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The Gazette newspaper's online site has published their Voters Guide 2006. It includes the responses to questionnaires that the Gazette sent to all the Frederick County candidates for office this election, including the Frederick County Board of County Commissioners, Frederick County Board of Education, Maryland House of Delegates: Frederick County, Maryland State Senate: Frederick County, Frederick County Sheriff, Frederick State's Attorney, Frederick County Register of Wills and the Frederick County Clerks.
Click on either of the two previous links to open those pages in a new window.
I've posted my information and responses in the full blog entry linked below, just as they appear in the Gazette Voter Guide..
READ COMPLETE POST
The Frederick County League of Women Voters sent a candidate questionnaire to all of the candidates for Frederick County Board of County Commissioners. The questionnaire came with tight word limits for each question.
I've posted my responses in the full blog entry linked below, below, just as they were sent, and as they appear at the Frederick News Post online.
READ COMPLETE POST
This evening, three volunteers and I were at the Urbana Carnival. It was hot, but otherwise clear and pleasant.
We had a tent (top only) for shade, a table, an eight foot long "Kai Hagen for Frederick County Commissioner" banner, various items to give away (lapel stickers, bumper stickers...) and a sign up sheet for anyone who wanted to get on the campaign mailing list.
I was at the Walkersville carnival for three evenings, at Baker Park on the 4th of July, at the Middletown carnival for a couple of nights, at a parade in Emmitsburg, and in the Thurmont Parade last week.
Being in the Thurmont parade was especially fun.
READ COMPLETE POST
Not long before the filing deadline ten days ago, Ron Wolf entered the race for the Frederick County Board of County Commissioners. Wolf, who is currently serving on the Frederick County Democratic Central Committee, is one of just four Democrats running for county commissioner (that could change, as the central committee still has a few days to add a fifth Democrat to the ticket).
The Gazette article about Ron's filing is included below.
Whether or not another candidate is added, the September primary will not be contested for the four, or five, of us. Ron, Jan Gardner, Richard Floyd and I will all be among the final nine, or ten, candidates vying for five positions in November.
READ COMPLETE POST
Below is an article published in the Gazette today.
As the article describes:
"The Gazette interviewed roughly 30 people who live throughout Frederick County to find out what bothers them and what they love about living in the area. Growth, clogged highways, overcrowded schools and affordable housing topped the list of issues that came up in most conversations with these residents."
Below the article, I've excerpted a few passages and made a few comments.
READ COMPLETE POST
Today, my sons joined me as I made one more trip to the steps of Winchester Hall before the filing deadline. This time it was to hear former three-time county commissioner David Gray announce that he was going to run again this year, after stepping away from the office four years ago.
As David said, he has been considering this for a few months, based largely on the direction and decisions of the current board. It's easy for me to understand that. My own motivation to run for county commissioner was greatly enhanced by watching – over and over again – a bi-partisan majority of the sitting board turn Frederick County in the wrong direction, and then hit the accelerator, all the while ignoring citizen input and serving development interests over responsible long term planning and real problem-solving.
I have a great deal of respect for David – for his commitment and accomplishments, certainly, but no less so for his thoughtful and open-minded approach to the process of policy-making.
I would be pleased to have the opportunity to sit on the same board the next four years – a board that would certainly include a very different sort of bi-partisan majority!
READ COMPLETE POST
Yesterday, along with a few dozen other supporters, I went to hear Commissioner Gardner speak on the steps of Winchester Hall.
Like everyone else there, other than Jan and John Gardner, I came not knowing if she was going to announce that she was going to run for a third consecutive term on the Frederick County Board of County Commissioners, or if she was going to tell us that eight years of very hard work on the board was enough for her.
I was very glad for the county, and grateful to Jan, when, a few minutes into her speech, she shared her decision to run!
READ COMPLETE POST
It's been common knowledge for a while that Billy Shreve was going to run for county commissioner. He officially filed as a candidate some time ago, but made his public announcement this morning.
I think Shreve has a pretty good chance to get through the Republican primary. Even though he may not have a lot of name recognition around the county, he is well known in some circles, due to his involvement in various activities and his appearances on Pressing Issues, among other things. He has a solid list of credentials. And he's likely to raise and spend a lot of money, including plenty of support from individuals and companies in the development community.
