County Platform – HCDCC Mission/Party Platform

Howard County Democrats Stand For …

Civic Engagement

We stand for continuous community engagement. To increase Democratic turnout and get more Democrats elected, we will coordinate with Howard County’s varied Democratic and progressive groups, engage voters through community events, leverage social media tools to form rapid response teams, and educate, train, and develop community members to become the next generation of leaders.

Diversity and Social Justice

We develop and promote a community in which the inherent dignity of all people is recognized and where all individuals are active participants in the decisions which affect them; share equitably in the knowledge, wealth, and resources of society; and are free to achieve their full potential. We pursue excellence in governance by supporting unique perspectives, ideas, and approaches while acknowledging that our commitment to diversity, inclusion, and equity has the potential to transform entrenched practices and thinking. Participation in the Black Lives Matter movement has been an integral part of committee work as most committee members attend rallies, protests, and police reform events. It is important for the central committee to continue engaging in this political and social movement protesting against incidents of police brutality and all racially and ethnically motivated violence.

Economic Development

We seek economic development opportunities that ensure the county’s economic health and enhance the quality of life for all. We support initiatives that promote minority and women owned businesses, encourage local startups and small businesses, spark smart economic development throughout the county, develop business solutions utilizing emerging technologies to keep up with the needs of our changing and evolving county.

Education

We are committed to prioritizing equitable, high quality public education for all our students. We stand for initiatives that cultivate community trust, transparency, and inclusive practices with teacher recruitment, retention, training, teaching, and curriculum development. A student-centered approach that meets the needs of the whole child through equitable opportunities will strengthen our schools and community now and in the future.

The Environment

To enhance our community’s quality of life, protect our natural habitat, and ensure a livable climate for our children, we are fully committed to sustainable development. We stand for development with a conscience, recognizing that we can advance smart growth, job creation, clean energy, and still safeguard the environment entrusted to our care for future generations.

Health and Wellness

To promote overall community health and wellness, we fully support the principle that every American should have access to quality, affordable health care, including access to mental health, substance abuse and women’s health services. We should ensure sufficient capacity related to our emergency services to meet needs as they may arise.