Why I Am Running

Dylan Diggs: A Better Path Forward

I am running for County Council because Frederick County needs a County government that works for us. I was born and raised in Mount Airy, started a family in Ballenger Creek and now live in Adamstown. Frederick County is blessed with countless riches. Chief among them are our citizens, families and communities: the working men and women of this county who do the working, paying, living and retiring here. 

We need County government that is effective and efficient – not one subject to national agendas that seek to divide us. We are inheritors to a legacy not our own. We are the caretakers for the next generation. For that reason, I cannot sit this one out. 

I’m willing to double down on the people of Frederick County. I believe deeply that together, we can build opportunities that will bring Frederick to the future, while anchoring ourselves in the values that make Frederick County great. I know that together, standing on the shoulders of our tradition and history, and grounded by the principles that define Frederick, we can teach the world new ways to dream.

This comes with ensuring that we have vibrant communities across the county for folks to live and raise their families. We need to tackle issues of affordability in Frederick as our citizens face rising costs and taxes. Families, in particular, need to be able to raise their children in an enriching environment. If in office, parents will matter. Furthermore, we need to revitalize our downtowns and make sure we have better roads and infrastructure that can handle the growth in our communities. And finally, we need to ensure that our law enforcement is well trained, staffed and equipped so that they can keep us safe and free. 

Our citizens should be able to have access to better opportunities. Small and medium businesses are such an important component of Frederick’s culture. Across the county, we need to make sure we’re providing a fertile ground for businesses to grow. Let’s get off their back and let them innovate. In doing so, let’s ensure that we’re bringing jobs into the county for low and medium wage earners. Opportunity must be our guiding light: for businesses and workers. 

I’m a smart government guy. Government is at its best when it is limited, efficient and effective. Too many have seen their institutions fail us, from the brown water in our pipes, to congestion in our roads to overcrowding in our schools. Our taxes keep rising and these problems continue. 

Frederick needs smart governance that is fiscally conservative. Our citizens are overtaxed and increasingly fail to see the benefits of this taxation. We need to give the citizens of Frederick County tax relief that can help with the rising costs they are facing. By trade, I am an evaluator. That involves relying on data to look at the problems facing a community and determining what is working to meet those needs and what is not. We will make sure we’re empowering local decision makers and that governance is lean and targeted to specific needs. 

Together we can embark on a better path forward for Frederick.