Smart growth means building an economy that works today without sacrificing what makes Hardin County worth living in. I've already put this philosophy into practice: I researched and authored a Managed Natural Landscapes ordinance for the City of Elizabethtown — a policy that would allow residential property owners to plant native wildflowers, create rain gardens, and maintain natural buffers without running afoul of the city's existing vegetation rules. I'm presenting it to the Elizabethtown City Council this summer, and I'm hopeful it will soon become law. That's what green economic development looks like at the local level: practical, specific, and grounded in the community it serves.

I will support smart growth that balances opportunity with sustainability by:

• Promoting green industries and encouraging businesses that adopt environmentally sound practices, including opportunities in the growing clean energy sector as Hardin County's industrial landscape evolves.

• Preserving farmland and natural areas through conservation easements and agricultural land protection policies.

• Incentivizing redevelopment and infill development to reduce sprawl and protect our rural landscapes from strip-mall growth.

• Supporting public-private partnerships that help locally owned small businesses start and grow here —including small business incubators — rather than recruiting from the outside.