As County Executive, Mr. Ruppersberger is responsible for oversight of all local government functions for a jurisdiction of 725,780 residents and management of a $1.5 billion budget. Public safety, education, economic development and infrastructure maintenance are key services provided by Baltimore County's local government. In his 1998 inaugural address, the county executive announced four new initiatives that focus on enhancing opportunities for youth and combating juvenile crime.
During Mr. Ruppersberger's tenure, Baltimore County succeeded in obtaining its third AAA bond rating from a major financial rating agency. Baltimore County is now one of only nine jurisdictions in the nation with three AAA bond ratings. In November of 1996, the County's Police Department was named among the best in the nation by Good Housekeeping magazine. The magazine's year-long study by 17 law enforcement experts named the County department with seven others deemed the best suburban forces in the United States.
In 2002 Mr Ruppersberger, after considering becoming a candidate for the office of Governor of Maryland, decided instead to contest for the US Congress seat from the 2nd District of Maryland. Mr. Ruppersberger was elected with 67% of the vote and now holds that office. He was elected a member of the House Select Committee on Intelligence.
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Congressman Ruppersberger and soldiers waiting for flights at BWI airport. |
A native of Baltimore, Mr. Ruppersberger resides in the Cockeysville section of the County. He is married and has two children.
Prior to his election as County Executive, Mr. Ruppersberger served for nine years on the Baltimore County Council, representing the Third Councilmanic District. He was twice elected by his peers to serve as Chairman of the Council.
He attended Baltimore City College and the University of Maryland, College Park, where he played varsity lacrosse. In 1967 he played on Lacrosse Team USA. In 1970, Mr. Ruppersberger earned his degree from the University of Baltimore Law School and passed the Maryland Bar Exam.
Between 1972 and 1980, Mr. Ruppersberger served as Baltimore County Assistant State's Attorney, where he became Chief of the State's Attorney's Office Investigative Division. For the 14 years prior to his election as County Executive, he was a partner in the law firm of Ruppersberger, Clark and Mister.
In addition to his duties as County Executive, Mr. Ruppersberger offers his service to a variety of prominent local institutions.
He now serves as a member of the Maryland Shock Trauma Board of Visitors; he is a Charter Member of the Greater Baltimore Alliance, an agency that promotes economic development for the Baltimore metropolitan region; he was President of the Maryland Association of Counties in 1996 and remains an active member of that organization.
Palmam Qui Meruit Ferat
(Honor to One Who Earns It)
The motto of the Alumni Hall of Fame at City College of Baltimore, of which Dutch is a member.
Member; Board of Visitors, U of Maryland Medical System
Delegate: Maryland Delegation to the 2000 Democratic National Convention:
Named as "Lacrosse Royalty" by Baltimore Magazine and one of 50 outstanding people connected with lacrosse who are "mover's and shaker's in Maryland.
C.A. RUPPERSBERGER III "Dutch" Ruppersberger played lacrosse the same way he now plays politics--tough and no-nonsense, but always straight from the hip. And his lacrosse resume is even more impressive than his political one: a star at City College in the early '60s; a star at the University of Maryland; and a spot on the '67 U.S. team. His playing career ended in 1972, when he broke a leg during a game. "The most difficult thing for me was realizing it was time to give it up," he says. "I can really empathize with these guys who hang on too long."
To ease the transition, he turned to supporting the Cockeysville Rec Council youth programs that his kids, Cory and Jill, participated in. "It was a way of life for us," he says. "I loved it." Even after he started making a mark in politics, Ruppersberger found time to help start a girls' lacrosse program in Cockeysville. He also was instrumental in reviving the annual Towson vs. Dulaney lacrosse game. "Rivalries like that are what make the game exciting," he says.
-Baltimore Magazine