Connected Communities Newswire

Connected Communities Newswire - County Executive http://connectedcommunities.us Read County Council by LISTSERV or RSS en Thu, 23 May 2013 08:42:48 GMT vBulletin 60 http://connectedcommunities.us/images/misc/rss.jpg Connected Communities Newswire - County Executive http://connectedcommunities.us County Executive Statement on Today’s County Council Tentative Agreement on Budget http://connectedcommunities.us/showthread.php?t=55599&goto=newpost Thu, 16 May 2013 20:40:43 GMT

For Immediate Release
May 16, 2013

Statement of Montgomery County Executive
Isiah Leggett Regarding Today’s County Council
Tentative Agreement on Fiscal Year 2014 Budget

May 16, 2013
Today, the Montgomery County Council tentatively approved the fiscal year 2014 budget. I thank the Council for their hard work on this important task. Balancing the needs of our residents and businesses in the current difficult economic environment is not an easy endeavor and I appreciate and thank them for their accomplishments.

The balanced $4.8 billion budget I recommended to the Council in March strategically restored some of the most critical and important services that we were forced to substantially reduce over the past six years as the County faced unprecedented budget challenges.

My recommended enhancements in FY14 balance the backlog of resident needs with the County’s new economic reality - holding the line on property taxes at the County Charter level at the rate of inflation; holding the tax-supported County government budget increase to 3.9 percent, which is half of last year’s increase; and increasing spending for our expanding school enrollment.

The Council’s action today approved 99 percent of my recommended budget.

I am, however, particularly concerned about two Council actions that create an $18 million problem this year and create greater difficulties in balancing the budget in FY15 and beyond.

The energy tax cut of 10 percent reduces revenues by $11.6 million in FY14 and well into the future. One of the many reasons why I recommended retaining the energy tax at the current level is that a substantial portion of the tax comes from federal and other tax-exempt facilities in the County that otherwise pay nothing to the County for the services that they consume. This reduction reduces our budget flexibility in future years.

I also do not believe the Council should “borrow” $6.7 million in funds I set aside to pay for retired County employees’ health benefits. Those funds will have to be repaid next year, which will result in higher future obligations.

I understand the Council’s desire to meet its own policy goals and the tremendous demands that make these decisions so difficult. My goal is to continue to improve our fiscal stability that we have worked so tirelessly and collaboratively to achieve. ]]> County Executive Howard Hartman http://connectedcommunities.us/showthread.php?t=55599 County Executive on Council Approval of Employee Compensation Package for FY2014 http://connectedcommunities.us/showthread.php?t=55270&goto=newpost Tue, 30 Apr 2013 15:30:39 GMT

For Immediate Release
April 30, 2013

Statement of Montgomery County Executive
Isiah Leggett Regarding County Council Approval
of Employee Compensation Package for FY2014

April 30, 2013
I commend the Montgomery County Council for approving the employee compensation package I recommended for Fiscal Year (FY) 2014. It was the right thing to do.

Over the last six years, I have taken painful actions to put the County back on a path of economic sustainability. Prior to my assuming office, County spending had increased during each of the previous four years by an average of more than 10 percent – an astounding 42 percent over four years.

For the first five years of my administration, the rate of growth in the County’s tax-supported budget was zero – even while Montgomery County’s population increased by eight percent and inflation increased by 12 percent. I eliminated 10 percent of all County positions. Employees had no cost-of-living increases for four years, no steps and increments for three years, and up to eight days of furloughs. Changes in cost sharing arrangements for health and retirement plans shifted more costs to employees.

These actions saved the County over $469 million over four years - with ongoing annual savings as a result of these measures of $156 million a year. During the past two years, most area local governments or agencies gave cost-of-living and/or steps to their employees. Montgomery County did none of this.

Our cost cutting efforts were necessary, but they called for great sacrifice from County employees. Over the past four years, the average County employee has contributed over $30,000 to help close $2.7 billion in budgetary gaps. Based on the actions already taken, each employee will continue to contribute up to $6,500 a year well into the future.

The work I and the County Council have done to put the County’s fiscal house in order – boosting reserves, cutting the workforce, reducing expenditures and the hundreds of millions of dollars in employee savings -- has given the County the room to provide some compensation increases after four lean years. I thank the Council for their action today that recognizes that employees also deserve to benefit from our County’s economic recovery. ]]> County Executive Howard Hartman http://connectedcommunities.us/showthread.php?t=55270 Statement by County Executive Concerning the Silver Spring Transit Center http://connectedcommunities.us/showthread.php?t=54452&goto=newpost Tue, 19 Mar 2013 19:28:56 GMT

For Immediate Release
March 19, 2013

Statement of Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett
Concerning the Silver Spring Transit Center

March 19, 2013
Today, Montgomery County released the long-anticipated report from our independent consultant, KCE Structural Engineers, P.C., concerning the Silver Spring Transit Center (SSTC). Unfortunately, the news is not good. KCE and its team, which includes Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates Inc. and Walter P. Moore and Associates, Inc., found serious problems with the design, construction, concrete strength, concrete testing accuracy, adherence to fire codes, and many other issues that indicate the SSTC, as it is currently constructed, is severely compromised.

