Supporting Businesses
Brunswick needs businesses.
And we need strong businesses that last for years because they offer things that Brunswick residents want and need, making Brunswick an even better place to live and sparing us the need for repeated trips to Frederick.
The best way to get there is by making it easy to open and maintain a business in Brunswick. It takes a lot of work, innovation, and commitment for business owners to perfect their offerings and make sure they are here to stay. And it’ll take a lot of people with ideas and a lot of trial and error to find future shops, restaurants, and services that will really shine here in town.
The City government can help keep that productive churn going in two ways. First, by not putting obstacles in the way of people who want to open a business or are trying to grow or maintain one. Second, by helping them get around the obstacles that are already there.
The best way to get there is by making it easy to open and maintain a business in Brunswick.
Brunswick does pretty well on the first count. The City doesn’t impose a lot of red tape and has been working with new businesses to manage up-front costs like capacity fees and building renovations. Brunswick Main Street has helped a lot with that. This all should continue.
There are still a lot of county and state regulations, though. Those can be tough to navigate, and sometimes businesses might find themselves stuck in a Catch-22 situation. That’s where help from an elected representative can be useful.
If elected, I’d work with the Mayor, the City staff, my counterparts on the County Council, and organizations such as GBACC and the Frederick County Chamber of Commerce to help Brunswick businesses get unstuck when they need it. I’ve got years of experience cutting through bureaucracy from the Army and my job working with the State Department. I’m keen to use it to help Brunswick prosper.