There are thousands of reasons why living in Northern Baltimore County is so rewarding - from the people you see every day to the businesses that you patronize to the beautiful surroundings - we're truly blessed.

One of the areas that require constant managing and monitoring is the wildlife. This includes the beautiful Loch Raven Reservoir, the rolling hills of horse country and the wooded acreage that surrounds most of our neighborhoods.

As the population of certain species continues to grow, we're faced with some difficult questions and challenges. Specifically, what's the humane answer to a burgeoning deer population that causes millions of dollars of damage every year to residents and county property?

If you read this blog, you'll know that I recently posted a question about managed deer hunts in county parks. We're still gathering the results, but I wanted to take some time to discuss this initiative.

I'm sure you know someone who unfortunately ran into a deer, you might have experienced this first hand. What was once a problem that existed in less densely populated areas is now commonplace on busy thoroughfares like York Road!

It's an undeniable fact of life where we live that the deer population continues to grow, and impacts everyone - from the cost of repairing an automobile to fixing plants, trees and shrubs damaged by hungry deer.

Allowing managed hunts in county parks would benefit everyone involved, including the wildlife. Here are a few points to consider:

·         Reduced deer population means less auto accidents and injury.

·         Less deer also mean a reduction of deer ticks that carry Lyme Disease.

·         A controlled population reduces the threat of deer starving to death in the winter.

·         Money used to repair county property could be used elsewhere.

I'll continue to investigate this option of allowing managed hunting in our county parks. As always, I urge you to contact me about this, or any other matter, through email or my Facebook page.

Hello there! I'm hoping that this entry finds you well, and like me, you're anxiously awaiting spring and saying goodbye to winter.

I wanted to let you know that I introduced a bill on February 28 to the Baltimore County Council that would increase the fines for panhandling without a permit. The bill was passed on March 7th 2011.

This bill would amend a county law passed in 2006 and expand on the definition of the practice, which was described by a state law in 2009.

The purpose of this bill is to require anyone who is soliciting funds - for an organization or themselves - to have a permit if they're going to be panhandling on state roads. Currently the law states they only need permits if they're panhandling on county roads.

I feel strongly about this bill because it would help the police enforce the new law, and provide safety for car and truck drivers, pedestrians and the panhandlers.

Hopefully this bill clears up any questions that individuals and organizations may have about permits, and encourage them to request the correct permits. In addition, our law enforcement officials will have an easier time enforcing the law, due to the bill's wording.

There's a lot of work ahead of us in the coming year, and taking care of issues like these improve our community - and help the government and county officials who are charged with enforcing the laws.

As always, if there is an issue or recommendation that you would like to make, please contact me via email or through my Facebook page - I'm here to help!

It's been three months since my victory, and it feels like three weeks!

Over the past 90 days as Councilman of Baltimore County's Third District I've been on the receiving end of a flood of information - and every day I learn more.

This time has given me the opportunity to work with my colleagues and review policies, strategies and tactics. More importantly, we've mapped action plans and committed to making sure they're followed.

Besides learning the job and its demands, I've also met with many of my constituents, gathering information on the topics that impact them the most. As a representative of the people, I need to know what's working, and what needs fixing.

I'm a true believer in communication, and as I make the daily rounds of my office, I'll be publishing information via this blog, Facebook/toddhuff, Twitter/toddhuff5, and my www.toddhuff.com

I want you to remember that communication is a two-way street, so if you have any questions, comments or ideas - please use the comment tools on the social media applications or send an email to todd@toddhuff.com to my attention.

Stay tuned for regular updates - and as always, thanks for your support and feedback!

I have to say that November 2 was one of the longest, most memorable days of my life!

When I wasn't out talking to voters on their way to the polls, I spent the day surrounded by friends and family.

After all the votes were tallied, hearing that I had won took my breath away!

I'd like to acknowledge my opponent, Ben Sutley for running a fair campaign. I want to thank everyone who voted for me, all of the volunteers who selflessly gave their time, and all of the people and organizations who endorsed and supported me.

Now that the campaign is over, it's time to set our sights on the issues that are challenging every resident of the Third District. Hard work, determination and vision are going to be the hallmarks of my time in office.

I look forward to working with all of my constituents!

Tomorrow is Election Day and if you want to get out and vote but don't have a way to get there, you can use the phone numbers below.

Countywide Rides:

Dave Walcher 410-428-3279

Carolyn Class 410-769-9509

Frank Sliwka 410-592-6425  

East Side Rides:

Jordan Hadfield:  443-928-4107

There's no doubt that the economy has been a "challenge" to everyone in the Third District, and as we continue to cope with troubling economic news and wait for the next upswing, I'm in favor of revitalizing existing strip malls and shopping centers.

How does this work?

Revitalization takes the form of outfitting existing strip malls and shopping centers with new storefronts, professional paint jobs and freshly paved parking lots. Simple actions like power washing windows and sidewalks give older venues a cleaner, brighter look.

If a shopping center looks clean and appealing, people are more likely to shop there - and help the local economy! Plus, revitalized shopping centers and strip malls have higher tenant occupancy rates, which help build our tax base. Finally, service providers like power washing and painting companies also benefit from the increase work.

