Caroline County Commissioner General Election Profile: Larry Porter

Larry Porter – a proud product of Greensboro – has been a Caroline County Commissioner since 2010. Over his lifetime, he has also served as a Denton Councilmember and Mayor, a member of the Caroline County Library Board of Trustees, and President of the Denton Volunteer Fire Company. He was also the President of Cabell Corporation Real Estate Development and Management Corporation prior to his retirement. He is now running for another four year term on the Commission.

In anticipation of what lies on the horizon for county government, “I believe the next major challenge for the county will come from the State of Maryland,” Porter told Caroline Review, “The projected state budget deficit is in the area of 3 to 4 billion dollars. We know from past experience that one way the state attempts to balance that deficit is by shifting state costs to counties and municipalities.” Porter is also wary of the state legislature’s history of preempting local governments from regulating land use, as they did with the solar issue. According to Porter, “the Governor’s recent executive order on data centers paves the way for further loss of county authority.”

Porter said he believes that growth is coming to Caroline, and the incoming Board of Commissioners will have to tackle “decisions regarding zoning and land use designations.” “I believe most of the more concentrated multi-family development will take place in the municipalities due to the availability of water and sewer services. These developments will result in potential increased demand on schools and other public services. We have to be mindful to coordinate the growth with projected budgets in order to be able to serve increased populations.” In particular, Porter expects a growing elderly population to “increase the impact on services such as healthcare, emergency services, ambulance fleets, and overall health care.”

However, Porter’s track record as Commissioner includes times when population and business, and therefore tax revenue, decreased. He points to this experience as “the catalyst for [the current Board’s] approach to financial management.” “In recent years, budgets have been very conservative, revenue outside of property taxes has been identified, and we have built substantial fund balance…our finance department is constantly seeking ways to better handle money and reduce spending,” he said. Porter referenced the recent two-cent property tax rate decrease as proof of the county’s financial health.

“I think we ultimately do what the people want,” Porter said of the current Board, which is composed of three at-large members. While he is “comfortable” with that number, he said, “if there was a groundswell of people who felt that we absolutely had to go to five, I would not oppose that. We represent people, and if they think that’s the best way to go, certainly we can take a look at it.” What he would not be on board for, though, is implementing representative districts. “I’ve never been interested in having someone contact me with a problem or an issue and have me have to say to them, ‘Oh, I don’t represent you.’ I don’t like that in a rural county.”

In response to a question about previous statements in which Porter claimed he would not be running for Commissioner again, Porter said, “There have certainly been times over my previous terms that there was frustration, disappointment, and second guessing. At the end of those days you may question why you are doing the job. The good days certainly outnumber the bad ones and I have learned to look back on the successes rather than the failures. When I have someone thank me for the Urgent Care Center or the medical pavilion or the new [Department of Emergency Services] equipment that may have saved a life, I realize that impacts have been made and there will be others in the future,” he said.

“My commitment to Caroline County has never been as strong as it today,” he finished, “I wake every morning with the goal of making this county a better place to live than it was the day before. It is an honor and privilege to serve the county where I was born, raised, and have lived my entire life.”