Columbia Association (CA) started in 1966, with a vision to serve the citizens of Columbia, Howard County, Maryland. Since its small beginnings, it has grown steadily, ever increasing the levies on its people and correspondingly, its expenses.

For example, while open areas are nice, owning equipment and having full time employees for open space management- create cost centers that translate to heavy expenses.

It is high time that Columbia Association reduced its operating expenses and privatized more of its operations- thereby allowing citizens to make choices about which services they wish to procure and spend their hard earned dollars on.

Even with the most severe recession in recent history, Columbia Association did not do enough to cut costs and demonstrate fiscal rigor- but chose to pass on its costs to the people of Columbia.

We deserve a greater choice and this bloated bureaucracy needs to trim way down, to a size and posture that is more in line with a usual home owners association.