At-large candidates respond to East County questionnaire

In addition to spending many weekends throughout the years at my aunt’s home in Burtonsville (including visiting the Sangam Spices Indian Store near the intersection of Briggs Chaney and Old Columbia Pike), I have spent a great deal of time canvassing neighborhoods in East County, attended several East County Citizens Advisory Board meetings, and supported and worked on issues that affect residents in the East County (including affordable housing, affordable healthcare, college affordability, $15 minimum wage, workforce development, and a comprehensive transportation infrastructure plan).

I believe it is important for leaders to engage residents and I plan on doing so by hosting community town-hall meetings throughout the county where residents (in DownCounty as well as UpCounty, and West County as well as East County) are able to share their concerns directly to their elected officials.

I will proactively include various community leaders, stakeholder groups, business and labor organizations, parents and students in the county’s governing process. This includes making sure that we are not only reaching out to these organizations during the time of the county budget, but before, during, after and throughout the entire year. We must have continual dialogue, and we must ensure this dialogue is accessible for all our residents. Therefore, we must also expand language access and translation services, hire diverse county staff members that represent the communities in which we serve, and take the time to actually listen before taking action.

I have been a frequent attendee at East County Citizen Advisory Board meetings and D14 Democratic Club brunches, have marched in the Burtonsville Day parade and attended the Taste of Burtonsville festival. I have had multiple meet-and-greets in the East County and canvassed its neighborhoods. All of these interactions have made me keenly aware that East County residents feel ignored by the County Council. I see the East County as having great strengths and potential for growth. If elected I plan to continue my frequent visits and to be a champion for the East County realizing its promise.

I have attended many events in East County, including ECCAB meetings, D-14 Democratic Breakfast Club meetings, business openings and celebrations such as Burtonsville Day and the African American Health Program events. As an interim Council Member for District 5, I attended many meetings on the Viva White Oak project. Additionally, I routinely shop in East County–including the shopping centers at Hillandale, White Oak and in the Tech Road area. As Procurement Director, I have made sure my office conducted contracting workshops at the East County Regional Center. As a Council Member, I would continue to support East County events with funding support, public statements of support and with my attendance.

I am a past chair of the Silver Spring Citizens Advisory Board and have a long history of working with my friends and colleagues on the East County Citizens Advisory Board to support and improve life for residents in East County. From supporting Viva White Oak to bus rapid transit (BRT), I am well versed in the issues affecting East County and look forward to being a strong supporter when on the Council.

I have worked diligently with the community through many significant East County priorities. These include the White Oak Science Gateway Master Plan, the Burtonsville Master Plan, the Fix198 initiative, the Good Hope Recreation Center initiative, the Burtonsville Access Road initiative, natural surface trails in stream valley parks, and many others. I have attended the East County CAB meeting consistently, in order to hear from residents there, and I have met with PTAs and other community stakeholders.

For the past 17 years, I have served on the board of the George B. Thomas Sr. Learning Academy which provides Saturday morning tutoring programs, in reading, writing and math, to over 2500 students in grades 1-12 at 12 different high school locations in East County where the most of the needs are. For the past 20 years, I have served on the board of the Maryland Vietnamese Mutual Association which helps residents with limited English proficiency, mostly from East County, get access to culturally-competent and language-appropriate services for federal, state, and local government programs. From 2001-2007, I served on the board of IMPACT Silver Spring which helps residents, mostly from East County, from underserved communities in East County organize and learn to access important networks to improve their lives and their communities. As a County Councilmember, I would continue to support many non-profit organizations such as the aforementioned organizations, that are providing much needed services to our residents, by providing them with grants from the County Council.

Through my day job at the Gaithersburg-Germantown Chamber, I am involved with most of the Master Plans in the County, particular those having an impact on the economic development of the County. I have attended various briefings on the White Oak Science Gateway Master Plan and continue to receive updates through Pete Fosselman’s listserve. I also had Pete come to Germantown to brief my own Economic Development Committee of the Chamber on the status of the White Oak Master Plan. I work closely with Adventist Health Care and also received a briefing on the WAH move to White Oak.

During my campaign, I’ve attended several East County Citizens Advisory Board meetings to become more familiar with the community. As a prior member of the Upcounty Citizens Advisory Board, I understand the important role the CABs have in representing their geographic area of the County. I was also once on staff at the Upcounty Regional Services Center, where I worked with Jewru Bandeh. At the time I was responsible for the budgets of all five of the RSCs which gave me an understanding of the East County.

I’ve also either met with or corresponded with several members of the East County Community to learn more about issues impacting your community. I’ve also attended several open house meetings in the East County on the Route 29 BRT. I was appointed to the original Transit Task Force that ultimately recommended the BRT network. I’ve also attended events in your area and continue to meet people through canvassing.

I have served on the Route 29 Bus Rapid Transit Citizens Advisory Committee for the past three years. My service on this committee has led me to testify at several public hearings of the Council regarding transportation needs (roads and transit) on the east side of our County.

I am one of the Blair Cluster Coordinators for the MCCPTA and am working now to have the Downcounty Consortium schools present capital improvement needs along with the Northeast Consortium schools so that the needs of the east county can be considered in conjunction with those of the schools in the DCC. Historically, schools in the Downcounty Consortium have been paired with schools from the west side of the county, which does not allow for presentation of the big picture in terms of needs of the entire geography of the east side of the County. This is a simple change that I think will have a positive impact on how MCPS views the capital improvement needs for the East side of the County.

Finally, I have attended Burtonsville Day a number of times over the 25 years I have lived in Silver Spring and if elected, I would continue to attend.

I have 10 of the past 11 years as a senior staff member of the County Council, where I strongly pushed the Council to schedule town hall meetings in the East County.. I have attended all meetings and public hearings related to the White Oak plan, the BRT plans for Route 29 and those regarding the redevelopment of the Burtonsville business district.

I visit East County fairly frequently for shopping, dining, and meetings in Hillandale, White Oak, and occasionally Fairland. I held a campaign event in White Oak, participated in a County Budget forum there in 2017, and have attended several District 14 Democratic Club and political events in Burtonsville and White Oak. One of my first calls, on launching my county council campaign, was to Dan Wilhelm, who graciously met me for an East County tour covering Hillandale, Viva White Oak, the Washington Adventist Hospital site, and other areas of concern. I’m running for an at-large seat on the County Council and take the “at large” part very seriously. I believe in showing up, and my accessibility will be second to none.

I grew up in the Four Corners area of Silver Spring, so I spent plenty of time in southeast Montgomery County growing up.  I am a volunteer with dog rescue group.  We do our adoption shows out of Beltsville and Laurel (technically PG county, but just nearby), so we often adopt to and work with many people in East County.

I have not been involved in East County activities in the past other than to attend County Council meetings where sector plans for the East County were discussed and to read some blogs that focus on the East County.  I plan on attending events in the East County this year.

