Thursday, October 16, 2014

Opinion: I can't wait until November 5th

I can't wait until November 5th. This has been an extremely ugly election year, with personal attacks in multiple campaigns, and some candidates refusing to focus on the real issues that affect Washington County and the rest of Maryland.

At the end of the day, it is my hope that any candidate running for a public office is doing so because they care about the community. As such, once the dust has settled from the elections, maybe we can actually get some real improvements and changes for Washington County by working with our elected officials.

I started WashCo Chronicle to make a difference in this community, and help give the community a voice. Unfortunately, as with many elections, the voice of the community is drowned out by the sound of the election war drums. Once the elections are over, we'll have almost a solid two years to get some real work done.

Here's my list of topics which need to be discussed with elected officials after the November elections.
  • Public Transportation - What can we do to help improve public transit within Hagerstown and Washington County, as well as public transit to surrounding communities, including Washington DC?
  • Crime - When gangs have shootouts in Downtown Hagerstown in broad daylight, there's a problem - and this is a problem which should concern all of Washington County, not just Hagerstown. We must take control of the situation and eliminate the gang presence within our community. Community members cannot simply sit around and wait for someone else to address the problem. There are steps we as citizens can take to help with this issue.
  • Growing Washington County Economy - On October 18, yet another local business is closing - the Cearfoss Emporium. We need to bring businesses back to Washington County and provide good paying jobs for local residents. Hagerstown needs to start promoting and taking advantage of its HUBZone status to bring in small business Federal contracting companies.
Working together, we as a community can ensure the growth and success of Washington County. Please join me and share your thoughts with our local elected officials on how our county can improve.

Would you like to have your voice heard? Please email your letters, guest articles, and thoughts to WashCoChronicle@gmail.com. Together, we can make a difference.

Article by Ken Buckler, Editor