I don't know Billy personally. But...I've watched him on Pressing Issues and in his role on the Board of Zoning Appeals. I've read a fair amount of his comments on various issues over the past few years. And I've read through his new campaign website.
When I put all that and more together, I'm sure of two things: Billy will be serious contender in the campaign, and I hope he doesn't get elected.
READ COMPLETE POST
Commissioner Mike Cady removed lingering uncertainty about whether he would run for re-election when he filed his papers earlier today.
Even though Cady announced his intention to run more than a year ago, and has been collecting money ever since then, speculation that he might have changed his mind was fueled by the fact that he had not yet filed, as well as recent statements about the angry criticism he receives and the affect the job has had on his net worth.
It's no secret that I've been fairly critical of Commissioner Cady on many occasions, for a wide variety of reasons. But I'm not going to rehash them all in what would have to be a very long blog entry. You can type "Cady"into the SEARCH box on any page here to see what I've said before.
Instead, beneath the short Gazette article about the official filing, just below, I've included the column I wrote for the Frederick News Post right after the current board was elected in November, 2002.
It is said that those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.
READ COMPLETE POST
I am very pleased to announce the hiring of Adam Schultz as the full-time campaign manager of my campaign for the Frederick County Board of County Commissioners!
It is not an exaggeration to say that the future of Frederick County is at stake in this election. We do not have to trade what we love about this place for something inadequate, ordinary and uninspired. We can do better. We can do much better.
And so, it is essential that this campaign leave no stone unturned, that we do everything possible to get the message out to the voters of Frederick County.
I'm very grateful for the early and enthusiastic support of many people, especially the folks who have volunteered their time and energy and talent in so many ways. They are the foundation of this campaign.
Hiring Adam Schultz to manage the campaign ensures that we will build well on that foundation.
READ COMPLETE POST
Last week, the Frederick County commissioners approved a $436.7 million operating budget for fiscal year 2007.
The budget included a change in the county's property tax rate that has been touted as a tax reduction for Frederick County property owners. If that's all you heard about this last minute election year maneuver, you might assume your tax bill will be lower next year.
But it turns out that is not necessarily so.
READ COMPLETE POST
Yesterday, Tom Henderson announced that he was going to run for Frederick County Commissioner. Mr. Henderson joins Charles Jenkins as another candidate who lost in 2002, hasn't been seen around Winchester Hall for four years, but wants to spend the next four years there.
I don't know Tom personally. Only what I've read from him and about him, and a few things I've heard from others. Here are a few bits....
READ COMPLETE POST
It wasn't a surprise, but now it's official: John "Lennie" Thompson Jr., current President of the Frederick County Board of County Commissioners, has announced that he will be running for a third term on the board.
Four years ago, Lennie ran on a platform that simply said: "If the Developers Win, You Lose!" He spent far less than any other viable candidate, and won the largest number of votes.
Whether you love him or hate him (and almost everyone seems to have a strong opinion one way of the other), there's no doubt Lennie is one of a kind.
READ COMPLETE POST
There was short article in the Frederick News Post this morning about the "angry e-mails" Commissioner Cady has been receiving "this week from people who didn’t like the board’s decision to allow growth to continue in the New Market region." Having watched or participated in the New Market Region Plan update process since the beginning, I understand why many people are frustrated and angry. Nevertheless, I would hope everyone would draw a line between sharp and straightforward criticism and ugly personal assaults, and it's unfortunate if Commissioner Cady has gotten some awful emails that cross that line.
Having said that, however, Commissioner Cady made a number of statements in the article that warrant clarification, correction, and criticism. I've included the complete article and made comments about specific excerpts.
READ COMPLETE POST
If you haven't heard about the Alliance for Frederick County yet, you probably will before long. This brand new "alliance," formed by a group of businessmen, builders and real estate brokers (primarily leaders of the Frederick County Chamber of Commerce and the Frederick County Builders Association), already has the money (and paid staff) it takes to get their message out...soon.
At this time, however, their website is just a single page with some a few warm and fuzzy images in the header, a single paragraph describing the organization in brief and general terms, a link to a report on "APFOs in Maryland," and a place to sign up for future e-mail newsletter.
