Dear Friends,

Happy Thanksgiving! As we enter this season of giving, I am thankful to live and work in Montgomery County. This diverse community truly embraces inclusivity and welcomes residents from a range of backgrounds. I know this has been a difficult time for some of us, but we know how to stand together and continue the work in the face of obstacles. We have much work ahead and we will be here with you and for you. 

Taking recent events into account, the County Council and County Executive are hosting the United in Service and Support Community Resource Fair on Sunday, December 8th from 1 - 4 PM at the Executive Office Building in Rockville. In light of changes coming at the federal level, your county government is committed to ensuring that all residents have access to information about essential community services. Visit the Montgomery County website for more information.

As always, feel free to contact my office if you have any questions or need assistance.

Sincerely,

Council Vice President Kate Stewart 

(she, her) why pronouns

Montgomery County Thanksgiving Parade

My office was so grateful to be joined by members of Arts on the Block and the MoCo Pride Center for this year’s Montgomery County Thanksgiving Parade! This parade is a wonderful annual tradition celebrating our community. This year, we were even joined by local Olympians Thea LaFond and Aaron Ghebre Owusu.

Updating the Public Campaign Finance System

I am proud to be a lead sponsor of Bill 20-24, Public Campaign Financing – Amendments, with Councilmembers Evan Glass, Natali Fani-González, Gabe Albornoz, Kristin Mink, Marilyn Balcombe, and Laurie-Anne Sayles, which passed unanimously last week. 

The purpose of the County’s campaign finance law is to encourage greater voter participation in County elections, increase opportunities for more residents to run for office and reduce the influence of large contributions from businesses, political action groups and other large organizations. We’ve now been through two election cycles with the public campaign finance system and it was time to update it.

In updating our public campaign finance system, I offered amendments which were included in the final passage of the bill. The first was to increase the individual donor contribution limit from $250 to $500. The second, to increase the matching ratios for base contributions up to $50, making smaller dollar contributions more impactful. Finally, an amendment to permit limited candidate affiliation in accordance with state law. Our public campaign finance system is incredibly important in ensuring residents from a range of backgrounds are able to run for office and this bill continues this work as we modernize our system. Read more in our press release.

Expanding Tax Credits for Public Safety Personnel

Last week, the Council unanimously approved Bill 15-24, Taxation – Public Safety Officers – Bi-County Agency Policy, sponsored by Councilmembers Gabe Albornoz and Natali Fani-González. This legislation expands the existing property tax credit for police officers to include public safety officers employed by a bi-county agency, such as Park Police and WSSC Police, in addition to DHHS Crisis Center employees. I was pleased to sponsor an amendment to extend this benefit to officers employed by towns and cities across the county. Recruiting and retaining public safety personnel is a challenge for our county and expanding this property tax credit will help more of our public safety staff live in our county, where they serve our communities.

Long Branch Parks Initiative

Montgomery Parks is continuing its Long Branch Parks Initiative to renovate and update parks in the area based on what residents want to see. There are a lot of different parts of the work underway, including:

• Improving amenities and equipment in parks
• Connecting people better with each other and incorporating programming
• Increasing native plantings and removing invasive plants

With construction underway on new playgrounds, new bridges, and improved trails, shade areas, and grills, this project will be transformative for the Long Branch area.

Full details on all the current and upcoming incredible work by our Parks team can be found in the Long Branch Parks Initiative report.

Councilmember for a Day

On Tuesday, the Council honored three students who submitted videos for the Councilmember for a Day Challenge. These individuals touched on important topics in their videos, from digital literacy, to the importance of language, to mental health. The third place winner, Anna Jhon, is a junior at Walter Johnson High School. Thank you to Councilmember Will Jawando for continuing this annual competition!

Kate in the Community

Pike District’s Barks, Brews, & BBQ - Gracie and I had a wonderful time at the Pike District Partnership’s Barks, Brews, & BBQ! There was something for everyone to enjoy – live music, treats, good food, and free dog toys. 

Talbot Avenue Lantern Walk - Wonderful evening for the Talbot Avenue Bridge Lantern Walk last weekend. We spent time remembering Charlotte Coffield and the work she did in this community. As Pat Tyson said at the event, we must shine the light to keep away the darkness.

WMCCAB - I had the honor of visiting the Western Montgomery County Citizens Advisory Board this week to speak about my priorities for the coming year and hear about their concerns. Thank you to Regional Services Director Peter Fosselman and WMCCAB Chair Kristen Nelson for inviting me to join and for your ongoing service.

The WMCCAB met at the 2D police station, and while I was there, I was invited to help recognize Officer Brandon Harvey, who was chosen as the 2D Officer of the Quarter, from July - October 2024. Thank you to the District 2 Police Headquarters for hosting us!

Cub Scout Pack 23 Meeting - Great visit with scouts and the families of Silver Spring Pack 23! We talked about local government and they had some great ideas for legislation we need in MoCo. Learn more about them at pack23silverspring.com

Senior Resources via the Silver Spring Village

If you are a senior or have an elderly loved one, check out the comprehensive list of “Senior Resources” on the Silver Spring Village website. There are a range of resources on topics such as caregiving, employment, public benefits, and transportation.

WSSC Notices Regarding Knowing Your Water Pipe Type

Leer en español: https://tinyurl.com/hczwvwsy

WSSC recently sent out letters to some residents regarding possible sources of lead in privately-owned pipes. It’s important to note that WSSC replaced all publicly-owned pipes back in 2005. If you did not receive a letter from WSSC, records indicate that your private water line does not contain lead, based on their extensive plumbing records review. If you received a notice, it means you should follow their instructions online to know your pipe type and quickly confirm whether your private water line needs replacement. Learn more about possible sources of lead within households, reducing the risk of lead exposure, and financial resources available to assist with water line replacement on WSSC’s website. Over 96% of customer-owned water service lines are NOT lead, and this process will find any remaining lines in need of replacement.