This morning, over 250 joined us for our second annualFuture of Annapolis & Anne Arundel Countyevent. Newly minted county executiveLaura Neumansaid that as a local entrepreneur a decade ago, Anne Arundel "didn't evenhit my radar" as a place to do business. (Radar technology has improved since then, as has Anne Arundel.) She's focused on turning the county into aneconomic development machine,including an overhaul of Anne Arundel's planning, zoning, inspections, and permits department to spur more projects. Laura would love to see another overhaul--ofMaryland's statetax policies--which she feels are too stringent.
Don't be fooled by Annapolis MayorJosh Cohen'sboyish looks; the 39-year-old has been in office for almostfour years. Mayor Cohen reports that both Moody's and S&P justupgradedthe city'sbond rating(to AA3 and AA+, respectively) and that Annapolis has experienced three straight years ofbalanced budgets. (We thought balanced budgets were just a fairy tale our moms told us to help us sleep.) Acquiring andre-zoningthe vacant property at110 Compromise Ston the city's waterfront is high on the agenda too, he says, to include it as part of anew public promenade.Stay tuned for more event coveragetomorrow!
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