Dear Friends,
I start my newsletter with national news that has shaken us here in Montgomery County. A man drove a truck loaded with explosives into a synagogue in Detroit. Thankfully and incredibly, only the driver was killed. I know our Jewish community – and all our religious communities – are worried. Please know – especially with the war in the Middle East - our police have maintained their increased patrols and officer visibility around religious institutions and other community gathering places. At Virginia’s Old Dominion University, a former National Guard member began shooting people on campus. He was killed by ROTC students, limiting the casualties to one person dead and two wounded.
These brazen attacks are heartbreaking for the communities in which they happen and spark fear, anxiety, and uncertainty elsewhere throughout the nation.
No one should ever feel unsafe because of their faith, heritage, or identity. Our County remains committed to protecting our diverse communities. That commitment extends to strengthening support for local nonprofits and faith institutions that work to enhance safety and security, which we have funded for the last three years, and it is in my recommended budget again this year.
Hate has no place in Montgomery County. We remain united in our work to confront antisemitism, Islamophobia, and all forms of hate. Moments like these test us, but they also remind us of our shared responsibility to care for one another. We are strongest when we stand together: protecting, respecting, and lifting everyone in our community.
My FY27 Recommended Operating Budget
Today, I sent my FY27 Recommended Operating Budget to the County Council. This week’s video is the press conference that we held this afternoon at Richard Montgomery High School where I discuss the budget. You can also read about these budget recommendations in our press release and the recommendation memo I sent to the Council.
A budget is a statement of priorities. It reflects what we choose to invest in and who we choose to support. We are operating in an environment shaped by rising costs, increasing needs, workforce pressures, and continued uncertainty surrounding federal funding and economic conditions. Inflation continues to affect the cost of delivering services across public safety, education, and health and human services.
The graphic below demonstrates the amounts and percentages of recommended operating expenditures, with our education investments -MCPS and Montgomery College - making up 54% of the recommended budget.
My FY27 Recommended Operating Budget focuses on protecting the services residents rely on while maintaining Montgomery County’s long-term fiscal stability. To avoid harmful service reductions, this proposal includes several targeted tax and fee adjustments. The proposal includes:
- An increase in the local income tax rate, moving from 3.2% to 3.3%.
- 6.3-cent increase in the education supplemental property tax.
- Increases in permitting fees—25% for commercial projects and 10% for residential projects.
- Increases in the 911 fee to support emergency communications operations.
- Increases for several service-related charges, including the Water Quality Protection Charge, Recycling and Resource Management fees, and Community Use of Public Facilities fees.
- $152.7 million to expand affordable housing production and preservation
- $3.9 million in additional services for unhoused individuals—including the SHaRP Housing Program and emergency shelters—and replaces critical state and federal funding that has been reduced or eliminated.
The budget also strengthens public safety through additional operational support for Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service and improvements within the Montgomery County Department of Police.
At the same time, the County is exercising fiscal discipline. This budget includes $18.96 million in targeted program reductions. These were difficult decisions, but they allow us to protect core services without deeper reductions to education, public safety, or the programs residents depend on.
And we must generate more revenue as the economy grows. We plan investments in the University of Maryland Institute for Health Computing, the Montgomery County Business Center, Henry Jackson Foundation Innovation Labs and BioHub Maryland. The Maryland Economic Development Corporation will continue to be a key partner in attracting specialized industries and work will continue on the development North Bethesda Metro and Viva White Oak.
We are also maintaining strong financial reserves. Keeping reserves above policy requirements of 10% ensures that Montgomery County remains prepared for additional economic volatility and preserves the County’s strong financial standing.
You can review the full FY27 Recommended Operating Budget and explore the details of this proposal by visiting the Office of Management and Budget’s website. I want to thank the County Council for their consideration and look forward to the public discussions that will take place as we work together to adopt a responsible budget for the year ahead.
Economic Mission Trip to Taiwan and India
I am looking forward to returning to Asia over the next two weeks, with my fourth trip to Taiwan and my second trip to India.
Traveling to Taiwan has become an annual trip to the Smart Cities conference in Taipei. The Taipei Computer Association has supported our travel there, where I will meet with business prospects and speak at their Net Zero Climate Summit and other events. In India, I was invited to speak at IndiaSoft, a large IT software conference, about business investment opportunities in Montgomery County.
Like them or not, the tariffs imposed by the Trump administration are affecting global business. It may be more important than ever for businesses to have a U.S. base of operations if they want to conduct business here. Expansion means having a U.S. footprint, and we offer one of the top landing spots in the nation.
In fact, Samsung Biologics of South Korea acquired a former GSK drug manufacturing facility in Rockville at the end of last year. This significant economic achievement benefited both the County and the State and was recognized in the Governor’s State of the State address last month.
The Samsung agreement will help retain 500 existing jobs and create new positions to support its expansion plans on the site. Our other international successes often come from smaller businesses or collaborations between local companies and foreign partners.