According to the thorough report, the facility contains significant and serious design and construction defects, including excessive cracking, missing post-tensioning cables, inadequate reinforcing steel, and concrete of insufficient strength and thickness. These deficiencies not only compromise the structural integrity of the facility but could also begin to impact the Transit Center’s durability far earlier than expected, thus shortening its useful life. At worst, if no changes are made, some of the facility’s elements may not withstand the loads they are intended to support – thereby putting the many users of the center at potential risk.

The County became concerned about the overall construction of the SSTC after we and others observed varying thicknesses of concrete throughout the structure, significant cracking, and exposed post-tensioning cables. The County hired a world-renowned firm that assembled a team of independent engineers who discovered that the problems at the SSTC far exceeded what was originally identified. Due to the serious nature of the findings and the revelation of additional design and construction issues, the report has taken more time – so the County can be sure exactly what it is dealing with and what needs to be done to make the SSTC the durable, safe facility it is intended to be.

There is some good news in the report. There are fixes that will make the SSTC safe and functional. However, these fixes will take time. No one wants the SSTC to open more than I do, but not at the expense of public safety or burdens to County taxpayers from future unanticipated costs.

I pledge that the County will move forward aggressively to ensure that needed repairs are made to get the SSTC open as soon as possible. It is my intent to resolve the remediation and compliance issues on the SSTC while we move, separately, to address issues of fault and liability.

The residents of Silver Spring and Silver Spring transit users deserve a facility that meets their needs. I intend to ensure that commuters have a functioning transit center, as promised. If required, I will pursue every legal and administrative remedy available to make sure that County interests – and County taxpayers – are protected throughout this process.

The full report – including all supporting documents

Go to this site

]]> County Executive Howard Hartman http://connectedcommunities.us/showthread.php?t=54452 Statement on Nomination by President Obama of Thomas Perez to be Secretary of Labor http://connectedcommunities.us/showthread.php?t=54416&goto=newpost Mon, 18 Mar 2013 16:11:03 GMT

For Immediate Release
March 18, 2013

Statement by Montgomery County Executive
Ike Leggett and John Kane, CEO of the Kane
Company on the Nomination by President Obama
of Thomas Perez to be US Secretary of Labor

March 18, 2013
“One of us chaired the Maryland Democratic Party, the other the Maryland Republican Party. But whether you hail from the party of Lincoln and Reagan or from that of Jefferson, Jackson, and FDR, all should welcome the nomination by the President of Tom Perez as the next United States Secretary of Labor.

“Tom’s rise from humble, immigrant roots to positions of leadership in Montgomery County, the State of Maryland, and the federal government is a success story that could happen only in America. He has never forgotten where he came from. Agree with him or not, Tom is fair, honest, and willing to listen to all sides, and search for common ground. He is upfront in his passion to make sure America is truly a land of freedom and opportunity for all, and that everyone has a seat at the decision-making table.

“Montgomery County and Maryland, Republicans and Democrats, and non-affiliated individuals can be proud of this nomination. We wholeheartedly support Tom Perez as Secretary of Labor. He has the experience and the passion, the values, and the intellect to really make a positive difference for our great nation.” ]]> County Executive Howard Hartman http://connectedcommunities.us/showthread.php?t=54416 Statement by County Executive Ike Leggett on State Transportation Funding Initiative http://connectedcommunities.us/showthread.php?t=54172&goto=newpost Tue, 05 Mar 2013 15:44:41 GMT

For Immediate Release
March 5, 2013

Statement by County Executive Ike Leggett
on State Transportation Funding Initiative

March 5, 2013

“I am very pleased that Governor O’Malley, Senate President Miller, and Speaker Busch have joined forces to insure that the Maryland Transportation Trust Fund has the needed resources to maintain and improve our State’s roads and transportation systems and grow jobs and business into the future.

“Several years ago, I virtually stood alone in advocating for an increase in the state’s gasoline tax -- which hasn’t been increased since 1992, when George Bush Senior was President. It wasn’t popular then, and it isn’t popular now. But we needed it then, and we still need it now.

“This will help replenish the State’s Transportation Trust Fund and assist counties throughout the state to advance major transportation infrastructure. Inaction costs commuters even more time stuck in congestion and costs the State jobs and investment.” ]]> County Executive Howard Hartman http://connectedcommunities.us/showthread.php?t=54172