Chairman Watson and members of the County Council:

The League of Women Voters of Howard County supports the Community College Capital project M0534 Smith Theater and TV studio. No new funding is proposed for this project in FY09 however it is critically linked with the grant to the Community College to provide the public with County Government Television programs including live coverage of the County Council public hearings and voting sessions.

The League uses the County Government Television to provide Howard County residents with information about candidates running for local and state offices as well as other programs of significant importance.

The Community College needs to have the staff, equipment and funding to match the quality of programs currently provided by GTv and to explore additional access to government coverage as well as offering program opportunities and technical resources to the community so that all citizens benefit from a greater understanding and appreciation of our historic, environment and cultural resources.

In Howard County League testimony we frequently state a League principle that "democratic government depends upon the informed and active participation of its citizens and requires that governmental bodies protect the citizens right to know".

We know the County Executive and the County Council share this principle and we believe the Howard Community College shares this principle. The Community College, a non- governmental body, is being asked to assume current functions of local government that inform and support active citizen participation. It needs the resources to perform the task.

We ask the County Council to approve the $125,000 grant to the Howard County Community College requested in the FY09 County Executive Operating Budget/Public Information Office.

Grace Kubofcik
Co-president

Cc: Kathleen Hetherington, HCC President
Aaron Greenfield