We are 25 days away from Election Day. If you are planning
to vote in person, please know that there are only 40 sites that will
be available on Election Day, Nov. 3, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., but you
can go to any of those sites to vote. There will also be 11 early
voting sites from Monday, Oct. 26, through Monday, Nov. 2, as well as
on Election Day. More information about locations is available here: Voting Center Locations
Your ballot will include various questions. I will be
voting for Question A and against Question B. Question A will
help us address a longstanding problem in the way we collect revenue
from property taxes. It will focus on the tax rate rather than the
total revenues collected. Like our existing system, a unanimous vote of
the entire County Council would be required to raise the property tax
rate. Question A will allow the County to benefit from economic growth.
Everyone agrees that we need to grow the economy, but under our current
system, we get no benefits from the growth and we still have to pay the
costs that come with that growth.
Our neighbors (and competitors) in the region are focused
on the future they want for their communities. They are investing in
infrastructure that businesses and residents want and need. Our current
system prevents us from addressing our needs in education, affordable
housing and transportation. It leaves our residents and our business
community with the false perception that we cannot manage our resources
when, in fact, our potential resources are severely limited by the
existing property tax system, which was enacted 30 years ago. In the
intervening years, our school population has grown by 65 percent and
overall population by 40 percent.
In the last 30 years, we have struggled to meet the needs
of our County—from traffic congestion to climate change to greater
economic disparity. Over the same time period, the tax rate has
declined 35 percent and is the lowest among comparable counties in
Maryland.
(See the table below.)
Property Tax Rates: Montgomery County
vs Comparable MD Counties
I will be voting against Question B, which takes away the
ability of Councilmembers to adjust the amount of property tax revenues
allowed to be collected—even in times of emergency and great need.
Question B deprives us of democratic representation. Question B makes
the current situation worse. Currently, total property tax revenues
raised cannot exceed the amount of revenues raised in the previous year
plus the rate of inflation—unless the entire County Council votes to go
beyond the rate of inflation. Question B would take away all discretion
from the County Council, our elected representatives. And as you
probably know from your property tax bills, the current system does NOT
limit your property taxes to the rate of inflation. The growth of the
total revenue collected for the entire County is limited to inflation.
You can read more about the problems with Question B here: www.mdeconomy.org/on-the-ballot-vote-against-montgomery-county-question-b-for-a-strong-future/
Please be sure to vote—you can still request a mail-in
ballot (until Oct. 20) and drop it off at one of the many secure drop
boxes around the County. You can still register to vote through Oct. 13
and you also will be able to register at early voting sites and on
Election Day. However, that may require much more time, so register in
advance if you are able.
Take care and please continue to MaskUp and maintain
physical distance.
Marc Elrich, County Executive
P.S. For the artists among us: Enter the competition for
artwork to be featured in the County’s climate action plan. Read more
P.P.S. In my video I talk about COVID-19 testing,
protecting the public health and Indigenous Peoples’ Day – please have
a look!
Guidelines for
Cool Weather Outdoor Seating at Food Establishments Will Be Featured
Topic at Forum for Business Owners on Thursday, Oct. 15
Many Montgomery County establishments that serve food and
drinks have made significant adaptions during the COVID-19 health
crisis to expand the ways they serve patrons during warm weather months
using outdoor seating. The County’s Phase 2 restrictions remain in
effect, but the onset of cooler weather will have food service
establishments looking for new ways to serve their customers—such as
the use of heaters and tents for outdoor seating.
County-Operated
COVID-19 Testing Will Expand to 42 Clinics on Upcoming Schedule
Montgomery County will significantly expand its COVID-19
testing program over the next eight days as it will hold 42
County-operated clinics. That schedule triples the number of clinics
the County has held in its previous busiest weeks. Those clinics will
be in addition to more than 45 private providers who are continuing to
operate testing clinics.
Child Care
Providers and Families Can Apply for Financial Assistance That Will
Increase Access to Licensed Full-Day, School-Age Child Care
Applications are now being accepted to support school-age
child care providers that operate licensed child care programs in
public school buildings and help eligible families pay for full-day
care during virtual learning. The County Council unanimously approved a
$7 million special appropriation last week for an initiative sponsored
by Council President Sidney Katz and strongly supported by County
Executive Marc Elrich.
County Expands
Emergency Assistance Relief Payment Program to Low-Income Residents
Montgomery County’s Emergency Assistance Relief Payment
(EARP) program is expanding to include financial assistance to more
low-income households who do not qualify for other types of Federal and
State support.
Voting Update:
Avoid Lines and Stay Safe by Voting by Mail
Election day—Tuesday, Nov. 3—is less than one month away,
and for those who have ordered mail-in ballots (it is not too late to
do that), they will arrive soon—if they have not already arrived. In
Montgomery County, there will only be about 40 polling places open
throughout the County on Election Day (usually there are 255 voting
locations). Here is some important election information.
County Executive
is Holding Series of Virtual FY22 Budget Forums, with Next One TONIGHT,
Thursday, Oct. 8
Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich is holding a
series of virtual forums about priorities for the Fiscal Year 2022
(FY22) Operating Budget and the Capital Improvements Program (CIP)
budget. The next forum will be held starting at 7 p.m. TONIGHT,
Thursday, Oct. 8, and will focus on the operating budget. Each of the
forums will be hosted via Microsoft Teams.
Glenmont Forest
and Wheaton Hills ‘Green Streets’ Project Awarded $1.5 million in
Grants to Improve Water Quality, Manage Stormwater
The Montgomery County Department of Environmental
Protection (DEP) has received three grants totaling $1.5 million to
construct a “Green Streets Project” in the Silver Spring neighborhoods
of Glenmont Forest and Wheaton Hills to improve water quality of local
streams and help manage stormwater runoff.
Montgomery
County Joins Celebration of October as ‘Energy Action Month’ with Focus
on Lowering Energy Use and Costs
October
is “Energy Action Month” and Montgomery County, through the
Montgomery Energy Connection network, will be hosting events in
partnership with the County’s Department of Environmental Protection
(DEP), Montgomery County Recreation, the County’s Department of Health
and Human Services and community partners
to provide residents with information and opportunities
to lower energy costs.
Registration
Open for 2020 Montgomery Energy Summit That Will Be Held Virtually Nov.
17-19
Registration is now open for the seventh annual Montgomery
County Energy Summit, which will be held virtually due to the ongoing
COVID-19 health pandemic. The Summit is scheduled for Tuesday-Thursday,
Nov. 17-19. Sessions will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on
Tuesday, from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday and from 11 a.m. to
5:30 p.m. on Thursday.
New Deadline on
2020 Census Will Have Self-Response and Field Operations Extended
Through Saturday, Oct. 31
The U.S. Census Bureau, after a court ruling last week,
will extend its self-response and field operations for the 2020 Census
through Saturday, Oct. 31. All households who have not yet
responded are urged to do so online immediately at my2020census.gov/
or via phone at 844-330-2020. There are multiple language options
available online and via phone.
