My first priority is getting Montgomery County's economy moving forward.
To that end, I am focused on a number of key issues that are important to residents of District 2:
By Authority: Citizens for Craig Rice, Vivian Rice, Treasurer
Job Creation and the Economy
Education
Public Safety
Environment
Transportation
Community
Craig Rice's First Bio Mailer
Craig Rice's Fiscal Mailer
Craig Rice's Transportation/Environment Mailer
Craig Rice Primary Closing Mailer
"We don't just want jobs, we want productive jobs. Building private sector confidence in the County's economy is imperative to bringing Montgomery County out of this global recession." - Craig Rice
We should be making it easier for County businesses to hire and expand, rather than making it more expensive to grow the workforce. We must ensure that our business climate is one that has a fair and sustainable tax climate. And we need to provide important additional economic development tools for Montgomery County as it competes with other jurisdictions and seeks to attract and retain companies.
Economic development is not just about taxes, but a broader menu of policies including: maintaining the county's traditionally high quality of life; connecting County businesses to potential customers, including the federal government; building and sustaining a 21st century transportation system; and keeping our schools strong so employers can build their workforce locally. Ultimately the goal is to protect the future financial stability of Montgomery County and its residents.
I will use my four years of experience in the Maryland House of Delegates to help create new measures to address the County's budget deficit. One such proposal would explore rewarding departments that find ways to permanently cut their administrative expenses, with year-end salary increases tied to a percentage of the savings they achieve.
"Our county has more graduate degrees than any other place in America. Strong primary education has helped make us a leader in the technological innovations of tomorrow. We must keep our commitment to public schools to make sure Maryland stays ahead of the curve in medicine, science, and computer science." - Craig Rice
The best investment that we can make in our children is a quality education. Montgomery County has long known this, which is why the public school system accounts for over 50% of the County budget. As a state legislator, I helped bring $250 million in school construction funding to modernize and renovate classrooms bringing total school construction funding in Maryland communities to $1.25 billion. And the continued commitment and investment in education has made Maryland the #1 public school system in the country for two years in a row.
Some of my own education initiatives include: the College Textbook Competition and Affordability Act of 2009, to help make college texts affordable to debt burdened students; a cultural competency training program for officers in public schools, so they can better address student needs; the prohibition of bullying and cyber bullying in schools, a traditional problem that has taken on new and dangerous dimensions in the Internet Age; Universal Design for Learning to improve school curriculums; Innovative School Scheduling Models for Low-Performing and At-Risk Public Schools to give schools the flexibility they need to teach students; Recycling in Public Schools, and the Safe Schools Act of 2010 which improves communication between schools, law enforcement, and social services to prevent students from becoming involved in gangs. These bills will make our schools more innovative, stronger, and safer.
In Montgomery County, we know that strong teachers make strong schools. Teachers must have the support they need in and out of the classroom. Teachers who want to attend conferences and trainings should not be penalized for vacation time, but rewarded for improving their skills. Teachers who want to eventually work outside of the classroom should have access to an administrative track so they can become the principals of tomorrow.
"Effective transportation must include enlightened approaches to both public transportation and roads. In order to encourage mass transit usage, we have to ensure that it provides an actual benefit to potential riders. We must also make a strong effort to send information about public transportation and its benefits to new residents, especially those who believe there is no alternative to traffic congestion and high gas prices." - Craig Rice
To solve our traffic woes, I believe that we must promote the use and expansion of public transit and improve our current transportation infrastructure and funding. We must steer development to areas with existing transportation lines. Where new transportation systems are planned, we should tie growth in stages to that new system. This smart growth approach will limit sprawl while protecting our right to live in either low or high-density neighborhoods based on our County's master plan.
We must view transportation and infrastructure through a broader scope. Roads and transit are not the only solutions. To adequately handle a population approaching almost one million we must also focus on bikeways, pedestrian paths, and trails.
I believe the Corridor Cities Transit Way Project must move forward. We must focus on making this immediate impact project a priority to help ease gridlock on I-270.
I support matching the funding for businesses that provide transit incentives for their employees. People will use public transportation if it is an economically viable and time conserving option.
And we should consider the environment when building roads and transit. We have the technology to minimize the effects of road building on the surrounding environment and should use it whenever possible.
"We must restore and maintain the sense of community that makes our county so special to live in. When my little girl goes to play in the park, I want to know that our neighbors are watching over her just as I am watching over their loved ones. Government cannot legislate this sense of communal inclusion, but it should encourage it." - Craig Rice
As your Delegate in Annapolis I stayed linked to the community. I know that the doors to our elected official's offices are not as open to as many people as they need to be. I made sure not to show up only at election time, but had a comprehensive and accessible website, town halls, and constituent meetings. Our constituents deserve direct input into what their county government is doing.
And civic involvement goes beyond voting. It includes homeowners associations, chambers of commerce, and social groups. I made sure to reach out to these groups to get their input into the decision making process I made in Annapolis and will do the same on the County Council.
I will also ensure that our state legislators and County Council are working more closely together. County residents do not care if an issue technically falls under local or state jurisdiction, they want results. Unfortunately there is currently a gulf between our county and state elected officials making it more difficult for Montgomery County to succeed. I can bring unique skills to this problem and work to have our community represented with one, strong voice at every level of government.
"Increased reports of gang activity shatter our sense of security in our community. As a Councilmember, I will work to preserve our quality of life by attacking the problem of gangs and other public safety issues head on by renewing the County's focus on them and ensuring important public safety programs and protected in the budget." - Craig Rice
Community residents were shocked by headlines regarding the rise in local gang violence. The Montgomery County State's Attorney has estimated that there are as many as forty gangs with 1600 to 1800 members in the county. We must act quickly and decisively to keep our community safe. Statewide gang prevention methods I have supported like the Maryland Gang Prosecution Act and the Safe Schools Act are a good start not just for our community, but for the state as a whole. Innovative law enforcement strategies including a state RICO statute, joint police activities with other jurisdictions when appropriate, seeking expanded state support for anti-gang units and a broken windows strategy for petty gang crimes must be enforced.
To that end, we must ensure consistent support for our police officers, firefighters and correction officers. I would also work to improve the Educational Facilities Officer program, a partnership between the Montgomery County Police and the school system that puts police officers on the front line of this problem in the schools. Sadly, the program is on the chopping block due to budget cuts but must be preserved.
"Our environment is an integral part of our community. We must maintain the Agriculture Reserve and other open spaces for succeeding generations. Responsible development, renewable energy, and a commitment to green spaces must be a tenant of our government." - Craig Rice
In Annapolis, I supported a number of bills that addressed a broad range of topics including global warming, energy efficiency, toxics, green jobs, the Chesapeake Bay and the enforcement of our Environmental laws.
And I personally pioneered some environmentally innovative bills including the public schools mandatory recycling bill and environmental health plan bill for schools undergoing construction or renovation.
I understand the Agriculture Reserve, which is in District 2, is a unique space in our community. It covers one third of the county's land area, contains over 500 farms, and thousands of heads of livestock. I will work to help the county maintain it. Parks and green spaces should be open and accessible to all and it is our job to maintain it for generations to come.
*Delegate Rice received a 100% Legislative Scorecard in 2008 and 2009 from Environment Maryland and Maryland League of Conservation Voters.
Return to Issues
