Contact: Mykel Harris, 240-508-9517
PRINCE GEORGE COUNTY, Maryland, Sept. 12, 2011 /Christian Newswire/ -- As the sole Republican candidate in the District 6 County Council race Day Gardner (photo) faces an uphill battle to win the election in a district heavily dominated by Democrats. However, her task may have gotten a little easier with the recent announcement that the Prince George's County Council will host a Town Hall Meeting focusing on the status of their initiative to streamline the permitting process on Thursday, September 15, 2011, 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
"Despite the so-called experience of my opponents on the other side I'm the only candidate that has made this a specific campaign issue," said Day Gardner. She went on to add, "The fact that the County Council has finally gotten around to talking about the problem is a good start. But it will take new leadership with a commitment to do more than just talk if we are serious about fixing this long-standing problem."
Ms. Gardner is running on a "Light of Day Agenda" which offers solutions that are specific, measurable and realistic to resolve long-standing problems in the county. Her second agenda item calls for new legislation to establish performance benchmarks and timetables to streamline the county's permit process. Day Gardner went on to say "The single most effective thing that the council can do is to remove the red tape in our permitting process. The current situation is so bad that it can take years to break ground on projects. We can no longer afford to give away jobs in these tough economic times. It's time to declare Prince George's County 'Open for Business' and reverse the view that we are hostile to business."
Day Gardner is running as a candidate to replace former Councilwoman Leslie Johnson, who resigned after pleading guilty to Federal corruption charges. Her "Light of Day Agenda" includes the following items:
1 – End the reign of corrupt public officials by changing our laws so that those who plead guilty to a felony must resign immediately and forfeit their office. Create a truly independent Office of the Inspector General empowered to investigate, subpoena and report evidence of corruption to the appropriate prosecuting authority.
2 – Declare the county "Open for Business" through new legislation establishing performance benchmarks and timetables that require a permit to be approved or rejected within a specified period of time.
3 – Use the budgetary powers of the council to encourage charter schools to build new schools in our community at no cost to the County. In doing so class sizes will be reduced, millions of dollars can be redirected to the classrooms and our public school resources will be increased.
4 - Lead by example and cut my own budget. In these tough economic times most of us have had to tighten our belts and manage with less. It's time that our county council did the same. If elected I will take a $20,000 pay cut and decline use of the county-provided car. The money can be better used to fund a summer youth jobs program.
The Prince George's County Council will host "Streamlining the Prince George's County Permitting Processes – A Progress Report," a Town Hall Meeting focusing on the status of Prince George's County's initiate to streamline the permitting process on Thursday, September 15, 2011, 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. at the College Park City Hall Council Chambers, 4500 Knox Road, College Park, Md.
301-358-2119 ~ P.O. Box 2273, Bowie, Md. 20718
By Authority: Committee to Elect Day Gardner, Frank DiSalvo, Treasurer