The site doesn't tell you who is behind the curtain, or what their motivation is for investing a fair amount of time and effort and money to set it up and get rolling (you can learn some of that from the recent articles posted with this blog entry). But it is painfully obvious to anyone paying attention that this new organization was created at this time in order to have a significant influence on the election. The Alliance, however, is banking on the fact that some voters haven't been paying attention.
READ COMPLETE POST
Yesterday, I dropped by Tauraso’s Restaurant in Frederick to catch Samie Conyers ' announcement that he is running for the Frederick County Board of County Commissioners. There were between one and two dozen supporters there to help him launch his campaign, including Commissioner John Lovell, who introduced fellow Republican Conyers before his short speech.
READ COMPLETE POST
In this morning's edition of the Frederick News Post, Cliff Cumber wrote an article entitled: "Political Notes — A sticker on every bumper" (you can read the article below). In it, he observed that, at an event for Maryland Attorney General candidate Scott Rolle, Rep. Roscoe Bartlett commented that "each bumper sticker was worth $250 in advertising."
Apparently Mr. Bartlett didn't reveal how he came up with that figure, and it seems somewhat overstated to me. If you wanted to have a little fun with it, I suppose a good analysis would have to account for how long the bumper sticker was on a car, how much the car was driven around the county, where it was usually parked, and so on. A real stickler for details might even wonder what sort of car it was, or whether it was in the hands of a polite driver or not, or even what other bumper stickers were on the car with it!
But...seriously...
READ COMPLETE POST
This afternoon, I attended a picnic in Mt. Airy where a few dozen local residents gathered to celebrate their landslide victory in the town's election last Monday.
The folks at the picnic were part of a larger group of citizens who had come together over the last few months in opposition to the annexation of the Zeltman farm, the ill-advised annexation agreement that came with it, and the poorly managed public process that led to it in the first place.
In spite of many serious concerns, which evolved into substantial and outspoken opposition from a growing number of town residents, the Mt. Airy Town Council voted 4-1 in February to approve the annexation and agreement.
In the end, the citizens of Mt. Airy got the last word, however, first getting a referendum on the ballot, then rejecting the annexation by an overwhelming margin, with 1,413 votes against it and only 560 supporting the town council's decision.
There was more to celebrate, however...
READ COMPLETE POST
More than four years ago, Commissioner John "Lennie" Thompson was quoted in a Gazette article: "We ain't small anymore," he said. "Our lobbying regulations should resemble local ethics law of larger counties. It helps level the playing field between wealthy special interests and ordinary concerned citizens."
He was right about that. And, in the years since then, there have been numerous and serious efforts by commissioners Thompson and Jan Gardner to strengthen our ethics ordinance and establish basic lobbying reforms, to close the existing loopholes, and to hold the Board of County Commissioners to a higher standard.
READ COMPLETE POST
Two new candidates jumped into the race for the Frederick County Board of County Commissioners today: Richard Floyd and Charles Jenkins. Both made a run for the board in the 2002 election. That, and the fact that they launched their new campaigns on the same day, may be the only things the two have in common.
The differences between them are too numerous to list here and now, but one not specifically mentioned in the articles below is worth noting: For many years prior to the 2002 election, and throughout the tenure of the current board, Richard Floyd has been as engaged in county issues as anyone I know, while I'm unaware of any way in which Charles Jenkins has been connected to, or involved in, county governance since his unsuccessful campaign four years ago.
READ COMPLETE POST
"Over the past 15 years, the people who build homes in the county have been vilified. It's not an evil industry, but it's the only industry we shut down when we don't like what's happening in the county."
Those are the words of land use attorney Rand Weinberg, as printed in a Frederick News Post article ("Land Plan Rejected") last year.
READ COMPLETE POST
I'm a registered Democrat. But what does that mean in this election?
It means that only registered Democrats will be able to vote for me in the September primary. In many other ways, however, in a race for county commissioner, the party affiliation doesn't mean very much. One need only look at the current and previous boards to see that.
READ COMPLETE POST
I'm just starting to get used to the idea of fundraising for months on end.
