"Charles County is a bedroom community. I'm running to change that."
For decades, Charles County has grown its population while exporting its economy. Every morning, thousands of residents drive out of this county to earn their income in Washington D.C., Northern Virginia, and Prince George's County — and too much of that income never comes back. The county absorbs the full cost of growth — schools, roads, services — without the commercial tax base to pay for it.
This is not an accident. It is the result of choices — and choices not made. Other jurisdictions competed aggressively for federal agencies, built intentional relationships with military installations, and required development to generate local wealth. Charles County did not bid.
I'm running to change that.
"This plan is not about growth at any cost — it is about growth that pays for itself and benefits the people already here."
Signature Initiative
The Indian Head Economic Corridor
Naval Support Facility Indian Head has thousands of federal employees and contractors who are not driving economic activity in western Charles County — not because they don’t spend, but because there is nothing to spend on. My first priority: a Joint Land Use Study, a defense contractor enterprise zone, a formal county-base partnership, and intentional corridor zoning that turns the Indian Head workforce into Charles County’s economic engine. We have seen this work at Joint Base Andrews in Prince George’s County. There is no reason we cannot do it here.
Signature Initiative
Around Joint Base Andrews in Prince George’s County, base personnel and contractors actively drive the surrounding economy — restaurants, retail, entertainment, and contractor office space. The personnel at NSA Indian Head have the same spending power. What has been missing is the intentional strategy to capture it. That is what this plan delivers.
Signature Initiative
Five pillars and a small business strategy
Every pillar is funded, time-bound, and tied to measurable outcomes. This is not a list of goals. It is a governing plan.
Pillar 1
Build a real economic development office
Pillar 2
Launch the Indian Head Economic Corridor
Pillar 3
Build a real economic center in Waldorf
Pillar 4
Fix the infrastructure honestly
Pillar 5
Make growth build wealth for people already here
Pillar 6
Grow from within
A 30-day permitting audit to identify and remove every bottleneck slowing local business openings. Targeted grants for western corridor entrepreneurs. Not just outsiders in — also insiders up.
The timeline
What happens, and when
Voters deserve to know not just what the plan is, but when they will see it moving.
First 100 days
- Launch Economic Development Office framework and begin director hire
- Initiate formal Indian Head base liaison and Joint Land Use Study commissioning
- Commission infrastructure capacity audit for western corridor and Waldorf
- 30-day small business permitting audit — publish findings publicly
- Issue competitive positioning statement to site selectors and Maryland delegation
Year one
- Economic Development Office fully operational, first recruitment targets pursued
- Indian Head Economic Corridor enterprise zone designated and active
- Workforce partnerships launched with College of Southern Maryland
- State and federal grant applications submitted
- First annual Economic Development Report published publicly
- Downtown Waldorf mixed-use standard adopted for new major development approvals
Year two
- First anchor employer or contractor development agreement signed
- Joint Land Use Study complete, western corridor development plan adopted
- Priority infrastructure corridor upgrades underway
- Workforce pipeline producing first graduates aligned with recruited sectors
Year three +
- Commercial tax base growing, funding the next round of investment
- Jobs-to-housing ratio improving — outbound commuting declining
- Charles County recognized as an active mid-Atlantic economic competitor
The timeline
What you will see moving early
Good policy and political momentum are both required. These are the visible wins I will deliver in Year One.
YEAR 1
Indian Head corridor pilot
A designated small business enterprise strip on Route 210 — restaurants, veteran-owned businesses, defense-adjacent services — with streamlined permitting and targeted grants.
30 DAYS
Small business permitting fix
A public audit of every bottleneck slowing small business openings. Published findings. Defined timelines for each permit type. A single point of contact for new applicants.
YEAR 1
First defense contractor recruitment
A formal recruitment approach to at least one contractor tied to NSA Indian Head. Real jobs. A signal to every site selector in the region that Charles County is playing offense.
YEAR 1
Economic development office launch
A public launch with a director, a budget, defined targets, and an open commitment to compete for every relevant employer relocation that comes available in the region.
How we pay for it
Every element has a funding source
This is not aspirational budgeting. It is a sequenced approach that uses existing mechanisms, developer obligations, and state and federal programs — without placing the burden on existing taxpayers.
Funding sources
Commercial impact fees
Funds the Economic Development Office — commercial development pays for its own recruitment infrastructure
Developer contributions
Public-private partnerships
MD Dept. of Commerce grants
Federal EDA grants
DoD Defense Community Infrastructure
Accountability
How we know it's working
Beginning in Year One, I will publish an annual Economic Development Report — publicly available, plain-language, and honest about what was pursued, what was won, and what is still in progress. These are the indicators I will be held to:
Jobs-to-housing ratio
Measurable improvement by Year 3
Commercial tax base share
+5 percentage points by Year 3
Outbound commute rate
Measurable reduction as local jobs grow
Western corridor business starts
25% increase by Year 3
Small business permitting time
30% reduction within 18 months
Defense contractor employment
At least one new facility or expansion
Core principles
What every decision is measured against
Growth should pay for itself. Developers who require infrastructure upgrades pay for those upgrades. Not the residents already here. This is non-negotiable in every deal I make.
Accountability is a structure you build, not a value you declare. Enforceable local hiring commitments. Published annual results. Real consequences when commitments aren’t met.
Not just outsiders in — also insiders up. Economic growth that imports its workforce and exports its profits is not economic development for Charles County. Every agreement must serve the people already living here.
We compete where we should compete, and partner where regional coordination strengthens our position. Economic development is not zero-sum with our neighbors. Smart regional alignment on transit, workforce, and infrastructure makes every county in the corridor stronger.
Honest about the tradeoffs. Requiring mixed-use development, structured parking, and developer infrastructure contributions will slow some deals. Some developers will walk. The deals that happen under these standards build lasting value. The ones that don’t were not worth making.
Charles County has been waiting for economic development to happen to us. I'm running to go get it.
Cheryl Butler-Walker, PCAM (Professional Community Association Manager)