Joshua Kyte

Economy To sustain our local economy, we must first look to our small businesses. These business owners live here, hire locally, and keep money in our community. It’s true that big corporations have money, but ask yourself whether that money stays local or if it leaves our county. I believe it is a better investment to foster our own businesses that directly support St. Mary’s County. Education Investing in our schools is an investment in the future of St. Mary’s County. Our budget needs to be thoughtfully outlined to provide schools with all of the resources they need to thrive. This includes higher salaries for teachers, as well as providing additional funding to add social workers and critical support staff without whom our school system would not function – custodial staff, food service staff, bus drivers, security staff, and front office staff. Infrastructure / Transportation Growth of St. Mary’s County isn’t the problem. Poorly planned growth is. Planning decisions should be debated, studied, and include sufficient public input. We need to protect what makes this county special while ensuring we have everything we need for the future. Environment / Energy Data centers aren’t needed here in St. Mary’s County. They heavily strain our roadways and contribute to pollution and over-consumption of power and water. Introducing them to the county fails to create enough local jobs. It isn’t even a topic we should consider. No data centers in St. Mary’s County! Education Strong schools lead to strong local economies. By preparing our students with real-life skills and connecting them with local businesses, we can retain talent and secure a more stable future for St. Mary’s County. Criminal Justice / Public Safety Public safety isn’t an issue that you address after it’s too late; it’s something that is best considered and planned for well in advance. By supporting our first responders – police, firefighters, and EMTs – and making sound decisions about growth and infrastructure, we can keep our communities safe now and into the future.