I have the most countywide experience as an activist, over more than a decade, of any of the candidates in this race. I also am publisher of East MoCo, the only news website that provides daily news coverage of eastern Montgomery County. Activities have included attending community meetings; testifying against the Wheaton, Glenmont and Long Branch sector plans; and opposing the White Oak sector plan. As a journalist and activist, I have consistently represented the interests of residents, not developers. If you like Marc Elrich, you will love Robert Dyer; I will be like Marc Elrich on steroids to represent your voice on the Council. No other candidate has the long record of fighting developers that I do.

A hallmark of a great community lies in its ability to attract and retain thriving, new businesses. Viva White Oak and its innovative efforts to build a robust biotechnology hub coupled with affordable housing and shopping options in the area is key to Montgomery County’s success However, we will fight for the new projects to be transparent and inclusive, allowing for minorities, women, and those with disabilities to be included in discussions. What also must be addressed is the sudden dislocation that existing business owners in the White Oak community may face as a result of the Viva White Oak project. I resonate deeply with this anxiety that small businesses face due to new development; I’m the son of small business owners. After my parents got married, my mother became a contractor for the EPA, while my father struggled to start his own business in Montgomery County.

My parents’ business started to grow, and they were able to expand from flea markets in Bethesda to commercial spaces in Silver Spring. As downtown Silver Spring continued to develop, however, my parents found themselves being forced to vacate their place of business every three years. While my parents continued to find success, not all are as fortunate. I believe the role of government is to ensure equality of opportunity by investing in its citizens, and I’m glad to say that, today, because of the investments made by the federal, state and local government, my parents are successful small business owners.

Success will consist of creating a vibrant mixed-use development where a substantial portion of the people working at Viva White Oak and surrounding areas also live there rather than commuting from someplace else – without significant displacement of those living in nearby lower income housing. I do not know that there should be hard-edged requirements applicable to Viva White Oak separate from the County’s existing Minority, Female and Disabled-Owned Businesses Program which promotes hiring of minority contractors in County procurement. But I do think that businesses locating at Viva White Oak and nearby (such as Washington Adventist Hospital) should be strongly encouraged to give preferential hiring for support services to local residents. I would be a champion for those actions.

The Viva White Oak project was undertaken as a public/private General Development Agreement that did not include specific goals for participation by minority, female and disabled owned businesses (MFD)–unlike contracts entered under the County’s regular procurement process. As County Procurement Director, I have significantly increased the share of contracts to MFD businesses and believe that specific goals should be a part of every development deal. The progress of the project should be monitored to assure that MFD firms are participating. For me, the success of this project will involve commercial development that creates career focused jobs in bio-health, a town center that provides retail stores and green space as well as affordable housing. A successful project will be one that provides economic development that meets the needs of current residents and attracts new investment to East County.

I am excited about the prospect of Viva White Oak, a mixed-use community where the life sciences can grow and create new high paying jobs for our residents. The location – nestled in between the FDA headquarters and Adventist Healthcare’s new hospital – is unparalleled. But I too am concerned about increasing housing costs and possible displacement that may result, which is why my work to create more affordable housing in Montgomery County will be an important asset on the Council. I am currently vice chair of Montgomery Housing Partnership, the county’s largest nonprofit developer of affordable housing, and I know how to maintain, secure and build affordable housing for residents.

The FDA is one of Montgomery County’s strongest economic engines. The goal of Viva White Oak is partly to capitalize on the FDA by building adjacent commercial space where businesses that work with, for, or are regulated by the FDA may choose to locate, or where the FDA itself may expand if it needs space beyond its current campus. The project also envisions housing to support a “live-work” environment, hopefully leading to new retail amenities for the surrounding communities. The success of the project will depend on the ability of the property owner and the county to attract private employers to that location. Our ability to do this is not known, but we are hopeful. As a Councilmember, I did vote to support minority business goals in the project. When the project moves forward, we can review the next steps. If we are successful in attracting employers to the area, I would envision a significant effort to open access to partnerships with area schools for internships and employment opportunities.

As a Councilmember, I will review all contracts related to Viva White Oak and other East County development to assure that minimal disruption to existing neighborhoods and businesses are seriously considered. I have been a long-time advocate for local small businesses and will work to include minority, female, and disability-owned business requirements in development contracts. Success would be maintaining the local character of local neighborhoods and businesses, while improving infrastructure and availability of jobs in the local area.

Success for Viva White Oak would mean a vibrant, economically sustainable mix of commercial, restaurant, retail and residential. The project has great potential for small businesses to thrive, including minority, female, and disabled-owned business. The County needs to support the efforts of small business owners to be part of this project. As the President and CEO of the Gaithersburg-Germantown Chamber of Commerce, I work with small businesses every day and I understand the difficulties they face in starting and operating a sustainable business. It is difficult for independently owned businesses to compete with large chains due in part to their lack of cash reserves. Small business owners will often use all their resources to open their business and not have much left over to address fluctuations in their business. The County already has services available for small businesses, including female and minority owned businesses. I would make sure that there is a direct link between the services the County has in place and the development of Viva White Oak to make sure small businesses are not displaced and have an opportunity to prosper along with the entire White Oak area.

Success for the Viva White Oak project will be dependent on attracting a private sector employer to the area because the newly built residential area will not be attractive unless there are jobs nearby, due to the lengthy commutes residents will face from East County to other parts of our region. In my opinion, success for this project would be achieved if Montgomery County could attract a medical device manufacturer or other biotech industry company to the East County. The Viva White Oak area would be particularly attractive to biotech businesses due to its proximity to the Food and Drug Administration Headquarters. Without such an anchor-type employer present, however, the Viva White Oak development will struggle because the secondary businesses (retail, restaurants, etc.) will not have a base of customers in place during the work week.

If allowed to vote, I would not have approved the White Oak plan as the Council did.  Everyone wants economic for the area,  but approving a plan with a guarantee of a viable transportation system improvement was terrible.  We still do not know if BRT can work in the Route 29 corridor, and the stations would not have parking spaces. There was no thought given to the impact on current businesses. This development will be painful in many ways.

Viva White Oak success will be measured by high occupancy rates and commercial sales, the degree of benefit for the larger White Oak community, and the growth it spurs in Montgomery County and the I-95 corridor up to BWI Airport. Of course we are concerned about traffic on Route 29 and on Cherry Hill Road and about environmental impact, and I will commit to working with the community, developer, employers, and county authorities to ensure that current residents and businesses will benefit and will not be displaced. I’ll mention that the Purple Line Community Development Agreement provides an illustration of what can be done by business and government to boost equity and mitigate development impact.

Viva White Oak should bring new jobs, new transportation improvements, and thousands of new residents.  It is a project that should help the community.   It’s proximity to FDA, UMCP, and the Adventist hospital should all make it a success and an attractive place to live and to operate a business.

I believe the Viva White Oak project offers a real opportunity for long overdue economic development and jobs in the East County. Since the project is a public-private partnership, the County should work to ensure that local workers are employed and that minority or female owned businesses are included.  I think that a major concern with the project is the potential for traffic congestion and overcrowded schools.  The BRT will help but may not be enough.  I would advocate for creative new approaches to transit such as micro-transit which is being used in other cities as a flexible way to connect neighborhoods to the fixed transit lines.

