Candidate name: David C. Harrington

Party affiliation: Democrat

Place of Residence: Cheverly

Date of Birth: No answer

Place of Birth: New York, New York

Occupation: County Councilmember

Education: Howard University, B.A.; Miami University of Ohio, M.A; Graduate work at Harvard University

Community association: Past President Port Towns Community Development Association; Member, Progressive Cheverly; Member, Minority Builders Industry Association

Professional associations: Board Member, Maryland Association of Counties; Chair, Housing Sub-Committee National Association of Counties; Board Member, National Association of Black County Officials; Senior Fellow, James MacGregor Burns Academy of Leadership at the University of Maryland;

Family: Wife Cheryl, Two sons

Campaign office address and telephone:

Friends of David Harrington, PO Box 6999, Largo, Maryland 20792-6999 301-780-8800

Link to candidate website:http:⁄⁄www.davidharrington.org⁄default.asp

Link to state Board of Elections campaign finance database

The top three areas I intend to focus considerable attention are:

* Forge an community engaged and inclusive economic agenda that promotes job creation⁄training, redeveloping community blight into community assets, and supports local non-profit programs centered on youth, grassroots health care and public safety.

* Forge a manage growth policy that limits growth in rural and semi-rural areas of the County and directs growth where there is considerable⁄sound infrastructure; and, which promotes mixed-use development combining a balance of commercial, retail with residential.

* Forge a more community focus community centered action agenda on such areas as community standards, public safety and education including fiscally supporting community tutorial activities, community policing and code enforcement.

How would you rate the performance of the current council-excellent, good, fail or poor. Why?

I would rate the current council as excellent. This council has clearly established itself as an oversight body and a legislative branch of government. From taking positions on the hospital to taking on growth management issues, this council if far from being a rubber stamp group.

Is the rate of growth in District 5 too fast, too slow or just right.

Presently, growth in District 5 is between too slow and just right. Several projects in the District are ushering in bold opportunities for the County. These projects include the Woodmore at Glenarden featuring one-million square feet of office space, high end retail with mixed housing, a transit oriented development project on Garrett Morgan Metro Station, redevelopment project in Cheverly replacing a blighted office building with market priced condo and community design effort examining changes needed to transform Landover Mall. These are exciting, but some areas of the district need community retail and still there remain outdated strip malls that need redevelopment. However, through developing a directed economic development agenda that redirects incentives and federal⁄state dollars supporting redeveloping this blight will pass.

What programs would you add to the budget and how would you pay for them?

I would not necessarily add any program, but redirect some programs so that they become more community focused. One example is Community Development Block Grant dollars being more focused on an agenda for housing rehabilitation, creating community social service delivery and redeveloping blight. The County has the resources in its arsenal, what is needed is a focused, qualitative agenda.

What is your position on group homes opening in neighborhoods?

Since group homes are protected by the federal Fair Housing Act, any position on this issue is irrelevant. However, communities must not be targeted as havens for group homes. Also, the Fair Housing Act should be amended to allow for communities to be notified when a home is changing from ‘‘residential” to a group home.

Does the council have too much, not enough or the right amount of oversight of the school system?

Since the county is moving from an appointed to an elected school board, the balance of oversight is difficult to determine. Much is left to be seen, especially with a new school board and a new chief executive officer. However one area the council could exert greater oversight is in school construction. Building schools should be much more aligned with growth patterns and there should be a major overhaul on how we project enrollments and the impact of new residential sub divisions on schools. Greater alignment between park and planning and school enrollment is essential and the council should play a role in enhancing that connection.

Are there any programs, taxes or fees that should be cut. What would you do with the money from these savings?

As with question 4, the question is not what should be cut but how should these funds be re-directed to address an agenda. For example, if health disparities is of considerable concern then perhaps a community health care agenda funded through Community Development Block funds and incorporating park and planning facilities as make shift primary health stations could be one possibility of addressing this problem. However, our lack of focus on community issues coupled with a lack of a substantive agenda leaves citizens questioning how taxes are being applied. On suggest is to forge an inclusive community process for identifying major issues and target funds in addressing these issues. Then, perhaps, citizens will see results.

Do you support day labor centers in Prince George’s County?

Yes, but only as a part of a workforce development agenda. Just have a place where residents can be hired for a day or only temporarily does little to assist people on the county’s emerging economy. A workforce development strategy would require training, access to jobs and other business development opportunities.

What qualifications do you possess that makes you a worthy candidate?

My qualifications include: ten years of public service both as a local mayor and county councilmember; having served three years on the redevelopment authority and one year as chair, I have a considerable acumen on economic development; have a strong national network because of my membership with the National Association of Counties and the National Association of Black County Officials; have developed a local and state-wide network in part due to being the first African-American to be President of the Maryland Municipal League and being on the board of Maryland Association of Counties.

More importantly, may three years on the council have provided me with considerable knowledge on land use processes and how to bring local assets through local projects. I firmly believe that many of our county challenges are connected to our lack of attention to community issues. I am extremely passionate on creating community wealth and making everything that we do focus on community first! My experience and my passion to serve the community make me a worth candidate.

What would you do to ensure the success of the counties key economic development projects?

Economic development must do four things: create local job opportunities, create local business and ⁄or equity opportunities, create dynamic marketplace, and create opportunities for raising the bar for surrounding communities. So, ensuring success must being with these benchmarks and must be negotiated with prospective entrants. Giving away the store for the purposes of attracting notoriety must no longer be tolerated. An agenda where economic development helps transform communities and enhances infrastructure is one that uplifts the county.

What are the biggest challenges to significantly reducing crime in Prince George’s County?

Some of the biggest challenges include: removing community blight-outdated shopping centers, abandoned cars, decaying streets, and other community related issues; blending our educational objectives to the county economy-simply young people need to see the connection between education and job opportunity; and, community connected policing are a few if the challenges that must be corrected through altering the focus of government and community activities

How would you address the population shift from Washington DC and the problems it poses for Prince George’s County?

There are two instances where the population shift effects Prince George’s County. One instance is where former DC residents are taking advantage of the County emergence as a regional leader in transit oriented mixed use development. The County is one of the last areas where there is considerable land assembly and opportunity and district as well as other residents are seeing the value in the diversity of our housing and commercial activities. The question I think is more on the lines of address the district’s gentrification problem due in large part its souring housing market. Regarding this issue, there must be greater collaboration between the district and the county on coordinating public safety, monitoring use of public facilities (hospital and schools), and working with multi-family dwelling owners on section eight and other rental issues.

Do you support slots in Prince George’s County?

Absolutely not!

Do you support an east-west metro link and where should it go?

I have long supported the purple line linking Hyattsville, College Park, Takoma Park with areas in Montgomery County. This must be a transit solution not a bus solution as suggested by some in state transportation. In general, I support transit solutions over road proposals.

Should municipalities have more control over local zoning?

Municipalities should work in a comprehensive manner for ensuring that zoning is being applied in a way that supports their agenda. The question is not whether more control is warranted, the question is creating a process where municipalities are inextricably included in any zoning matters and master plan development.