Dear Friends,
I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season. I took a break and visited friends in downtown Los Angeles. During the trip, I was struck by how many people experiencing homelessness I saw wandering the streets in need of help. We are a far cry from the position that downtown LA is in, and I couldn't help but compare how we treat people here in Montgomery County. We have worked hard to build a strong network through our Department of Health and Human Services to help our residents with services, so they don’t become homeless in the first place. Still, we see people in crisis every day. I hate to think how our nation would be without the services we have worked hard to coordinate for our residents in need. It was painful to see little kids sleeping out in the streets, without a home.
And why would places like LA see that? I think you know the answer is this federal administration. Its impact is being felt everywhere. Maryland lost nearly 25,000 jobs last year, according to newly released data from the State’s Bureau of Labor Statistics. An analysis of our region's economy by the Washington Economy Watch, conducted through George Mason University's Stephen S. Fuller Institute, found that federal employment decreased by nearly 6% from September 2024 to September 2025. That dwarfs the decline in federal jobs seen nationwide, which decreased by 3.7%. The group estimates that the region lost roughly 41,500 federal jobs in 2025.
Our State absorbed the most job losses in the nation, including more than 10,000 in October and November, when deferred resignations were finally realized. Decisions made by the federal government make it challenging to maintain the compassionate and thoughtful programs that support our residents.
One of the worst and most inhumane examples of what the Trump administration is planning is a $7.5 million cut to our permanent supportive housing program – a program that gets people off the streets and into housing with supportive services. Some of these clients cannot manage their lives and need help, and yet, the administration's approach is to eliminate the funding, put them back on the streets, and provide no housing or other support unless they get a job and go into treatment. It would leave people with serious mental health issues without the tools to help them find jobs and force them into mandatory programs they’ve resisted taking part in because of the issues they deal with. It is a vicious cycle.
We don’t have enough mental health workers or facilities to treat people, and the federal government has no intention of providing the funding to build the facilities we would need. And so, we anticipate losing housing for over 800 families and individuals if we lose this funding entirely. Imagine 800 more people on our streets, in the blink of an eye, with no food, shelter, or medicine. This is the president’s plan to end homelessness, and it is insane. Cutbacks to social service programs—Medicaid, SNAP, and others—limit the effectiveness of the help we can provide.
These challenges lay the groundwork for State lawmakers in the 2026 General Assembly, which convenes next Wednesday, Jan. 14.
Montgomery County is well represented, with many of our own elected leaders holding new leadership positions:
- Ways and Means Committee, Chair: Del. Jheanelle Wilkins
- Appropriations Committee, Vice Chair: Del. Anne Kaiser
- Economic Matters Committee, Vice Chair: Del. Lorig Charkoudian
- Joint Committee on Legislative Ethics, Chair: Del. Bonnie Cullison
- Deputy Majority Whip: Del. Chao Wu
- Deputy Majority Whip: Del. Greg Wims
- Deputy Majority Whip: Del. Joe Vogel
- Deputy Majority Whip: Del. Teresa Woorman
- Appropriations Committee, Public Safety and Administration Subcommittee, Chair: Del. Gabe Acevero
- Appropriations Committee, Education and Economic Development Subcommittee, Chair: Del. Sarah Wolek
- Government, Labor, and Elections Committee, Corrections Subcommittee, Chair: Del. Charlotte Crutchfield
- Government, Labor, and Elections Committee, Oversight Subcommittee on Personnel, Chair: Del. Jared Solomon
- Environment, Transportation Committee, Energy Subcommittee, Chair: Del. David Fraser- Hidalgo
- Environment, Transportation Committee, Non-Energy Utility Subcommittee, Chair: Del. Linda Foley
- Environment, Transportation Committee, Agriculture and Aquaculture Subcommittee, Chair: Del. Natalie Ziegler
- Ways and Means Committee, Revenue Subcommittee, Chair: Del. Julie Palakovich Carr
- Ways and Means Committee, Childcare Subcommittee, Chair: Del. Bernice Mireku-North
- Health Committee, Elder and Long-Term Care Subcommittee, Chair: Del. Lesley Lopez
- Economic Matters Committee, Economic Development Subcommittee, Chair: Del. Lily Qi
Congratulations to them and best wishes to everyone representing us in Annapolis. On the Senate side, Sen. Nancy King serves as majority leader. Sen. Brian Feldman is chair, and Sen. Cheryl Kagan is vice chair of the Education, Energy, and Environment Committee. Sen. Will Smith and Sen. Jeff Waldstreicher are chair and vice chairs of the Judicial Proceedings Committee.
I was pleased to welcome Del. Palakovich Carr to my media briefing this week to discuss the upcoming legislative session. You can watch that on the County’s YouTube channel.
