How Can Prince Georges Improve via Government and Citizens (Woodmore: crime, home)

[truthhurts]

Okay, so since every one wants to say we are not taking a proactive approach to problems within this county. How about we attempt to make this more of a civil discussion about what improvements can be made to better the county. Let's discuss what government and citizens can do to improve the overall atmosphere within the county. Perphaps some of us believe there should not be any improvements and maybe some believe there should. Here's how we'll do it. State a problem provide a solution. I'll start it off with one problem and provide what i think a grea solution would be. (Now you can agree or disagree, but the point is for you to provide a problem and your own solution)

1. Public education System needs to be improved

Solution

I'd recommend the county redistrict and start incorporating a large portions of the unincorporated areas into towns and cities. Once that is accomplished i believe we move toward smaller governments that are more localized. School systems would be run by their respective towns and cities. Perhaps we'd still keep regional high schools, but middle and elementary schools would be the responsiblilty of the towns and cities they are in. We would get rid of busing as there's really no need for busing, because kids will just attend their local schools.

• I believe this will give citizens within the town more say over how the school system are run, what their children are taught, more parental involvement, and they will be able to hold school administrators and teachers more accountable.

The next fix solution i'd provide is competition and heavily subsidized educational vouchers for children, that may not live in a high income tax area. For instance children in District Heights, Suitland, etc would be able to apply for school vouchers, that give their parents the choice of either choosing to send their children to neighborhood school or a choice of private schools within the county. These vouchers will help make up for a weak tax base, for poorer parents that are very involved and want to see their children do better. (This program would not be mandated, but would be a parental choice)

• This will hopefully reduce the inequatable tax base funding, that say Woodmore Elementary would recieve over an elementary school in Capital Heights. Clearly from a funding stand point the poorer areas would be at a disadvantage, so instead of raising taxes just offering subsidies and school choice would be a much more effective way of giving them the opportunity to go to better schools, that are equally as competitive as the towns, that have well funded school programs.

My last suggestion for the education system is mandatory early educational adoptions programs, the county government would have to pass the law and mandate all students in the county start pre-school at the age of 4. I do not believe expanding the government will accomplish this, but this is something that can be accomplished on local government bases via the town/city the students live in. In fact it might be better for the town to contract a third party private company to provide and operate the service to keep track of all students etc. It would be much more cost effective and the service would be much more efficent.

• Expanding government is not the way to better schools, but getting parents and communities more involved is.
• Also outsoucing services to local community privately owned companies is a way to expand and create competitive jobs for people living in the county. I'm sure a number of citizens would gladly take the risk of setting up a company that tracks and monitors students in local areas if it was a profitable business. This would be much more effective than having a large school board dictate the lives of 131,000 students. Breaking them down and micro managing them 500 students at a time is a lot more effective to the students educational well being.

Okay, so you see how this is done. Now your turn let's hear some of those bright ideas

[lscalder]

I live in PG county and to tell you the truth I am sick and tired of this beat the horse and until its dead thing with Pg county. I am pretty sure other residents on here is tried of those who does not live in the county to continue to post re-post the same old thing about Pg county. Its the same thing. Maryland have so many counties and many with so many issues but we only focus on the one county that is majority Black.
I live here. I love it here but why keep on posting the same thing especially when the county is improving. The governement is doing what people think the county needs to do to improve is been done right now so why keep on posting the same thing and majority of the statements that is made about Pg County are false so we are sick and tired of this. Why not talk about those other poorer county that needs help.

[jessy0780]

I'm going to ignore the last post, since it has nothing to do with the thred that truth has started. Maybe if someone doesn't like this thread, they can abstain from posting to it.

Crime in certain areas-

I think that there needs to be a more visual police presence. Also, really crack down on them when they're younger so that they actually learn a lesson, and hopefully go on to better themselves. Send home teenagers/young adults who loiter on street corners, in front of stores, in laundries, and elsewhere. Find more suitable activities for kids to do- open a free gym where kids can come in and play basketball in any weather. Community leaders could work to get places like this funded by area companies- good PR for them, and a place for kids to go- a safe haven. Build a new jail/juv. delinquency center and stop plea bargaining so much, so people learn a lesson. I'm not naive- I know not everyone will learn their lesson, but what lesson are we teaching people when they get let off scott free, or with pbj?
Provide better educational oppurtunities, where kids who have grown up poor have the resources to learn about going to college, and financial aid. I think so many just don't think that they can do it. They need someone telling them that it is possible, and helping them- and telling them what they could make of themselves.

