|
Dear Friends,
The Montgomery County Council is back in session after our summer recess. While on recess, my team and I were hard at work drafting legislation, engaging with the community, and preparing for our Buckets & Beats youth block party.
During this week’s council session, I introduced four bills to be considered over the coming months. I am proposing legislation to require smoke escape hoods in apartment buildings. These hoods will assist our Fire and Rescue personnel as they evacuate people during fires. Read more below.
I also introduced a package of three tax credit bills. The purpose of this tax credit package is twofold: 1) to assist our residents of modest and low incomes and those on fixed incomes; and 2) to continue to create a more equitable and progressive tax system in Montgomery County. With costs soaring and instability coming from the White House, we are trying to do all we can to make sure residents in the County can continue to call it home. More below.
As always, feel free to contact my office if you have any questions or need assistance.
Sincerely,
 Kate Stewart
Councilmember
(she, her)
This recess was a busy one! On September 15th, I introduced four bills with public hearings scheduled for Tuesday, October 6th or 13th and committee worksessions to be scheduled soon.
The first three bills have the same goal to address the affordability crisis facing our residents and to do so in a way that is equitable and centers those most in need.
Our first bill is putting in place a Child Tax Credit (CTC). We know raising a family can be costly, especially in jurisdictions like Montgomery County. To help alleviate financial burdens for families with modest and low incomes I, along with Councilmember Shebra Evans, am introducing Bill 46-26 to establish a Child Tax Credit (CTC) in Montgomery County. These credits support families in their ability to afford household essentials such as food and shelter. The benefits of such credits include improved health and educational outcomes during childhood, and increased educational attainment, employment, and earnings in young adulthood. We also see increased spending in the local economy. This bill will benefit not only individual families, but entire communities. Thank you to Delegate Julie Palakovich Carr for leading the legislation in Annapolis that allowed us to do this here in Montgomery County.
Two other bills focus on the housing affordability crisis and advancing targeted progressive property tax credits. I am leading efforts with my colleagues on the Government Operations and Fiscal Policy Committee to expand eligibility for Montgomery County’s supplemental Homeowners Tax Credit (HOTC). Building on legislation I led last year, this expansion to the HOTC will make more residents eligible to receive the credit by increasing the income cap from $75,000 to $106,800. After hearing from non-profit partners, especially Habitat for Humanity, that many residents earning over the current limit are still struggling due to increases in costs of living, we are looking to expand this credit so that more homeowners can benefit.
In addition, we introduced a bill which adds public school employees to the $2,500 property tax credit that the County currently extends to certain County first responders. Because of the housing affordability crisis that is facing residents and our public school employees, many are unable to afford to purchase a home in the community where they work. The County needs to take action and put in place targeted property tax credits that will enable more of our public school employees to afford to live in the County where they work. When our public employees live where they work, there are benefits for our entire community. Thank you to Delegate Lorig Charkoudian for leading the enabling legislation in Annapolis so we can put this tax credit in place here in MoCo.
 |
Our fourth bill builds on the work we have been doing over the last three years to increase safety in our apartment buildings. In February of 2023, the Diaz family lost their daughter Melanie to a fire in downtown Silver Spring. Since that time they have been advocating to ensure no other family has to suffer the same loss. Through a generous donation to our Fire and Rescue Department in December, our firefighters have been able to purchase and start using smoke escape hoods.
To expand their use, we are introducing a bill to require multi-family buildings to have hoods readily available onsite.
The MoCo Pride Center recently celebrated its first year of the physical location in Bethesda. It was great to attend and see how much the Pride Center means to many people across Montgomery County. The Pride Center is a safe space for members of the LGBTQ+ community to find support and resources, and is open every day of the week. I am proud to support the MoCo Pride Center and all the fantastic services provided there. Happy One Year Anniversary, MoCo Pride!
I recently had the chance to sit in on landlord-tenant cases at the Montgomery County District Court. Cases involving housing stability, including potential eviction, can be incredibly stressful and overwhelming. I appreciate partners like Housing Initiative Partnership, who accompanied me on my visit, and other groups who are present to guide and support residents throughout their cases and connect them with services.
School is officially back in session! We finished the summer off with a bang by attending Back to School community events at Rolling Terrace Elementary, East Silver Spring Elementary and Pike District Pop-up Park. We were happy to hear from residents and answer questions.
In addition to attending community events, I had the pleasure of touring MCPS schools with the Superintendent, School Board member Laura Stewart, and State Delegates Lorig Charkoudian and Jheanelle Wilkins. I am glad to see we have made some progress in addressing maintenance issues in schools we have been advocating for, but we still have much work to do to make sure our students and staff have safe and healthy learning environments. Wishing teachers, students, administrators and staff a Happy New Year!
I attended the annual Ethiopian Day Celebration in Downtown Silver Spring. This event highlights the rich cultural heritage, music, food and community. Thank you to the Maryland Ethiopian Community Center for all of their work in bringing our community together to learn about the culture, support local businesses, and have a good time. A highlight of the evening was the young people from the Yenata Language and Cultural Academy.
Happy Ethiopian New Year!
Identity, Inc. offers Montgomery County residents case management, mental health and counseling services, workforce development, GED prep in English and Spanish (ages 16-25), parent education and engagement workshops, substance use prevention and intervention (ages 10-25), and much more. Identity also operates the Crossroads Youth Opportunity Center, located in Takoma Park. To request services for yourself or someone else, call 301-800-5519 or visit their website.
I toured Nourish Now and heard how it’s working to end hunger in Montgomery County through food recovery. As the fall and winter holidays approach, Nourish Now will prepare 3,600 boxes of non-perishable holiday foods for Thanksgiving and December holidays. If you want to volunteer, visit their website.
Our 4th Annual Buckets and Beats Block Party is taking place this Friday, September 18th, from 2pm to 6pm at Veterans Plaza in Downtown Silver Spring!
Our youth event will include a variety of activities, such as a 3-v-3 basketball tournament, skateboarding lessons, arts & crafts, and an opportunity to learn about youth programming within the County to get our students involved. We will have a live DJ and free food, and a chance to win big prizes! We look forward to seeing you there! Students are encouraged to sign up for basketball and/or skateboarding ahead of time to ensure their participation. Please use the QR Code or this link to sign up.
OCD Anxiety Centers Ribbon Cutting
Congratulations to the OCD Anxiety Centers on its first ribbon cutting in Maryland. Welcome to Montgomery County's District 4! The Centers offer specialized treatment for anxiety and OCD. Its intensive outpatient program delivers three hours of structured therapy daily, Monday through Friday. Visit the Centers' website to learn more.
|
Office of Councilmember Kate Stewart
