Concluding Thoughts

We face many challenges:

• The County’s reputation and reality as being a bedroom community for the region
• The effects of the recent foreclosure crisis
• Impediments to transit-oriented development
• Perceptions of crime and underperforming schools
• Rising obesity rates among our residents
• Significantly degraded waterways and air quality
• The sprawling growth patterns of the past
• Weak job growth 

We also have significant assets and opportunities:

• 15 underutilized Metro rail stations
• Emerging industry clusters
• Future Purple Line light rail
• A model arts district
• Ongoing revitalization efforts
• A planned $650 million regional medical center
• Several preeminent research institutions (including the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, and the Goddard Space Flight Center)
• The University System of Maryland’s flagship campus

How we chose to address our challenges and capitalize on our strengths today will define our quality of life for decades to come. We have the opportunity to strategically concentrate our investments on targeted areas best suited to mature into strong economic engines and to capture a greater share of the region’s job growth. As these targeted areas become successful regional economic drivers, they will generate the commercial tax base we desperately require to meet our needs and the needs of future Prince Georgians. An expanded commercial tax base is critical because it will allow us to: 

• Install pedestrian and bicycling facilities
• Protect our natural resources
• Support community health initiatives
• Upgrade our libraries, parks, and schools