(6/2018) As hard as it may be to believe, there was a time when "politics" wasn’t a dirty word. Our elected officials could strongly disagree while debating an issue, yet remain civil – even friendly. Unfortunately, we don’t see that much anymore. I was fortunate enough to have grown up at the feet of such giants as Jack Kemp, Bill Bennett, and Bob and Elizabeth Dole. Working for these luminaries while I was in Washington and getting to see them in action on a daily basis taught me what public service really means and that it’s more important to show up and do something than to get bogged down in petty personal battles.

When people ask me why I’m running, the simple answer is ‘because there’s work to do.’ As a business owner for the last 16 years, the idea of accomplishing things has become more and more important to me. I’m not interested in fighting political and ideological battles at Winchester Hall. I want to work on finding ways to encourage the county and its residents to thrive as we continue into the 21st Century.

Frederick County’s potential is astounding. And we must do everything we can to take advantage of that. Growing up here, I knew what could be possible. This is a community grounded in its history but looking to its future. That’s why this election is about leadership and the direction Frederick County will take over the next four years.

We need to elect Council members with proven track records of leadership. Especially when it comes to the fact Frederick County’s annual budget is nearly $600 million. Now, a government cannot be run like a business - even though many say it should . . . and I realize most of those people are in my own party. But as a businessman, I can say some of the same principles used to run a successful company can also be applied to government. Should a government spend more money than it takes in? No. Should government officials make sure they get the biggest bang for every tax dollar spent? Absolutely. In the perfect world, there would be enough money to fund every organization, agency, department, and service at or above 100%. Sadly, the budget does not usually allow for that. So it’s up to county leaders to make the difficult choices and determine where each dollar is best spent, regardless of popular opinion.

In 2015, Governor Larry Hogan declared Maryland was "open for business." Frederick County should be following suit. We need to give the Office of Economic Development the tools they need to promote investments in the county. We need innovative and aggressive economic development policies to bring new businesses into the county, while at the same time looking for ways to support the businesses that are already here and have helped make Frederick what it is today.

When it comes to future growth within the county and how that is handled, the right kind of leadership is going to be crucial over the next few years. Frederick is growing and it's going to continue to grow. That being said, we must be prepared and plan for this development so everyone has a chance to benefit. Having the supporting infrastructure in place is key. Our roads must be able to support increased traffic; our schools must be able to handle more students; and our public services must be able to provide the highest level of service possible. We cannot simply allow growth for growth's sake.

There’s no way to know what all of the issues will be that come up in the next few years, but the promise I can make is that whatever they are, I will approach each with an open mind and always look for the answers that will benefit Frederick County as a whole. I may not always make the popular decision but I won't take any vote I cast lightly.

Sometimes, that’s going to mean disagreeing with the County Executive. Over the last three years, there have been a number of times where I feel the Council has missed its chance to exercise its power as the legislative arm of our government, instead making itself subservient to the County Executive, as opposed to a true check and balance. The next County Council needs to take steps to provide a true balance in Winchester Hall.

With the primary election coming up later this month, I would ask that you take a moment to visit my website, www.JustinKiska.com, where you can learn more about me, why I’m running, and where I stand on the issues. Then, I would ask for your vote on June 26th in the Republican Primary for one of the two At-Large seats on the Frederick County Council. Every single vote is going to count this year, so I hope I can count on yours.