Dear Friends,
I hope your April is off to a good start, and the cold weather we experienced this week did not harm your gardens and plants.
This week, I conducted several interviews and discussions – mainly focused on my FY 27 Operating Budget. While I appreciate your viewing of my weekly video, I also encourage you to watch my interviews on WJLA’s Noon News and the ‘Montgomery Al Dia’ radio show.
Many residents attended the County Council’s budget public hearings to call for full funding of Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS). On Wednesday afternoon, a rally was held at the County Council building to call for full funding. I appreciate that turnout, because it reflects a clear understanding of what’s happening right now and what’s at stake.
We know we need to invest in the future of this County, and the health of our schools is central to that investment. My proposed property tax increase would be specifically for the schools. Below I lay out some context for my decisions in my recommended budget.
I think most people know that Maryland and Montgomery County have been especially targeted by Trump. His actions have had a negative impact on employment/business conditions across the entire DC area. He has been straightforward about what he’s doing – financing massive tax cuts for the wealthy by abandoning programs and shifting responsibilities to the states and counties.
It should not be surprising that the burden on us and the state has increased, and it puts all of us in the situation of funding our needs, or walking away from them, and walking away is exactly what Trump wants us to do. Speaking before reporters last week, Trump recalled a conversation he had with Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought. These words are important to pay attention to.
“I said to Russell, ‘Don’t send any money for day care,’ because the United States can’t take care of day care. That has to be up to a state. We can’t take care of day care. We’re a big country. We have 50 states. We have all these other people. We’re fighting wars. We can’t take care of day care. It’s not possible for us to take care of day care, Medicaid, Medicare — all these individual things, they can do it on a state basis. You can’t do it on a federal. We have to take care of one thing: military protection. We have to guard the country. But all these little things, all these little scams that have taken place — you have to let states take care of them, Russell.”
While Trump’s comments are both appalling and immoral – they are also our reality. The feds are pulling back from investments in education, health care, and the kinds of services that people rely on every day.
When that happens, the needs don’t go away. They don’t shrink, in fact they are increasing. They don’t get easier to manage. They just get pushed down. They land on states. They land on counties. They land on school systems. And ultimately, they land on families who are trying to navigate rising costs, uncertain job conditions, and fewer supports. And these needs are going to increase.
So, then it falls to Montgomery County to be the safety net. We can either respond to that reality or ignore it. Ignoring it doesn’t make the problem smaller, it just means people feel the impact more directly. And we know we can’t fill all the gaps, but we’re trying to help. That’s the context for this budget.
We also have to realize that we are living in a “K” economy – if you aren’t familiar with that economic concept it essentially means that rich are getting richer while the working people are getting poorer. And the policies of Trump and Congressional Republicans is to continue to reward those in the upward part of the “K” on the backs of the programs and services that help those in the downward part of the “K.”
At some point, you must stop pretending that you can keep stretching resources indefinitely without consequences.
There’s also a time factor that doesn’t get enough attention. Students move through the system. They don’t wait for us to figure things out. If we delay investments, if we decide to come back to this in a few years, the students who needed those resources now are already past that point. You don’t get to redo those years.
That’s why I’ve pushed consistently to get our per-pupil funding back to where it was 15 years ago. This budget makes real progress toward that goal.
A significant portion of the increase goes toward negotiated compensation agreements. That’s not incidental. If you want a strong school system, you need to be able to recruit and retain experienced educators and staff. This region is competitive. Other jurisdictions are offering compensation that reflects that reality. If we’re going to attract people, we need to have pay levels that allow them to live here - if we don’t keep up, we lose people. When we lose experienced teachers, we lose stability in classrooms, and that shows up in student outcomes.
We also put additional funding into special education, and that’s an area where both the human impact and the financial impact are clear. When we don’t have the capacity to serve students within our own system, we place them in private programs that cost significantly more. We still pay for those placements. So, we end up spending more money while having less control over how services are delivered.