Our elected officials have serious conflicts of interest regarding the Viva White Oak deal, as reported by the Washington Post.

A successful plan for White Oak must stress the community benefits for those residents who are here now, not hypothetical future residents. I will fight to prevent displacement of current residents or businesses, and attempts to demolish existing residential neighborhoods to expand the size of the future “urbanized” center of White Oak. It also must be heavily-focused on attracting high-wage jobs and office development, not more residential housing to further jam our already-crowded schools and roads.

Moreover, I will restore the Office of the People’s Counsel, to represent residents’ interests in land-use decisions, and bring back resident committees for sector plan updates, instead of the “charrette” process. Once we do that, we can reopen the White Oak sector plan to fix any issue residents oppose, and they will actually have some power and say over the results.

Last year Maryland approved 230 acres of commercial property along Route 29 in the Burtonsville and Briggs Chaney areas as an enterprise zone that encourages retail development by making certain businesses eligible for state tax breaks. The Montgomery County Council is charged with overseeing the enterprise zone to help attract new businesses, integrate them with planned transportation upgrades in the area, create a new sense of community, and spur job growth. We should encourage developers to balance the convenience of drive-through restaurants with resources the neighborhood truly needs, such as access to healthy food, and places that encourage shoppers to linger, including outdoor public spaces, dog parks, movie theaters, bookstores, bowling alleys and venues where families, young professionals and retirees can gather.

I support smart growth that favors mixed-use development and creates inclusive communities with access to affordable housing, transit, education and employment opportunities. This ensures that we expand our economic tax base without pricing people out of our cities. It also helps create an ecosystem with more retail support and increased foot traffic for our local businesses.

I hope to be able to work with organizations like Worksource Montgomery, Montgomery College and the Economic Development Corporation to attract new entrepreneurs to start companies in East County, develop a diverse workforce, and create more shared office spaces to replicate the collaborative and innovative tech incubators in D.C.

The County Council obviously does not get to make private investment decisions, but Council members do have the soft power of a bully pulpit to influence those actions. The Council also has final say on sector and master plans and can use that position to help shape development. I intend to be a constant cheerleader for East County development that works for community needs. In addition, where necessary the Council should be prepared to use economic leverage to force recalcitrant real estate owners to do the right thing for the communities in which they own property.

The Council directly affects East County through its zoning and funding decisions that affect everything from housing and business development to school construction and transportation infrastructure. The Council is able to provide tax incentives and other financial support to businesses. Finally, the Council can fully support the Burtonsville-Briggs Chaney Enterprise Zone and push the Economic Development Corporation to promote business development and job creation in this zone. I would advocate for these efforts.

In my capacity as president of two civic associations, I regularly worked with (and against) developers who sought my support for their projects. The county does play an important role in fostering the modernization of older shopping centers and encouraging more shopping and dining options. I will make East County’s renaissance a top priority so that residents don’t have to travel far in order to experience high quality restaurants and stores.

The Council has a role to play. We need to provide inentives to property owners to redevelop their commercial centers, through enhanced zoning capacity. We need to support facade improvements and other business district issues. We need to improve infrastructure, including to create safe walking and biking access, so that the areas will be more desirable for spending time and more attractive places to shop and to operate a business. We need to invest in schools, including pre-k and after school programs, so that the schools in the area help attract new higher income residents — who will become shoppers in the centers. We need to support transportation options in the 29 and 650 corridors, including express bus and BRT, so that more people have access to jobs.

The East County has largely been ignored and left out of County planning of big projects, mainly due to the lack of Metro access or other public transportation means. My focus will be on establishing more links to public transportation for the East County, such as enhanced Bus Rapid Transit, increased Ride-On service, and redesigning roads to encourage businesses to settle in East County. The problems for the East County will not be solved by focusing on only one aspect of development. I intend to approach East County development holistically: making East County more attractive to employers, increasing public transportation options, and incentivizing small businesses through programs such as those that provided growth in Silver Spring and White Oak.

The County has a responsibility to enhance the economic vitality of all areas of the County and White Oak is no exception. Having been a community activist in Germantown for the past 25 years, I fully understand the frustration of not being top-of-mind in terms of resources, amenities, economic development, etc. To create the type of community you envision tends to devolve into a circular argument. We need people to bring in restaurants and retail. But we need jobs to bring in the people, and we need a robust economy to bring in the jobs, etc. Having White Oak as an anchor is a great start and to expand the potential, I would work with the Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation to let know what commercial assets that are already available in the East County and what type of zoning is currently in place for potential new employers. There is no doubt that this will take significant investment to create sustainable mixed use. Examples include Silver Spring, Rockville Town Center and now Wheaton. I would also want to see how the Burtonsville/Briggs Chaney Enterprise Zone is functioning and whether it is meeting expectation. It is a great tool to use, as long as people are aware that it is available.

The council’s role is to work with the Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation to attract appropriate businesses to the different geographic areas of the county that will fulfill the needs of the populations that reside in those areas. From a planning and economic development perspective, we can’t just wait for businesses to approach us. We have to be proactive in reaching out and marketing our County to the private sector.

The Sears at White Oak has been a retail anchor for the East County for many, many years. Unfortunately, Sears is unlikely to survive as a company (at least in its current form). As Sears closes stores, we must anticipate that the White Oak location may eventually be on the closure list and we must act to attract a retailer to that White Oak location.

As to specific solutions I would advocate for as a councilmember in terms of retail business attraction and development, the hard work has already been done on this front. I would implement the strategies and recommendations found in the Countywide Comprehensive Economic Survey, which was published in November 2016. This document contains a road map that is thorough and well-considered regarding all of the necessary elements that must be in place for our county to help businesses locate and grow here. We have to make our County, specifically East County, a desirable location for business, and then be sure to market it as such.

Two years ago, the County created a new independent Montgomery County Economic Development Committee. The MCEDC has much flexibility and it should use that, and some of the funding it controls, to provide economic incentives for the Burtonsville Crossing center, and if necessary, for an anchor store. I would make sure the MCEDC changes some focus from major businesses to smaller ones, like those needed in the East County right now.

Dead / dying / underdeveloped shopping centers? I’ve been there. I’ve visited Burtonsville Crossing and shopped numerous times at the White Oak and Hillandale centers and would would to see them revitalized, just as I worked, as a Takoma Park Councilmember, toward revitalization of shopping centers on either side of New Hampshire Avenue near University Blvd. Unmotivated property owners — B.F. Saul in one of those Takoma Park cases — are a hindrance. I would look for ways to motivate them!

I support Burtonsville community revitalization work (https://apps.montgomerycountymd.gov/BASISCAPITAL/Common/Project.aspx?ID=P760900) and I supported Enterprise Zone designation for Burtonsville and Briggs Chaney. We have a variety of planning and tax tools at our disposal and we should use them.

As a councilmember, I would work with East County advocates and civic associations to address their needs. The Council has a responsibility to enhance economic vitality in the areas that need it. My wife works at the FDA in White Oak. I’ve always wondered why there weren’t more businesses that catered to the the thousands of FDA employees who come into White Oak each day.

