What The Election Of Hogan Means For Prince George's County (Baltimore: how much, pre-k)

[justtitans]

Originally Posted by Missingatlanta

You sound so immature. People like you make Republicans seem so dislikable. And I'm a democrat who also voted for Hogan and yes I live in PG!!

I am very curious as to what lead you to that decision. I have heard people say that some people voted for Hogan just to not vote for Brown. Was that the case for you or do you actually believe he is a viable option as governor?

[UrbanScholar]

Originally Posted by bufflove

Yeah, the PL was one of my biggest concerns as well. Hopefully, it's far enough along at this point that the project won't be scuttled (a la O'Malley inheriting the imminent ICC). Also, I think Hogan knows he'll have a short leash and will be dumped in 4 years like Ehrlich unless he governs as a moderate. Antagonizing MoCo, PG and Baltimore by ruining the planned light rail lines would turn a few hundred thousand registered voters into enemies real quick.

I second that. I don't have a problem with Hogan either but he will need to deliver on his position on transportation, taxes, and creating a more business friendly environment. He won because this was a mid-term, low voter turn out in PG, MOCO, and Baltimore, and because people were tired of the direction O'Malley's administration was taking us. Like you said, he will need to deliver and deliver big in the first four years or he will be packing in 2018.

[Missingatlanta]

Originally Posted by justtitans

I am very curious as to what lead you to that decision. I have heard people say that some people voted for Hogan just to not vote for Brown. Was that the case for you or do you actually believe he is a viable option as governor?

I voted for him primarily on the hope of fixing the over taxation issues in this state. I liked Browns ideas for free pre-K and hope it happens for Maryland some day but I think the economy is more of a pressing issue. I also agree that if he doesn't deliver it's very likely he won't see a second term.

[westsideboy]

Originally Posted by Trace21230

Who cares? They didn't vote for him and won't vote for him. Hogan crushed Brown by 9 percentage points by winning the Baltimore suburbs, western Maryland, and the Eastern Shore.

No offense, but the D.C. liberals in PG and Montgomery can go to H. E. double hockey sticks.

Dude. If not for Dems that do care about these issues being willing to vote GOP, Hogan loses that race. I don't know about the future of the Purple Line, but for goodness sake, don't be a gloating winner. Hogan needs to govern with the interests of ALL Marylanders in mind, even those that didn't vote for him.

That was the beef with MOM, remember? He only represented part of the state, and treated the rest of us like dirt. The new boss can't be like the old boss in mentality...........or we simply get the old boss back again.

Let's use this victory as an opportunity to show that the GOP isn't just a bunch of whiners. But instead use this chance to demonstrate that we actually do care about the needs of the whole state.

[adelphi_sky]

Originally Posted by Missingatlanta

I voted for him primarily on the hope of fixing the over taxation issues in this state. I liked Browns ideas for free pre-K and hope it happens for Maryland some day but I think the economy is more of a pressing issue. I also agree that if he doesn't deliver it's very likely he won't see a second term.

Free pre-K has an invaluable return on investment. I'd be willing to pay more taxes if it meant that kids would start learning earlier which would help improve our schools. And the $700 - $1000/month savings per child wouldn't be bad either.

[K-Luv]

Originally Posted by adelphi_sky

...the building of the ICC thanks to the Ehrlich administration of which Hogan was a part of who shelved light rail for the ICC project. More roads, and one you have to pay to drive on no less.

I personally like the ICC, even during rush hours traffic flows freely. No tailgating; no drivers cutting across three lanes of traffic at the last minute to exit; no congestion; no drivers doing 45 MPH in the left-hand lanes; no random vehicles on fire (which, oddly enough, is a regular occurrence on 495); no over-turned semis (which is also a frequent occurrence); no traffic delays at random times due to accidents (once again a daily occurrence on 95/495); and so on. To not have to deal with the drivers of Central Maryland/DC is well worth the $3 to me.

Originally Posted by Trace21230

Who cares? They didn't vote for him and won't vote for him. Hogan crushed Brown by 9 percentage points by winning the Baltimore suburbs, western Maryland, and the Eastern Shore.

