20 million of the county’s operating cash. My team will restructure our county government to dramatically cut costs and honestly balance our budget.  We will implement major cost-savings programs to increase government efficiency and increase revenues by recruiting businesses to expand in the county.  As the economy turns around, the increased revenues will be invested in tackling the county’s big challenges and restoring employee pay to competitive levels.             

Quickly implement the will of the voters regarding slots:  If Referendum A passes, I will work with the Cordish Company to open their Live! casino at Arundel Mills Mall on the fastest possible timing.  If Referendum A fails, I will work with the state’s Video Lottery Facility Location Committee, the County Council and potential gaming partners to rapidly identify and open an alternative site for slots along the 295 corridor.   
            
Address long-term problems:  We will develop long-term plans to cover the county’s underfunded obligations, including $2.45 billion in unfunded retiree health care benefits, $1.5 billion in school renovation needs, $0.6-$1.0 billion in stormwater runoff problems and $0.6 billion in deferred road maintenance.  We need to be developing long-term plans that address the highest-priority needs, even if we can’t afford to fund everything we want to do.
 

I will tackle the big problems facing our county

Increase jobs through BRAC and Cyber Command: It is estimated that BRAC will bring as many as 22,000 high-paying jobs to the Fort Meade area, with Cyber Command potentially adding as many as 40,000 more.  Unfortunately, we are so far behind in preparing for these jobs that it is predicted that 30-minute traffic delays will occur around the Fort during peak hours throughout 2011 as 7,000 new employees arrive next year.  I will work closely with our Congressional delegation and our Governor to raise the money desperately needed for highway construction, proactively encourage these workers to move to the county to help our local small businesses, and follow smart growth principles to maintain our quality of life in West County.

Strengthen student performance:  While most Anne Arundel students perform well, our test scores are not as strong as those in Howard County.  By the end of my second term, I want our students’ achievement to be at least equal to, if not better than, those in all other counties in the state, potentially through reducing class sizes and investing in early childhood education.

Improve public safety:  We will improve public safety by resurrecting the Tactical Patrol Units and Tactical Narcotics Teams in the District Offices, hiring and training enough police officers to fill budgeted positions, adequately staffing our fire stations, and investing in productivity-improving technology such as GPS units for our police cars, fire engines and ambulances.  

Clean up our waterways and the Chesapeake Bay:  We will meet Maryland’s 2020 Total Maximum Daily Load pollution targets two years early by making major reductions in the pollution entering the Bay from leaking septic systems, stormwater runoff, and raw sewage spills in Anne Arundel County.

I will run a government we will be proud of

Restore integrity and openness:  I will restore the integrity of our county government, which has been badly battered by charges of sexual harassment, discrimination and retaliation by the County Executive.  Our diverse employee base will be empowered by being treated fairly and given the tools to do their best work.  I will work collaboratively with our county employees as well as with business and labor leaders to develop innovative solutions to the problems facing the county.  

Restructure the Planning & Zoning & Related Departments:  The county’s development review process is dysfunctional.  We will restructure the Planning & Zoning and Inspections & Permits Departments during my first year in office to make the development process much fairer, faster and more predictable.  
 

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These worthy goals are challenging, but achievable.  As your County Executive, I will issue a report card each December which shows our progress towards these goals.  If I’m not getting the job done, please throw me out in 2014!

 Joanna L. Conti
10/4/2010