Dr. Taylor has talked about this, and I agree with him. We need to build that capacity inside MCPS. That is better for students, and it is a more responsible way to manage resources over time.
Now, I want to address something that keeps coming up in these discussions, which is the idea that we simply need to “live within our means.”
That phrase sounds straightforward, but it avoids the real question. Who decides what our means are? Montgomery County has one of the lower property tax rates in this region. When you compare us to Frederick County, Howard County, Fairfax County, and Prince George’s County, you see jurisdictions that have made different decisions about how to fund their priorities. Every one of those counties has property tax rates higher than ours. Every county taxes commercial real estate higher than we do. And jurisdictions in Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C. have a higher rate for commercial than residential. The District has the lowest rate on residential property - 85 cents; they can do that because their commercial tax rates range from $1.66 to $1.89.
So, when someone says we need to live within our means, what they’re really saying is that they have a different definition of what we should be willing to fund. That’s a policy choice.
We have chosen, historically, to keep our tax rates lower than some of our neighbors. At the same time, we expect high-performing schools, strong infrastructure, and a wide range of services. At some point, you have to reconcile those expectations with the resources required to meet them.
I’ve also been clear that if we are going to generate additional revenue, we should do it in a way that is more progressive and more aligned with people’s ability to pay. I supported a progressive income tax that is not uniform across all income groups. I’ve proposed, repeatedly, that we adopt Virginia’s property tax structure that has a significant tax differential between residential and commercial property and where they have used those revenues to build the infrastructure that drove their economic growth over the last decade plus.
Those ideas are not new. They have been discussed for a long time. They offer a way to be more targeted and more equitable in how we raise revenue. They would allow us to raise what we need for the first time in decades.
At the same time, I want to clear up a point that has been mischaracterized. There was a comment reported suggesting that we are using our reserves to fund this budget and that doing so is somehow irresponsible. That is not accurate. Let me be clear. That’s not what we’re doing. We are using funds above our reserve targets, above the 10%; these are funds that exceed what we are required to hold to maintain our fiscal stability and our AAA bond rating. There’s a difference, and it matters. We’ve worked hard to build those reserves, and we’ve done it responsibly.
We have used the surplus above the 10% reserve level to address needs that weren’t addressed in the budget, and the Council has drawn them down to balance budgets even more than we had proposed.
Using the surplus to address urgent needs is a measured decision. It reflects the reality that there are moments when holding onto excess funds while deferring necessary investments does not make sense.
And it’s interesting that certain councilmembers are fixated on tax rates but have had absolutely no problem with lowering or exempting commercial property from taxation. So, we’re not so broke that we can’t give away millions of dollars to developers, while everyone else has to tighten their belts.
The conversation we should be having is not about abstract ideas of “means.” It should be about what we need. This budget reflects those choices. I encourage you to continue to monitor and engage with this conversation.
Fair Chance Symposium and Job Fair
This week, WorkSource Montgomery hosted their Third Annual Fair Chance Symposium, a job fair for formerly incarcerated individuals seeking employment.
April is Second Chance Month, a time to recognize the challenges people face after returning to the community from the criminal justice system and to highlight the importance of employment in successful reentry. WorkSource Montgomery supports this effort through programs that help those returning build skills, find jobs, and access community resources.
The event brought together employers, partners, and community organizations to connect job seekers with training, employment opportunities, and reentry support. That help includes:
This is also an important part of the mission of our Department of Correction and Rehabilitation (DOCR), where we have successfully relaunched the Sweet Release bakery program. I propose to continue funding for Sweet Release in our FY27 recommended budget. This program provides its participants with a marketable skill that has led to jobs in our community
WorkSource Montgomery has a satellite office in the DOCR pre-release center in Rockville and a one-stop shop at the detention center in Clarksburg.
These efforts and programs help reduce recidivism. Here is a scary statistic from the Prison Policy Initiative: roughly one in four people who go to local jails return within a year, while approximately 68% of people released from state prisons are rearrested within three years. The younger the offender, the more likely they are to return to prison. The study found that the strongest predictor for recidivism is poverty.
