We asked local candidates in contested primary elections to write a sub-750 word essay describing why residents should vote for them on June 24.
Next up is the County Council at-large race, in which Nancy Floreen is running for one of four nominations in the Democratic primary. Below is Floreen’s unedited response:
Montgomery County is a bustling place with terrific services, amenities and opportunities as well as our fair share of challenges. With more than a million people living here, we also have many different perspectives on how we should move forward.
Having spent the last thirty years, more or less, in community building and local problem solving, I understand the complex issues we face and have developed a tradition of listening to folks on all sides and coming up with compromises that work for all of us. My background includes being PTA President at East Silver Spring Elementary School, a member of the Silver Spring Citizens Advisory Board, a member of the Montgomery County Planning Board and Mayor of Garrett Park, among other things. All these experiences have taught me what a great depth and breadth of community we share in the county, and have given me great tools for moving us forward. Since first elected to the Council, I have been deeply involved in planning for our future, chairing the Council’s Transportation, Energy, Infrastructure and Environment Committee, and now its Planning Housing and Economic Development Committee.
In Montgomery County, our top-notch education system is our most important asset. I’ve been a lifelong supporter of funding and adding resources to Montgomery County Public Schools and Montgomery College and am delighted that we could fully fund their budget requests this year. I voted to add and fund all-day kindergarten before it was required by the state, and I have consistently supported funding for reduced class sizes, additional student resource officers, health aides and new construction.
I know that world-class education isn’t cheap. That’s why I’m focused on job creation as the principal building block for our future. The recent recession required us to look hard at our economic assumptions, and I believe we need to act aggressively in attracting and retaining jobs.
I am confident that the public/private partnerships I have created with the Montgomery Business Development Corporation will help us move to a more fully realized business-based economy. Funding for our great education system (as well as our public services generally) is totally dependent on a robust tax base, and that means jobs. We need to do all we can to create a positive business climate and environment for successful entrepreneurship and job creation.
It is no secret that Montgomery County has real transportation challenges. Every minute we sit in traffic is a minute we are away from our families, jobs and opportunities. We need a multi-pronged approach to meeting these challenges, and that starts with Metro. Keeping Metro reliable is my number one priority as it is the cornerstone of our development and tax base. I also fully support our planned transit projects, the Purple Line and the Corridor Cities Transitway, as well as enhanced bus service where we can locate it without adversely affecting existing communities and where it is financially feasible. I am proud to have authored a transportation funding plan that is paying for the southern entrance to the Bethesda Metro station and that paid for the Glenmont Metro garage, as well as numerous intersection improvements.
We must also recognize that 85 percent of Montgomery County residents do not take public transportation, so I’m equally committed to supporting our roadway network, too.
As an elected official, it has been my job to listen to all our communities’ diverse viewpoints. I have a reputation for asking direct and difficult questions and pushing for straightforward answers. I do my homework. And I worry equally about the needs not only of our many committed advocates but also the needs of residents who do not have the time or opportunity to communicate with me directly.
Throughout my years in public service I have tried to move our community forward in a thoughtful and meaningful way, without regard for political fallout. Most of our work is not the product of sound bites or quick answers. Everything involves evaluation, community engagement, and fiscal care. I take this responsibility very seriously and I have been very lucky that Montgomery County voters have allowed me to serve in this fashion. I ask for your continued support.
