I’m an independent thinker who has always put Howard County residents first before party…before politics, period.

I’m an independent thinker who has always put Howard County residents first before party…before politics, period.

We live in an outstanding county. It has been nationally recognized for its quality of life, its top notch school system, its exceptional library, and so much more.

Our success did not just happen. It took all of us, working together as a community, to make us what we are today. It wasn’t Republicans; it wasn’t Democrats; it was all of us.

For me, making our community better is never been about partisan politics or who gets credit – I stand up for what’s right, which means I have stood up to my party when it mattered. Some people say we’re the opposite of what you see in Washington, D.C.

When I visit our schools each week, I make a point to chat with the children – it’s easily my favorite part of my job because when you look into the eyes of a 10-year old, it’s hard not to see how important the future is.

For me, it’s all about the future. It’s about a stronger public school system, one where classroom overcrowding is a problem of the past and all of our students have an excellent chance to succeed. It’s about building Howard County into a destination economy so businesses can flourish and our children have access to high paying jobs when they join the workforce or return home from college.

It’s about having an environment where all of us can live, work, learn, and play safely, and where an open and inclusive government encourages participation by everyone.

When those are your goals, it’s easy to put aside politics, stand up to party, and put the people first.

-Allan Kittleman