I am optimistic that, working with our delegation and other elected leaders, we can modernize our economy and the way we collect revenue. Northern Virginia has demonstrated that infrastructure improvements help attract business. We’ll also work with the State to help fund the new North Bethesda Metro entrance, renovations to the Lakeforest Transit Center, and continued support for our transition to a zero-emission bus fleet.
The State is a key partner in advancing school construction, business development, and aiding small businesses impacted by Purple Line construction. Our residents who are at risk of being priced out of their homes need protection, and our historic efforts to build affordable housing will also continue to benefit from State support.
Although we will work toward meaningful change for our community, we also recognize that the President is opposed to diversity, equality, and supporting those who are less fortunate. He has no respect for human life and has no regard for people in the community. He is focused on making his rich friends richer and dismantling the kind of social safety net that has given people hope and opportunities for decades. These protections were in place to undo centuries of discrimination and segregation. Failing those communities now, while the impacts of those policies remain, is not who we are as a country.
Trump is the worst leader we've seen in the White House in nearly a century. Richard Nixon was more progressive in some of his actions than Donald Trump – that's a frightening thought. It’s why our work on the local and State level is so important. Our focus must remain on how to best help people within our limited means.
Climate Action Plan Update
On a brighter note, I would like to share some exciting progress we’ve made toward our climate goals and why it matters to all of us. This week, we went to the National Capital Trolley Museum in Colesville to announce the latest Climate Action Plan Annual Report and to showcase our climate resilience efforts. The museum is home to one of three local weather stations set up in partnership with the University of Maryland and its Maryland Mesonet network.
Mesonet stations measure air and soil temperatures, humidity, soil moisture, wind speed, atmospheric pressure, precipitation, and other environmental factors. The stations provide emergency management officials with real-time local weather information, increasing the lead time of extreme weather warnings. In the case of emergencies like tornadoes and flash floods, an increase in warning lead time of just a few minutes can potentially save lives and property. Soil temperature gauges can help predict when snow and ice are likely to accumulate. The data provides a better understanding of changing weather patterns in more places across the County, which helps us prepare more effectively for emergencies.
Especially as weather events become more extreme, being unprepared and without the right information puts lives in danger. Over the next year, we will add a fourth station to the network, and we plan to install similar versions in two of our more densely populated urban areas.
We are also continuing our work to fulfill our bold commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2027 and reach 100% by 2035. We all deserve cleaner air, healthier communities, and a sustainable future for our children.
We’re transitioning our entire bus fleet to zero-emission vehicles. Today, 52 electric buses are already on the road, and by 2035, every bus will be clean and quiet. We made Ride On fare-free for everyone because public transit should be accessible to all. We passed Building Energy Performance Standards to make our buildings more efficient and reduce emissions. When considering the impact of buildings and transportation, they account for more than 90% of the greenhouse gas emissions created in Montgomery County.
We’re also investing in clean energy, planting thousands of trees, and building microgrids to ensure critical services continue to run during emergencies. We're also committed to justice. For too long, policies have favored wealthier communities and forced minority communities, with the least resources, to deal with the consequences of pollution or environmental negligence. That's a past that we will not repeat. We are ensuring the benefits reach every community by improving energy efficiency in low-income housing, expanding outreach, and creating programs that give everyone a chance to participate.
We know that achieving our goals is not as simple as the government stepping in and solving the problem. There’s a lot we can do with our buildings, our vehicles, our policies, and incentives. However, and this is the crux of the problem, unless changes occur at the individual level, that is, by you and me, we won’t achieve our goals. We all need to be part of the change by reducing our energy use and adopting cleaner energy sources. What the government does with its own buildings and vehicles will not get us where we need to go. I know that most of you know that climate change is both real and a threat to our quality of life. The threat will persist unless we act decisively and help keep our children from suffering the consequences.
When I was a kid, I saw the Smokey the Bear public information campaign – “Only you can prevent forest fires.” Today, we’re in the same position on whether we create a climate change disaster, and our approach should be the same: Only you can prevent a climate change disaster.
Think of climate action like renovating our home. We started with a plan to implement 80 recommendations and have either made significant progress or completed 63 of those actions. That's more than 75% of what we set out to accomplish, but there's more to do. We’re not just making minor cosmetic changes; we’re rewiring the entire system to make it stronger, cleaner, and fairer. Together, we can build a future where every resident thrives, and we all benefit from a starting place that's greener than it was before.
CDC Makes Major Changes to Childhood Immunization Schedule
This week, the Centers for Disease Control made major changes to the Childhood Immunization Schedule, a series of recommendations for parents regarding childhood vaccines. This is something I first discussed in December, when rolling back the vaccine schedule for children to align with standards set by Denmark seemed imminent. A few weeks passed without any changes, but the Trump administration still managed to get its way.
To now only recommend 11 vaccines for children, down from 17 recommendations, represents a significant dismantling of evidence-based public health policy. The agency no longer recommends vaccination against hepatitis A, hepatitis B, influenza, meningitis, RSV, and rotavirus except for “high-risk” children. We are disregarding results that have been effective for 30 years and aligning with the standards of a country that is not like ours.