No offense, but the D.C. liberals in PG and Montgomery can go to H. E. double hockey sticks.

Hogan could build the Purple Line himself using nothing but tax-payer monies to pay for it and Republicans would still vote for him again.

As I mentioned in another thread, the Purple Line will be built. The project was already set in motion, monies earmarked, long before yesterday. Hogan, or any Governor of Maryland, does not have that power anyway. All Hogan can do is use his Office to hold up the project for one reason or another, which would be a bad move politically not just for him and his re-election bid but for the re/election of any other Republican in 2018.

DC itself has little room to grow, so growth is outward into Maryland and Virginian suburbs. Whatever Maryland does not want, NoVa seems happy to take.

[justtitans]

Bipartisan-ism has been effective in VA. There are things that Bob McDonnell did that were more initiatives from the left and even now McAuliffe is embracing some policies that McDonnell started or have been supported by the right. The best thing for MD to do is to have both parties compromise on things. There hasn't been enough of that going on over the past few years and that has hurt the state.

[Spaten_Drinker]

Originally Posted by bufflove

"No offense," but you don't seem to know how elections work. Hogan won in large part because MoCo/PG/Baltimore didn't care enough about Brown to vote. MoCo had its lowest turnout in recent memory - 39%. If Hogan turns around and pisses off the populous/wealthy areas of Maryland, causing them to vote en masse, you can be damn sure he'd get womped in any reelection bid. Every Republican always wins the areas you cited; that obviously was not the deciding factor.

If what you say is true, then Hogan will be dumped anyway in 2016 when turnout will be higher due to the presidential election. Hogan may as well do what he can to fix the state with the little time he has. Maybe in a few years the state will appreciate what he did to make Maryland competitive and stop bleeding jobs to Virginia.

[North Beach Person]

Originally Posted by Spaten_Drinker

If what you say is true, then Hogan will be dumped anyway in 2016 when turnout will be higher due to the presidential election. Hogan may as well do what he can to fix the state with the little time he has. Maybe in a few years the state will appreciate what he did to make Maryland competitive and stop bleeding jobs to Virginia.

Why would Hogan be dumped in 2016? It's not a Gubernatorial election year in MD, nor are any Legislative seats up.

[bufflove]

Originally Posted by Spaten_Drinker

If what you say is true, then Hogan will be dumped anyway in 2016 when turnout will be higher due to the presidential election. Hogan may as well do what he can to fix the state with the little time he has. Maybe in a few years the state will appreciate what he did to make Maryland competitive and stop bleeding jobs to Virginia.

???? See NorthBeaches' response....

P.S. the Purple Line (what we're discussing) is absolutely about our economic competitiveness with NoVa and DC-proper. NoVa's added the Silver Line and BRT, DC's added a streetcar line with more to follow. MoCo and PG badly needs to better their public transportation infrastructure and stop bleeding so many jobs and Millennials to its regional competitors. Currently, MoCo and PG have very few neighborhoods attractive to major employers and people under 40, which is terrible for the county (and state) tax coffers. Yuppies pay way more in taxes than they receive in benefits and commonly have a lot of disposable income which is used to support the local economy. They're easily the most important demographic, from an economic growth standpoint.

The Purple Line is needed to further strengthen and support the growth we've seen in Bethesda/Silver Spring and provide a kickstart to developments in New Carrollton, College Park, and many stops between MoCo/PG. A BRT line down 355 is needed to support and expand upon the growth we're seeing in Rockville, Twinbrook and White Flint. A BRT line is needed down 29 to support the pent-up demand for development in east county, specifically around the FDA and White Oak. This is absolutely (and obviously) about economic competitiveness and if suburban MD continues to lag behind in investing in public transportation infrastructure then Tysons, Reston, 14th St., NoMa, etc. are happy to continue eating our cake. Hogan, if he is in fact a shrewd businessman, will plainly see this which is why I'm still relatively optimistic he won't scuttle the PL.