ss/question.pr      96-347         Contact:  David Weaver, 301-217-6530
                                        
ELECTED OFFICIALS ANNOUNCE
OPPOSITION TO QUESTION C           For Immediate Release: Oct. 7, 1996


     A host of Montgomery County elected officials joined forces today to
voice their opposition to the so-called "Ficker amendment," which will appear
as Question C on the County's November 5 ballot.
     "The Ficker amendment threatens our schools, our public safety, and our
overall quality of life," said Montgomery County Executive Douglas M. Duncan. 
"We need to defeat Question C -- for the sake of our children, our streets and
our community."
     "I urge voters to reject Ficker's siren song of a short-term tax cut
that will wreak havoc over the long-term on our county's most important
resource for the future -- our children," said Council President Gail H.
Ewing.
     "I stand today with my county and state colleagues to say no to the
Ficker amendment," said Congresswoman Connie Morella.  "The piggyback tax
revenue is the only revenue source that stays right here at home in Montgomery
County where every dollar is critically important for our schools, our
libraries, our health and housing programs, our roads, and all the other
services our citizens need and expect.  In addition, the Ficker amendment
could seriously jeopardize Montgomery County's AAA bond rating."
     "The Ficker amendment is a sneak attack on services to our disadvantaged
and disabled citizens," said Congressman Al Wynn.  "This is the wrong time to
put a straightjacket on our elected county officials."
                                 - more -

OFFICIALS ANNOUNCE OPPOSITION TO FICKER AMENDMENT                2-2-2

     "This ballot question not only threatens to substantially cut County
revenue, but also could jeopardize State aid under the maintenance of effort
law," said Ida Ruben, chair of the County's State Senate delegation.
     "The impact of the Ficker amendment would be far greater than that of
the State's elimination, several years ago, of Social Security payments for
our teachers," said Kumar Barve, chair of the County's House delegation.
     If Question C were to pass, it would amend Section 305 of the County
Charter to:
          require the County Council, when setting rates for the real
          property tax, to reduce the total revenue produced by that tax in
          any fiscal year by the amount of revenue received during the
          preceding fiscal year from the county income tax which exceeds the
          revenue that would have been received if the income tax rate were
          56 percent of the state income tax; and
          allow property and income tax rate restrictions to be overridden
          only in an emergency by a unanimous vote of all Councilmembers.
     A fiscal analysis prepared by the County's Department of Finance shows
that, if enacted, the Ficker amendment could cost the County an estimated
$600-900 million in diminished revenues over the next six years.  In fiscal
year 1998 alone, the funding loss could be as high as $45 million -- the
equivalent, by way of example, of 45 percent of the Police Department budget.
     County Executive Duncan said he is "very encouraged by the grass-roots
opposition which has been mounting against Question C.  If this measure were
to pass, it could seriously hamper our ability to fund many of the County's
most vital basic services.  It's important that we, as community leaders and
as individuals, work to get that message out to the voters."
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