Frederick County executive, council candidates debate rural transportation, taxes

Oct. 18—Frederick County Councilwoman Jessica Fitzwater and Maryland state Sen. Michael Hough debated in a forum on Monday how to help low-income households in rural areas, among other topics.

Fitzwater is the Democratic nominee for Frederick County executive in the Nov. 8 general election. Hough is the Republican nominee.

The Thurmont and Emmitsburg Lions Clubs, who hosted the county executive forum, also held one for County Council candidates at large and in District 5. Five council candidates attended. One was absent.

Roughly 50% of households in Thurmont and Emmitsburg either live in poverty or are considered asset limited, income constrained, employed (ALICE) by the United Way of Frederick County in a 2020 report.

Mark Long, chair for the Lions Club Candidate Forum Committee, asked candidates in both forums about their ideas for helping ALICE households.

"It's not OK that we're the sixth wealthiest county in the state of Maryland, but we have parts of our county where close to 50% of working families cannot meet a survival budget," Fitzwater said.

Fitzwater said it's "critical" that the county work with local nonprofits to support low-income households.

She said the county must improve access to broadband internet connection in rural communities to help people access telehealth appointments, work remotely and more.

Hough said the county government has neglected rural low-income households, particularly when communities have had problems with water quality or lacked transportation options.

"One of the things that bothers me when we talk about inequity and we talk about poverty" is that people in rural areas are forgotten, Hough said.

Hough said he secured state money for communities like Emmitsburg, Brunswick and Knoxville to fix their water supply when it was brown or otherwise not drinkable. He bashed the county for what he said was a lack of action about water concerns.

Property taxes were a recurring topic in both forums. Hough and the Republicans running for County Council have said the county should freeze property taxes, which would mean lowering the property tax rate from $1.06 per $100 of assessed value to the constant-yield rate.

The constant-yield rate is the real property tax rate necessary to generate the same revenue from year to year. If tax revenue is expected to rise because of higher property assessments, the tax rate would drop to reach the constant yield.

The constant-yield rate for the fiscal year that began July 1 is $1.02 per $100 of assessed value. Adopting this rate would have decreased county tax revenue by $13 million for the last fiscal year.

Fitzwater and the Democrats running for the council have said that lowering the property tax rate will take away revenue the county needs to fund public schools and other services.

Brad Young, a Democrat running for one of the council's two at-large seats, said that lowering the property tax rate will hinder the county's ability to improve pay for teachers. Teacher pay in Frederick County Public Schools is among the lowest in the state.

Young is president of the Frederick County Board of Education.

The council candidates covered a wide range of topics, including how best to help ALICE households.

Renee Knapp, a Democrat running at large, said the county needs to improve transportation options for people in rural areas like Thurmont and Emmitsburg.

The county, Knapp said, should consider implementing transportation networks based in more rural regions.

"We can have a transportation system that's not based in Frederick," Knapp said.

Mason Carter, the Republican nominee for District 5, said the county should work with the Board of Education to ensure that schools can offer free lunches for Frederick County Public Schools students.

Julianna Lufkin, the Democratic nominee for District 5, could not attend for health reasons.

Long asked each candidate their ideas for supporting farm businesses.

County Councilman Phil Dacey, R, said the county must make it easier for farm businesses to expand and allow more people to visit places like creameries and breweries.

Dacey is one of two Republicans nominated for the council's at-large seats.

The candidates discussed where the county should grow, too.

Tony Chmelik, the second Republican nominee for the two at-large seats, said the county should grow in places outlined by the Livable Frederick Master Plan. The county adopted the plan in 2019 to guide growth and development.

Chmelik said residential development should remain in Frederick and the southern part of the county. Communities in the northern part of the county, he said, should remain rural.

"I don't want to see any growth in the northern part of the county, quite frankly," Chmelik said.