Fifty years ago the master plan for the county envisioned one urban corridor—the I 270 corridor. Accordingly, it was given a metro line parallel to I 270 and plans for urban centers in Rockville, Gaithersburg, Germantown and Clarksburg. Even though the RT 29 corridor was not originally planned to be high density but it has been developed anyway, without the master plan to support it. I believe this is a factor behind the East County not getting the support it has needed. The County should recognize that the RT 29 corridor has become a second developed corridor in the county and plan for walkable, multi-use centers similar to the I 270 corridor.

The Washington Post in recent years acknowledged what I’ve been saying for more than a decade: our current Council has left East County economically “moribund.” I don’t believe we have to demolish all of our existing shopping centers to have great retail and restaurants. And where a shopping center might redevelop, it’s possible to have a wonderful new retail, dining and entertainment center that does not involve residential housing.

Consider that you, the voter, have the power to determine the future of your neighborhood, if you elect councilmembers who work for you instead of for  the developers. The Council appoints the Planning Board. Vote for me, and let’s change course now, from out-of-control residential development to responsible planning that promotes office and commercial development with actual community benefits. Imagine more opportunities to walk to a high-wage job, or see a movie in your own neighborhood, not more Soviet-style luxury apartment blocs that flood our schools with more students and our roads with more cars.

Finally, the biggest step we can take to bring great dining and nightlife to East County is to end our archaic county government liquor monopoly. I strongly support ending the DLC monopoly. Unlike my opponents, I believe you should be able to buy beer and wine at grocery, drug and convenience stores, and that we need to stop killing our bars and restaurants with an outdated liquor sales monopoly.

I believe a comprehensive transit and road infrastructure plan will help connect people to jobs (thus fostering greater economic security) and connect businesses to their employees and customers (thus helping our local economy). As such, I support smart growth that favors mixeduse development and creates inclusive communities with access to affordable housing, transit, education and employment opportunities. This ensures that we expand our economic tax base without pricing anyone out of our cities, and also helps increase foot traffic and retail support for our local businesses.

I will prioritize the programs that take into consideration the needs of residents throughout the county. This includes those programs that have the most immediate effects on reducing congestion and pollution (like the BRT and CCT), as well programs that were already promised to resident’s years ago through county-approved master plans (like the White Oak Science Gateway and a limited expansion of M-83). All of these are investments in the future of our residents, our community, and our economy.

Concerning credits for developers, I believe Enterprise Zone programs are excellent incentive programs that the Council can use to encourage greater business investments in our cities. By providing tax credits to companies that make capital investments and create both jobs and construction, we can help strengthen our local economy and provide more of our families with the economic security they need to thrive. We are starting to see the positive impacts of such zones in Gaithersburg, Wheaton, Silver Spring, Burtonsville and Briggs Chaney

The County is entering a difficult fiscal environment in which revenues are not keeping pace with needs. Making prospective funding commitments in that situation does not seem prudent. However, I am open to any arrangement that gets necessary infrastructure built faster and more efficiently, and I do agree that the East County has a strong case for more equitable treatment.

Yes, I am committed to assuring that impact taxes collected on projects in East County are used in East County. I am not opposed to developers making these improvements if 1) they can do so more cost-effectively than the county and 2) there is county oversight and control over the nature of the improvements undertaken.

I will prioritize the much needed transportation improvements of East County. As a Silver Spring resident, I have long championed quality of life issues in East County and will continue doing so on the council. East County deserves high quality infrastructure to accompany high quality development.

Presently, the White Oak project has $40 million in the capital budget from General Obligation Bonds for roads and other projects necessary for the development. While I agree that transportation impact taxes should fund projects in the area, those impact taxes will not be sufficient to fund the county’s obligations for transportation infrastructure just for the Viva project. We will need not only revenue from impact taxes but also G.O. Bonds. That is why, for example, the Route 29 BRT project is a general budget expense. We are already moving forward on the limited stop service on Route 29. And I have supported planning funds for Route 650 BRT. All of this is to say that impact taxes are just a fraction of the revenue needed. I certainly support having developers build improvements and getting credits.

It is time to really focus on transportation problems in the East County, although this will be challenging given the projected deficits in the County budget and impact of the IRS tax cuts. However, use of impact tax funding should be used in the East County, as well as additional impact funding collected in areas that have benefitted in the past and have completed projects. A significant problem in the past is that developers have been approved for projects without having to bear the burden of improving infrastructure in surrounding areas. I have no problem with developers receiving credits of infrastructure improvements if those improvements are made prior to beginning the development. Too often, these improvements never get completed.

ABSOLUTELY! Impact taxes collected in East County should be used for East County projects. I do support developers receiving credits for making needed improvements. It makes sense for developers to build the necessary improvements while they are already constructing their properties – whether this is a road, transit stops, turn lanes, etc. There are examples throughout the County where this is done very effectively.

Impact taxes are designed to provide funding for infrastructure that is necessary to support new residential development. This infrastructure includes water/sewer, schools, roads, public transportation, public safety facilities and parks/recreation facilities. In my opinion, the impact taxes received by the County related to a particular development project should be used to fund infrastructure for that particular development project (i.e., fund the local project). Any necessary improvements to existing infrastructure that are made by developers can be funded by tax credits, but that arrangement would not eliminate the requirement for developers to pay the required levels of impact taxes from the outset of beginning a new development. Another issue not specifically addressed in this question but related to impact taxes more generally is the fact that the County is currently-forward funding much of the share of the infrastructure that developers are responsible for, as we see in White Flint. Currently, less than 10% of our revenue comes from development impact taxes, and yet half of our Capital Budget is for school facilities and the Transportation Capital Budget is the second largest item. Our debt service is our 3rd largest operating budget item. We have to do better in collecting this revenue (impact fees) or making sure the facilities are provided by the developer. This is true in the East County as well as the County overall.

Overall, the current Council has treated the East County with little respect. Only one member of the current Council lives in the East County. We need at-large members who represent the entire county. I would demand that impact fees intended for projects anywhere in the county stay in that area. Funding projects via impact taxes meant for other areas is a trend that must end. I agree that developers should get credits for making infrastructure improvements.

I am committed to using impact tax funding collected in East County on projects in East County although I note that the Enterprise Zone designation means that the county will affect that revenue source so we can’t rely on it in all cases. I am fine with developers’ receiving credits for making the needed improvements, when the studied judgment is that that the best course.

Yes, I would use the funds from the taxes for East County projects. Yes, I would support credits for developers who can build quicker and at a lower cost.

Development policies, mostly in the I 270 corridor, have resulted in overcrowded schools and congested roads. These needs will compete with East County needs for the foreseeable future. One of the County’s biggest problems has been approving development plans without any plan for building the infrastructure needed to support them. I am committed to seeing the East County receive its fair share of funding but we must recognize that there will be competition from different parts of the county for limited funds. Reigning in our development plans until we have the funds to build the needed infrastructure would help. We will need to pursue any way of reducing costs. If developers can make needed improvements at lower cost, we should pursue that.