When someone is incarcerated, it costs all of us more. In Maryland, it costs about $5,000 to house an incarcerated individual per month – that is $60,000 per year. That is nearly twice the amount it costs to attend the University of Maryland.
This is an important effort, and I appreciate the work that WorkSource Montgomery and the Department of Correction and Rehabilitation are doing on this issue. Learn more at montgomerycountymd.gov/cor.
Leadership Montgomery and Business Center Strike Partnership
We know that many of our smaller businesses and nonprofits are suffering from changes and downsizing in the federal government, losing grant funding, or just being redlined because the Trump administration doesn’t believe in their work or mission. All this came about swiftly last year, impacting several of the very large, international nonprofits that relied on USAID grants.
We still have not seen or felt the full impact of these actions on many employers in this County, which is why we need to act now.
The County is responding by partnering with Leadership Montgomery to provide direct, practical support to businesses and nonprofits navigating this new environment. The LEAD Forum: Business Resilience event on April 30 at the Silver Spring Civic Building is about bringing people together—contractors, nonprofit leaders, and federal workers—to talk honestly about what’s changing and what comes next. We’ve kept the cost low, especially for federal workers, because we know many people are going through a difficult transition right now.
But this isn’t just a one-day event.
We’re launching a series of monthly training sessions focused on procurement, funding strategies, and diversifying revenue streams. Beyond that, we’re building a year-long cohort program that gives organizations the time, tools, and support they need to rethink and strengthen their business models.
Because the reality is that adaptation takes time. And we’re committed to walking alongside our businesses and nonprofits through that process.
At the same time, we’re continuing to invest in the future of our economy—whether it’s life sciences, quantum computing, or other emerging industries. We must build resilience. And we must make sure that Montgomery County isn’t overly dependent on any one source of funding or opportunity. We have our eyes on the future; however, we can't ignore what’s happening right now. This is about helping people stay afloat. It’s about keeping businesses open. It’s about making sure that the people who’ve contributed so much to this County have a path forward.
For information about future events or to register for the LEAD event, visit the Montgomery County Business Center’s online calendar.
Law Enforcement Collaboration Looking to Curb Distracted Driving
April marks National Distracted Driving Month, and police are using this as an opportunity to join forces to reduce the growing number of crashes linked to phones and other distractions behind the wheel.
Officers from Montgomery County Department of Police (MCPD), Rockville Police, Takoma Park Police, Maryland State Police, and several State partner agencies will be increasing patrols and stopping drivers who are seen using their phones or driving aggressively along three busy corridors. High‑visibility enforcement will focus on Georgia Avenue south of MD 200, New Hampshire Avenue south of MD 200, and University Boulevard between Georgia Avenue and Route 650.
Distracted driving isn’t just a bad habit—it can be a deadly one. Nearly half of all collisions in Maryland involve some form of distraction. So far in 2026, MCPD has investigated 12 fatal crashes, with even more serious incidents occurring on state highways and the Intercounty Connector.
Drivers who text or use their phones are 20 times more likely to crash, according to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. A recent study conducted in Montgomery County using distracted‑driving detection cameras, found that one in five drivers was on or using a phone. The cameras were placed in 9 locations, and the vendor conducting the study shared the graphic below detailing its findings.
The law carries real penalties. Using a handheld phone while driving carries a fine of more than $80, and if distraction contributes to a serious crash, a driver can face up to one year in jail and $5,000 in fines.
Safety officials say the message is simple: put the phone away. I want to thank the MCPD Traffic Division and the County's Vision Zero coordinator, Wade Holland, for making our streets safer. We were one of the first county governments in the United States to initiate a Vision Zero action plan. The latest implementation review is also available.
For all other traffic-related complaints, like reckless driving, email POLTrafficDivisionDirector@montgomerycountymd.gov.
