born july american politician state maryland currently serving executive maryland member democratic_party born texas louisiana serving vietnam war earned law degree washington african american elected county council maryland served council remains african american elected body large years served chairman leaving position run office elected african american hold office taking office worked county fiscal house order strengthening critical county services education public safety helping vulnerable years took office county spending grew percent years office spending held zero percent responding worldwide recession hit closed budget gaps billion eliminating percent county government positions imposing including wage changes retirement health benefits save county money time tens millions dollars building preserving thousands units affordable housing county establishing office ensure real time performance county services set multi agency ensure positive programs risk youth worked strengthen life sciences sectors established single point entry phone internet residents seeking county services years crime went county percent fire response times fires improved dramatically reelected second term year term early life education born july texas grew siblings alexandria louisiana alexandria played football high school attended working school work study program graduating time undergraduate student leader civil rights movement twice met led campus civil rights movement time commanding training corps unit elected president class senior year member alpha alpha fraternity fraternity established african americans served captain united_states_army vietnam war combat military advisory unit attached public affairs officer 7th awarded received master arts degrees washington graduating law school class followed soon master laws degree returned howard professor law school continued teaching law school election exception stint president currently married second wife catherine career participation county government appointed member served later named elected large member african american serve council day african american elected county office large elected seat times served year terms council president time council chaired council transportation environment committee played role passage county living wage law public smoking ban county council aide accused sexual harassment widely publicized case accusation dismissed jury declined run election county council widely viewed potential running mate democratic nominee year gubernatorial race chose admiral instead lost november maryland elected republican governor years lieutenant governor african american statewide elected official term council completed december year elected chairman seen democratic activists important maintaining african american base rebuilding party strength following gubernatorial loss campaign county executive following election maryland politicians started announcing intentions elections term early stages run governor december left position begin campaign replace duncan democratic primary election squared colleague council engaged long series debates beginning year election despite won democratic nomination executive percent percent primary election september faced republican nominee independent anti tax advocate general election easily won november election percent vote floyd percent percent carried county voting term county executive early days administration took lead number controversial issues help alleviate transportation funding difficulties county transit projects forward proposed statewide gas tax increase position articulated race proposal happened midst state budget response high levels traffic congestion county supported largely ignored incoming governor continued advocate increase term solved problem involving hiring site day laborers city surrounding area term predecessor struggled find space city limits county lease use location day laborers wait employers owners virtually sites considered city government refused grant lease purpose case property owner willing consider use county efforts lease property fell property owner backed debate caught larger national debate role illegal immigrants american society located site day center county owned land months office despite opposition anti immigrant voices center served hundreds workers employers incident term reduced county spending increases percent year took office percent percent years increased county investment preserving creating affordable housing creating nation aggressive campaigns combat track home won approval right county refusal properties preserve affordable housing established identify advocate county project tracked county departments performance real time saving million overtime pay year opened center improve access county services providing single number responding growing national economic recession closed budget gaps billion term eliminating hundreds jobs increasing property taxes county charter limit point economic package sought help county businesses hit recession regulatory launched bold program leverage swap county owned properties update county facilities opening economic development transit oriented housing grove metro heart county industry future green business task forces business expansion pursued county missions israel india korea china held county senior summit focus attention county growing older population expanded county recycling programs region won approval new music entertainment center broad program code enforcement reforms sought limit commercial incursions county residential neighborhoods road inventory evaluated tens thousands miles county roads established reach estimated veterans families worked closely state federal government surrounding neighborhoods deal impact consolidation called leadership county responded aggressively outbreak virus county traffic management computer went hours november traffic county advanced needed funding new system term sought won council approval emergency medical services transport fee allow bill insurance companies cost ambulance transports cost county residents argued earn county million annually devote county volunteer fire departments took measure voter referendum november overturned law percent favor repeal bitter campaign pitted career county firefighters versus volunteers second term county executive unopposed democratic_party primary general election opposed republican_party candidate november won reelection percent vote percent carrying county began second term county deeply shadow great recession continued hold county spending county government employment fiscal helped county maintain aaa bond rating despite federal continued priority education public safety help county vulnerable initiatives formation blue ribbon critique utility performance summer winter storms suggest improvements page report supported efforts require greater infrastructure emergency response communication capabilities county fought series rate requests helping limit increases consumers responding need recession department established new reach risk families county neighborhoods boosted number police assigned county schools failed effort protect children youth overnight youth allowing proposal come vote following increase state gas tax longtime advocate win billion state funding county transportation projects led effort working baltimore counties establish new matching fund program boost school construction meet rising demand opened new fire stations years compared opened years took office won council approval emergency medical services transport fee securing support volunteer fire companies defeated referendum program went effect supported increase minimum wage hour neighboring district_of_columbia job growth leased farmland owned public school system order build soccer fields meet critical fields county area public private partnership challenged residents road neighborhood earlier opposed affordable housing site opposed public private partnership advanced build maintain fields county abandoned effort returned land school system elected president spring year unveiled joint effort build said establish national center civilian work visited china advance economic development cooperation established relationship city similar business development trip india included visits high tech firms embracing included visit way taiwan years county taxes percentage county residents income went percent term county executive easily won democratic nomination term gaining percent vote percent county executive percent winning percent county fall general election defeated republican candidate percent winning voting inaugural address outlined point economic plan designed encourage investment job growth county touching filling vacant office space start tech ventures day turn time permitting ready new projects development improving work force development introducing new high speed fiber network proposal included development expand transportation options enhance job growth planned projects grow county tax base elected president january
Isiah Leggett