A Preview of Important Milestones in 2013

Over the past two years, our office has worked to improve communities throughout the Fifth District, from Towson to Perry Hall.   Some of these projects are big, such as the additions at Stoneleigh and Hampton Elementary School or air conditioning at Seven Oaks Elementary School.  Other projects are small, but will have a measurable impact on our neighborhoods-- road improvements in Towson Manor Village and Loch Raven Village, for example, or new acreage at Honeygo Run Park in Perry Hall.   I would like to thank the County Executive and our state legislators for their help with a number of these initiatives.

My main focus in 2012 was preserving open space in our neighborhoods.  2012 was a rezoning year, and I used it as an opportunity to try to protect green space.  Acting on my recommendations, the County Council downzoned more than 417 acres, the most ambitious plan in two decades in this part of Baltimore County, and the most land ever downzoned in Towson, Carney, and Cromwell Valley.   The Fifth District now has more land zoned as open space than any other district in Baltimore County.  

It is impossible to predict exactly what 2013 may offer the Fifth District, but we do know there will be some important milestones.

In Towson, the newly-renovated Stoneleigh Elementary School will open in August.   More than $38 million has been invested in Towson's schools, but we need to work to make sure that all of our schools have adequate classroom space.   Redevelopment will accelerate in the Towson core, which means we need to address important needs such as security, maintenance, and traffic.   There will be a resolution of the Towson fire station issue and also changes to the magnet policy, which particularly impacts Cromwell Valley Elementary School.   I will continue to work with BGE to make sure electrical service becomes more reliable, particularly in places like western Towson, Campus Hills, and Hillendale Park.

In Loch Raven and Parkville, one of my biggest priorities will be the impact of the Hess settlement on the Yakona Road neighborhood.  Some road improvements will occur along the Joppa Road corridor, and we will hopefully have a new Baltimore NeighborSpace acquisition near the Harford/Joppa Road intersection, guaranteeing open space for the Carney community.

In Perry Hall, one of my main priorities will be the beautification of the commercial area at Belair, Ebenezer, and Joppa Roads.   Thanks to legislation passed by the County Council in 2011, this is now a revitalization district which offers special incentives to business owners.  The resurfacing of Chapel Road will be finished, and hopefully so will the trail along Indian Rock Park.   I expect progress on projects like the Perry Hall dog park and the renovation of the Perry Hall Mansion.   2013 is also the 50th anniversary for two local landmarks:  the Perry Hall library and Perry Hall High School. 

In closing, I want to wish you and your family a happy and healthy new year.    It is an honor to represent the citizens of the Fifth District.

Breaking Ground for the Stoneleigh Elementary School Addition

With classes out for the summer, work will soon begin on the addition at Stoneleigh Elementary School. The 200-seat expansion is one of many projects designed to alleviate overcrowding throughout the York Road corridor.

Stoneleigh Elementary School.

Towson is one of the most desirable communities in Baltimore County. Schools like Stoneleigh Elementary are not overcrowded because of development, but because younger families are attracted to Towson's neighborhoods and our excellent school system. 

I have been a strong supporter of the Stoneleigh Elementary School addition, as well as the Hampton Elementary expansion and the new Carver High School. I applaud County Executive Kevin Kamenetz and our state legislators for their support of these projects. In Fiscal Year 2013, about 48 percent of all the consolidated public improvement projects are in the Fifth District, excluding those that cross district lines. The level of investment in Towson's schools has been extraordinary.

But I really want to commend the parents who led the way for projects like the Stoneleigh Elementary School addition. I can remember the first meeting I had with the nucleus of parents who became Stoneleigh United. I told them it would be very difficult to secure the funding, but they pushed hard. Kudos to Juliet Fisher and all those who believed in the project.

Looking forward, we need to look at our middle and high schools, which are already experiencing overcrowding (although Carver High School may be able to accommodate some growth). I am looking at the development potential of more than 480 acres of land as part of the rezoning process. We need to make sure our communities can sustain future development.

But for now, as the Stoneleigh Elementary School addition gets underway, I want to thank the Kamenetz administration, our state legislators, and parents and community leaders who helped make it possible.

The County Executive's Budget Proposal

On Thursday, April 12, the County Executive presented his Fiscal Year 2013 budget proposal to the County Council. The Council will now spend the next month pouring over details of the budget plan.

Over the past two years, I have publicly complimented the County Executive’s overall approach to the budget. Baltimore County has been managed better than many other jurisdictions around the United States. The administration deserves credit for not raising tax rates, for consolidating agencies, and for trimming the number of employees to the lowest point since the early 1980s.

The County Council has supported many of these initiatives. Taxpayers expect us to act like grown-ups and solve the county’s problems. They want us to have an open line of communication with the executive branch of government. I believe my colleagues on the County Council are prepared to demonstrate maturity and a sense of fiscal discipline as we move forward.

The budget addresses operating and capital expenses. Operating expenses represent the everyday administration of government, while capital projects are those that improve roads, infrastructure, parks, and schools.

On the capital side, I am very pleased that the budget follows through on earlier commitments to address school overcrowding in the Towson area, which I represent. The York Road corridor includes the most crowded schools in Baltimore County. I have been a strong supporter of additions at Stoneleigh Elementary School and Hampton Elementary School, as well as a new school at Mays Chapel. I will vigorously defend these projects in the proposed budget.

I am disappointed at the level of investment in schools in Parkville, Carney, and Perry Hall. The choice was made not to fund new air conditioning at a single school northeast of Towson. I am also disappointed that certain road construction projects were deferred, but I recognize that these are very expensive. There is a $20 million resurfacing program that is not broken out by community. Hopefully, this will be utilized in a fair and balanced manner.

Over the past 16 months, our office has been able to get a lot done in northeastern Baltimore County: a commercial revitalization district in Perry Hall, funding to start the Northeast Trail, new sidewalks, and approval for a regional dog park, among other items. Districtwide, my rezoning initiative looks at the development potential of more than 480 acres to make sure our neighborhoods are not overwhelmed by future growth. This is especially important given limited funding for schools and new infrastructure.

I will continue to work on these important projects and always look forward to partnering with the administration in the future.