Beyond the fact that I'd rather not have to put time and effort into raising money for the campaign, I think we'd all be better off if it wasn't necessary.
If most people were reasonably interested and informed, it would be possible for candidates to put together an informative website, produce and distribute a modest amount of written materials, participate in some public forums and debates, respond to the question and answer pieces for local newspapers, reply to individual emails and phone calls, and that would suffice. It wouldn't cost a great deal, and anyone who wanted to know a little or a lot would have easy access to all the information they needed.
Alas...that's not the way things are.
READ COMPLETE POST
Hard to believe it's already been more than three weeks since the "official" campaign launch!
Although we considered a typical launch, in the middle of the day, on the steps of Winchester Hall, I was reluctant to schedule it for a time that's difficult, if not impossible, for most folks. Instead, we scheduled it for a weekday evening, in the Community Room at the C. Burr Arts Library in downtown Frederick. We put the word out, and hoped fifty or sixty friends and supporters would show up to help kick-off the campaign.
It would be hard to describe how it felt as more than 130 people jammed into the room!
READ COMPLETE POST
Saturday, August 12, 2006
The Gazette Voters Guide 2006
The Gazette newspaper's online site has published their Voters Guide 2006. It includes the responses to questionnaires that the Gazette sent to all the Frederick County candidates for office this election, including the Frederick County Board of County Commissioners, Frederick County Board of Education, Maryland House of Delegates: Frederick County, Maryland State Senate: Frederick County, Frederick County Sheriff, Frederick State's Attorney, Frederick County Register of Wills and the Frederick County Clerks.
Click on either of the two previous links to open those pages in a new window.
I've posted my information and responses in the full blog entry linked below, just as they appear in the Gazette Voter Guide..
READ COMPLETE POST
Tuesday, August 8, 2006
League of Women Voters of Frederick County Voters Guide 2006
The Frederick County League of Women Voters sent a candidate questionnaire to all of the candidates for Frederick County Board of County Commissioners. The questionnaire came with tight word limits for each question.
I've posted my responses in the full blog entry linked below, below, just as they were sent, and as they appear at the Frederick News Post online.
READ COMPLETE POST
Saturday, July 17, 2006
Carnivals, Fairs and Parades
This evening, three volunteers and I were at the Urbana Carnival. It was hot, but otherwise clear and pleasant.
We had a tent (top only) for shade, a table, an eight foot long "Kai Hagen for Frederick County Commissioner" banner, various items to give away (lapel stickers, bumper stickers...) and a sign up sheet for anyone who wanted to get on the campaign mailing list.
I was at the Walkersville carnival for three evenings, at Baker Park on the 4th of July, at the Middletown carnival for a couple of nights, at a parade in Emmitsburg, and in the Thurmont Parade last week.
Being in the Thurmont parade was especially fun.
READ COMPLETE POST
Thursday, July 13, 2006
Ron Wolf enters commissioner race, but Democrats won't have a contested primary
Not long before the filing deadline ten days ago, Ron Wolf entered the race for the Frederick County Board of County Commissioners. Wolf, who is currently serving on the Frederick County Democratic Central Committee, is one of just four Democrats running for county commissioner (that could change, as the central committee still has a few days to add a fifth Democrat to the ticket).
The Gazette article about Ron's filing is included below.
Whether or not another candidate is added, the September primary will not be contested for the four, or five, of us. Ron, Jan Gardner, Richard Floyd and I will all be among the final nine, or ten, candidates vying for five positions in November.
READ COMPLETE POST
Thursday, July 6, 2006
Gazette article: Growth, traffic, affordable housing
Below is an article published in the Gazette today.
As the article describes:
"The Gazette interviewed roughly 30 people who live throughout Frederick County to find out what bothers them and what they love about living in the area. Growth, clogged highways, overcrowded schools and affordable housing topped the list of issues that came up in most conversations with these residents."
Below the article, I've excerpted a few passages and made a few comments.
READ COMPLETE POST
Monday, July 3, 2006
Current board motivates three-time commissioner David Gray to run again"
Today, my sons joined me as I made one more trip to the steps of Winchester Hall before the filing deadline. This time it was to hear former three-time county commissioner David Gray announce that he was going to run again this year, after stepping away from the office four years ago.
