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January 2023
It has been a privilege to represent every corner of Montgomery County as an At-Large Councilmember over the last four years. As we kick off the new year, I want to share a few achievements I’m most proud of:
- Passing the Montgomery County Pay Equity Act, which closes the wage gap across race and gender for County employees;
- Passing legislation that eases the burden on our county’s small businesses by reducing annual license fees from $800 to $15.
- Securing more than $100 million in rental assistance to prevent evictions during the pandemic and passing the Housing Justice Act to reduce homelessness;
- Successfully expanding the Kids Ride Free program, allowing young people to ride our public buses at no cost, which resulted in a 57% increase in youth ridership; and leading the Council’s efforts that restored proposed bus service cuts which would have reduced public transportation along major Upcounty corridors.
- Leading the fight to pass the LGBTQ+ Bill of Rights and initiating annual Pride Month celebrations throughout the County;
- Meaningful action to reduce our County’s carbon footprint, including the opening of the Brookville Bus Depot, the largest solar bus charging infrastructure project in the United States; and successfully passing a measure that decreases the incineration of food waste by allowing farmers to use extra yard and food waste for compost and mulch.
As Council President, I am ready to get to work and build upon the progress we made these last four years. Check out Bethesda Beat's article on my priorities for the year ahead. Stay tuned for more on what’s to come this year as we commence our 2023 session.
I had the distinct honor of attending the White House when President Biden signed the Respect for Marriage Act into law. As the first openly LGBTQ+ member of the Montgomery County Council and a former board member of Equality Maryland, it was a joyous day for me to celebrate love and the protection of that love -- a hard-fought victory that generations of Americans have pushed for. Thank you to President Biden and his administration for their steadfast leadership to promote fairness and equality for all Americans.
Just before the holidays, a Montgomery County resident reached out to me wanting to donate $10,000 in Metro cards so residents in need could access safe and reliable transportation. Thanks to the generous donation, 33 low-income families received Metro cards loaded with $300. This will provide greater opportunity for residents to access jobs and educational opportunities, and increase social mobility for families who depend on public transportation.
Antisemitism is on the rise in Montgomery County and the DC region, as we have seen numerous disturbing incidents in recent weeks and months. These acts are not only a desecration of public spaces–they damage the entire community.
Following these incidents, it has been heartening to see people of all faiths and backgrounds come together to send a message that hate has no home here in Montgomery County. Members of the Jewish faith and allies need to be seen and all of us must continue to forcibly speak out against hate in all its forms.
Residents should report any incidents of hate crimes to the Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD).
On the second anniversary of the closing of White’s Ferry, I joined residents of Poolesville to call for its reopening. White’s Ferry is a vital service that previously connected 600-800 cars a day, as well as cyclists and pedestrians, across the Potomac. Businesses and residents have been severely impacted, adding 20 miles to commutes between Montgomery and Loudoun counties. This ferry had been operating for 235 years and it’s crucial that services be restored. I will continue working with colleagues in Virginia and across the region to restore this vital transportation network.
It’s always a privilege to learn from our next generation of leaders about issues that matter most to them. I was thrilled to host an exceptional group of Montgomery County Public Schools high school students at the Council Building, where they shared their thoughts with me and learned more about the work of the Council. These students have smart, innovative ideas and I look forward to their continued involvement and advocacy in our community and beyond.
The Montgomery County Council is seeking applicants to fill three vacancies on the Montgomery County Planning Board. The positions must be filled by a registered Democrat, a registered Republican and an unaffiliated voter. The deadline to apply is Friday, January 13 at 5 p.m. Apply today.
During the summer, I joined residents who live along Inwood Avenue to talk about road safety concerns in their neighborhood. Inwood Avenue is a residential street connecting two major corridors in Silver Spring. It is often used as a cut-through and the worn speed bumps were no longer preventing cars from speeding through and running stop signs. With an elementary school nearby, this was a dangerous situation.
I’m happy to report that we were able to get the Montgomery County Department of Transportation to reconstruct the speedbumps, install new signage and add new marked crossings; this work should be completed by spring. And just last month, I was able to get more traffic enforcement from MCPD and get a speed monitoring machine in place.
If you have concerns about pedestrian safety in your neighborhood, please don’t hesitate to reach out to my office at Councilmember.Glass@montgomerycountymd.gov.
Recreation center fitness passes will be free in 2023 for all County residents. The free pass will provide access to fully equipped fitness rooms, open gym activities and game rooms at any recreation center. If maintaining an active lifestyle is part of your new year’s resolution, check out the great fitness and recreation opportunities at your local rec center!
View newsletters in Spanish (español) and Mandarin (普通话).
Please do not reply to this email. To contact my office, email me at Councilmember.Glass@montgomerycountymd.gov.
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