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County Council Member · District 5 · Wicomico County · 2026 Primary
County Council Members serve as the legislative branch of county government, passing local laws and approving the annual budget that funds public schools, roads, and emergency services. They set local tax rates and make final decisions on land use and zoning, which determines where new homes and businesses can be built. This office is responsible for prioritizing how your tax dollars are spent and managing the long-term growth and infrastructure of your community.
View all candidates in this raceJoe White is a businessman and lifelong Parsonsburg resident running for Wicomico County Council District 5 on the Republican ticket. He was born and raised in Parsonsburg, Maryland, attending local schools before earning a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science and Agriculture from Delaware Valley University. His professional background includes working in sports turf management from 1996-2013, owning The Shrimp Boat Market and Restaurant for 13 seasons, and currently holding minority shares in Salty Wave Seafood and Captain's Galley Crab Cake Shack. He volunteers as director of the Pittsville Jammers Youth Sports Organization and works part-time with W.I.N.S., painting soccer fields and coordinating youth soccer throughout Wicomico County. White emphasizes responsible government spending, protecting the county's Property Tax Revenue Cap, ensuring taxpayer dollars are used efficiently, and bringing conservative leadership to county operations. He also prioritizes expanding water and sewer access, protecting homeownership, keeping taxes low, and growing volunteer-led recreation if elected.
Sources: Campaign website
"I believe strong communities are built on responsibility, hard work, and looking out for one another."
"This campaign is about practical leadership, thoughtful decisions, and putting our neighbors first—always."
"Wicomico County has a property tax rate cap of 2% year over year. This cap also applies to business personal property taxes. I believe this is vital to keeping both property and business taxes affordable in Wicomico County."
"I do not support DAF tank–type facilities unless they fully meet zoning requirements for industrial operations."
Source: joe4wicomico.com
Public Safety
Fire department funding models, police technology equipment, and protecting officers from frivolous complaints while supporting accountability boards
“"Our police departments must be equipped with the proper technology to fight crime in 2025. Encrypted radios, body cameras, modern computer systems, and other safety equipment are vital to protecting those who serve while they protect the public. I understand the need for police accountability boards, but I also believe we must protect the good men and women of our police forces from frivolous or politically motivated complaints and lawsuits aimed directly at them."”
Tax Policy
Supporting property tax rate cap, opposing revenue cap removal, supporting income tax rate reduction without jeopardizing state disparity grant
“"Wicomico County has a property tax rate cap of 2% year over year. This cap also applies to business personal property taxes. I believe this is vital to keeping both property and business taxes affordable in Wicomico County. I do not believe we should 'bust' the revenue cap or vote to remove or further alter it. Income tax revenue has made up approximately 65% of the county's total revenue since 2020 and has shown growth of more than 10% year over year. Our income tax rate is nearly the highest allowed by law at 3.22%, and I would support any opportunity to lower this rate without jeopardizing the county's state disparity grant."”
Education
Supporting Wor-Wic Community College, Wicomico Vocational Technical High School at Parkside, Mechanics School at airport, and technical training programs while maintaining maintenance-of-effort funding and investing in capital improvements for aging schools
“"Continuing education opportunities are a vital tool for escaping poverty and creating prosperity for more families. My mother attended Wor-Wic Community College and the Maryland Bankers' School, which gave our family the opportunity for a better life. In 2025, many of the challenges remain the same, but the solutions must address new technological demands. I want to support Wor-Wic Community College, Wicomico Vocational Technical High School at Parkside, the Mechanics School at the airport, and the technical training programs offered through Wor-Wic. The Board of Education must continue to meet the challenges of 2026, and we must maintain maintenance-of-effort funding while also investing in capital improvements to replace aging schools such as Wicomico Middle School and Fruitland Primary School."”