As David said, he has been considering this for a few months, based largely on the direction and decisions of the current board. It's easy for me to understand that. My own motivation to run for county commissioner was greatly enhanced by watching – over and over again – a bi-partisan majority of the sitting board turn Frederick County in the wrong direction, and then hit the accelerator, all the while ignoring citizen input and serving development interests over responsible long term planning and real problem-solving.
I have a great deal of respect for David – for his commitment and accomplishments, certainly, but no less so for his thoughtful and open-minded approach to the process of policy-making.
I would be pleased to have the opportunity to sit on the same board the next four years – a board that would certainly include a very different sort of bi-partisan majority!
READ COMPLETE POST
Thursday, June 29, 2006
Jan Gardner: "Back by popular demand!"
Yesterday, along with a few dozen other supporters, I went to hear Commissioner Gardner speak on the steps of Winchester Hall.
Like everyone else there, other than Jan and John Gardner, I came not knowing if she was going to announce that she was going to run for a third consecutive term on the Frederick County Board of County Commissioners, or if she was going to tell us that eight years of very hard work on the board was enough for her.
I was very glad for the county, and grateful to Jan, when, a few minutes into her speech, she shared her decision to run!
READ COMPLETE POST
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
Shreve joins crowded Republican field in bid for county commissioner
It's been common knowledge for a while that Billy Shreve was going to run for county commissioner. He officially filed as a candidate some time ago, but made his public announcement this morning.
I think Shreve has a pretty good chance to get through the Republican primary. Even though he may not have a lot of name recognition around the county, he is well known in some circles, due to his involvement in various activities and his appearances on Pressing Issues, among other things. He has a solid list of credentials. And he's likely to raise and spend a lot of money, including plenty of support from individuals and companies in the development community.
I don't know Billy personally. But...I've watched him on Pressing Issues and in his role on the Board of Zoning Appeals. I've read a fair amount of his comments on various issues over the past few years. And I've read through his new campaign website.
When I put all that and more together, I'm sure of two things: Billy will be serious contender in the campaign, and I hope he doesn't get elected.
READ COMPLETE POST
Friday, June 23, 2006
Cady files for re-election
Commissioner Mike Cady removed lingering uncertainty about whether he would run for re-election when he filed his papers earlier today.
Even though Cady announced his intention to run more than a year ago, and has been collecting money ever since then, speculation that he might have changed his mind was fueled by the fact that he had not yet filed, as well as recent statements about the angry criticism he receives and the affect the job has had on his net worth.
It's no secret that I've been fairly critical of Commissioner Cady on many occasions, for a wide variety of reasons. But I'm not going to rehash them all in what would have to be a very long blog entry. You can type "Cady"into the SEARCH box on any page here to see what I've said before.
Instead, beneath the short Gazette article about the official filing, just below, I've included the column I wrote for the Frederick News Post right after the current board was elected in November, 2002.
It is said that those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.
READ COMPLETE POST
Monday, June 19, 2006
Adam Schultz hired as campaign manager
I am very pleased to announce the hiring of Adam Schultz as the full-time campaign manager of my campaign for the Frederick County Board of County Commissioners!
It is not an exaggeration to say that the future of Frederick County is at stake in this election. We do not have to trade what we love about this place for something inadequate, ordinary and uninspired. We can do better. We can do much better.
And so, it is essential that this campaign leave no stone unturned, that we do everything possible to get the message out to the voters of Frederick County.
I'm very grateful for the early and enthusiastic support of many people, especially the folks who have volunteered their time and energy and talent in so many ways. They are the foundation of this campaign.
Hiring Adam Schultz to manage the campaign ensures that we will build well on that foundation.
READ COMPLETE POST
Friday, June 16, 2006
The tax cut that wasn't!
Last week, the Frederick County commissioners approved a $436.7 million operating budget for fiscal year 2007.
The budget included a change in the county's property tax rate that has been touted as a tax reduction for Frederick County property owners. If that's all you heard about this last minute election year maneuver, you might assume your tax bill will be lower next year.
But it turns out that is not necessarily so.
