Carroll County voters will also be casting ballots for a number of other offices and ballot questions. Here are our endorsements:
* 6th Congressional District -- As mentioned in the box above, we have endorsed Thomas H. Hattery. A farmer and small businessman, Mr. Hattery has been exposed to many of the key concerns of the congressional district. He has a good grasp of the problems confronting the nation and the 6th District, and he has done some creative thinking about their solutions. As a nine-year veteran of the House of Delegates, Mr. Hattery has demonstrated an ability to work well with his colleagues to fashion legislative solutions to complex problems. Mr. Hattery has a pragmatic approach to government that mirrors the pragmatism of the district.
* 5th Judicial Circuit -- Francis Miller Arnold is running unopposed and we urge voters to approve him for a full term.
* Board of Education -- We endorse C. Scott Stone. A resident of Hampstead and an AT&T; engineer, Mr. Stone would bring a fresh perspective to the board. He understands that Carroll's graduates need to be prepared to compete in a worldwide marketplace. He has an analytical background and would focus on paring fat in school budgets. Mr. Stone also understands the purpose of the school board is to set broad educational policy and not get bogged down in detailed curriculum reviews.
* Home Rule Charter -- We urge Carroll County voters to approve the proposed home rule charter. Although the proposed charter is a flawed document, Carroll's citizens will be better served by having a faulty charter than not having one at all. The time has come for Carroll's citizens to take control of their own affairs and not leave them to the whims of the state legislature. As the county's population increases, many of the problems need quick resolution and cannot wait for General Assembly sessions.
Charter government does not mean higher taxes. While we are opposed to the real property tax rate limit contained in the charter, voters should disregard the selfish admonitions of the teachers who want the charter defeated for that reason alone.
The real issue before county voters is whether they want representative and accountable local government.
dTC