| | Government | | 04/29/05
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... ... Government
Howard County’s government operates a school system, a police department with more than 300 officers, a fire department, a water and sewer system, a landfill, and six branch libraries that enjoy one of the highest per-capita circulation rates in the nation.
The government is expected to raise nearly $890 million in fiscal 2005, more than half of which will pay for education. The county raises money principally from property and income taxes. It employs nearly 2,200 people in genChildren love to try on fire gear at the 2005 Howard County Fire and Police Expo at the downtown Columbia lakefront | eral government services and more than 6,000 in the school system and at Howard Community College.
Former county police Chief Jim Robey, a Democrat, is in the second year of his second and last four-year term as county executive. Also serving four-year terms are the five members of the County Council (see box on next page).
COLUMBIA ASSOCIATION
The Columbia Association (CA) resembles a local government, private organization, recreation business and civic organization rolled into one. It’s a private, nonprofit community service corporation with a board of directors elected by the residents of Columbia’s 10 villages. Supported by two major revenue sources — an annual “tax” paid by Columbians and fees charged for its programs and services — CA builds and operates a broad scope of facilities, such as parks, pathways, pools, tennis courts, fitness clubs, golf courses and 3,200 acres of permanent open space.
The 10 elected members and Maggie Brown, CA’s president, constitute the association’s board of directors and are known as the Columbia Council. The board members, with the exception of the president, are elected from each of Columbia’s villages. CA’s system of governance also filters down to the neighborhood level, with each Columbia village having its own community association and resident-elected village board, which represents residents on issues relating to education, state and local government, and CA policies and procedures.
STATE AND NATIONAL
County citizens are represented in the Maryland General Assembly in Annapolis by three senators and eight delegates from three legislative districts. Each serves a four-year term.
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