READ COMPLETE POST
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
Henderson announces second bid for county commissioner
Yesterday, Tom Henderson announced that he was going to run for Frederick County Commissioner. Mr. Henderson joins Charles Jenkins as another candidate who lost in 2002, hasn't been seen around Winchester Hall for four years, but wants to spend the next four years there.
I don't know Tom personally. Only what I've read from him and about him, and a few things I've heard from others. Here are a few bits....
READ COMPLETE POST
Thursday, June 8, 2006
John "Lennie" Thompson makes it official
It wasn't a surprise, but now it's official: John "Lennie" Thompson Jr., current President of the Frederick County Board of County Commissioners, has announced that he will be running for a third term on the board.
Four years ago, Lennie ran on a platform that simply said: "If the Developers Win, You Lose!" He spent far less than any other viable candidate, and won the largest number of votes.
Whether you love him or hate him (and almost everyone seems to have a strong opinion one way of the other), there's no doubt Lennie is one of a kind.
READ COMPLETE POST
Saturday, May 27, 2006
Commentary about article: "Cady defends vote for plan as angry e-mails pour in"
There was short article in the Frederick News Post this morning about the "angry e-mails" Commissioner Cady has been receiving "this week from people who didn’t like the board’s decision to allow growth to continue in the New Market region." Having watched or participated in the New Market Region Plan update process since the beginning, I understand why many people are frustrated and angry. Nevertheless, I would hope everyone would draw a line between sharp and straightforward criticism and ugly personal assaults, and it's unfortunate if Commissioner Cady has gotten some awful emails that cross that line.
Having said that, however, Commissioner Cady made a number of statements in the article that warrant clarification, correction, and criticism. I've included the complete article and made comments about specific excerpts.
READ COMPLETE POST
Friday, May 25, 2006
Alliance for Frederick County...NOT!
If you haven't heard about the Alliance for Frederick County yet, you probably will before long. This brand new "alliance," formed by a group of businessmen, builders and real estate brokers (primarily leaders of the Frederick County Chamber of Commerce and the Frederick County Builders Association), already has the money (and paid staff) it takes to get their message out...soon.
At this time, however, their website is just a single page with some a few warm and fuzzy images in the header, a single paragraph describing the organization in brief and general terms, a link to a report on "APFOs in Maryland," and a place to sign up for future e-mail newsletter.
The site doesn't tell you who is behind the curtain, or what their motivation is for investing a fair amount of time and effort and money to set it up and get rolling (you can learn some of that from the recent articles posted with this blog entry). But it is painfully obvious to anyone paying attention that this new organization was created at this time in order to have a significant influence on the election. The Alliance, however, is banking on the fact that some voters haven't been paying attention.
READ COMPLETE POST
Saturday, May 13, 2006
Samie Conyers announces bid for county commissioner
Yesterday, I dropped by Tauraso’s Restaurant in Frederick to catch Samie Conyers ' announcement that he is running for the Frederick County Board of County Commissioners. There were between one and two dozen supporters there to help him launch his campaign, including Commissioner John Lovell, who introduced fellow Republican Conyers before his short speech.
READ COMPLETE POST
Friday, May 12, 2006
Bumper Stickers
In this morning's edition of the Frederick News Post, Cliff Cumber wrote an article entitled: "Political Notes — A sticker on every bumper" (you can read the article below). In it, he observed that, at an event for Maryland Attorney General candidate Scott Rolle, Rep. Roscoe Bartlett commented that "each bumper sticker was worth $250 in advertising."
Apparently Mr. Bartlett didn't reveal how he came up with that figure, and it seems somewhat overstated to me. If you wanted to have a little fun with it, I suppose a good analysis would have to account for how long the bumper sticker was on a car, how much the car was driven around the county, where it was usually parked, and so on. A real stickler for details might even wonder what sort of car it was, or whether it was in the hands of a polite driver or not, or even what other bumper stickers were on the car with it!
But...seriously...
READ COMPLETE POST
Sunday, May 7, 2006
Celebrating an important victory in Mt. Airy
This afternoon, I attended a picnic in Mt. Airy where a few dozen local residents gathered to celebrate their landslide victory in the town's election last Monday.
