ISSUES
Education
Education is the biggest investment we make with our county tax dollars. As Frederick County Public Schools (FCPS) moves beyond the pandemic to address learning losses, our schools must receive the necessary funding to recover and ensure every student can realize their individual potential.
Increased investment in FCPS will make it possible to recruit and retain excellent teachers and reduce class sizes. Renee will vote for dedicated funding to competitively compensate teachers and the support staff members who feed and transport students to school.
Renee understands how high-quality Special Education can change the course of a child's life. Her son received Special Education services for the entire time he attended FCPS. From being identified in kindergarten through receiving transitional services for high school graduation, dedicated teachers and staff helped prepare him to be as successful as he is today. Responsive county budgets must reflect our commitment to the success of all students in Frederick County
Transportation
Many employed Frederick County residents commute outside the county to work in one of the most congested regions in the nation. Efficient and accessible transportation drives our local economy and contributes to the quality of life in Frederick County. Whether you are a DMV commuter or a resident in need of reliable, resilient, and robust public transportation, government must respond to these needs as the county continues to develop and the population grows.
Federal sources of pandemic recovery funding are ending and more transportation costs are shifting back to onto County taxpayers. Responsible County budgets will be required to maintain adequate capital reserves and Frederick County's AAA bond rating. Successful partnership with federal, state, and local stakeholders will be required to realize needed projects. All will be essential to helping make the large scale investments to move all residents, visitors, and business people into, out of, and around Frederick County in the years ahead.
County Growth
Good communication and good planning will enable Frederick County to continue to grow in ways that benefit our community, our economy, and our environment. We have the Livable Frederick Master Plan to guide our fiscal and land use decisions. Preserving agricultural land maintains our rural quality of life and supports Frederick County’s significant agricultural economy. We have invested in parks and trails available to all county residents to enjoy.
At the same time, we can continue to promote job growth within Frederick County, and we can accommodate this growth. We can welcome new and evolving industries. A successful partnership with transparency and communication between industries and county government is essential for responsible growth that benefits county residents and businesses.
Climate Response
Climate change will affect Frederick County infrastructure in the coming decades. Proactive planning is critical to avoiding expensive and reactionary fixes that impact county budgets and threaten property values, employment, and the quality of life in the county. We must start adjusting our thinking about roads, water and sewer use, and electrical and communications lines, to make them more resilient in the face of weather extremes that will affect the county.
Building climate resilience in Frederick County is good for business and increasingly required for public safety. More flooding rains and power outages will increase the need for investment in emergency services and road repair. County government can also connect with the farming community to anticipate difficulties caused by more frequent and severe weather events and be responsive to needs that may arise from the local affects of climate change.