Download the 2009 campaign flier here.
For 4 years Paul has been a voice of soundness and fiscal restraint on the Board of Aldermen. His 30 years experience as a business owner and attorney is invaluable. He is an approachable legislator who listens respectfully and explains the bases for his decisions. He works effectively with others, but he has the strength to stand alone.
Paul and Terry Smith first moved to Frederick County with their young family in 1979, and moved to the City in 1992. Nine of their children have graduated from Frederick High. Their children have regularly participated in school, community, and church activities. Paul has coached baseball and basketball teams for many years and currently runs a church youth basketball league. Paul is also a local leader in the Boy Scouts of America.
Paul’s Vision for Frederick-
Because of Frederick’s proximity to Washington, D. C. and Baltimore, it is an area that is destined for population growth, job expansion and increased traffic congestion. Even if no new housing is built here, growth that will take place beyond Frederick—in Washington Co., Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia—will affect our city. The main highways that go through Frederick will get more congested causing city residents to stay home to avoid wasting time in traffic. Without action, this traffic will increasingly worsen our quality of life by blocking roads and hurting our businesses during the ever-expanding rush hours.
The best way to deal with growth problems is to plan for growth that will help the City, and bring major employers to the area. In doing this we can be pro-active in alleviating traffic and bringing top-notch jobs to the city. If we merely try to resist the inevitable growth, we will only prolong and worsen our stifling traffic congestion and increase the cost of fixing it later.
City Hall must be business friendly, and take actions that will help businesses to succeed—including Downtown, west end, east side, and north side businesses. When the Frederick economy is strong, it has a direct effect on the quality of life for all of us, and it allows us to keep taxes lower.
City Hall must resist an ever-expanding government and the attendant tax increases. We must say “No” to new laws and new programs that come at the cost of higher taxes. We cannot continue to use government to solve all of our problems. There must be limitations, and it is up to our elected officials to stand up and block expensive, new programs.
The next Mayor and Board will face big challenges. The vision and leadership skills of Paul Smith will best help the City to meet these challenges and to preserve the great quality of life that makes Frederick the best city in the State.
1. Pass Fiscally Responsible Budgets. Now that a strong economy has morphed into a stagnant one, City revenues are projected to be lower in the future. This means that the next Mayor and Board must face hard decisions to make budget cuts. If they don’t, city taxes will rise, increasing the financial burden on Frederick’s citizens. My record demonstrates that I can and will make the hard choices and hold the line on city taxes.
2. Continue to develop the east side. The opening of the new, East Street entrance into the city is imminent, and the building of the new section of Monocacy Blvd. is to be completed by the spring of 2011. These improvements plus continued development of the east end of Carroll Creek will revitalize the east side of town.
3. Revitalize the west end of Frederick. The City needs to go forward with existing plans for the west end of Frederick in order to strengthen businesses and the quality of life there. These plans include: • Building the remaining sections of Christopher’s Crossing (to complete the connection of US 15 with the west side of US 40); • Continued work on the western sections of the Shared Use Path; • Major re-development of Frederick Towne Mall; • Annexation of the Summers property—converting most of that land into an up-scale neighborhood; • Immediate utilization of the Hargett Farm for much needed athletic fields, community swimming pool, a city maintenance site, a potential police station, and re-alignment of the Butterfly Lane– Rt. 180 intersection to reduce traffic congestion. Later, a regional park can be constructed. A public-private sports plex could also be put there. Additional land can be used for a public school, and some land can be sold to replenish City coffers.
4. Development of Downtown & Carroll Creek. For four decades the City has envisioned the development of Carroll Creek—partly to pay for the expensive flood control conduits, but also to transform the Downtown into a vibrant, attractive commercial center. This vision is being realized, but it is not complete. As we are able, the City should seek to bring to the Downtown: a motel/conference center; an arts theatre; a grocery store; a movie theatre; the planned parking decks; the west section of Monocacy Blvd.; and the development of alleys (for private residential use). 
5. Annex the Crum and Thatcher properties. These annexations could bring at least two major employers to the City. These would also bring major contributions in land and funds to help build grade-separated intersections on US 15 at Monocacy Blvd. and Biggs Ford Road. Each property has the rare combination of size and easy access to major roads, which can attract the major employers that we seek. New employers will allow more City residents to work where they live—a key environmental sustainability strategy that will strengthen the City economy and keep more residents off the commuting arteries to Washington and Baltimore.
6. Improve City Police Headquarters through acquiring new headquarters and/or expanding to new locations.
7. Add lanes to three bridges on US 15. Now is the time for the City and County to ask the State to make it a priority to expand the bridges over US 15 at W. Patrick Street, Rosemont Avenue and W. Seventh Street before the State builds two new interchanges and adds more lanes on I-270 in Montgomery County. If we work together, the City and County can convince the State to build these City bridges first.
8. Lobby for the North/South Parallel Road. Planning, preserving the property, and eventually building an eastern by-pass road will be extremely valuable for the City 10 to 20 years from now. County, State and federal support must be won.
9. The Airport Runway and Control Tower. These planned improvements are a key to attracting new businesses and to retaining those already here.
Paul Smith is the right person to lead the City in meeting its challenges. For four years he has demonstrated his strong and effective leadership in advocating for sound, responsible, fiscally-constrained solutions to complex city issues. Paul’s legal experience and his respectful and insightful participation has regularly improved Board proceedings and decisions. His presence on the next Board will continue to benefit the city.
By authority of the Candidate, C. Paul Smith--Donna N. Robison, Treasurer.
