Harford County Executive David R. Craig pushed for long-term investments in education, crime-reduction programs, economic development and land preservation, while stressing the need to safeguard quality of life and maintain an efficient government, in his State of the County address to the County Council last night.
Before announcing the initiatives that he is making the cornerstone of his administration, Craig looked back on what he called a year of progress that showed the county's fiscal strength while providing tax relief to its residents. Craig was appointed executive in 2005 and elected to a four-year term in November 2006.
He called for a spirit of cooperation that will generate "local solutions to local problems."
"If we expect to succeed we must look to ourselves - not Annapolis and not Washington - to educate our children, start our businesses, keep our communities safe, preserve our land and improve our daily lives," Craig told the seven-member council. In coming months, the council must approve Craig's budget and consider costly capital improvements to the county's infrastructure.
Harford officials are working to build seven new schools by 2011 and are considering an $80 million plan to consolidate agencies and expand office space in downtown Bel Air. Also being discussed is a $340 million proposal for a new waste-to-energy plant in Joppa.
With the groundbreaking last year for a $477 million Center of Excellence at Aberdeen Proving Ground, the nationwide revamping of military bases known as BRAC has started to have a positive economic impact on the county, Craig said.
The first wave of what could be nearly 10,000 new jobs has arrived.
But BRAC is not the county's only economic consideration.
"Supporting other industries through retention and expansion of programs, the redevelopment of existing commercial corridors as well as the expansion of local agriculture and tourism" remain priorities, he said.mary.gail.hare@baltsun.com