I’m fully-committed to ensuring that East County residents start getting the transportation improvements they deserve, as part of my larger effort to ensure the East County is treated equally on everything from parks to code enforcement to schools. I would certainly look favorably on any instance where  developers will complete expensive projects for us in exchange for incentives – as long as those incentives don’t reduce the quality of life for existing residents.

I believe we must increase resources for programs that support the BRT, as I am an advocate for its expansion (Rockville Pike, New Hampshire Ave, Georgia Ave). I believe expanding the BRT will reduce congestion and pollution, while making our communities more accessible, particularly for our residents without cars. By making our communities more accessible, I believe the BRT network will promote economic growth by connecting MoCo residents to more employment opportunities, while promoting a transportation infrastructure that will attract more employers to our county.

I support a dedicated lane for BRT from Burtonsville to Sligo Creek Parkway and the expansion of the BRT on New Hampshire Ave and Randolph Rd. through the underwriting of municipal bonds and increased allocation of funding from the county council for the project.

In addition to the BRT, I also support smart growth centered around transit centers. This includes having affordable housing near our transit centers (as mentioned in the question above). It also includes bikeway access to all Metro and Purple Line stations, as well as an overall bicycle master plan. This includes designated bike lanes, sidewalks, and more crosswalks, especially in high traffic areas, near schools, and near public recreation facilities.

When it comes to transportation – safety, increased connectivity, clean energy, and efficiency in all areas of the county are my top priorities, and I believe a balanced transportation system that promotes sustainable public transit options is key to reducing traffic congestion.

I support (and have testified in favor of) the “Better BRT” proposal which would ensure dedicated lanes for BRT all the way to Sligo Creek Parkway – provided that the feasibility of the proposal is confirmed. I also support increasing east-west connectivity through BRT and other projects. The difficulty of funding these projects in the current budget environment underscores a fundamental point which is that the costs of meeting our needs are substantially exceeding our projected revenues. Raising taxes to deal with this problem is not a realistic option. Instead the County must grow its tax base through attracting new businesses and better jobs.

While I support the BRT, it must be a part of a transit system that connects communities with the major transportation corridors–which would necessitate a review of RideOn routes and schedules, a review of reversible rush hour lanes and other improvements that reduce traffic congestion and make use of public transit a realistic option. The county currently funds the engineering studies for several BRT projects and has received a federal grant to pursue part of the BRT Route 29 project. Given the current County budgetary situation, it is likely that state and federal funding would be necessary to fully fund the current vision for BRT.

I walk the walk when it comes to transportation. For nearly ten years my husband and I had only one car, requiring me to regularly utilize Ride On, MetroBus and Metro services. (We recently purchased a second car because it is impossible to successfully run for County Council At-Large without a vehicle.) As a regular user of our Metrobus, especially the Z bus lines, I know how our systems work and how they don’t. We need more elected officials who not only support public transportation but are regular users of the system as well. Additionally, I believe that high speed, high quality transportation is an issue of economic justice. I want to improve our public transportation’s north-south and east-west connections and am open to all ideas on how to improve those systems.

I support a dedicated lane for BRT from Burtonsville to Sligo Creek Parkway, and I have been proud to lead my colleagues this year to fund the study for that program (as well as the Burtonsville Access Road, the sidewalk on Good Hope Road, and other important projects in the area). I support BRT on New Hampshire, and I supported funding the planning for that project this year by delaying other projects in the Capital Budget. I support BRT on Randolph Road.

As I mentioned in previous questions, I believe the provision of solutions to public transportation in the East County has been too long ignored by previous County Councils. Although I support development that has occurred around METRO stations, the East County was not fully included in the “Smart Growth” initiatives. I believe BRT will assist in making the East County more accessible for those traveling the Route 29 corridor, as well as New Hampshire Avenue and Randolph Road. I support dedicated lanes as much as possible. This will mean either adding additional lanes on Route 29 where possible to be effective. This will be challenging but as a former engineer, I have the expertise to find solutions that will be creative and practical. Funding also will be challenging as state and federal funding is likely to be decreased in the next few years, but the County has found funding sources, or increased specific taxes to fund transportation projects in other parts of the County and now that many of those projects are completed or in progress, additional funds for East County should become available. It is a matter of priorities for Councilmembers to designate project funding, and I am committed to improving infrastructure in the East County.

As I mentioned, I was appointed to the original Transit Task Force and have studied BRT for quite some time. I also founded the Corridor Cities Transitway Coalition and have advocated for that project which is currently stalled. I feel strongly that BRT needs a dedicated lane. Without the dedicated lane, the cost-benefit analysis of the project is diminished. The ultimate goal is to have a comprehensive BRT network and would support east-west connectivity through BRT. Of course we will never have enough funding to do everything that needs to be done. We do need more money from the State and depending on the project, we could also leverage State funding to access Federal funds.

I do not support a dedicated lane for the BRT from Burtonsville to Sligo Creek. Having served on the Route 29 Bus Rapid Transit Citizens’ Advisory Committee since its inception, I know that there have been numerous studies completed regarding the best implementation for the BRT on Route 29, and the studies have consistently demonstrated that a dedicated lane is not a viable solution. Our committee pushed for BRT on New Hampshire Avenue to no avail. As a councilmember, I would support studying such a BRT route on New Hampshire Avenue as a way to improve east-west connectivity. A much less expensive alternative to Route 29 BRT (which is being implemented to run in mixed traffic for most of the portion of the route where there is congestion) would be to implement Metro Extra, which would provide additional capacity on the corridor. In fact, the new Route 129 Ride On service which starts May 14th will be very similar to such a Metro Extra service. It will be additional rush hour (5:30 A.M – 9:A.M. and 3:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M.) commuting option for residents in the corridor, and operate every 15 minutes to and from 15 stops (instead of 60 – 80 stops) so it should provide a faster trip and more frequent service for many riders.

I hope BRT works on the Route 29 corridor. I am not sure it will. The Better BRT plan may work, but will not make everyone happy. And this came from residents, not our highly paid consultants. We need more east-west access. If BRT will work on Route 29, the next step must be looking at its east-west possibilities. I am greatly concerned that planned BRT stations do not have parking. I think this will hurt the potential usage.

Transit is one of my highest priorities, including bus rapid transit (BRT). I know it’s an East County priority, a point reinforced with community leader Dan Wilhelm pulled out BRT plans at the start of an East County tour he gave me last July!

BRT means faster and more reliable transit for Montgomery County, and fewer drivers on the road. And ‘Better BRT’ on US 29 means efficient use of road space with minimal disruption to drivers. ‘Better BRT’ on US 29 — a dedicated lane for BRT from Burtonsville to Sligo Creek Parkway — is a creative solution to a pressing Montgomery County transportation challenge.

East-West connectivity is also key. I know this from personal experience. Want some evidence? https://twitter.com/Seth4MC/status/903223892629737472. I know how hard it is to travel by bus, for instance between Tech Road and Rockville. I would support BRT on New Hampshire Ave, Randolph Road, and other routes. As a former Takoma Park Councilmember, I have been an advocate for New Hampshire Ave BRT in particular, running to Fort Totten in the District of Columbia.