Stimulating growth in the commercial area is key in turning around the effects of the recession, and revitalization is an inexpensive, but proven, method. There are plenty of places in the Third District that would immediately benefit from this plan.

Remember, election day is next Tuesday, November 2 - don't forget to vote!

There's nothing like a midwinter snowfall to brighten up an otherwise quiet season - who doesn't like watching the snow fall and enjoy a day of sledding? However, the cold that brings the snow ruptures water pipes and causes water mains to break- inconveniencing thousands of people.

The water and sewage pipes that run below the streets of the Third District are getting along in years, and forces such as weather, increased use and heavier traffic flow have had a huge impact on these aging systems.

Like any task worth completing, revitalizing and strengthening this infrastructure promises to be challenging, but we're lucky to have government agencies like the Department of Public Works. This department is responsible for the water and sewage lines, highways, utilities and highways and roads.

My goal is to work with this department and the Baltimore City Department of Public Works to create a strategy that identifies and fixes the infrastructure quickly and correctly. This plan is crucial to making sure the residents of the Third District have sturdy, dependable water and sewage lines.

One of the challenges of construction on the infrastructure is to minimize the impact it has on traffic patterns and the surrounding land - including our precious watershed areas. By working on the current sewage and water lines, and minimize the need for breaking ground for new infrastructure, we can lessen the impact on undeveloped land.

Infrastructure improvement is vital to everyone living in the Third District, and it also presents multiple challenges. I'm confident that by working with the government agencies and people of the Third District, we can improve our lives greatly without making an enormous impact on our lives and the environment.

With less than two weeks and counting until Election Day, I wanted to thank everyone who has helped me over the past three years.

My family and friends have been an amazing source of support and help during my campaign, always there when I need them.

Just as important are the residents of the Third District who have attended meetings and events to say hello and share their thoughts and opinions with me.

Finally, I'd like to thank the people and organizations who have officially endorsed me! Your support has made a world of difference in this campaign. So thanks to:

·         Congresswoman Helen Delich Bentley

·         Governor Bob Ehrlich

·         Baltimore County Professional Fire Fighters Association

·         Baltimore County Federation of Public Employees

·         42^nd  District Republican Club

·         Patuxent Publishing

I'd also like to acknowledge that I am also supported by:

·         Greater Baltimore Board of Realtors

Check back for more blog entries as we head into the home stretch!

Education is a subject that every candidate running for a political office addresses. I believe that education is critical, but I want to address another matter and that's introducing more career and technical classes into our local high schools. (Those of you who are my age, might remember these classes being referred to as "vo-tech.")

Career and technical classes cover a variety of areas, including the traditional auto repair and cosmetology, and more modern areas like computer repair and food handling. Regardless of what area a student chooses, career and technical classes have become popular among students across the country.

Students who choose to enroll and graduate from career and technical classes can immediately join the work force and begin earning a living. Many of these students use this income to further their studies in their chosen fields, instead of paying off student loans.

In addition, the demand for experienced and educated workers in the trade fields has increased, which means that students can find work more quickly and add their income to the local and state economy - this benefits everyone in the Third District!

Bringing more of these career and technical classes into Third District high schools comprises part of my education plans. Students that are presented with these opportunities can benefit greatly from learning a trade while they're enrolled in the traditional curriculum.

By partnering with the community and local government, we can identify technical and trade areas that are experiencing a surge in growth, and work to establish curriculum in our schools that will produce qualified, educated applicants upon their graduation.

Education is vital to the continued growth of the Third District - and working together we can ensure that the resources and funds are distributed to the right places so they can make the most impact, and do the most good.

 The primary is over and now the real work begins. Even as I've been working on the campaign, I couldn't help but notice that Fall is in full swing. I'm sure you're enjoying the natural beauty of Northern Baltimore County.

The changing leaves coincided with my latest round of meetings with a variety of groups interested in Land Preservation in the Third District. As a lifelong resident of this area, I remember when Shawan Road was surrounded on both sides by fields - and when Padonia Road was full of twists, turns and cut right through a thick forest!  These are just some of the reasons why preserving Northern Baltimore County is so important to me.

As land continues to become scarce, I plan to reduce developing around the Third District by working closely with landowners. What is the answer to this ever challenging problem? There are several ways we can preserve land, one is to ask landowners to place their holdings into a preservation trust, public or private. An alternate solution is having them sell their development rights.

Easements are another answer - an easement is an agreement between the government and a landowner regarding a piece of property. The landowner pledges not to develop it and in return receives tax breaks from the government. Maryland has created a variety of programs for land conversation, all of which can be used to benefit everyone. If you're interested in finding out more, visit this website.

Once land is developed, there's virtually no turning back - that's why preservation is so important. There are several avenues for making sure we can achieve our goals, and by working closely with landowners and preservationists, I know we can keep the Third District looking as lush and green.

In the meantime, keep an eye out for upcoming events where I'll be on hand to listen to you and your concerns - once November 2 is over, we'll turn our attention to the challenges we all face in the Third District!