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I was proud to stand alongside partners in the public and private sectors to announce the $20 million J.O.B.S. (Jobs, Opportunities & Business Support) Initiative. The J.O.B.S. Initiative will foster innovation, create lucrative jobs and give employers the opportunity to create a new business or expand and grow in our community. This proposal will create three separate, complementary initiatives: a $10 million Job Creation Fund, a $7 million Innovation Fund, and a $3 million Equity Fund. This bold economic development initiative will provide incentives for businesses to create high-paying jobs; help businesses develop new, innovative products and bring them to market; and support historically under-invested businesses, especially in our Equity Focus Areas along the I-270 Corridor, the Route 29 Corridor and the eastern downcounty.
Learn more.
Following a Moore-Miller Administration Cabinet Meeting hosted in Montgomery, Governor Wes Moore joined Montgomery County officials for a tour focused on emergency management and public safety. The tour included visits to the Montgomery County Police Department Drone Command Center and Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service’s Search and Rescue Team headquarters. MCPD launched the Drone as First Responder Program in November and the pilot program has seen success since launching. We got an inside look at how police operate the new, state-of-the-art drone as first responder (DFR) pilot program currently operating in Silver Spring and Wheaton. We also learned more about our skilled Search and Rescue 1 Team which is housed in Montgomery, includes top emergency response talent from across the region, and is deployed by FEMA to immediately respond to national emergencies on a moment’s notice.
The Council recently voted to enact a zoning measure that will promote car-free living and more housing near transit hubs by reducing parking requirements. Zoning Text Amendment (ZTA) 23-10, which I introduced with Councilmembers Kristin Mink and Evan Glass, will eliminate county-mandated minimum parking requirements within a half-mile radius of a Metro or Purple Line station and a quarter-mile radius of an existing or planned Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Station. The measure will encourage the development of housing, including affordable units, near transit corridors and will help Montgomery County reach its climate goals by encouraging housing options that are less expensive, and can better meet the modern needs of our residents. This commonsense change eliminates outdated, one-size-fits-all policies and embraces current, market-based approaches to enable the development of more affordable housing in line with our environmental and new housing generation goals.
Learn more.
The Council’s budget deliberations are officially underway. The Council will meet on April 8 and April 9 to hold afternoon and evening public hearings on the $7.1 billion Recommended FY25 Operating Budget, which was transmitted to the Council by the County Executive on March 14.
These public hearings are a critical time for us to hear from you about what matters most to your community. This is a key step in helping us develop a budget that meets the needs of our diverse communities across the County. I encourage all residents to participate in the upcoming public hearings, either by testifying live in-person or virtually, or submitting written testimony on what issues matter to you. The public hearings will be held at 1:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Monday, April 8 and Tuesday, April 9. Residents can sign up to testify by visiting the Council website: montgomerycountymd.gov/Council/Testify.html.
I recently joined County leaders and WMATA General Manager Randy Clarke in Wheaton to unveil new dedicated bus lanes on University Boulevard. These dedicated bus lanes are part of a larger MCDOT Bus Priority Project focused on making public transit faster and more reliable in Montgomery County. Accessible, reliable and safe public transit better connects people to jobs, school, health care, and social and civic engagement opportunities. The two-mile route has critical service connections for riders to Metrorail, Ride On, Metro buses and the Silver Spring Transit Center. The route along University Boulevard is the second-highest ridership route for Metrobus, carrying more than 9,000 riders each weekday. Expect to see more dedicated lanes throughout the County in the near future as part of a larger Bus Priority Project.
The Montgomery County Department of Police (MCPD) has expanded eligibility of the priority areas for the Security Camera Incentive Program. The program aims to deter and solve crime by incentivizing the installation of security cameras in certain geographic areas. An owner or tenant of a property used as a residence, business or nonprofit located within an eligible priority area may apply. Check eligibility using the interactive map and apply on the MCPD website.
The Council is seeking applicants to serve on the seven-member committee to recommend funding for the Public Election Fund. The committee is composed of seven County residents appointed by the Council for a four-year term beginning on May 1 of the first year of the Council's term of office. Each member must reside in Montgomery County while serving on the committee. No more than three members may be from the same political party. The committee must issue a report to the Council on or before January 30 of each year that identifies the estimated funds necessary to implement the public campaign financing system. The deadline to apply to serve on the Public Election Fund Committee is March 25 at 5 p.m.
Learn more and apply by visiting https://tinyurl.com/PublicElectionFund.
I encourage residents to continue to engage with my office on issues of importance to our community. We appreciate your patience and understanding as our small but mighty team works to respond to your inquiries. Please continue to engage with us by email, visiting our website, Facebook, and Twitter pages, and subscribing to our newsletter.
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