Politics & Government
Councilman Marks Reports on First Hundred Days
In a letter, Marks explains legislation he's been working on and what he's done for your neighborhood.
The following was submitted by Fifth Disrict Councilman David Marks as a Letter to the Editor on Mar. 17.
On December 6, I was sworn in as the Baltimore County Councilman from the Fifth District, and this month I will complete my 100 days in office. I would like to thank the voters of the Fifth District for the confidence they placed in me.
Since December, I have spent much of my time meeting residents and business owners within the Fifth District, which stretches from Towson to Perry Hall. I established a Fifth District Community Advisory Council, started a monthly newsletter, and have attended on average five nightly meetings every week.
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My top priority is to steer Baltimore County through the recession without raising taxes and cutting critical services. The County Executive will present his FY 2012 budget to the Council in April; the County Council can only cut (not add) to the budget. County Executive Kevin Kamenetz has set the right tone by focusing on consolidating county agencies and putting more transactions online to save money.
Legislatively, I have been a principal sponsor for three bills. Bill 2-11 establishes a Baltimore County Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee to make our transportation network more accessible to all residents. Bill 3-11 reforms the Community Input Meeting process so development hearings are more accessible to affected neighborhoods. Bill 4-11 increases the maximum fine for graffiti-related offenses.
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Much of a County Councilman’s job involves local issues. In the Parkville area, Councilwoman Cathy Bevins and I have been working to achieve resolution on the future of the Lavender Avenue parking lot. This lot is owned by the Revenue Authority, a body that is independent of the County Council. In Carney, I am working to see if county property along Jomat Avenue could possibly be used for a public park.
In Loch Raven, I am working to revitalize the defunct Loch Raven Community Council and to determine the future of the Loch Raven library.
In closing, let me again thank you for the opportunity to serve as your County Councilman. I’ll continue to work in a bipartisan manner to advance the best interests of Parkville, Carney and Loch Raven.
Councilman David Marks