Van Hollen Awards Maj. Talbert Tuskegee Airmen’s Gold Medal

By PRESS OFFICER 
Rep. Van Hollen’s Office 

Rockville, MD – Today Maryland Congressman Chris Van Hollen joined Command Sergeant Major Kevin Stuart of Fort Detrick to present DOTA (Documented Original Tuskegee Airman) Major Edward J. Talbert, Retired Air Force Reserve, with a bronze reproduction of the Tuskegee Airmen’s Congressional Gold Medal.  The original was presented in the Capitol Rotunda to some 300 Airmen in March 2007 and is now in the Smithsonian.

 DOTA Major Talbert was part of the 332nd Fighter Wing, which entitles him to be documented as an Original Tuskegee Airman.  He was based at Lockbourne Air Force Base from 1948 – 1950, which was the last base where African-American Army-Air Force members were assigned before the Air Force was integrated.  He was the last person on the base and handed over the keys to the National Guard.

“DOTA Major Talbert served his country with distinction, even at a time when America did not honor his contributions the way it should have. The Tuskegee Airmen were brave and courageous in the face of huge challenges – not just on the battlefield, but within the military itself,” said Congressman Van Hollen. “DOTA Major Talbert also had a front seat to an incredibly important moment in our history, handing over the keys of the last segregated Air Force base in 1950.  It is a great privilege to honor his service today.”

Congressman Van Hollen worked with the Talbert family to obtain the paperwork necessary to certify that he was a DOTA.

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Council Adopts $2.7 Billion FY 14 Budget

By PRESS OFFICER
Bowie State University

Unanimous Council Support for Fiscal Year 2014 Spending Plan Council Averts Employee Furloughs, Increases Library Funding 

The Prince George’s County Council today unanimously adopted a $2.7 billion balanced budget for Fiscal Year 2014.   The budget becomes effective with the new Fiscal Year which begins July 1, 2013.

Prince George’s County Council Chair Andrea C. Harrison (D) – District 5, during remarks immediately following the budget adoption, thanked her colleagues for their contributions towards producing a sound spending plan for Prince George’s County.

“The Fiscal Year 2014 County Budget reflects the competent and collective work of every member of this Council and I want to congratulate my colleagues for an exceptional job.  This spending plan maintains our posture of fiscal prudence, while ensuring the economic vitality Prince George’s County residents deserve and expect.”

Overall, 62% of the FY 14 budget, $1.68 billion, has been appropriated for education, reflecting an increase of 1.4% over the previous budget year.  The Council also added $2.5 million to the Prince George’s County Memorial Library System to restore proposed library system cuts, and support Sunday hours at three library branches. 

The Council averted proposed furloughs for County employees during FY 14.  “It is imperative that we invest in our employees, strengthen the morale of our workforce, and reward their faithful service to our government during consecutive years of economic crisis, consistently enduring pay freezes, RIFs and furloughs, and we are pleased to report that we have eliminated the need for proposed furloughs in FY 14,” said Council Chair Harrison.

There are no approved reductions in force in the Fiscal Year 2014 County Budget; however, Council Chair Harrison says lawmakers will “reassess our financial posture in September, when we expect to know the full impact of the Early Retirement Incentive Plan on the County’s finances.”

The newly-adopted spending plan also provides funding for a new full class of firefighter recruits; $3.6 million in transportation funding for pedestrian safety; and supports the expansion of youth employment opportunities in the County.

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New HDCD  Headquarters in County Lease Approved

By PRESS OFFICER
Office of the Governor 

ANNAPOLIS, MD (May, 2013) – Governor Martin O’Malley and Lt. Governor Anthony Brown today announced Board of Public Works approval of a lease for the new Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) headquarters in New Carrollton. The new DHCD headquarters will be a significant part of a mixed-use project to be built as part of a multi-phased transit oriented development, which will include 500 residential units and 65,000 SF of retail in phase one. When fully built out through phase two, the project will incorporate up to 2400 residential dwelling units, 100,000 SF of retail and a 300 room hotel.

“Working with the private sector, this project will create a vibrant transit community in Prince George’s County,” said Governor O’Malley. “This project concentrates development around our existing transportation infrastructure and will reinvigorate communities around the New Carrollton Metro station, creating new job opportunities and economic opportunity for our business community.”

Berman Enterprises was the successful bidder in a very competitive process. The first phase of the project will include $116 million of private investment. This investment with the State’s commitment to a 15-year lease will create 132 permanent jobs, 325 construction period jobs and significant new taxes to the County and State with a net economic benefit of $8 million over the period of the lease.