I hope this month’s enforcement reminds drivers to stay focused and helps prevent tragedies before they happen.
ABS Liquor Lottery Opens Sunday, April 12
Our Alcohol Beverage Services (ABS) is once again opening registration for its annual whiskey lotteries. This is one of the ways we try to ensure residents have a fair opportunity to purchase some of the rarest and most sought-after bottles. For some of our residents, this is probably the most exciting government program we run.
This year, we’ll have more than 900 limited-availability bottles, including some that aren't shelved.
There are two lotteries. One is open to all Maryland residents aged 21 or older. The second is just for Montgomery County residents — and if you live here, you’re eligible to enter both.
Residents will only have a week to enter. Registration opens at 12:01 a.m. on Sunday, April 12, and closes on Saturday, April 18. It's free and easy to sign up, just make sure you meet the residency requirements.
After registration closes, winners will be selected at random, and the results will be posted online at noon on Wednesday, April 22. If you’re selected, you’ll be able to purchase your bottle at a designated ABS store between April 25 and May 23.
We try to run this lottery in a way that’s transparent and fair for everyone. Lottery registrants can indicate their top choices from the list of available bottles. Details on how to enter the lottery, including registration forms, are available on the ABS website.
ABS is a unique system in Montgomery County that our neighbors do not replicate. ABS manages alcohol licensing, enforcement, and education for more than 1,000 County businesses, generating more than $35 million in net income annually. Its profits are used to pay down County debt, with a large portion deposited in the general fund to pay for resident services that County tax dollars would otherwise fund.
ABS employees are also County employees, are paid well, and receive benefits.
I think our ABS system works very well, and I have been a consistent supporter. Every election year, someone generally brings up the idea that we need to end this system and let the private sector take over. That is a bad idea and a bad deal for our taxpayers.
Arab American Heritage Month
This week, I joined the County Council in honoring Arab American Heritage Month. Arab Americans are an important part of our community because they help make this County what it is every day. I was reminded of this several times over the past month when I attended Iftars across our community marking Ramadan, an important time of renewal across Muslim communities.
Not all Arab Americans are Muslim, though. We have many faith communities represented here—Christian, Jewish, Druze, Yazidis, Baha’is, and atheists. That’s why recognizing Arab American Heritage Month matters. It’s a chance to acknowledge the diversity within the Arab American community, as well as the real contributions Arab American residents have made to our economy, culture, and civic life.
And this moment is especially important. I know that many in the Arab American community are dealing with pain and anxiety over events happening around the world, and uncertainty about federal policies here at home. We want immigrants in our community to know that we welcome diversity. It's why we've passed and signed into law the Trust Act, to help make our immigrant communities in the County feel safer. You can read about the Trust Act in English, Spanish, French, Amharic, Chinese, Vietnamese, or Korean.
The County is dedicated to promoting education and awareness of diverse cultures, addressing misinformation and stereotypes, and fostering dialogue and relationship building across communities. We are committed to supporting respectful communication, upholding dignity and shared humanity, and creating meaningful opportunities for cultural exchange and visibility.
Our schools and public institutions will continue working toward more inclusive environments by expanding access to resources, supporting cultural understanding, and ensuring welcoming spaces for all students. We also encourage greater civic engagement and broad participation in policymaking, while advancing policies that reduce discrimination and elevate community voices.
Through collaboration, partnership, and shared initiatives, we remain committed to building communities where every resident feels seen, supported, and fully included. We’ve worked hard to build a community where everyone feels they belong. That work will continue every day, no matter how those in Washington, D.C., or the White House feel about it. Because our diversity isn’t just something we talk about, it’s what makes us stronger.
Our Gilchrist Immigrant Resource Center is there to help you find the information and services you may need. Call our Information & Referral Line at 240-777-4940, Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., or visit them online at montgomerycountymd.gov/gilchrist.
This week, I conducted several interviews and discussions – mainly focused on my FY 27 Operating Budget. While I appreciate your viewing of my weekly video, I also encourage you to watch my interviews on WJLA’s Noon News and the ‘Montgomery Al Dia’ radio show.