The folks at the picnic were part of a larger group of citizens who had come together over the last few months in opposition to the annexation of the Zeltman farm, the ill-advised annexation agreement that came with it, and the poorly managed public process that led to it in the first place.
In spite of many serious concerns, which evolved into substantial and outspoken opposition from a growing number of town residents, the Mt. Airy Town Council voted 4-1 in February to approve the annexation and agreement.
In the end, the citizens of Mt. Airy got the last word, however, first getting a referendum on the ballot, then rejecting the annexation by an overwhelming margin, with 1,413 votes against it and only 560 supporting the town council's decision.
There was more to celebrate, however...
READ COMPLETE POST
Thursday, May 4, 2006
Ethics Ordinance and Lobbying Reform
More than four years ago, Commissioner John "Lennie" Thompson was quoted in a Gazette article: "We ain't small anymore," he said. "Our lobbying regulations should resemble local ethics law of larger counties. It helps level the playing field between wealthy special interests and ordinary concerned citizens."
He was right about that. And, in the years since then, there have been numerous and serious efforts by commissioners Thompson and Jan Gardner to strengthen our ethics ordinance and establish basic lobbying reforms, to close the existing loopholes, and to hold the Board of County Commissioners to a higher standard.
READ COMPLETE POST
Monday, May 1, 2006
Richard Floyd and Charles Jenkins enter the race for BOCC
Two new candidates jumped into the race for the Frederick County Board of County Commissioners today: Richard Floyd and Charles Jenkins. Both made a run for the board in the 2002 election. That, and the fact that they launched their new campaigns on the same day, may be the only things the two have in common.
The differences between them are too numerous to list here and now, but one not specifically mentioned in the articles below is worth noting: For many years prior to the 2002 election, and throughout the tenure of the current board, Richard Floyd has been as engaged in county issues as anyone I know, while I'm unaware of any way in which Charles Jenkins has been connected to, or involved in, county governance since his unsuccessful campaign four years ago.
READ COMPLETE POST
Thursday, April 20, 2006
Demonizing Developers?
"Over the past 15 years, the people who build homes in the county have been vilified. It's not an evil industry, but it's the only industry we shut down when we don't like what's happening in the county."
Those are the words of land use attorney Rand Weinberg, as printed in a Frederick News Post article ("Land Plan Rejected") last year.
READ COMPLETE POST
Friday, April 14, 2006
Republicans for Kai Hagen
I'm a registered Democrat. But what does that mean in this election?
It means that only registered Democrats will be able to vote for me in the September primary. In many other ways, however, in a race for county commissioner, the party affiliation doesn't mean very much. One need only look at the current and previous boards to see that.
READ COMPLETE POST
Sunday, March 19, 2006
Some early thoughts about fundraising
I'm just starting to get used to the idea of fundraising for months on end.
Beyond the fact that I'd rather not have to put time and effort into raising money for the campaign, I think we'd all be better off if it wasn't necessary.
If most people were reasonably interested and informed, it would be possible for candidates to put together an informative website, produce and distribute a modest amount of written materials, participate in some public forums and debates, respond to the question and answer pieces for local newspapers, reply to individual emails and phone calls, and that would suffice. It wouldn't cost a great deal, and anyone who wanted to know a little or a lot would have easy access to all the information they needed.
Alas...that's not the way things are.
READ COMPLETE POST
Wednesday, March 1, 2006
Blog Launch and Campaign Launch
Hard to believe it's already been more than three weeks since the "official" campaign launch!
Although we considered a typical launch, in the middle of the day, on the steps of Winchester Hall, I was reluctant to schedule it for a time that's difficult, if not impossible, for most folks. Instead, we scheduled it for a weekday evening, in the Community Room at the C. Burr Arts Library in downtown Frederick. We put the word out, and hoped fifty or sixty friends and supporters would show up to help kick-off the campaign.
It would be hard to describe how it felt as more than 130 people jammed into the room!
READ COMPLETE POST
WHY I'M VOTING FOR KAI!
Frank Johnson
Mt. Airy
I am pleased to support Kai Hagen because he understands that the future of Frederick County depends on how well our planning reflects the what communities want. Kai understands that we have to deliberately involve the community from the beginning, and ensure that development serve the community's interests first.
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