The Frederick County Chamber of Commerce recently released its General Election Voters Guide & Ingredients for a Healthy Community for the upcoming Frederick County Board of County Commissioners’ election on November 2nd. 
While the organization does not endorse candidates, it conducted a thorough review of the candidates’ positions as reflected from an online questionnaire and individual interviews. From that it graded the each contender.
The vision of the Chamber is for Frederick County to have a healthy business climate: “an environment that provides top-quality education and job opportunities for [its] residents [and] ending traffic gridlock and providing …vital government services …”
Its core principles for our county government is that it embrace the following:
- Business-friendly policies and attitudes
- Predictable, efficient and timely development review and permitting
- Competitive prices, taxes, fees
- Creative investment incentives to help businesses
- Readily available commercially zoned land and buildings
- Housing for employees at all income levels
- Adequate utilities
- Well-trained and educated workforce
- Excellent Quality of life
The rating of the Candidates was based up the following positions:
- Candidate’s Business Management Experience
- Supports Bio-tech Tax Credit
- Supports Corrective Action for Down-Zoned in Comprehensive Plan
- Opposed to Commission’s Two-Year Moratorium on Housing Construction
- Supports Giving Frederick County Full Home Rule Rights Under
- Supports Appointment of Committee to Draft Charter and Let Voters Decide
- Supports Investing in I-270 and Transit Improvements
- Supports Investing in Rte 15 Intersection Improvements
- Favors Job Creation and Spending Cuts
- Opposed to Tax Increases
The candidates who received the highest ranking of 100% alignment were:
- Blaine Young
- Paul Smith
- Kirby Delauter
- Billy Shreve
- Michael Kurtianyk
As a proud Chamber member, MacRo, Ltd. is pleased that these are the same candidates that we endorse.