Many residents attended the County Council’s budget public hearings to call for full funding of Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS). On Wednesday afternoon, a rally was held at the County Council building to call for full funding. I appreciate that turnout, because it reflects a clear understanding of what’s happening right now and what’s at stake.
We know we need to invest in the future of this County, and the health of our schools is central to that investment. My proposed property tax increase would be specifically for the schools. Below I lay out some context for my decisions in my recommended budget.
I think most people know that Maryland and Montgomery County have been especially targeted by Trump. His actions have had a negative impact on employment/business conditions across the entire DC area. He has been straightforward about what he’s doing – financing massive tax cuts for the wealthy by abandoning programs and shifting responsibilities to the states and counties.
It should not be surprising that the burden on us and the state has increased, and it puts all of us in the situation of funding our needs, or walking away from them, and walking away is exactly what Trump wants us to do. Speaking before reporters last week, Trump recalled a conversation he had with Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought. These words are important to pay attention to.
“I said to Russell, ‘Don’t send any money for day care,’ because the United States can’t take care of day care. That has to be up to a state. We can’t take care of day care. We’re a big country. We have 50 states. We have all these other people. We’re fighting wars. We can’t take care of day care. It’s not possible for us to take care of day care, Medicaid, Medicare — all these individual things, they can do it on a state basis. You can’t do it on a federal. We have to take care of one thing: military protection. We have to guard the country. But all these little things, all these little scams that have taken place — you have to let states take care of them, Russell.”
While Trump’s comments are both appalling and immoral – they are also our reality. The feds are pulling back from investments in education, health care, and the kinds of services that people rely on every day.
When that happens, the needs don’t go away. They don’t shrink, in fact they are increasing. They don’t get easier to manage. They just get pushed down. They land on states. They land on counties. They land on school systems. And ultimately, they land on families who are trying to navigate rising costs, uncertain job conditions, and fewer supports. And these needs are going to increase.
So, then it falls to Montgomery County to be the safety net. We can either respond to that reality or ignore it. Ignoring it doesn’t make the problem smaller, it just means people feel the impact more directly. And we know we can’t fill all the gaps, but we’re trying to help. That’s the context for this budget.
We also have to realize that we are living in a “K” economy – if you aren’t familiar with that economic concept it essentially means that rich are getting richer while the working people are getting poorer. And the policies of Trump and Congressional Republicans is to continue to reward those in the upward part of the “K” on the backs of the programs and services that help those in the downward part of the “K.”
At some point, you must stop pretending that you can keep stretching resources indefinitely without consequences.
There’s also a time factor that doesn’t get enough attention. Students move through the system. They don’t wait for us to figure things out. If we delay investments, if we decide to come back to this in a few years, the students who needed those resources now are already past that point. You don’t get to redo those years.
That’s why I’ve pushed consistently to get our per-pupil funding back to where it was 15 years ago. This budget makes real progress toward that goal.
A significant portion of the increase goes toward negotiated compensation agreements. That’s not incidental. If you want a strong school system, you need to be able to recruit and retain experienced educators and staff. This region is competitive. Other jurisdictions are offering compensation that reflects that reality. If we’re going to attract people, we need to have pay levels that allow them to live here - if we don’t keep up, we lose people. When we lose experienced teachers, we lose stability in classrooms, and that shows up in student outcomes.
We also put additional funding into special education, and that’s an area where both the human impact and the financial impact are clear. When we don’t have the capacity to serve students within our own system, we place them in private programs that cost significantly more. We still pay for those placements. So, we end up spending more money while having less control over how services are delivered.
Dr. Taylor has talked about this, and I agree with him. We need to build that capacity inside MCPS. That is better for students, and it is a more responsible way to manage resources over time.
Now, I want to address something that keeps coming up in these discussions, which is the idea that we simply need to “live within our means.”
