I am not a perennial candidate. This is my platform, and I believe every word of it. You can be assured that I’m not saying any of these things just to be elected; when I am, I will work to accomplish these things as soon as I am able.
Montgomery College wanted to put up a fence to create a completely non-smoking campus. In the process, they disaffected the mentally ill, neighbors, and college students who needed access to the campus. The council did not show up at any of the meetings addressing the issue, and the fence was closed with great uproar from the community.
I firmly believe that the council should be more involved in the community. It shouldn’t be something we elect every two years and then forget about. Councilmembers should be out at community events and work days. We need to be part of the community we represent.
I also propose to make the activities of the council more transparent. When elected, I will work to publish all meeting minutes and documents in an easily-accessible form. You can get the meeting minutes today, but they’re written in such obscure legalese that hardly anyone I know can read them. I will write a blog with the latest news and information. You, as residents of Rockville, deserve to know what goes on at each and every meeting without having to come.
At the same time, I will listen to your input. I can’t represent you without knowing your situation. Feel free to send me a note, call me, or drop by and talk for a while. You do have a voice in the city council. I will be that voice.
I think it is a disaster when RM’s Student Government Association (SGA) needs to appeal to the council on an issue of public safety. Students, after entering our new building, saw a safety hazard on Fleet Street. There were no crosswalks or traffic signals to help them safely across the street. It would be absurd to staff the intersection with helpful guards all hours of the day. The SGA lobbied for weeks before the council would even listen.
The council should directly address the issue of community safety. I, for one, would hate to see any of my friends or neighbors endangered. But community safety goes beyond crosswalks. We should establish community watch programs for all neighborhoods and a public alert system citywide. The best way to make Rockville safer is to keep the public informed.
Until we put such a system in place, you can use your twitter account to keep up with the latest community safety news. Add the hashtag #rockvillesafety to your posts and get the latest news here.
The Hotel Tax is a 2% tax levied on patrons of hotels in the Washington area. In fiscal year 2008, however, this tax brought only $800,000 into Rockville. Unfortunately, this does not make the hotel tax qualify as useful to Rockville’s economy. In order for this tax to be useful, the city needs to be attractive to new business.
We can accomplish this through the Greater Washington Initiative (GWI), the economic development organization of the area. The GWI helps firms expand their business in the Greater Washington area. By joining the GWI, Rockville could bring in the business it needs. We’d make new jobs, experience financial growth, and bring more capital into the city. I support joining and using the GWI to our advantage.
The Rockville government carries a large amount of debt to avoid inflation. I find this, however, somewhat ridiculous. The USA has a single currency nationwide, and Rockville’s debt isn’t going to do much to affect it. I do believe the town should carry some debt, though we need to reduce the numbers.
I have always loved the theater. I am currently involved with my school’s drama program and produce my own audio theater regularly. I also have a passion for animals. Rockville allows me to enjoy both. The F. Scott Fitzgerald Theater presents great community productions and the Nature Center teaches me about the animals.
I believe we need to give more funding to these two institutions, along with the Civic Center. As major parts of the Rockville community, they provide residents with entertainment that is lacking in other communities. We need to put more money into them to maintain them, as well as to fund new programs for children. I know it’s cliché, but children are the future of our town. It’s absolutely true.
Preserving the Hometown Character
Rockville is a very unique city. Most cities are large and impersonal, but Rockville is welcoming and close-knit. Look at the town center renovation. We’ve managed to keep a small town feel about it, while bringing in new business. By keeping our city to a smaller scale, we can keep our neighborhoods safe. I don’t want Rockville to turn into a big city, but at the same time, I think we need to make some changes.
There are ways to make Rockville great without turning it into a city. We are the center of the county, and yet we have some of the nicest parks around. I see people I know all around town. I can spend the evening at a play or at a movie. Our hometown has a lot to offer. I know we can keep it that way while still making the changes we need.