Where I Stand On The
Issues
Focused on the issues that matter to District 7
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Resident Focused Development
Strong progressive thought was brought into developing the 2018 Comprehensive Plan but has stalled with un-progressive leadership. So it’s time for a reboot.
Our county should have a resident first development mentality; not buzzwords or vague concepts. Quality of life matters, for those that are relocating here and for those who have been established for decades.New development should bring those elements together. Infrastructure should be built with the community, not years later.Commercial development should benefit our communities, not be a nuisance to them. New industries, like data centers, that have a high impact on the quality of life for surrounding residents should not be subsidized through generous tax breaks or discounted land purchases.All development deals signed by the county should be transparent to the public, not hidden. The taxpayers of Dorchester County should not have to pay for Freedom of Information Act requests, or sue their own government, to find out what deals their representatives are cutting behind closed doors.Concurrency, Community Development Initiative Funds, actionable Comprehensive Plans; these are all mechanisms we can install to ensure the wishes of the community are heard and enforced.Development should aid in lifting our communities, not hold them back. -
Public Safety and Traffic Enforcement
Incidents in the high growth areas of the District are increasing with the population. Renewed traffic studies that account for the future phases of development and shifting traffic patterns are required as are increased patrols from Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office to ensure public safety.
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Schools
The continual funding challenges with DD2 need to be solved. While the ultimate solution may reside in Columbia, County Council should take a leading role in developing a solution for DD2’s continuous overcrowding situation without negatively impacting the great work in DD4.
While a funding solution is being worked on; we need to tie future development approvals to school capacity. The county should not be approving new developments where our schools may be forced to turn students away due to capacity constraints. Even if we cannot adopt a concurrency ordinance, any new development should require student population concerns to be addressed prior to the start of development, not something that is treated as an afterthought.
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Enhanced County Services
Improving access to county services and reducing emergency response times to keep pace with the rapidly growing population.
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Fact Based Medical Recommendations
Work with the Dorchester County Health Department to ensure services align with guidance from medical professionals.