Montgomery County is recognized worldwide for its skilled workforce and abundant opportunities. I am surprised every time I travel internationally at how many people already have business ties, education ties, or even family ties to our communities.
Business leaders already know that our County's educated and diverse talent pool, along with its welcoming atmosphere, are top reasons for choosing to expand operations here. That’s what these trips are about. I look forward to sharing some positive updates on the other side of this trip.
Heroic Rescue of Construction Workers in Bethesda
I want to thank Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service crews for a busy week of responding to serious incidents, including in Bethesda, where two construction workers were rescued from a ditch. Chief Corey Smedley reported that one worker was buried up to his waist and the other nearly to his head; both were alert and communicating during the rescue.
The team, coincidentally, was training for such emergencies when they got the call for help. They used buckets, airbags, and cribbing to prevent further collapse, and parked vehicles away to avoid vibrations.
One worker was trapped for about an hour before he was rescued and transported by helicopter to a nearby hospital to receive medical attention. The other worker was trapped for about two hours and had just enough room to allow his chest to expand and continue breathing, according to first responders.
We are fortunate that none of the workers, the responders, or any neighbors were killed in this incident.
We also know of several damaging fires that the fire crews dealt with this week, as well as severe weather on Wednesday that knocked out power to some residents. Fire and Rescue professionals are always ready to answer the call, and we thank them for their dedication and service.
Two Events with the Governor
I want to focus on two events over the past week that put small businesses in the spotlight.
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (MHCD) leaders celebrated the brand-new Richardson School of Music in Takoma Park two Fridays ago. In last week’s letter, I touched on the $150,000 grant from MHCD’s Project Restore 2.0 program that paved the way for the relocation.
On Monday, I joined the governor again, this time in Long Branch, to celebrate a new look for the neighborhood.
State funds helped restore the Flower Theater façade, preserving its classic modern architecture and community identity. Beyond that, the governor announced he has included $3 million in his proposed budget to help pay for improved storefronts and building rehabilitation along the Purple Line route. This will help businesses along the corridor to have fresh exterior upgrades, better lighting, and more inviting signage.
Last year, we revitalized Park Montgomery and opened the brand-new Park Montgomery West, which helped preserve more than 200 affordable housing units near the Purple Line.
In other parts of the County, we have seen how façade improvement helps unlock private investment and improve neighborhood safety, along with commercial appeal. This effort comes after dealing with Purple Line construction for the last several years. Enhancements like this help small business owners stay competitive and continue serving the community.
More projects are coming in 2026, thanks in part to Long Branch’s designation as a Main Street Maryland Community. I look forward to more grand openings and reasons to celebrate in Long Branch in the years to come.
I want to thank the governor and Housing and Community Development Secretary Jake Day for continuing to make Montgomery County improvements a priority in this administration.
Nurses Are Professionals
A federal proposal to reclassify graduate nursing degrees as “non-professional” is deeply troubling. It sends the wrong message about the value of the people who form the backbone of our health care system. Nurse practitioners, midwives, and clinical specialists are highly trained professionals who provide essential care in our communities every day. Reclassifying their degrees, as the Trump administration would like to do, diminishes their work and undermines a workforce that is nearly 90% women.
In Montgomery County and across the country, these professionals provide primary care, maternal health services, and mental health support for countless families. Reducing federal loan limits from $50,000 to $20,500 a year—while maintaining higher limits for fields like medicine and law—creates a clear financial barrier for people pursuing advanced nursing degrees. Eliminating access to Grad PLUS loans will make it even harder for first-generation students, working parents, and women of color to enter these programs.
At a time when our country is already facing a serious nursing shortage, this is the wrong move and moves us in the wrong direction. Schools are already turning away qualified applicants each year because they lack the faculty and resources to train them. Policies that make it harder to finance nursing education will only make the shortage worse and limit access to care in our communities.
If we are serious about strengthening our healthcare system, we should support the people who want to serve in these critical roles. The last thing they need is a new obstacle in their way. I urge the Department of Education to reconsider this proposal and recognize advanced nursing for what it is: a vital profession that our communities depend on every day.
Animal Shelter Has Too Many Big Dogs
Finally, I’d like to remind everyone that we are still in need of finding homes for big dogs at our County’s Animal Services and Adoption Center. They were overwhelmed last week with more surrenders than usual. That left the shelter with more than 100 dogs.
I want to thank the families that turned out this past weekend in response to the call for help. Nearly 20 dogs were adopted over the weekend, and six were placed in foster homes.
Adopting, or even temporarily fostering, can help relieve pressure on the facility by opening space for new arrivals and giving the animals more time to find a permanent home.
Our facility in Derwood is open from noon to 7 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays and from noon to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. The facility is closed on Mondays. Please spread the word that help is still needed and visit the shelter in person or online at montgomerycountymd.gov/animalservices.
As always, my appreciation for all of you,
Marc Elrich
County Executive
