Montgomery County will again host two fireworks displays on July 4:

Germantown Glory at the South Germantown Recreational Park, 18041 Central Park Circle, Boyds and Mid-County Sparkles at Albert Einstein High School, 11135 Newport Mill Road, Kensington. Both fireworks displays will begin at approximately 9:15 p.m.

In addition to these two displays, several municipalities are hosting celebrations and fireworks. Check out Visit Montgomery for a full list of fireworks and other activities.

To find out what's open and what’s closed as well as parking and trash pick-up information for the County, see the holiday schedule for the Fourth of July on my blog.

Last month, the Council unanimously approved Expedited Bill 17-18, Property Tax Credit - Elderly Individuals and Retired Military Services Members – Application. This legislation streamlines the application process for elderly individuals and retired military services members to receive the property tax credit, and removes the requirement for an individual to apply every year that the individual is eligible to receive the credit. Instead, an individual would apply for the credit the first year and would automatically receive the credit for four additional years if the individual remains eligible for the credit. 

This bill applies retroactively so that individuals who missed the April 1, 2018 application deadline for the second year of credit would still receive the credit for the tax year that begins on July 1. Also included in this bill is an amendment I introduced to implement a recent state law. This law allows a surviving spouse of a veteran eligible for the credit to receive the property tax credit. This year's application deadline for only a surviving spouse of a veteran is September 1, 2018. For all other first-year, qualified applicants, you cannot receive the credit for this year's (FY19) tax bill but can apply next year by the April 1, 2019 deadline.

You can read the Council staff report here and check the County website regularly for updated information. I'll also post more information on my blog as it becomes available.

Last month, I attended the Marriott Headquarters Groundbreaking event in Bethesda. Marriott is the gold standard for corporate excellence. We are honored they have been here for 60 years and happy they decided to stay and build in Montgomery County. What a good opportunity for the County. It creates jobs, stimulates business activity, and grows the County tax base.

Construction is scheduled to begin on the 785,000-square-foot property at 7750 Wisconsin Avenue this summer. About 3,500 employees will be based at the global headquarters when it opens in 2022. You can learn more about the project here, and view pictures from the groundbreaking event.. 

Do you know who to contact about the County's recycling and trash program, and do you know what items are recyclable? Visit the County's Department of Environmental Protection's website for this information and find answers to the most frequently asked questions regarding trash and recycling in the County.