Dear Friends,
Starting Monday, July 1, a new minimum wage takes effect, impacting medium and large companies. For large employers with 51 or more employees, the minimum wage will rise to $17.15 per hour. Mid-sized employers with 11-50 employees will see the minimum wage increase to $15.50 per hour. The minimum wage for companies with 10 or fewer employees remains at $15 per hour.
The minimum wage law I was proud to sponsor when I was a council member is indexed annually for inflation. If the federal minimum wage had been indexed for inflation when it was amended about 50 years ago, we likely would not have had to act. The current federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour.
This increase represents our commitment to ensuring that workers in this County are paid fairly for their hard work. As the cost of living rises, wages must keep pace with inflation to help families cover their basic needs.
A higher minimum wage, adjusted to reflect the 2.8 percent change in the consumer price index for the Washington, D.C.-Arlington-Alexandria area, will provide workers approximately $18 to $20 more for every 40 hours worked, amounting to an additional $1,000 over a year.
That extra income will help families. For instance, it could help cover the cost of a month's rent, several weeks' worth of groceries or a significant portion of monthly transportation expenses. No one working full-time should struggle to put a roof over their head or pay for food. These are fundamental necessities and ensuring that our residents can afford them is one of the most important responsibilities of our government. The increase in the minimum wage is a crucial step toward achieving economic justice and fairness for all workers in our County.
When workers have more money in their pockets, they can afford to spend more on goods and services. Higher take-home pay is only part of the equation; you must also consider the multiplier effect, which boosts the local economy and can help offset some of the increased costs faced by the County.
Raising the minimum wage is significant given the economic challenges many of our residents dealt with because of the pandemic. Many families were on the verge of eviction because the wages lost during the pandemic were never recovered, putting them behind in rent or putting other undue stresses on the family budget.
I want to highlight one of the challenges lower-wage workers are facing. The County’s minimum wage law allows rent increases of inflation plus three percent, so if landlords take their fully allowable rent increases, the rent increases will be close to double what the wage increases will be—and this is for households who are already paying half or more of their wages for rent.
Gov. Wes Moore understands the situation too many of our families are in. I applaud his efforts to raise the State’s minimum wage to $15, which the legislature enacted. This was a critical and overdue step, especially considering former Gov. Larry Hogan's inaction on this issue.
Critics of raising the minimum wage have warned for years that the sky would fall. Instead, we have helped individuals and families and strengthened our local economy. Higher wages increase spending in local businesses, supporting economic growth and job creation.
Research consistently shows that higher wages lead to better health outcomes, improved educational performance for children and reduced reliance on public assistance programs. By ensuring that workers earn a living wage, we are investing in our community's long-term well-being and prosperity.
I want to thank all who have supported these efforts, from community advocates, unions and business leaders and recognized the importance of fair wages. For more information, including how this change impacts tipped employees, visit the County’s Office of Human Rights website.
New Police Chief Taking Over MCPD
We are on the verge of the next chapter for the Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD). I want to welcome and congratulate Marc Yamada on being confirmed as the next chief of the Montgomery County Police Department. Assistant Chief Yamada has had a distinguished career within MCPD and brings a wealth of experience, including as a commander in Wheaton, where he grew up. Assistant Chief Yamada has a deep understanding of our community and its needs. His background, dedication and vision make him the right person to lead the department at this critical time.
I want to thank Chief Marcus Jones for his leadership over the last five years and nearly four decades of dedicated service to MCPD, which the Council and I honored this week with a proclamation. Chief Jones has guided our police department through numerous challenges, such as COVID-19, the protests and calls for police reforms following the murder of George Floyd, MCPD’s participation in the response to the January 6 insurrection and the shooting at Magruder High School. He has led us through these trials while addressing deficits in police staffing and recruitment.
I wish him well with his new responsibilities as head of security and compliance for Montgomery County Public Schools and I am looking forward to continuing our collaboration on school safety.
Both men joined me for this week’s media briefing, which you can watch here.
Montgomery County’s SelectUSA Investment Summit Activities
This week I participated in the SelectUSA Investment Summit, held at National Harbor in Prince George’s County. The SelectUSA Investment Summit is an event designed to facilitate business investment by connecting thousands of investors, companies, economic development organizations (EDOs) and industry experts to make deals happen.
Hosted by the U.S. Department of Commerce, the Investment Summit is a one-stop shop for companies considering expanding to the United States and provides jurisdictions like Montgomery County an opportunity to meet directly with international companies.