Small Business
Laissez-faire approach getting government out of the way, supporting small businesses without storefronts like plumbers, locksmiths, and farmers
“"To me, a small business is one that directly affects a person's income stream, as opposed to a job where a paycheck is guaranteed. Too often, small businesses without a storefront are overlooked. Plumbers, locksmiths, and farmers are all small business owners who can feel the unintended consequences of bloated government. I believe in a laissez-faire approach that gets government out of the way of those earning a living."”
Agriculture
Supporting Right to Farm Bill, protecting family farms from large corporations, opposing industrial waste facilities like biodiesel refineries unless they meet zoning requirements for industrial operations
“"I believe in the Right to Farm Bill. Family farms are the backbone of Wicomico County. That does not mean I oppose oversight of CAFOs to protect our natural resources—especially from large, out-of-area corporations that can squeeze family farms out of existence. Industrial waste facilities, such as biodiesel refineries, are not agricultural operations. They are industrial businesses and should be zoned accordingly. I do not support DAF tank–type facilities unless they fully meet zoning requirements for industrial operations."”
Infrastructure
Expanding water and sewer access, protecting homeownership from septic and well spacing rules constraints in Parsonsburg and Chesapeake Heights
“"Home ownership is is huge for me," White said, describing sections of Parsonsburg and Chesapeake Heights where newer septic and well spacing rules leave some properties unable to replace systems. White said those constraints threaten housing in parts of his district and called for more community engagement in county planning."”
Community Development
Enhancing passive-use parks like Leonard's Mill Dog Park through Program Open Space, reinvesting rental fees from active-use parks into local programming rather than private organization events
“"I want to continue enhancing these spaces through Program Open Space and the Community Parks and Playgrounds Program, which are funded through property sales and purchases. The other category includes active-use parks, such as Winter Place Park and the Harry Parker Sports Complex. While I value these parks as well, I believe the general public often has limited access to them despite paying taxes for their maintenance. In many cases, these facilities are rented by outside groups for revenue-generating events that benefit private organizations. I do not agree with using taxpayer dollars to maintain public assets that others profit from. Rental fees should be reinvested to enhance local programming, which I believe has suffered due to budget constraints. If a park is publicly owned, it should benefit the public first and foremost."”
CoastTV reported that Joe White announced his candidacy on December 5, 2025, during an event in Parsonsburg as the only Republican to file for District 5 at that time. Open Agenda noted he emphasized a platform focused on fiscal discipline, education, and preserving the county's rural character while bringing business-minded oversight to local government. Citizen Portal highlighted his emphasis on water and sewer access, homeownership protection, low taxes, and volunteer-led recreation during an appearance on Bridging the Gap in February 2026.
“"Continuing education opportunities are a vital tool for escaping poverty and creating prosperity for more families."”
Source“"Home ownership is is huge for me," White said, describing sections of Parsonsburg and Chesapeake Heights where newer septic and well spacing rules leave some properties unable to replace systems.”
Source“"Our police departments must be equipped with the proper technology to fight crime in 2025. Encrypted radios, body cameras, modern computer systems, and other safety equipment are vital to protecting those who serve while they protect the public."”
Source“"Wicomico County has a property tax rate cap of 2% year over year. This cap also applies to business personal property taxes. I believe this is vital to keeping both property and business taxes affordable in Wicomico County."”
Source“"I believe in a laissez-faire approach that gets government out of the way of those earning a living."”
Source“"Home ownership is is huge for me," White said, describing sections of Parsonsburg and Chesapeake Heights where newer septic and well spacing rules leave some properties unable to replace systems.”
Source“"I believe in the Right to Farm Bill. Family farms are the backbone of Wicomico County."”
Source“"To me, a small business is one that directly affects a person's income stream, as opposed to a job where a paycheck is guaranteed."”
Source“"Our income tax rate is nearly the highest allowed by law at 3.22%, and I would support any opportunity to lower this rate without jeopardizing the county's state disparity grant."”
Source“"I want to continue enhancing these spaces through Program Open Space and the Community Parks and Playgrounds Program, which are funded through property sales and purchases."”
Source