William Donald Schaefer has served as governor
of Maryland since January 1987, leading the State
to the forefront in environmental protection,
education reform, and health care reform. He was
elected 58th governor of Maryland in 1986 by the
greatest margin in State gubernatorial history, and
was re-elected decisively for a second term in 1990.

Governor Schaefer has guided the State in both
good and bad economic times, capitalizing on
opportunities in the strong budget years and
streamlining State government during the leaner years
of a nationwide recession. Since the governor took
office, every area of the State has enjoyed growth with
the State's help. The Eastern Shore has benefited from
new roads and bridges, and help with tourism, while
Southern Maryland, preparing for a major expansion
at the Patuxent Naval Air Station, has received help
with housing, schools, and transportation. Western
Maryland was opened up with a new interstate and
capital investments which built on the region's
strengths. Counties in the Washington suburbs grew
through capital projects at the University of Maryland
at College Park, revitalization efforts in Montgomery
County, and investments in high-tech and science

research. Fast-growing counties in the northern and
central regions of Maryland won jobs with the help
of State economic development loans and grants.

Making government more proactive about tackling
problems faced by its citizenry, Governor Schaefer has
stressed prevention as a means to save money, lives,
and heartache. State agencies now devote resources
to help Marylanders before they need costly health,
social or public safety services. The emphasis on
prevention represents a shift in government
philosophy — moving away from just reacting to
problems and toward trying to prevent them.

The governor has expanded social programs
from housing to child care, started the nation's first
State outreach effort for AIDS patients, and
reorganized State departments to devote more
resources to children and juvenile services. He has
steered more money to preventive health programs,
through a cancer campaign, anti-smoking efforts
and expanded immunizations. Also he has used
waivers from the federal government to make
federally funded health and welfare programs work
preventively, while stressing personal responsibility.