That phrase sounds straightforward, but it avoids the real question. Who decides what our means are? Montgomery County has one of the lower property tax rates in this region. When you compare us to Frederick County, Howard County, Fairfax County, and Prince George’s County, you see jurisdictions that have made different decisions about how to fund their priorities. Every one of those counties has property tax rates higher than ours. Every county taxes commercial real estate higher than we do. And jurisdictions in Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C. have a higher rate for commercial than residential. The District has the lowest rate on residential property - 85 cents; they can do that because their commercial tax rates range from $1.66 to $1.89.
So, when someone says we need to live within our means, what they’re really saying is that they have a different definition of what we should be willing to fund. That’s a policy choice.
We have chosen, historically, to keep our tax rates lower than some of our neighbors. At the same time, we expect high-performing schools, strong infrastructure, and a wide range of services. At some point, you have to reconcile those expectations with the resources required to meet them.
I’ve also been clear that if we are going to generate additional revenue, we should do it in a way that is more progressive and more aligned with people’s ability to pay. I supported a progressive income tax that is not uniform across all income groups. I’ve proposed, repeatedly, that we adopt Virginia’s property tax structure that has a significant tax differential between residential and commercial property and where they have used those revenues to build the infrastructure that drove their economic growth over the last decade plus.
Those ideas are not new. They have been discussed for a long time. They offer a way to be more targeted and more equitable in how we raise revenue. They would allow us to raise what we need for the first time in decades.
At the same time, I want to clear up a point that has been mischaracterized. There was a comment reported suggesting that we are using our reserves to fund this budget and that doing so is somehow irresponsible. That is not accurate. Let me be clear. That’s not what we’re doing. We are using funds above our reserve targets, above the 10%; these are funds that exceed what we are required to hold to maintain our fiscal stability and our AAA bond rating. There’s a difference, and it matters. We’ve worked hard to build those reserves, and we’ve done it responsibly.
We have used the surplus above the 10% reserve level to address needs that weren’t addressed in the budget, and the Council has drawn them down to balance budgets even more than we had proposed.
Using the surplus to address urgent needs is a measured decision. It reflects the reality that there are moments when holding onto excess funds while deferring necessary investments does not make sense.
And it’s interesting that certain councilmembers are fixated on tax rates but have had absolutely no problem with lowering or exempting commercial property from taxation. So, we’re not so broke that we can’t give away millions of dollars to developers, while everyone else has to tighten their belts.
The conversation we should be having is not about abstract ideas of “means.” It should be about what we need. This budget reflects those choices. I encourage you to continue to monitor and engage with this conversation.
Fair Chance Symposium and Job Fair
This week, WorkSource Montgomery hosted their Third Annual Fair Chance Symposium, a job fair for formerly incarcerated individuals seeking employment.
April is Second Chance Month, a time to recognize the challenges people face after returning to the community from the criminal justice system and to highlight the importance of employment in successful reentry. WorkSource Montgomery supports this effort through programs that help those returning build skills, find jobs, and access community resources.
The event brought together employers, partners, and community organizations to connect job seekers with training, employment opportunities, and reentry support. That help includes:
- Entrepreneurship training led by local business leaders.
- Financial literacy workshops in partnership with SECU.
- Peer support and mental health training through Give an Hour.
- Entrepreneurship programs offered inside correctional facilities and reentry centers.
- Ongoing post-release support through the Justice Empowerment Center in WorkSource’s Wheaton office.
This is also an important part of the mission of our Department of Correction and Rehabilitation (DOCR), where we have successfully relaunched the Sweet Release bakery program. I propose to continue funding for Sweet Release in our FY27 recommended budget. This program provides its participants with a marketable skill that has led to jobs in our community
WorkSource Montgomery has a satellite office in the DOCR pre-release center in Rockville and a one-stop shop at the detention center in Clarksburg.