One possible funding mechanism: Work toward a change in Maryland law to allow local assessment of a higher Uber/Lyft “transportation network” fee. Add $.25 per ride for transit, a small fraction of the ride cost.

Yes, I support the BRT. The Council has spent years of time and millions of dollars studying the BRT and where to put it. East County is definitely deserving of it and major roads like New Hampshire, Randolph, and Burtonsville-Sligo Creek.

In order to get a dedicated lane to Sligo Creek Parkway, the BRT would have to use one reversible lane for much of the distance. This option should be seriously considered. It could very well be less expensive than running dedicated lanes in both directions for part of the route. I support all the proposed BRT lines with the caveat that we don’t know where the funding will come from. County spending is constrained by rising debt and uncertain tax collections. We will have to rely heavily on state and federal money to fund these projects. I believe we should also look at less expensive, more innovative solutions such as flexible transit or micro-transit that are being used in other parts of the country to improve service to neighborhoods that are not well served by transit.

With very tight budgets ahead, I’m focused on improving East County transportation through projects that move the most people for the least money.

As you noted, East County is a very automobile-dependent area – so by nature, the solutions must emphasize reducing traffic congestion, and improving highway access for residents. That not only improves the quality of life, but also gives East County residents better access to high-wage jobs across the County and region.

To this end, I strongly support Express Lanes for I-495. To improve connectivity for East County residents, I want to also extend the Montrose Parkway and Midcounty Highway to connect to the ICC, and extend the ICC over the Potomac to Dulles Airport/VA Route 28. Express Lanes and the new Potomac crossing will cost taxpayers virtually nothing as toll facilities built by private companies.

We also must complete long-delayed road and intersection projects not only in the White Oak, Briggs Chaney and Burtonsville areas, but along Spencerville Road to the County line.

I strongly oppose the $10 billion BRT boondoggle that will demolish many homes and businesses along its routes, and would transfer all of that money to road projects that will actually help East County drivers.

One of the primary responsibilities of a councilmember is the county’s budget – and a budget is all about priorities. We need to ensure that county residents feel heard and prioritized by their councilmembers, in order to prevent inequities such as those that occurred in Hillandale and Maydale.

Additionally, we need to ensure that our budgets are clear, comprehensive, and can realistically meet the needs of the Montgomery County community. This is especially important as it relates to funding promised for specific projects – in order to ensure that the residents trust their councilmembers and that the council members meet their needs, the budget should accurately depict the funding that communities will receive. My approach is to widely publicize opportunities for residents to engage in the budget process, including informing residents of public comment periods and making the budget proposals available for residents to review.

Overall, this inequity can be addressed by involving residents in the budget process and ensuring that they feel heard and recognized by the members of the Montgomery County Council.

I strongly support equitable treatment for the East County and believe in fulfilling previous commitments. I would therefore want to allocate the remaining $4 million to the renovation. However, that decision would have to be made in the context of competing needs, and it is impossible to make a commitment to fund without knowing what would not be funded as a result. That brings us back to the point that we must increase our revenues through economic growth because our legitimate needs in the aggregate are exceeding our ability to pay for them.

I would work to restore funding and collaborate with Park and Planning to identify other resources and methods which may be used to increase efficiency and get more “bang for the buck”.

I am proud to be endorsed by the Sierra Club because of my commitment to environmental sustainability and protection. I am also a founding board member of Conservation Montgomery, a county based organization devoted to protecting our trees and parks. I have a track record of supporting and fighting for our parks and will continue doing so on the Council, especially parks in East County.

Hillandale Park has one of the largest renovation budgets of any park in the County capital program. The $5.6 million renovation will bring the park a wide array of improvements. In a time of limited resources, the Council increased the budget for this park, from the MNCPPC recommendation ($3 million), by almost 100%. It is unfortunate that the County had to cut its borrowing this year, and therefore had to reduce funding for a wide array of needs, from schools to parks to libraries to the College. Nevertheless we stood behind this Park to fund it in a manner that will transform it and provide a significant upgrade as the community has requested.

As in transportation improvements and other public services, the East County often has been left off the table or on the table but not as a priority. Parks are another example that has been largely ignored in East County. I commit to working with community leaders, the County Parks and Recreation Department, and other interested stakeholders to provide additional funding for recreation opportunities in the East County. Livable communities attract new residents and businesses and stimulate development, which are critical to bringing the East County into the progression east during the past decades.

Before taking action, I would first need to understand why the cuts were made. I’m assuming it is for budgetary reasons and that the remaining funding went to another project that was also considered to be a priority. The letter from the Hillandale Civic Association (4/6/18) to the PHED Committee clearly spelled out their concerns and their understanding that $5M is not sufficient and will lead to a far inferior project. This is all part of the same question as to whether the County government is serious about transforming the East County. If so, the County (Executive and Council) must invest the resources to truly be transformational – just like it has in other areas of the County.

Initial budget projections often differ from the amount that is ultimately budgeted for any particular project, whether it be a park, an addition to a school, or a new fire station. In this instance, the reduction from the initial promise to the final budget amount does not necessarily represent an inequity. In order to determine if that is the case, further study needs to be undertaken to determine if East County parks are indeed underfunded compared to other areas of the County. I will undertake such a study to determine if inequity exists.

This is a prime area in which giving developers a chance to use “the optional method of development” could produce great public benefit. This is the method being used in the recently approved Bethesda Downtown Plan. Giving developers a little more flexibility in exchange for funding parks would work for all.

Underfunding of East County rec and community facilities is a sore point. I’ve discussed it, for instance, with Amouzou Agbegnigan — Coach Fofo — who runs the Elite Soccer Youth Development Academy and could sorely use nonprofit office space in addition to better playing fields and facility access in Long Branch and White Oak. I’m committed to seeking this equity for East County and would work to do that with the County administration, Council colleagues, businesses, and community advocates.

I am big supporter of our Montgomery County Parks. We have over 400 parks in this county that all deserve the same attention and care. We would have to look specifically at the White Oak Master Plan and see where the money went.

The East County and the North County have not received their fair share of funding as the close in suburbs and I 270 corridor have been the focus of attention. Transit, schools, and parks in these areas have long been underfunded. The Council should make sure that all parts of the County receive equal treatment. I firmly believe that a sustainable Montgomery County requires that everyone be included.

The current Council not only has a sad record of funding for parks in the East County, but also a poor record of maintaining the parks that are there. I have reported on this issue a number of times, such as the County’s failure to address maintenance and litter issues at Edgewood Park in the Briggs Chaney area.

I believe there should be a park within a quarter-mile of every home in Montgomery County, and that we must forcefully attack the problems of litter and dumping not only in our parks, but in our streams and along neighborhood roads.

Developers also must start providing us with adequate land for new parks, if they wish to develop in the East County and elsewhere. The Council has the power to mandate this, but refuse to do so because they are controlled by their developer sugar daddies. To fix this, elect a Councilman who doesn’t get all weak-in-the-knees when a developer walks in the room: Robert Dyer.

