What’s the job: The legislative branch of Maryland’s county governments. Responsible for introducing and voting on legislation, approving county spending and providing oversight of county operations. Elected to a four-year term.

Democratic

Name: Eric C. Olson

Eric Olson.
Eric Olson. (Friends of Eric Olson)

Age: 56

Personal: Married with two children.

Education: M.A., American Studies, University of Maryland

B.A., History, Elmira College

Experience: Prince George’s County Council, 2006-2014, 2022-present

Executive Director, College Park City-University Partnership, 2014-2022College Park City Council, 1997-2006Director, Sierra Club Healthy Communities Campaign 2003-2006Deputy Director, FairVote, 1999-2002Legislative Aide, Hon. Bernie Sanders, 1995-1999

Questionnaire

A: My first focus is on responsive constituent service and addressing neighborhood quality of life issues. Other areas of focus include attracting quality economic development near transit, increasing pedestrian safety and bike/ped infrastructure, increasing sustainability and environmental protection, and looking out for the most vulnerable members of our community.

A: Schools receive 60 percent of our county budget currently. Public safety receives 21 percent. That leaves 19 percent for everything else. We need to continue to grow the financial pie through smart growth redevelopment, and diversifying our economy, which we are doing. As we grow our economy, we can put more into all of the areas of need, including schools.

A: It is a balance. The school board is directly responsible for school policy. The County Council votes on the budget broadly, but not as line items. PGCPS comes before the council during our budget meetings, and we ask tough questions, and demand answers. I also reach out to the Superintendent and school leaders when there are issues that I become aware of that need attention.

A: We need to redevelop around our Metro stations, in our existing urban centers, and along the Purple Line appropriately and in consultation with our communities. We also need to attract more commercial development to expand the tax base. I have been working closely with the University of Maryland for many years to keep businesses in Prince George’s County that spin off from research at the University. We are now a world leader in quantum computing, and we are growing our economy because of these partnerships, especially in the Discovery District.

A: Yes, I was the sponsor of this legislation, and co-sponsor of other measures to protect our residents. I am in touch regularly with advocates who are working on these issues, and I have vowed to do everything we can within our legal authority to protect all residents of the county.

A: The issues of energy use, environmental considerations, and community impacts must weigh heavily in any question of proposed data centers.

A: I am concerned about the possibility of data center development, particularly around the incredible amount of energy they require and how that increases rates for consumers.

A: I am leading a task force to establish a community housing trust. We started such a trust in College Park when I was director of our local community development corporation. Such a trust would reduce the costs for qualifying homebuyers to purchase homes by taking the land cost out (the trust would own the land). This has been a successful model throughout the country. I have also led efforts to build more affordable housing near transit, working with affordable housing developers. There are at least 8 affordable housing buildings that have recently opened, or are in the pipeline that I have had a role in. Our zoning allows for these developments.