These efforts and programs help reduce recidivism. Here is a scary statistic from the Prison Policy Initiative: roughly one in four people who go to local jails return within a year, while approximately 68% of people released from state prisons are rearrested within three years. The younger the offender, the more likely they are to return to prison. The study found that the strongest predictor for recidivism is poverty.
When someone is incarcerated, it costs all of us more. In Maryland, it costs about $5,000 to house an incarcerated individual per month – that is $60,000 per year. That is nearly twice the amount it costs to attend the University of Maryland.
This is an important effort, and I appreciate the work that WorkSource Montgomery and the Department of Correction and Rehabilitation are doing on this issue. Learn more at montgomerycountymd.gov/cor.
Leadership Montgomery and Business Center Strike Partnership
We know that many of our smaller businesses and nonprofits are suffering from changes and downsizing in the federal government, losing grant funding, or just being redlined because the Trump administration doesn’t believe in their work or mission. All this came about swiftly last year, impacting several of the very large, international nonprofits that relied on USAID grants.
We still have not seen or felt the full impact of these actions on many employers in this County, which is why we need to act now.
The County is responding by partnering with Leadership Montgomery to provide direct, practical support to businesses and nonprofits navigating this new environment. The LEAD Forum: Business Resilience event on April 30 at the Silver Spring Civic Building is about bringing people together—contractors, nonprofit leaders, and federal workers—to talk honestly about what’s changing and what comes next. We’ve kept the cost low, especially for federal workers, because we know many people are going through a difficult transition right now.
But this isn’t just a one-day event.
We’re launching a series of monthly training sessions focused on procurement, funding strategies, and diversifying revenue streams. Beyond that, we’re building a year-long cohort program that gives organizations the time, tools, and support they need to rethink and strengthen their business models.
Because the reality is that adaptation takes time. And we’re committed to walking alongside our businesses and nonprofits through that process.
At the same time, we’re continuing to invest in the future of our economy—whether it’s life sciences, quantum computing, or other emerging industries. We must build resilience. And we must make sure that Montgomery County isn’t overly dependent on any one source of funding or opportunity. We have our eyes on the future; however, we can't ignore what’s happening right now. This is about helping people stay afloat. It’s about keeping businesses open. It’s about making sure that the people who’ve contributed so much to this County have a path forward.
For information about future events or to register for the LEAD event, visit the Montgomery County Business Center’s online calendar.
Law Enforcement Collaboration Looking to Curb Distracted Driving
April marks National Distracted Driving Month, and police are using this as an opportunity to join forces to reduce the growing number of crashes linked to phones and other distractions behind the wheel.
Officers from Montgomery County Department of Police (MCPD), Rockville Police, Takoma Park Police, Maryland State Police, and several State partner agencies will be increasing patrols and stopping drivers who are seen using their phones or driving aggressively along three busy corridors. High‑visibility enforcement will focus on Georgia Avenue south of MD 200, New Hampshire Avenue south of MD 200, and University Boulevard between Georgia Avenue and Route 650.
Distracted driving isn’t just a bad habit—it can be a deadly one. Nearly half of all collisions in Maryland involve some form of distraction. So far in 2026, MCPD has investigated 12 fatal crashes, with even more serious incidents occurring on state highways and the Intercounty Connector.
Drivers who text or use their phones are 20 times more likely to crash, according to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. A recent study conducted in Montgomery County using distracted‑driving detection cameras, found that one in five drivers was on or using a phone. The cameras were placed in 9 locations, and the vendor conducting the study shared the graphic below detailing its findings.
The law carries real penalties. Using a handheld phone while driving carries a fine of more than $80, and if distraction contributes to a serious crash, a driver can face up to one year in jail and $5,000 in fines.
Safety officials say the message is simple: put the phone away. I want to thank the MCPD Traffic Division and the County's Vision Zero coordinator, Wade Holland, for making our streets safer. We were one of the first county governments in the United States to initiate a Vision Zero action plan. The latest implementation review is also available.
For all other traffic-related complaints, like reckless driving, email POLTrafficDivisionDirector@montgomerycountymd.gov.
