News Room
The Queen Anne's Chronicle
We hope you will enjoy reading Queen Anne’s Conservation Association’s newest venture, “The Queen Anne’s Chronicle.” This bi-monthly publication is a celebration of the rural heritage, character, and people of Queen Anne’s County, while also exploring local government, land use and ethics issues. Click on the links below to view previous editions!
photo courtesy of Olivia Wood
February 7, 2011
QUEEN ANNE’S CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION
RELEASES STUDY OF COUNTY FINANCIAL CONDITION
Queen Anne’s Conservation Association (QACA) released a detailed study of the County’s financial condition and how it has been, and will be, impacted by local land use and development. The study was prepared by AKRF, Inc., a New York-based multidisciplinary consulting firm.
The Executive Summary states (page 1) that the Study’s “overwhelming finding” is that “Queen Anne’s County is at an important threshold that underscores the current debate about growth management—the delicate balance of maintaining community services and high quality of life, while managing to minimize tax burdens and dealing with fiscal pressures from both internal and external factors.”
The Summary goes on to stress “the importance of pursuing smart growth policies so as to be prepared to manage the inevitable rebound in residential demand, and to create opportunities to enhance commercial demand in a manner consistent with maximizing the efficient use of existing commercial and industrial properties.”
Jay Falstad, QACA Executive Director, commented: “The findings in this study emphasize how important Smart Growth is for holding down government costs and taxes are highly relevant to the decisions we are facing here – but also State-wide. The study highlights the ‘economic imperative’ that is driving what Governor O’Malley is trying to achieve with his Smart Growth and Sustainability initiatives – and I’m sure Comptroller Franchot, as the State’s ‘fiscal watchdog’, will find much here to interest him as well.”
QACA President Chris Pupke stated: “The study we have commissioned is full of insights into how Queen Anne’s County got to where it is today in terms of revenues and expenses, and it uses those insights as lessons for the future. One of the strengths of this study is that it doesn’t just look at our County, it also benchmarks our experience against other Maryland counties and the national picture. The perspective the report offers on our current challenges is one that I hope will be considered carefully by citizens and elected and appointed County officials as our community discusses the impacts development can have on our schools, environment, public safety and economy.”
The Queen Anne’s County study team was led by AKRF Senior Vice President Peter Liebowitz, who joined the firm in 1984 and has more than 25 years of experience working on planning, economic development, and environmental analyses. AKRF has 200 professionals in six offices, including one in Hanover, Maryland.
