Letter to The Dagger: Jobs, BRAC, and More from Mary-Dulany James

From the office of Del. Mary-Dulany James:

Friends,

I hope everyone is staying safe and cool in this temperamental weather. On the extremely hot days the Counties are opening cooling centers. If you do not have air conditioning when it gets extremely hot please check to see if County cooling centers are open; they are there to ensure you are safe from the heat.

I am writing to share some good news about jobs. In my last update I sent some information about our unemployment rate and a link for job seekers. I was happy when a constituent called my office looking for further information to help search for a job. It proved to me that people are hopeful and looking. I received an email from an area employer regarding the hiring of several employees, this solidified that employers are forward looking and continue to hire in our area. It is not just articles we read in the paper but true, real life stories, that prove that we are doing better and will continue to do better. Maryland’s unemployment rate remains about 25 percent lower than the national average and hopefully soon the entire nation will be hiring more people and getting America back to work.

BRAC is bringing more than 60,000 jobs to Maryland. I am proud to be part of that process through membership of several BRAC related councils, including the Maryland Military Installation Council. Due to the number of people relocating for BRAC jobs, home building is once again on the rise in our region; this is good news for the construction industry. Not all BRAC jobs are going to people relocating; the Susquehanna Workforce Network holds job fairs on a regular basis. One is coming up on July 28th from 1-4pm at the Aberdeen Workforce Center for entry level jobs. Any recent high school and college graduates interested in staying in the area should attend that fair to look for job opportunities.

We have heard a lot about False Claims in the news recently as a candidate filed to run for Governor. I sincerely hope the charges brought against a company owned by a candidate for Lieutenant Governor are untrue. This session I was a supporter of the False Claims Act of 2010. As the Chair of the Health and Human Resources Subcommittee I worked diligently alongside all stakeholders to craft legislation that helps reduce fraud against our government and fraud against the taxpayers. I am hopeful that under this new bill we can eliminate these crimes that cause wasteful spending. I find it unconscionable that someone would knowingly steal from taxpayers and sincerely hope that the passing of the False Claims Act aids in cracking down on these individuals.

As always it is an honor and privilege to serve you. I hope that if you have any questions or comments you will reply to this email or call my office. Hearing from my constituent helps me as I make decisions every day.

Very Truly Yours,

Mary-Dulany James