I hope this month’s enforcement reminds drivers to stay focused and helps prevent tragedies before they happen.
ABS Liquor Lottery Opens Sunday, April 12
Our Alcohol Beverage Services (ABS) is once again opening registration for its annual whiskey lotteries. This is one of the ways we try to ensure residents have a fair opportunity to purchase some of the rarest and most sought-after bottles. For some of our residents, this is probably the most exciting government program we run.
This year, we’ll have more than 900 limited-availability bottles, including some that aren't shelved.
There are two lotteries. One is open to all Maryland residents aged 21 or older. The second is just for Montgomery County residents — and if you live here, you’re eligible to enter both.
Residents will only have a week to enter. Registration opens at 12:01 a.m. on Sunday, April 12, and closes on Saturday, April 18. It's free and easy to sign up, just make sure you meet the residency requirements.
After registration closes, winners will be selected at random, and the results will be posted online at noon on Wednesday, April 22. If you’re selected, you’ll be able to purchase your bottle at a designated ABS store between April 25 and May 23.
We try to run this lottery in a way that’s transparent and fair for everyone. Lottery registrants can indicate their top choices from the list of available bottles. Details on how to enter the lottery, including registration forms, are available on the ABS website.
ABS is a unique system in Montgomery County that our neighbors do not replicate. ABS manages alcohol licensing, enforcement, and education for more than 1,000 County businesses, generating more than $35 million in net income annually. Its profits are used to pay down County debt, with a large portion deposited in the general fund to pay for resident services that County tax dollars would otherwise fund.
ABS employees are also County employees, are paid well, and receive benefits.
I think our ABS system works very well, and I have been a consistent supporter. Every election year, someone generally brings up the idea that we need to end this system and let the private sector take over. That is a bad idea and a bad deal for our taxpayers.
Arab American Heritage Month
This week, I joined the County Council in honoring Arab American Heritage Month. Arab Americans are an important part of our community because they help make this County what it is every day. I was reminded of this several times over the past month when I attended Iftars across our community marking Ramadan, an important time of renewal across Muslim communities.
Not all Arab Americans are Muslim, though. We have many faith communities represented here—Christian, Jewish, Druze, Yazidis, Baha’is, and atheists. That’s why recognizing Arab American Heritage Month matters. It’s a chance to acknowledge the diversity within the Arab American community, as well as the real contributions Arab American residents have made to our economy, culture, and civic life.
And this moment is especially important. I know that many in the Arab American community are dealing with pain and anxiety over events happening around the world, and uncertainty about federal policies here at home. We want immigrants in our community to know that we welcome diversity. It's why we've passed and signed into law the Trust Act, to help make our immigrant communities in the County feel safer. You can read about the Trust Act in English, Spanish, French, Amharic, Chinese, Vietnamese, or Korean.
The County is dedicated to promoting education and awareness of diverse cultures, addressing misinformation and stereotypes, and fostering dialogue and relationship building across communities. We are committed to supporting respectful communication, upholding dignity and shared humanity, and creating meaningful opportunities for cultural exchange and visibility.
Our schools and public institutions will continue working toward more inclusive environments by expanding access to resources, supporting cultural understanding, and ensuring welcoming spaces for all students. We also encourage greater civic engagement and broad participation in policymaking, while advancing policies that reduce discrimination and elevate community voices.
Through collaboration, partnership, and shared initiatives, we remain committed to building communities where every resident feels seen, supported, and fully included. We’ve worked hard to build a community where everyone feels they belong. That work will continue every day, no matter how those in Washington, D.C., or the White House feel about it. Because our diversity isn’t just something we talk about, it’s what makes us stronger.
Our Gilchrist Immigrant Resource Center is there to help you find the information and services you may need. Call our Information & Referral Line at 240-777-4940, Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., or visit them online at montgomerycountymd.gov/gilchrist.
As always, my appreciation for all of you,
Marc Elrich
County Executive