We must take a comprehensive approach to tackle the opportunity gap in our county by supporting our students regardless of zip code.

I am a proud product of Montgomery County Public Schools and believe education is the surest pathway out of poverty. However, as someone who’s lived in four of the five council districts (on the east and west parts of our county, in UpCounty and DownCounty), I have seen how our education is not equally prioritized. I went to both Glen Haven Elementary in Silver Spring and Wayside Elementary in Potomac, one a Title 1 school with over 70% kids on FARM, the other with ample resources. I noticed a difference in the number of after-school programs, children with high levels of food insecurity, language immersion programs, and opportunities for one-on-one time between students and teachers. As a councilmember, I will examine our school budget and work with our School Board to prioritize our students and magnet programs so that everyone, regardless of where they live, has access to opportunity.

Closing the opportunity gap means universal pre-k for all our children, as studies show those who attend a high-quality preschool program are much more likely to graduate high school. It also means expanding language immersion programs to eliminate barriers to access, further integrate our schools and build a greater sense of community. We must expand beyond the traditional model of ESOL-specific courses to create two-way immersion programs, which alternate a student’s school day between English and Spanish.

Improving the quality of East County schools is essential to the East County realizing its potential, and locating magnet and immersion programs in East County elementary and middle schools should be part of that improvement. All three of my children went through the MCPS Chinese language immersion program, and I can attest that it was fundamental to their academic success. The County Council does not make any direct operational decisions with respect to MCPS, but if elected I would use the soft power of my position to push the Board of Education to ensure that East County schools have marquee programs that increase their attractiveness.

The rapidly growing student population in East County should not need to travel to have access to top magnet and language immersion programs. These programs, along with other enrichment activities, should be expanded to include more schools, especially those schools with high FRMS rates in East County. Additionally, I would advocate for the Board of Education and the Superintendent to examine

My top priority on the council is to ensure that every child in Montgomery County receives the best education possible. To do so, we need to increase the magnet and immersion programs to more communities like those in East County. We must also understand that transportation is a huge factor in determining whether a student can attend a magnet or immersion program that isn’t in the home school area, which is why my support for more and improved public transportation options is critical (see question 5). An additional factor to consider for improving our schools: the student’s quality of life at home. When a child experiences food insecurity, housing insecurity or economic insecurity at home, that child will not be well equipped to learn regardless of how good a school or teacher may be. We need to provide more services to our students in order to support the whole child and increase their educational opportunities.

Magnet and immersion programs must be distributed equitably from a geographic perspective. If access to transportation is preventing East County families from participating in magnet and immersion programs, then we need to provide transportation services to those families. For example, MCPS bus service; but also free RideOn, enhanced RideOn service, dockless bikeshare, and more. We also must ensure that the programs are located in East County so that families will want to send their children there. Many families may not apply if the travel time is too great. I would also add that I have championed expansion of enriched/academic-focused afterschool programs, such as the new program at Burnt Mills Elementary, Excel Beyond the Bell.

The availability of MCPS Choice programs has been criticized since the establishment of such programs for at least two decades. Analyses by MCPS and outside groups have recommended expanding these programs to all areas of the County, including the East County. In addition, MCPS’s own analysis has shown disparities in enrollment in choice programs by race, economic level, and location, but not much as changed during past years. This must change, and although the Board of Education has primary responsibility for Choice programs, past Councils have not demanded changes, especially in school selection for the programs. I will use my position as a Councilmember to work with MCPS and the Board of Education to provide updated data and analyses to provide information to address disparities. The benefits of Choice programs in elementary, middle, and high schools are proven, and enhance the communities where they reside. Often, according to recent reports in the media and from outside groups, have found that on issues of establishing Choice programs, the “squeaky wheels” tend to get attention and programs. As a long-time community organizer, I will work with East County community organizations, parents, and education groups to assist in advocacy for Choice programs in the East County. In addition, we should explore leveraging distance learning technologies to expand Choice, magnet and language immersion programs to all areas of the County.

We must provide equal educational opportunities to all our students, regardless of zip code. This includes magnet programs, language immersion, arts, trades, access to AP classes, etc. When my daughter (now 23) entered high school I was shocked to learn that upcounty schools had less than half the number of AP classes than downcounty schools. I would firmly advocated for more programs in the East County.

This is a question that is better put to a candidate running for the Board of Education. I do have personal experience with MCPS bus transportation to the Wheaton High School magnet from outside of the school’s boundary area, which is a successful way to transport magnet students into that fairly new program. I also know that MCPS is changing its processes for bringing qualified students into the magnet programs, as well as the gifted programs at the elementary school level, which will result in more individual schools having programs that serve gifted and talented students. This should improve access to these programs for all students, including those in the East County who face transportation challenges.

A great fault of our county school system is that its innovative and magnet courses were concentrated in a few schools in limited areas. I am happy to see Supt. Jack Smith’s plans for 2018-19 include innovative courses (aerospace engineering, cyber security, nursing and more) on a limited basis for some Upcounty schools. As a Councilmember, I would press MCPS to expand these programs to East County schools so students have these options in their home schools.

I need to understand this situation better and would consult with affected community members and school authorities on solutions.

Depending on the program, I know that some magnet programs are offered in just the local school, but some are offered to any student in the county. If an East County family has a child that qualifies for a magnet program out of district, we need to find a way to get them there. The county has bussing programs to get students to out of district schools if they are involved in consortia schools, either by neighborhood stops, or central locations all around the county.

As with parks, the County has responded to the needs of the wealthier west county more than the east and north. This needs to change. I would support establishing magnet and language immersion programs in East County schools.

There are two guiding principles that separate me from the other choices on your ballot when it comes to schools: 1) I believe we must provide good schools in every neighborhood, not just in Bethesda, Potomac and Rockville. 2) I believe in the capacity of students to excel regardless of race or background. Council President Hans Riemer cited his belief that black and Latino students need rich, white students in the classroom to succeed, as one of his justifications for approving the White Oak sector plan. Fortunately, a great educator named Jaime Escalante proved Riemer’s theory to be hogwash more than 3 decades ago.

So my position is to bring beneficial programs TO East County, rather than requiring kids to travel long distances. We’re spending more than ever on education, and the results have been terrible, so we know simply throwing  more money at MCPS is not the answer. Radically changing our curriculum, and requiring performance-based pay for the superintendent and administrators (not teachers) are part of the answer. If a school continues to fail, we should offer temporary private school vouchers to current students, so that they are not shortchanged while we make drastic changes to bring that school up to standards. Finally, we must also strongly support parents who choose to homeschool.

With our county facing a $120 million deficit, some options are cutting the budgets of executive branch departments, laying off county employees, or raising taxes. My approach is that the county should slightly lower our county’s operating reserves (currently at 8.9%, other counties in the area with AAA bond ratings have reserves at the 7% level) to alleviate some of our economic burden, while minimizing the burden placed on our hardworking county employees.

But we also need a comprehensive approach to addressing our county’s needs, as we cannot simply tax our way out of our problems. Any long-term solution must include the retention and expansion of our tax base to strengthen our local economy.