We’re setting up a dangerous situation that will fall on our emergency rooms and hospitals to fix, with children’s lives at risk.
And how did we arrive here? Not by following the science or the studies that have been done into the effectiveness of childhood vaccines over many years. We are relying on political appointees, a tainted board overseeing the process, and Secretary Kennedy, who is both an anti-vaxxer and completely unqualified to fill any job with a public health responsibility. He serves to please the President, not the public good.
Not surprisingly, many doctors and professional associations, like the American Academy of Pediatrics, strongly oppose these changes. The Maryland Department of Health agrees and will continue to recommend the same vaccination schedule that has proven to be effective for many years. Gov. Wes Moore has announced he’s backing legislative action to ensure vaccine access statewide and encourage trust in vaccine science. Our Department of Health and Human Services will adopt the same approach, recommending the full spectrum of vaccinations for children in place before these unnecessary changes.
County Supports New Year’s Resolutions with Free and Low-Cost Programs
Montgomery County is helping residents start the New Year on a healthy and affordable note by once again allowing free access to fitness. This initiative began in 2023, and I’m pleased to see more people taking advantage of this community resource.
County residents can continue to use the fitness rooms at our 22 recreation centers at no cost. The free access applies to gym facilities but does not include aquatic centers. Sign up in person by bringing your ID and a current utility bill to prove your residency before getting started.
Montgomery Recreation offers free and low-cost classes and activities for all ages, providing opportunities to stay active, learn new skills, and connect with others. Residents can view offerings and register through Active Montgomery. It can all be found at montgomerycountymd.gov/rec.
New Laws in Place as 2026 Begins
I would like to remind all residents that a ban on one-time-use plastic bags is now in effect. It’s an update to the Bring Your Own Bag law, and most retailers will no longer provide plastic carryout bags, with some exceptions made for businesses such as restaurants and dry cleaners. Paper bags can be offered to customers, but they will cost 10 cents each, with half of the cost going to the retailer and the other half supporting the County’s Clean Water Montgomery programs.
The goal is to reduce plastic waste, protect our streams, and encourage the use of reusable bags that you take with you to the store. Learn more at montgomerycountymd.gov/bag.
Additionally, several Maryland state laws are now in place, including one that requires barbers, hairstylists, and other related professionals to complete a one-hour training program on domestic violence awareness. This training helps them identify signs of domestic violence and connect victims to support services more effectively. Children in need of specialized care will face fewer bureaucratic delays, and health insurers will be required to cover additional tests to detect early signs of heart disease. Uber and Lyft drivers now have better tools to track and understand their earnings. Additionally, families living in inherited homes will receive new tax protection to help them remain in those homes.
Honoring Martin Luther King Jr. Day
The County is preparing to celebrate and honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with a series of events that highlight service and community. The County will hold its annual birthday tribute and celebration on Sunday, Jan.18, at the Music Center at Strathmore starting at 4 p.m. The theme for this year is “Every Kind of People… A Blueprint to Unity.” Free tickets are available at strathmore.org.
On Monday, Jan. 19, a federal holiday, we welcome everyone to sign up for the MLK Day of Service. This year, the County is partnering with the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority to host a volunteer fair from 9:30 a.m. to noon in Silver Spring. The latest podcast episode of ‘Make A Difference’ featured Faith McNeill, manager of the County’s Volunteer Center, talking about the MLK Day efforts. Volunteer spots are filling up quickly. Visit montgomeryserves.org if you are interested in volunteering on this day or looking for other volunteer opportunities.
Deadly ICE Shooting in Minneapolis
I cannot close without mentioning the tragic killing of Renee Nicole Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis. The death is bad enough, and it is made worse by the venom coming from Trump and his administration. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem called Good part of a “mob of agitators” attempting to justify the killing.
Thomas Manger, who served in my administration as Montgomery County Police Chief before going on to lead U.S Capitol Police, told WTOP, “I’ve been responsible for dozens of investigations into law enforcement’s use of deadly force,” he said. “I don’t know how anyone within an hour, two hours, even five or six hours, can say definitively this shooting was justified... Frankly, it shows that they really don’t care about the facts.” He went on to explain that good law enforcement training emphasizes that officers should not take positions in areas of danger, like standing in front of a vehicle.standing in front of a vehicle. Montgomery County police officers have been trained on how to deal with similar situations to minimize potential violence. In a recent incident here in Montgomery County, a young man intentionally tried to hit a police officer, but the police officer did not shoot him, and the young man was apprehended.
We know there are right ways to handle difficult situations, and unfortunately, Trump and his administration continue to insist on more damage and mayhem rather than helping move this country forward. Our federal government may be heading in some terrible directions, but at least, Montgomery County residents understand the importance of decency, honesty, and justice.
As always, my appreciation for all of you,
Marc Elrich
County Executive
