Approved budget reflects tough choices The County Council recently approved Operating and Capital budgets for the fiscal year that begins July 1 that reflect the largest spending decrease in nearly two decades. While the budget may not include everything I asked for, I'm pleased that the final product represents more than 99 percent of what I recommended. I want to especially thank Council President Phil Andrews for his tireless work and his cooperation. I appreciate the close collaboration we've had with the Board of Education and Superintendent Dr. Jerry Weast. I thank our County, MCPS, and Montgomery College employees who have sacrificed their cost-of-living increases to help close our budget gap. This budget reflects some tough choices made to close a $587 million budget shortfall caused by the national economic downturn. We have cut costs by eliminating approximately 400 government positions, provided no cost-of-living pay raises to public employees, realized cost savings from all County departments, and reduced expenditures in the capital budget. This budget keeps faith with my commitment to hold the line on property taxes at the Charter limit, including a credit of $690 to lower the burden on homeowners and maintain a more progressive property tax. I sought to protect public safety, education, and the "safety net" for the County's most vulnerable in my recommended budget. We have increased funding for affordable housing and for pedestrian safety. We have also continued to invest in programs such as CountyStat and the upcoming "311" one-stop County phone system that are building a more effective and efficient government, saving millions of dollars, and boosting customer service. The budget approved today brings the County government's tax-supported growth rate down from a 14.1 percent increase in FY07, in the year before I took office, to an actual decrease of 2.2 percent for the coming fiscal year - the lowest level in 18 years. In the three budgets I have prepared, we have closed nearly $1.2 billion in shortfalls, unprecedented in County history. I believe we are making the right decisions to lay the groundwork for this County to come out of this downturn in the best position. We must keep in mind the economy may not yet have bottomed out and that County revenue from any recovery will lag that recovery. More state budget cuts may be on the horizon. And, even now, we are projecting a budget shortfall next year of over $370 million, with fewer options available. I look forward to working closely with the Council, the School Board, and others to meet our very real challenges in the future - and make a good Montgomery County even better, even as we weather tough times. - top Following the recent meeting that Economic Development Director Steven Silverman and I had with the owners of several auto dealerships in Montgomery County that are at risk for elimination in coming months by Chrysler and General Motors, I have written to officials at the state and federal levels, expressing my concern over the acts that have marked a number of local dealerships for elimination. In my letter to Governor O'Malley, I reminded him that the State of Maryland - through the Motor Vehicle Administration - licenses new automobile dealerships.Many dealers in Montgomery County who have been notified of GM's or Chrysler's intention to terminate their franchise agreements believe that their existing dealership license will simply be given to a new dealership in the same market in the relatively near future.This seems unfair to local businesses which have historically contributed to our local economy, and unfair to consumers who rely on the continuity of these businesses to service their vehicles.In these trying economic times, it does not make sense for the State to support the concept of replacing terminated car dealership franchises with new ones. Along these lines, I am recommending the State of Maryland announce that it will not issue any new automobile dealer licenses until General Motors and Chrysler complete the formal termination process with those dealers who are being affected.By doing so, our domestic automobile industry will hopefully come to recognize that our State is not interested in replacing terminated car dealership franchises with new ones, but rather, is interested in maintaining the viability of our existing local automobile businesses. Then, in a letter to the Counselor to the Secretary of the Treasury, I expressed concern over the recent decisions made by our nation's domestic automobile industry that will result in the elimination of local dealerships, jobs and important tax revenues for communities like ours. Also, I join my colleagues throughout the country in respectfully requesting that the documentation be released that highlights the presumed financial savings that will accrue to our domestic car manufacturers by closing local dealerships. I recognize the massive, complicated job the Task Force is facing, and I hope it considers our concerns. - top New initiative to address workers' safety and health National "Workers Memorial Day" is when unions and community groups across the