Creating a Thriving Local Economy

Arinze is focused on attracting new major employers to Howard County through aggressive and strategic outreach to the private sector. 

That is why he proposes that Howard County invest in constructing up to 500,000 square feet in Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF) space to meet a consistently growing—and unmet—national demand for secure workspaces for cybersecurity firms, defense contractors, and intelligence agencies. Doing so would attract federal dollars and jobs, generate crucial long-term tax revenue, and create future employment opportunities for the 50,000 federal employees who already reside in Howard County. Next week, Arinze will release a white paper that fully details how this plan would benefit Howard County’s economy.

He will also serve as a leading voice for the timely re-development of the Gateway office park into the proposed Gateway Innovation District. An 1,100 acre industrial property just outside of the 2nd District that is envisioned by the County as a future "hub for jobs, housing, entertainment, open space, and transit."

Arinze is the son of an entrepreneur who believes Howard County government has a responsibility to aid the backbone of its economy: our small businesses.

That is why Arinze has pledged to support continued investments in the Maryland Innovation Center, the Catalyst Fund revolving loan program, the Cyber Howard Business Accelerator, and Howard County’s new Fearless Institute partnership. As well as champion the Howard County Office of Workforce Development, and its efforts to connect residents with job training and apprenticeship opportunities.

Arinze has spent his entire career working with unions and knows that when unions are strong, they help raise wages for all employees—whether unionized or not.

That is why Arinze has pledged to stand by all collectively bargained agreements struck by the Howard County Education Association. Howard County has lost more than 300 positions within the school system in the last two years.

Similarly, Arinze will advocate that Howard County contracts include– where possible– organized labor.