Since its inception, SelectUSA Investment Summits have attracted thousands of international companies and economic development representatives, generating over $110 billion in new investment projects supporting over 85,000 jobs across the United States and its territories. This year’s SelectUSA Investment Summit saw record-breaking numbers with more than 5,000 participants, including EDO representatives from all 56 U.S. states and territories and more than 2,500 business investors from 96 international markets.
Montgomery County is a leader in innovation, technology and biosciences. The SelectUSA Summit offers a platform to showcase our strengths and attract new investments to drive our economy forward. On our recent visits to Korea, China, India, Vietnam and Taiwan, we have worked to build strong international relationships. Those connections are now ripe for further development through summits like this. We also met with new prospects from other countries.
Last month, we renewed our Sister City agreement with the City of Daejeon, Korea expanding it to include economic development activities. Their visit to the County this week is another step in fostering collaboration that will grow our respective economies.
We partnered with the Montgomery County Economic Development Corportation and co-hosted a meeting for leaders from Daejeon that was attended by Maryland’s Secretary of State Susan Lee. We have a lot in common with Daejeon, which has a reputation for being home to many technology companies and a robust research sector for the life sciences industry.
Pictures from that meeting can be found here.
Our strategic location, highly educated and diverse workforce and supportive business environment make Montgomery County ideal for companies looking to expand or relocate. We also compare well to other areas seen as attractive landing areas for life sciences companies when sizing up personnel, residential and commercial lab and office costs.
The attribute I consistently hear that is most attractive about Montgomery County is our diversity. It makes a big difference to companies interested in relocating when we can say we have already become home to so many people from all over the world. Quality of life matters and it is an area where we stand out.
The SelectUSA Investment Summit is more than just a conference; it allows us to connect with potential investors, understand global market trends and position Montgomery County as a key player on the international stage. The relationships we build during this annual event can lead to new business ventures, job creation and economic prosperity.
Fight for Women’s Rights Continues Two Years Later
This week marks the second year since the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision, which took away federal abortion protections established fifty years ago (1973) by Roe v. Wade The Dobbs decision is one of the worst rulings in the history of the highest court and has opened the door to crazy and draconian laws that limit women’s right to choose and to have autonomy over their bodies.
In Montgomery County, we stand firmly in support of reproductive freedom. We will continue to fight against any efforts to undermine these rights and ensure that all women have access to the healthcare they need. Our commitment to justice, equality and personal autonomy must remain unwavering.
We can join Maryland voters this November and affirm our beliefs at the ballot box. The Maryland Right to Reproductive Freedom Amendment, if approved, would add a new article to the Maryland Constitution’s Declaration of Rights, establishing the ability to make and effectuate decisions to prevent, continue or end one’s own pregnancy. This statewide ballot measure is supported by Gov. Wes Moore and his administration. It also has the backing of many State lawmakers because it took a super majority of 60 percent to get this question on the ballot. Ballotpedia has more information on the amendment that you can read here.
Measures like this are critical in the aftermath of the Dobbs decision. It was a devastating blow to women's rights and reproductive freedom but something we have seen many people fight against since. That fight protects a woman's right to choose and ensures access to safe and legal abortion services. This is about fundamental human rights and the ability of women to make decisions about their own bodies and futures.
Fourth of July Celebrations
With the Fourth of July fast approaching, I want to remind everyone that fireworks, including sparklers are illegal in Montgomery County. They remain a dangerous activity that could seriously harm anyone around lit fireworks or cause a fire if not handled properly.
The County will host two free Independence Day fireworks shows. The first will be on Thursday, July 4, at South Germantown Recreation Park. Festivities begin around 7 p.m. Free parking will be available onsite.
On Saturday, July 6, another community celebration is planned at Albert Einstein High School in Kensington starting around 6 p.m. Parking will be limited with most people expected to park at the mall in Wheaton on Veirs Mill Road and take a shuttle to the school campus.
In both cases, fireworks will begin around 9:15 p.m. For more information, call 311, 240-777-0311 or visit the Montgomery County Recreation website. You can also follow Montgomery County Recreation on Facebook, Instagram and X.
I hope you have a fun and safe Fourth of July. If you are going to celebrate with alcohol, make every effort to find a safe ride home. Besides finding a bus, rideshare and taxis are great options for planning ahead or getting last-minute help. Visit this website for contact information.
As always, my appreciation for all of you,
Marc Elrich
County Executive
