The Prince George’s 2021 State of the Economy Address

As County Rebounds From A Tumultuous 2020 Year, Alsobrooks Prepares to Outline the Way Forward

By Raoul Dennis

By design it promises to be a State of the Economy address unlike no other recent memory. Held virtually, like so many things as a result of the pandemic, the 2021 State of the Economy address is likely to be one of the most important events of the year not only for Prince Georgians but for Maryland as well. And that is not because most will be watching and participating at the click of a mouse.

Set for April 21 with registrations accumulating toward what will be nearly 2,000 regional VIP guests, Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks will address the recent challenges the county has had to meet and overcome and more importantly the strategic maneuvering that will be necessary to move forward in the post-COVID business and political world.

Prince George’s County has led the job growth indicators for the better part of the past five years. The public school system has been stabilizing under the steady leadership of a personally invested stakeholder in CEO Dr. Monica Goldson. And, in spite of internal choppy waters that have led to the change in leadership in the county police department, the fact remains that violent crime had been on the decline in Prince George’s as of Alsobrooks’ last SOTE address. Development and economic growth were also steadily moving in a positive direction as the county successfully evolved - and diversified - its commercial tax revenue base. In short, the county had been moving in the right direction before the unexpected government shutdown of 2019 and then COVID struck in 2020.

Taken together, Prince George’s has been evolving to be the economic gem many knew it to be for years and Maryland leaders were finally learning to respect.

When Ms. Alsobrooks takes the podium at TSOTE, many will indeed be able to hear a pin drop. And rightly so.