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My Fellow Citizens: When I began running for public office, I had three main goals:
In the past 20 years, I have seen each of these goals come to fruition. For years, the abbreviation CCG has meant Carroll County Government. We have been able to change it to mean Citizen Centered government. Seeking consensus between citizens and the commissioners, as well as collaborating with other counties and agencies to find out what really works. I came into office with a desire to create an atmosphere where all citizens are served in a fair, friendly and civil manner. When I was a little girl, government was there to serve the people. For a period of time that attitude changed. I am proud to say we have turned the tide again and County government has moved from closed to open. In order to recognize the critical importance of the towns, we established the Council of Governments. Each town is represented by its elected officials and participates in a meaningful sharing of ideas, experiences and concerns. The Council promotes representation at the county level from all segments of the County. In my current term, I have been able to make plans and strategies for the future. Many of the things we planned have been built. There is much more to do. We are currently working on the next Master Plan, which will set the direction for economic development, residential growth and public facilities for years to come. I support the creation of reservoirs, and working with the towns to maintain their water supplies. We need to protect the quality of water we drink, and ensure that we do not grow beyond the water supplies we have. Through my involvement with the National Association of Counties, I was able to bring home a free prescription discount plan that is available to all citizens. Since it came to Carroll in 2005, our citizens have saved over one million dollars at no cost to the County. We now have over 1,000 participants county-wide. I believe that County government must always be as efficient as possible, and we must do all we can to minimize the cost to all citizens while providing necessary services. We have established the Senior Tax credit in order to make it possible for senior citizens to stay in their homes. We improved the homestead tax credit by lowering the cap from 10% to 7%, as a way of reducing the effect of escalating home values. I have also been at the forefront of plans for Senior Centers, and I am so pleased to see these centers working for the betterment of our Senior Communities. We now have four beautiful facilities here in Carroll, and another currently under construction. As a seventh generation Carroll Countian, it is my goal to protect our rural heritage by preserving farmland. Many years ago we set a goal of 100,000 acres in preservation. We now have 54,111 acres with 45,889 to go. This is beautiful farmland that will not become residential development that requires schools and other spending for infrastructure. For your awareness, our local Delegation has decided that as of 2010, Carroll County will move from a three Commissioner Board to five. Commissioners will be elected by district, each receiving one vote. You will now be voting for ONE Commissioner. To view the new districting map, please visit http://ccgovernment.carr.org/topics/redist-map/dp-opt1.pdf. To view a brief video clip regarding the change, visit http://ccgovernment.carr.org, go to the Video and Agendas icon on the left hand side and type "Districting Map" in the Search Box. You will find the clip at the bottom of the screen. Because of these changes, I will need your support to continue to make Carroll County a great place to live, to work, and to play. After all, it is your government. Sincerely, Julia W. Gouge
My husband, Jesse, and I have been married for 50 years. We are the proud parents of four children and nine grandchildren We have also been the parents of four foster children and sponsors for three foreign exchange students. We are active members of Shiloh United Methodist Church. As a family we have been active in our church, volunteer organizations, civic organizations, 4-H, and Boy Scouts. I personally have been a 4-H Leader and an active member of the Federated Woman’s Club, Soroptimists, extension Homemakers and Lioness Club. The love and cooperation of my family have made my life in public service possible. If you would like to help my campaign, either financially or by working with the campaign team, please call me at 410-239-3119 or send your check to:
Friends of Julia Gouge
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