Southern Maryland does not need more businesses. It needs better ones. Not all economic growth is equal. A community that simply lets anything open anywhere is not thriving -- it is just filling square footage.

Real economic development means attracting and supporting businesses that create careers, develop skills, keep dollars circulating locally, and actually improve the quality of life for residents. We should be asking what this business does FOR our community -- not just what it does IN our community.

I will advocate for zoning reform, business incentive programs that reward investment in community wealth, and a development strategy that prioritizes businesses that hire locally, pay fair wages, and give our young people a reason to stay in Southern Maryland.