“By bringing the Department of Housing and Community Development headquarters to New Carrollton, we're making a commitment to continue strengthening Prince George's County,” said Lt. Governor Anthony Brown. “This investment is designed to spur new economic development opportunities, maximize our existing infrastructure and create new well paying jobs in our community.”

“On behalf of nearly 900,000 residents of Prince George’s County, I want to thank Governor O’Malley and Lt. Governor Brown for this smart and strategic investment in the economic future of the County and State,” said Prince George’s County Executive Rushern L. Baker, III.  “Prince George’s County makes up 15% of the State’s population, and we enthusiastically welcome the opportunity to house our first state agency.  The Department of Housing and Community Development will jump start transit oriented development at the New Carrollton Metro Station and anchor a quality mixed use project that will create jobs, increase our commercial tax base, and provide retail and residential options in a new urban center.”

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Brown Announces Running Mate

By PRESS OFFICER
Lt. Governor Campaign 

Congressman Elijah Cummings formally Endorses Brown-Ulman ticket

Columbia, MD - Gubernatorial candidate Anthony Brown formally introduced his running mate, Howard County Executive Ken Ulman. In 2006, at age 32, Ken became the youngest person ever elected County Executive in the state of Maryland. Under his leadership, Howard County has the lowest unemployment rate in Maryland and #1 ranked schools in the state - as our next Lt. Governor, Ken is committed to bringing this same model of success to every corner of our state.

“As our Lt. Governor, Anthony Brown grew our economy and created jobs in the face of the great recession and I'm honored to stand with him in this campaign to build a better Maryland,” said Howard County Executive Ken Ulman. “Maryland is a great place to live, work and raise a family, but we know that it can always be better. Together, we'll work to ensure economic prosperity for all of our families and build strong communities by growing our economy, creating jobs, building the most competitive workforce and developing our state's business community.”

“Ken Ulman has a tremendous record of leadership and results and I'm excited to have him joining our campaign to build a better Maryland for more Marylanders,” said Lt. Governor Anthony Brown. “On Ken's watch, Howard County has become an engine for job creation and education and there is no doubt that he is the right leader to serve as our next Lt. Governor. I'm running for Governor to build on our successes and continue growing our way to economic prosperity and I am proud to have Ken Ulman making this journey with me.”

At this event, Congressman Elijah Cummings also offered his formal endorsement to the Brown-Ulman campaign.

“Anthony Brown and Ken Ulman are the best team to build on our successes and make Maryland a better place for all of our families,” said Congressman Elijah Cummings. “We need Anthony Brown as our next Governor and Ken Ulman as our Lt. Governor, that's why I'm strongly endorsing them and planning to work hard to help get them elected.”

For over six years, Anthony Brown has served as Maryland’s Lt. Governor where he has taken the lead on efforts to grow our economy including: working to pass the state’s new Public-Private Partnership law that’s estimated to create 4,000 jobs; preparing Maryland for 60,000 military base realignment and closure (BRAC) related jobs; leading the Administration's effort to implement President Obama’s Affordable Care Act after successfully expanding health care to 375,000 Marylanders, half of them being children; and working to make Maryland’s schools #1 in the nation for five straight years while pushing for new investments to strengthen school districts facing tough challenges. Brown is a graduate of Harvard and Harvard Law School. A Colonel in the United States Army Reserves, Brown is one of the nation’s highest-ranking elected officials to have served a tour of duty in the Iraq War. He and his wife Karmen reside in Prince George’s County with their three children.

Since 2006, Ken Ulman has served as the County Executive of Howard County, where his administration has focused on making local government more responsive and efficient. Under his leadership, Howard County has the lowest unemployment rate in Maryland, local schools were ranked #1 in the state, Forbes named Howard County one of the “Best Places to Raise a Family,” and Money Magazine named Howard County one of the top ten “Best Places to Live.” Working to strengthen our schools, Ulman increased Howard County’s investment in education by tens of millions of dollars. Executive Ulman has also made innovation a top priority, establishing a “Green Business Council” and “Green Initiatives” that invest in 21st century jobs. Under Ulman, Howard County also took the lead in applying for and receiving a $115 million statewide federal grant to develop the Inter-County Broadband Network, which will make Maryland the most wired state in the nation and lead to the creation of the next generation of jobs. Ken Ulman spearheaded the creation of the Healthy Howard Program, a one of a kind initiative that provides health care for thousands of uninsured residents of Howard County. Ken and his wife Jaki live in Columbia with their two daughters.

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