Candidate name: Samuel H. Dean

Place of residence: 10710 Willow Oaks Drive, Mitchellville, MD 20721-2757

Date of birth: Jan. 15, 1936

Place of birth: Chicago

Occupation: Elected Official: Council Member District 6

Education: B.S., Management and Technology, University of Maryland, University College, College Park

Community associations, involvement: Kiwanis Club of Mitchellville; Mission of Love Charities, Inc.; Mitchellville-Largo-Kettering Education Coalition, Lake Arbor Civic Association, and Lake Arbor Foundation.

Professional associations: Prince Hall Masons; International Public Management Association for Human Resources (formerly the International Personnel Management Association (IPMA)

Family: Wife, Donna; Two children; One grandchild

Campaign office address and telephone: PO Box 5351, Capitol Heights, MD 20791; 301-336-3226

Link to candidate’s website, where one exists: www.votedeancountycouncil.com; www.councilmandeanservantofthepeople.com

Link to state Board of Elections campaign finance database

1.o continue to fully fund the County’s public safety program in cooperation with my colleagues. This funding should allow for increased recruitment and retention of qualified law enforcement and emergency medical personnel so that an effective public safety program can be carried out that will significantly reduce crime and enhance the citizens’ quality of life;

2. To work diligently to provide, through the various stakeholders, an accessible and well-managed health care system for our citizens, and

3. To continue, with my colleagues, to fully fund the public school system so that certified, well-qualified teachers may be employed and retained and the County’s children will receive a high quality public education.

How would you rate the performance of the current council: Excellent, good, fair or poor? Why?

Excellent. This Council has been very pro-active in passing quality of life legislation, and establishing task forces and beneficial community program: CB-001-2003 requires certain service contracts to include a minimum living wage; CB-12-2003 enables communities to provide input into the land development review process before application is filed; CB-004-2004 prevents prisons from being built in Prince George’s County; CB-101-2004 exempts the Board of Education from paying building permit fees. This removes the Board from being charged a building permit fee when schools are built—a significant financial savings.; CB-034-2005 amends the County Code provisions to allow for Police Mutual Aid Agreements among public safety agencies; CB-060-2005 requires disclosure in real estate contracts subject to certain restrictions pertaining to conservation; CB-068-2005 prohibits smoking in certain eating and drinking establishments; CR-050-2005 established a community advisory committee to assist the County Council in motoring the efforts of the Washington Gas Company to address the problem of gas leaks in the County; CR-42-2006 established a Blue Ribbon Committee to evaluate High Stakes Testing alternatives for high school students; establishment of a award-winning Community Leadership Institute: A Center for Excellence Empowering Community Stakeholders to teach citizens how to navigate the governmental process; and advocates for local, minority and small business equity participation in all aspects and levels of development, services and businesses in the County.

Is the rate of growth in District 6 too fast, too slow or just right?

District 6 has the highest rate of growth in the County, but it is at a pace that is manageable. We have begun to implement procedures to ensure that the required infrastructure is developed prior to or simultaneous with the project. The Westphalia development, located at Pennsylvania Avenue and Westphalia Road, is a case in point.

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

I would add more funding for new libraries which can be funded through sale⁄lease back; and for the renovation of our older schools by increasing the amount of the telephone taxes that can be used for Capitol Improvement Projects.

Do you support big box stores opening in your district? Why?

Many of the new proto-type stores such as Sears are in excess of 125, 000 square feet. Stores such as Wegman that will be located on Route 202 would be considered big box. I am not opposed to large stores locating in District 6 based on the type of service that would be offered.

Should there be any changes to the current adequate public facilities laws?

Schools should be considered again as part of the APF test.

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

We believe there is a need for more oversight. The Council may approve certain allocations in the budget and the school system in its reconciliation may come up with different allocations than those approved. We believe that the school system should come back to the Council for final approval of their reconciled budget.

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

At this time, there are none that come to mind.

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

I believe there is a need for central locations for day laborers. I would support such an effort.

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

There is no substitute for experience. I believe that my background, varied work experience, empirical knowledge, my civic activism, demonstrated leadership, the ability to build consensus, the work I have done and the specialized experience I have gained over the last three plus years in the elected office of Council Member speak to my qualifications. I have served as both Vice-Chairman and Chairman of the County Council. During my chairmanship we passed over 179 bills and resolutions, and we established Core Values and Guiding Principles for the Council. I have kept my campaign promises, such as reducing the impact of solid waste facilities in residential communities, and getting WSSC service to Marlboro Meadows. As a servant of the people, I will continue to have an open-door policy and be responsive to my constituents concerns and issues. I believe that ‘‘service is the rent we pay for our time here on earth” and I will continue that service to the best of my knowledge, skills, abilities and experience.

What would you do to ensure the success of the county’s key economic development projects?

I would work to ensure that we have incentives in place to attract development, particularly commercial, and employment. Some of the incentives could be tax credits, special taxing districts, etc.

What must be done to ensure the long-term success of Prince George’s Hospital Center?

I believe we have to first change the Dimension management. We must begin to move the system from being viewed and used as a clinic. We determine the medical nitch for the service(s) for which the hospital will be noted. We must have the State partner with the County in financing the hospital system over the long term. We must work to get the hospital affiliated with an institution like the University of Maryland system.

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

One of the major challenges is that we do not have enough sworn officers for our population. Using the FBI standard of one sworn officer for 500 residences, we should have a force of at least 1600. Our current staffing is at 1400. We are no longer a suburban community, but are very urban. The District of Columbia with a smaller land area and population has 3,000 plus sworn officers. We have a lot of ground to cover make up that difference. Until we can get sufficient sworn officers into the communities, we are going to continue to have challenges.

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

Most of the low income people are being priced out of the District of Columbia and most are coming into the County. The majority of our rental properties are located near the District line. Therefore, we have a high concentration of these new residents living in these apartments. We need to begin to open up opportunities for new residents throughout the County and not allow for a concentration at the District line. We need to begin to upgrade and renovate those communities that border the District and reduce the number of rental properties and begin to encourage and support home ownership.

Do you support allowing slots in Prince George’s? If so, where?

NO.

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

YES. Across the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, and between Bethesda to New Carrollton

Should municipalities have more control over local zoning?

NO.