country remember working men and women who have died on the job and highlight the need for workers' safety and health. Therefore, it was fitting that I observed the day this year by joining with Councilmembers George Leventhal and Valerie Ervin and worker advocates to unveil a new County initiative that will help protect the health and safety of employees in Montgomery County. Our six-point Worker Health and Safety Initiative will be the first of its kind in Maryland to help create a safer work environment for all. The initiative will provide additional training to building inspectors and other County staff to identify serious workplace dangers. In addition, the initiative will also promote greater awareness of successful approaches that reduce hazards on the job. Every job in our community ought to be a safe job. Despite our serious budget challenges, there are ways we can use existing resources to help reduce the thousands of workplace injuries and illnesses that occur each year in the county. The County will examine its private contracts and economic development tax credits to ensure adequate health and safety provisions. The initiative also includes distribution of materials in English and Spanish to construction and landscaping firms doing business in the county and a website with useful health and safety information and links to state and federal agencies. Maryland Occupational Safety and Health (MOSH) does a great job, but it has so few staff that it would take them 110 years to inspect every Maryland workplace once. We cannot do MOSH's job for them, but we can be the extra eyes and ears they need. - top Helping to prevent foreclosures Foreclosures in the county are a big concern for me, and we are working to address the problem on multiple fronts. Counseling for homeowners to try and avoid foreclosures is extremely important, as is helping organizations purchase foreclosed properties so neighborhoods remain stable. That is why I was pleased to be able to announce recently that the County and the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development will provide up to $450,000 to three non-profit organizations to provide foreclosure prevention counseling to homeowners in the county. Also, the County's Department of Housing and Community Affairs will provide a loan of $2 million to AHC Inc. to acquire, renovate, and re-sell foreclosed homes in the Germantown area (zip code 20874) to qualified low- and moderate-income households. The homes acquired will be lender-owned, two- or three-bedroom town homes and single-family homes in need of modest renovation that are good candidates for resale. The renovations will include energy efficiency and weatherization improvements. AHC estimates that approximately 18 homes can be acquired, renovated, and resold as affordable dwellings in a two-year period. The $2 million loan will come from the County's Housing Initiative Fund. - top Manufacturing tuberculosis vaccine locally Our inauguration of a state-of-the-art tuberculosis vaccine manufacturing facility in Rockville last month was a true win-win occasion. The new Aeras Global TB Vaccine Foundation facility has the capacity to produce 200 million doses of a new TB vaccine, plus the facility will lead to new high-tech jobs in the county during the economic downturn and will bring efficiencies and cost savings to the TB vaccine development and manufacturing process. Ultimately, the new facility will enable Aeras to keep the cost of future TB vaccines affordable to those who need them most in countries hardest hit by the disease. We are especially proud that Montgomery County is home to the Aeras Global TB Vaccine Foundation. Aeras' growth in the past six years has been tremendous. In a time of economic challenges, we are pleased that this project provided employment to over 130 people involved in the design and construction of the new facility. - top I recently announced my selections to lead two important departments in County Government. First, to head the Department of Economic Development (DED), I chose former County Councilmember and community activist Steve Silverman. Steve has the energy, intellect, and experience to take DED to the next level - to work with me to help weather the challenges ahead and position this county and its businesses to come out of the downturn in a strong situation that builds for the future. As a former chair of the Council's Planning, Housing, and Economic Development Committee, he is fully versed on the whole range of issues, problems, and opportunities before us. He knows where we have been, where we are, and - most importantly - where we need to go. Steve was a member of the Montgomery County Council for two terms, from 1998 to 2006, serving as its president twice. Since January 2007, he has served in the Maryland Attorney General's Office, as an assistant Attorney General, heading the Consumer Protection Division, and most recently, as Director of Aging, Healthcare and Special Projects. * * * I also concluded a nationwide search for a new fire chief by naming Acting Chief Richard R. Bowers Jr. as Chief of the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service (MCFRS). The new chief is a 32-year veteran of the department who has filled every rank and leadership role in MCFRS, including Acting Chief since October 31, 2008, when the County's first and only Fire Chief Thomas W. Carr Jr. retired. Although we conducted a wide-reaching search for fire chief, it is gratifying to know that our own interim chief beat all other competitors for the job. Our residents should take comfort in knowing that Montgomery County's first-class Fire and Rescue Service can only get better under the tutelage of such an experienced and highly-regarded leader in the fire and rescue field. Under his leadership, the County's Fire and Rescue Service has managed to facilitate the purchase of 39 new state-of-the art fire engines designed with firefighter safety in mind. The engines are destined for each of the County's fire stations within the next few months, along with three new heavy rescue squads, nine aerial tower and ladder trucks, and several new EMS units and support vehicles. This is one of the largest and most ambitious equipment purchases in the nation, and it includes significant training for all vehicle operators. I look forward to working with both men as we forge an even better Montgomery County. - top "Give where you live" pays off Many of our neighbors are hurting because of the economic downturn. The beds in our homeless shelters are full and hundreds of families are forced every day to make hard choices between paying rent, or a medical bill and buying groceries. However, I am proud that so many county residents have shown they care about their neighbors in need by giving back through the great work of the Montgomery County Community Foundation (MCCF) and our nonprofit partners. Thanks to the generosity of countless individual residents, families, and businesses in Montgomery County, I was able to stand with representatives of the MCCF to announce that the organization is awarding $440,000 in grants to 46 local nonprofits to serve families, children, and seniors in the county who have been hit hardest by the recession. Part of the total amount was raised through our "Yes Montgomery Can!" campaign that kicked off in January in concert with Martin Luther King Jr. Day and President Obama's inauguration. This is a grassroots effort - involving government, business, the faith community, nonprofit community groups, and MCPS student organizations - designed to encourage residents to help our neediest families and individuals through volunteer opportunities and donations to the Foundation's "Neighbors in Need Montgomery" fund. I want to acknowledge MCCF for their relentless dedication to ensuring that funds are there to help our most vulnerable residents, especially in these times when money is tight. Residents interested in donating can contact the Montgomery County Community Foundation by clicking here. - top Learn more about Maryland's Safe Haven Law I recently joined Adventist HealthCare President William G. (Bill) Robertson, the County's Health and Human Services Director Uma Ahluwalia and Child Welfare Services Administrator Agnes Leshner to announce a countywide campaign to educate the public about Maryland's Safe Haven Law. The law permits the birth mother or a responsible adult to take an unharmed newborn to a local hospital or a Montgomery County or Maryland State police station, within 10 days of a baby's birth, without fear of criminal prosecution or civil liabilities. In the past year, six infants have been placed for adoption in Montgomery County under the Safe Haven program. Several newborns were abandoned in the region during that time, as well. You can obtain more information by calling Child Welfare Services at 240-777-4417. All calls are confidential. - top Montgomery County Annual Report In my second annual report, recently transmitted to the County Council, I was able to affirm that Montgomery County, though facing one of the most difficult fiscal challenges in its history, remains a strong, vibrant, and desirable place to live and work. We continue moving towards the goals I have set as County Executive to promote:
As public officials, we have an obligation to build upon and learn from the past in order to make progress in the present -- while preparing for a better and stronger future for Montgomery County and our children and grandchildren to inherit. I am proud of the steady progress our county is making in support of these goals. Over the past year, I have worked steadily to protect and advance initiatives designed to produce more affordable housing in the county, to expand transportation options, to care for the most vulnerable in our midst, to improve our outstanding public education system, and to keep our families and property safe and secure. I have done this while substantially reducing the rate of increase in County spending and shaping a more prudent and sustainable County budget. These are not easy times in which to lead. We must be creative. We must do more with a lot less. We must deliver effective and transparent government that keeps what's working, fixes what isn't, and gives every county resident a seat at the table and a voice in the outcome. I invite you to read the Annual Report for more about how we are doing and the forward strides we are making. - top Swine flu threat passes; health tips still good While the immediate threat of the H1N1 flu virus outbreak has passed, our public health staff continues to monitor what is happening locally and nationally. To help keep the H1N1 flu virus from spreading, we continue to urge the public to take certain steps to help stop the spread of germs and illness:
