In the upcoming County Council election there are several candidates of both parties who will preserve our rural countryside and protect our small towns and villages.
Of those running, two that to me are the strongest in this regard are Pete Lesher and Laura Price. One is a Democrat and one is a Republican. Not only are they committed to maintaining land use in Talbot County that provides lots of open space, they understand that this means that any appropriate development, affordable workforce housing for instance, be directed into the towns.
Both Laura and Pete have significant legislative experience. Pete has served on the Easton Town Council for nine years. Working collaboratively the Town Council he championed initiatives that have strengthened the economic vitality of the downtown: advocating for benefits that have strengthened the Tidewater Inn, an important anchor hotel, and also playing a role in seeing that the Avalon title passed to that organization thus enabling that important downtown organization to control its own destiny. In the Comprehensive Plan, he was responsible for removing the only undeveloped land adjacent to town from near-term development. There are many smaller accomplishments that Pete and the current Town Council have achieved, too numerous to enumerate here.
Laura, who has served on the County Council for two terms, is by far the strongest incumbent in terms of financial expertise. She studies and analyzes budget issues with extreme care, listening to the routine requests of County departments during the budgeting process as well as requests for new capital expenditures. When one Council member proposed taking funds from the capital budget to provide for school operating expenses, she protested vehemently, understanding that the debt service incurred would be an unfair burden to future generations. She understood that there are other ways to fund schools without taking this drastic step. This example is typical of her commitment to proper use of taxpayer monies.
Commitment to our quality of life in Talbot County, along with legislative experience, makes these two candidates an outstanding choice for County Council.
Pam Seale
Talbot County
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