Candidate Profile: William H. Campbell Runs For County Council District 3

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — Candidates in the Democratic and Republican parties will be competing on Tuesday in their respective primaries to see who will be on the Nov. 8 ballot.

Patch has asked each of the candidates running in select races to fill out a questionnaire, sharing facts about themselves and why voters should choose them to represent their party in November.

Let's start with your name.

William H. Campbell

What email should be used to contact your campaign?

whcampbell@verizon.net

What city or town do you live in?

Columbia

What office are you seeking?
Howard County Council, District 3

What is your party affiliation?
Republican

Please share with us with your education.
BSc. Marine & Electrical Engineering, Massachusetts Maritime Academy; Diploma-Resource Management, National Defense University; MSc. Technical Management, The Johns Hopkins University

What is your occupation?
Over 15 years as a Chief Financial Officer in both the Federal Government & the private sector.

Do you have a family? If so, please tell us about them.
I have been happily married for 48 years to my wife Pamela. We have two adult children (Jennifer & John), an four grandchildren.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?
None of my family work for the Howard County government.

Have you ever held a public office, whether appointive or elective?
From 2002-2004 I was the Assistant Secretary for Management & Chief Financial Officer (a presidential appointment confirmed by the US Senate), and Acting Assistant Secretary for Hunan Resources & Administration at the US Department of Veterans Affairs. I have been an elected member of the Howard County Republican Central Committee (2018-2022).

How old will you be as of Election Day?
75

Why are you seeking this office?

To increase school construction & renovation to get 5,500 students (9% of the school population) out of unsafe mobile classrooms, and safely behind concrete block walls & steel doors. Provide professional management to the County’s $2.4B annual budget to eliminate fraud, waste & abuse. Better manage Development & growth.

Please complete this statement: The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is \_\_\_, and this is what I intend to do about it.

There is no doubt our top issues are the education of our children, protecting our neighborhoods, and making Howard County more affordable, which I will address below. Another pressing issue is the lack of integrity and transparency of the current county leadership. Recent revelations about County Executive Ball’s pervasive use of his county office for campaigning underscore the need for strong action to restore the integrity of our leadership.

What are the major differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

My education and distinguished public service as a career Federal Senior Executive Service member for 17 years, including the Senior Managers in Government program at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government; and graduate studies in Finance & IT at the Harvard Business School. I have received prestigious awards from President Clinton, the Association of Government Accountants, the Society of Military Comptrollers, et al.

If you are challenging an incumbent, in what way has the current officeholder failed the community?
The incumbent has ignored the critical issues that are the focus of my campaign. In addition, District 3 public schools are failing to meet State achievement goals for English & Math. The achievement gap between Asian & White students compared to African American & Hispanic is huge and getting worse. It is the County Council’s job to provide adequate resources for public education. She has consistently failed to provide those resources. Crime is also a huge problem that she has ignored, and it continues to get worse.

What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign?

Howard County has seen explosive development & population growth for over 50 years. As we run out of land, the population density has increased to create growing pockets of poverty. This could be better managed through a comprehensive Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance (APFO) to replace the current, inadequate APFO. This will help keep Howard County as a highly desirable home for all residents.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

From 1985-1991 I was the Senior Executive that led an 8,100 person organization that fixed the US Navy’s spare parts pricing scandal ($600 toilet seats, $900 ashtrays, $400 hammers, et al). We negotiated $2.6B in price reductions and $100M is refunds. I received the Department of the Navy’s Superior Civilian Service Medal.

From 1991-2000 I was the Chief Financial Officer for the US Coast Guard. I lead a team of 500 people that improved Coast Guard’s financial management, contracting & accounting. As a result the Coast became the first & only military service to receive a clean financial audit opinion. As a result I received the Senior Executive Service’s Distinguished Rank Award from President Clinton, and the Meritorious Service Medal from the Commandant of the Coast Guard.

From 2002-2004 I was the Assistant Secretary & Chief Financial Officer at the US Department of Veterans Affairs and used competition to drive down prescription drug prices 40% saving $2.5B annually. I received the VA Superior Service Medal.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?
Always accept additional work assignments! Getting out of your comfort zone and learning new skills makes you more valuable to the organization and prepares you fir positions of greater trust.

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions?
I love Howard County! It has been a wonderful place to build your career, raise a family, and enjoy a vibrant community. I want to ensure that Howard County continues to be a desirable place to live.