Information for both residents -- on what you can do to prevent the spread of the H1N1virus - and for health care professionals is available at www.montgomerycountymd.gov/h1n1flu. - top I was very honored to be one of just seven individuals from around the country to be recognized recently by the Afterschool Alliance for supporting and working on behalf of the afterschool programs that keep kids safe, inspire them to learn, and help working families. The recognition came at the "Breakfast of Champions" gala in Washington, D.C. which featured U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and After School Matters Chair Maggie Daley. Providing quality afterschool programs in Montgomery County has been one of my priorities since I was elected County Executive in 2006. Our "Preparing Children to Live and Learn" priority includes developing and supporting a system of before - and after - school programming for youth. These programs are also important components of my administration's Positive Youth Development Initiative. For fiscal year 2008, I allocated $100,000 to create a local out-of-school time system. A partnership led by high ranking public officials, private organizations, and other community stakeholders helps to drive this effort. It includes increasing community awareness of and political will for programming, setting quality standards, supporting youth worker professional development, researching the need for out-of-school programming and provider capacity, and evaluating the effectiveness of existing programs. I want to thank the Montgomery County Collaboration Council for Children, Youth and Families for nominating me and the Afterschool Alliance for selecting me to receive this prestigious honor. - top An accurate census count will ensure that Montgomery County receives the federal funding that it is due, and it will give our residents the voice they deserve in Congress. It is so important that every resident be counted. Therefore I ask that each of you help us to make sure that all your friends and neighbors understand why it is crucial that they respond to the census forms when they arrive in March. In future issues of this newsletter, I will share more information about the County's efforts to work toward our goal of having a complete count. - top National media attention for libraries Locally, it's no secret that Montgomery County Public Libraries (MCPL) is one of the top systems in the country and we have the recognitions and accolades to support this fact. The importance of libraries to our residents is well-documented, as well. Now, people from other parts of the country will have a chance to see some of MCPL's programs at work, thanks to some national media attention. First, NBC's "Today Show" came to the Germantown Library recently to cover three free programs that are typically attracting large crowds during the economic downturn - a computer class, a children's program and an English conversation class. They did interviews with Germantown Branch Manager Nancy Savas and MCPL Public Services Administrator Michele Sellars. The segment is currently scheduled to air on June 1. Then, Discovery Communications' "Animal Planet" visited the Rockville Library in late May to cover the Read to Your Dog program during which students from Beall Elementary School read aloud to a specially trained therapy dog for half an hour at the Library. The program was developed through MCPL's partnership with Montgomery County Public Schools, the Delta Society and National Capital Therapy Dogs, Inc. to help students build their confidence and experience the joy of reading for pleasure. The segment, featuring Gaithersburg resident John Burrows and his Cavachon "Sophie" and young students from Beall Elementary School in Rockville should air later this year as part of Animal Planet's "DOGS 101" series. - top We plan to continue reaching out and communicating with residents in the months ahead. The next two opportunities coming up are: Monday, June 8 -- Online Chat, noon. You may submit your questions in advance - or during the chat -- by emailing County Executive Isiah Leggett. Wednesday, June 17 -- Call-in Show from 7:30 - 8:30 p.m. Council President Phil Andrews and I will take your calls at 240-777-6540. The show will be televised live on County Cable Montgomery (CCM) which is Channel 6 for Comcast subscribers and is on Channel 30 for Verizon subscribers. In the fall, we will resume our Town Hall Meetings. Watch this space for firm dates and locations. You can always find the latest information on the Chats, Call-in shows and Town Hall Meetings online at www.montgomerycountymd.gov. - top |