The retired residents of our community are a key element of our county’s success. As such, I believe in mixed-use development where residents have greater access to live, work, shop and play. At the same time, we must do more to attract young professionals to work and live in our county. One way to accomplish this will be to create more job training and career development programs, which will provide more career opportunities for young people.

By creating vibrant communities that are attractive and affordable for both older residents and newcomers, Montgomery County can expand the tax base, lessening the tax burden and strengthening our economy.

The $120 million shortfall resulted from failures in the modeling of projected tax revenues – i.e. it was not a failure in the budgeting of expenses. Thus, the only solution I see for that particular problem is to improve our revenue modeling. However, changing revenue modeling will not address the growing mismatch noted above between our needs and our overall revenues.

The County’s budgetary process is largely dependent on the accuracy of revenue projections from the state and county. These projections form the basis of the county’s revenue prediction and the estimation of the amount of money which will be available. While economics is not an exact science, it is clear that the state projections have been inaccurate for several years. The county cannot change the way the state makes its projections but it can examine the assumptions in the state’s methodology and base it’s projections on its own analysis. In sum, because of the historical inaccuracies, we just can’t take their word for it anymore.

I am perplexed at how the county allowed for a $120 million budget shortfall two years after instituting a 9% property tax increase. As a former CNN journalist, I want to institute proper oversight and instill accountability in Rockville so that government programs and taxpayer resources are helping our communities and residents. I will be the watchdog to ensure our government gets things done right.

A primary driver of our costs is employee compensation (over 80% of our operating budget). The Council’s budget process does not work as well as it should when it comes to managing growth in employee compensation. It would be better for the Council to have a stronger voice in the beginning of the process, so that the County Executive and our bargaining units have a sense of what is affordable and can negotiate accordingly. Under the current process, the County Executive has negotiated many packages that may not prove to be affordable in the long term, but the budget process does not afford the Council sufficient time to make palatable changes.

As the only budget expert among the 33 Democrats running for County Council At-Large, I believe there are many strategies to improve and revise the county’s budgeting process. I currently manage three (3) multi-million dollar budgets for the federal government and I am also a procurement expert. My first priority for improving the budgeting process, and attacking future budget shortfalls, would be to do a bottoms-up approach to budgeting as opposed to the current top-down approach. This would help eliminate waste in the operating budget.

Another area that can provide cost-savings, both for the County and for residents, is consolidation of the permitting process. Not all permitting can be handled in one place, but much of what frustrates those wanting begin businesses, build homes, or rehabilitate housing, is the number of approvals from different County departments that are required, as well as separate costs incurred at each step of the process. I believe we can consolidate many services and reduce the burden on businesses and residents.

I believe in zero-based budgeting. I have worked in the federal government, as well as the county government and the current system does not provide incentive for cutting programs that are no longer necessary or for saving money year after year. We need to go back to square one for each program at determine – What is the problem we are trying to solve? How will we know when we solve it (what are the metrics)? What is the most cost effective way to solve the problem? And How much will it cost? This will force leaders to really think about how we are spending tax dollars and will eliminate programs that are not serving us well.

This $120 million shortfall is not necessarily due to failures in the budgeting process. County Executive Leggett has stated publically that the shortfall was caused by uncertainty surrounding capital gains treatment in the 2017 federal tax reform legislation, which resulted in approximately 15 Montgomery County residents deferring actions that would trigger capital gains.

However, the important point here is that shortfalls such as this one are projected to continue to occur – to the tune of approximately $500 million over the next 6 years, due to a very gloomy economic picture. Baby boomers are retiring from the workforce in large numbers and the tax base, which has been bolstered for many years by high levels of federal government employment among boomers and other residents, is shrinking. Montgomery County has done very little to encourage economic development in terms of attracting businesses large and small to start or relocate here.

In order to counteract the effects of our shrinking tax base, we must work to implement the strategies and recommendations in the Countywide Comprehensive Economic Survey, which was published in November 2016. This document contains a road map that is thorough and well-considered regarding all of the necessary elements that must be in place for our county to help businesses locate and grow here. If we don’t focus on growing the revenue side of the equation, we will be forced to cut costs each and every year as our boomers leave the workforce.

The alleged shortfall this year, as in previous years, showed how much waste is in the budget and how our elected officials refuse to do hard work in changing it. The Council approved $55 million in mid-year savings: No one lost their job (good) and no programs or services were cut (good). So where did the savings go—and why was that $55 million in the budget in the first place? I will use my reporting skills to find waste in the budget to fund our schools and programs. And to bring fiscal responsibility to the County, I will use the county law that allows one Councilmember to block an increase in property taxes. Through this, I will GUARANTEE that property taxes do not increase above the rate of inflation for four years.

Revenue predictably is a challenge, particularly given changes in the federal tax code and outlook! Yet $120 million represents less than 2.5% of the county’s annual budget and the county was able to respond to a shortfall of this limited magnitude. I would avoid disruption due to unpredictability by building contingencies into the county budget and by maintaining a diversity of revenue sources and promoting robust economic growth.

One of the reasons that I decided to run for County Council was this $120 million budget shortfall. As a regular average citizen, I asked myself “how can one of the wealthiest counties in America face a debt every year, and now have this budget shortfall”? If I’m elected to the council I would advocate for a full review of the budget and the budget process, taking into account more cost/benefit analysis so that this shortfall doesn’t happen again.

Financial constraints will be a problem for the county in the foreseeable future. The county is dead last in the region in creating new businesses. Median income in the county is declining. We need to re-evaluate our development policies in light of this. High density development is always expensive. We only need look at the high density communities of the North East and Mid West to see where we are headed. We also need to be more efficient in our expenditure of money. We have had numerous budget over runs in infrastructure projects. We spend more money for new schools than Fairfax County because they explore options like repurposing existing buildings to create new schools. We need a top to bottom examination of our budget policies.

Not only was there a $120 million shortfall in FY-2018, but we are currently facing a $208 million shortfall in FY-2019. You have to ask yourself, how did the Council give you a record property and recordation tax increase in 2016, and still manage to spend more than they took in?

Aside from their free-spending ways, two other reasons for this are that high taxes have caused many of the wealthiest to flee to nearby jurisdictions like Loudoun, and that our moribund economy and vacant office space means we’ve forgone incredible amounts of potential revenue. When Northrop, Volkswagen, Hilton Hotels, Intelsat, Corporate Executive Board, Nestle, Gerber and so many others chose Northern Virginia instead of  Montgomery County, we missed out on all of that commercial and income tax revenue. To fix our budget crisis, I would first introduce Zero-Based Budgeting. Instead of bringing back last year’s bloated budget and adding even more spending, we start at zero each year, and make every department justify each dollar.

Second, we must reduce our draconian taxes and create a business-friendly climate. I would repeal the 2016 tax hikes and 2010 energy tax hike over four years. Did you know that this decade, Fairfax County and D.C. each enjoyed a net gain of 3000 new businesses. How many did Montgomery County have over that same period? Six. That’s humiliating, and you can see why our revenue is so low despite high taxes.