Capping off what was, at times, an acrimonious year, the Prince George’s County Council elected Jolene Ivey to take over as chair in 2024.
The longtime Cheverly, Maryland, resident vowed the county would meet the tough budgetary challenges it’s facing, while pledging she would help lead the council into a year of “unity.”
In fact, that was the word she kept returning to in her maiden speech as the council chair, where she won votes from all 11 members of the council to succeed outgoing chair Tom Dernoga.
“This council will work to ensure that the county addresses the increasing needs of the citizens, especially the most vulnerable,” Ivey said. “We will prioritize policies that diversify revenue sources, make the best use of those resources and distribute them equitably. We understand that we need new development, smart development and we need to continue the leadership that solidifies our standing as the economic engine of the state. Unity will get us there.”
Ivey’s speech included calls for higher teacher salaries and more resources in schools. And while she said crime in the county wasn’t as bad as it is in D.C., it’s “still higher than any of us can tolerate,” and so she also declared the full funding of public safety agencies another priority.
Click here to read the rest of the article written by John Domen over at WTOP