[lscalder]

The county is fixing the issues as we speak. Posting and making your useless comments is not helping the county at all as a matter of fact all its doing is degrading the county.

[lscalder]

The way both of you are describing what pg county needs you two make the county seem as if the county is full of scavengers doing nothing citizens. This is way its no th county at all. I am a current Pg county resident and I see the county governement working hard to improve the county. yYou tow are making seem as if the government are sitting in their office doing nothing. Why not talk about the other county in maryland that need more help then Pg county. As you can tell Pg county is rank number 2 in almost every catergory why not post about the county that is rank#3 and below Pg county.

Truthhurts: I see you are trying to help but with you not living in the county currently you do not know of any positive changes. The current Pg county residents do know about these positive changes so what you posted above the county is currently doing.

[jessy0780]

Originally Posted by lscalder

The county is fixing the issues as we speak. Posting and making your useless comments is not helping the county at all as a matter of fact all its doing is degrading the county.

Then don't read them.

It's good to hear that the county is all of a sudden working miracles.
Personally I happen to think that improvements can be made to EVERY system, since nothing is ever perfect- and pretending that it is only does the system a disservice.

[jessy0780]

Originally Posted by lscalder

The way both of you are describing what pg county needs you two make the county seem as if the county is full of scavengers doing nothing citizens. This is way its no th county at all. I am a current Pg county resident and I see the county governement working hard to improve the county. yYou tow are making seem as if the government are sitting in their office doing nothing. Why not talk about the other county in maryland that need more help then Pg county. As you can tell Pg county is rank number 2 in almost every catergory why not post about the county that is rank#3 and below Pg county.

Truthhurts: I see you are trying to help but with you not living in the county currently you do not know of any positive changes. The current Pg county residents do know about these positive changes so what you posted above the county is currently doing.

Let's keep in mind that PG is a HUGE county, and each city is very different. This thread is not about other counties- it is about PG. If you don't like it, then don't post here, you've already made your opinion clear. Why you have a problem with people taking an interest about the well being of the county and it's residents is a mystery to me. For some reason, you seem to think that every comment about PG that is not a glowing compliment is an insult to you personally. Get over it. Apparently you seem to think that you are an expert on all areas of PG, and are completely close minded to other's experiences and opinions.
I'm perfectly willing to agree to disagree with you on the issues of PG, but since it's an issue that's close to my heart, and where I still spend much time, and where some of the people that I love the most still live and work, I'm going to post my opinions. I will back them up with my own experiences, and the experiences of my family. I will gladly read other's opinions on the areas in PG, and look forward to hearing ideas about the county from the people who live, work, or visit there. I also look forward to hearing about the improvements that the county is making, and the success stories.
You don't have the right to tell anyone what to post or what not to post. If you don't like a thread, then don't read it. If you want to post about the problems of another county, go right ahead.

[lscalder]

Originally Posted by jessy0780

Then don't read them.

It's good to hear that the county is all of a sudden working miracles.
Personally I happen to think that improvements can be made to EVERY system, since nothing is ever perfect- and pretending that it is only does the system a disservice.

Base upon your statement it seems that you do not live in the county and you do not know nothing about the county. Your statments seems to be what you think more then what the county is doing Today to improve the county. If you knew anything about the county you would have known that the county have already build 2 new schools last year and in the process of build more new schools. The county have build new community centers. The county have also added new programs to Pg county schools such as Pre-k to all Elementary schools so the county did not just start these improvements yesterday.

Since you believe improvements can be made to Every system why not mention improvments that need to be made in other county in Maryland because you do not know about the improvements been made in Pg county TODAY.

Their are two sides to a story what you want to do is ONLY BASH THE COUNTY. you are not aware of the POSITIVE CHANGES in the county. YOU ONLY KNOW ABOUT ONE SIDE AND IT SEEMS THATS THE ONLY SIDE YOU WANT TO KNOW.

[RFMD]

The school system is improving:

Deasy’s plans taking root

[lscalder]

Thank you for that Article.