Sound fiscal management

     Over the past three years, my recommended budgets have closed shortfalls of nearly $1.2 billion, unprecedented in the county’s history. This year’s budget represents a significant decrease in expenditures and the lowest rate of growth in 18 years.  

ü       Developed strategies for closing another $750 million-plus projected gap for Fiscal Year 2011, without increasing taxes while preserving the most essential County services.  

ü       Protected County’s coveted Triple-A bond rating, saving County taxpayers millions of dollars each year in borrowing costs and enabling successful expansion of Capital Improvements Program. Montgomery County is one of a handful of counties in America to still maintain the highest rating on the bonds it issues. 

ü       Worked with Federal and State partners to obtain millions in non-local sources of revenue for critical county needs, thereby reducing needed tax-supported funds.

Excellence in Education

ü       Increased funding for Montgomery County Public Schools each year, even as County government spending was reduced for most agencies and departments. The academic success of the county’s schools has helped to propel Maryland to its status, nationally, as the number-one state for education, as ranked by Education Week. 

ü       Increased funding for Montgomery College, at a time of record enrollment growth for Maryland’s largest community college, which has a national reputation for academic excellence.   

ü       Provided historic funding levels for Montgomery County Public Schools construction program ensuring that school modernization and construction schedules are met. 

Government efficiency and Accountability

ü      Introduced the CountyStat program, to improve the efficiency of County government programs and services, by tracking their performance through the use of real-time data analysis.

§         One example of its success: CountyStat helped to reduce overtime costs by tens of millions of dollars.

ü       Launched the 311 information and referral system, creating a single point of contact for inquiries, guidance, and information on government programs and services. This system will also allow residents to track the status of their complaint and will increase the accountability of government in fulfilling the needs of residents.

ü       Expanded lines of communication with residents, with dozens of Town Hall meetings, budget forums, online forums and chats, call-in television shows, and increased use of the County web site and social networking platforms, including Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. 

ü       Moved to performance-based budgeting that will make the most of our scarce resources and ensure that taxpayer funds are used cost-effectively.

Economic development and job growth 

ü       Developed a framework to shape the future of the county’s vibrant biotechnology and life sciences community, with vision and recommendations developed by the County Executive’s Biotechnology Task Force.

ü       Launched comprehensive program to boost small businesses, including broadening the Local Small Business Reserve Program to double the required amount of contract dollars spent with local firms.

ü       Brought hundreds of high quality jobs to Montgomery County to help ensure an economically healthy future for the County, including jobs with Microsoft, Aeras, Lockheed Martin and our critical Federal sector such as the National Cancer Institute. 

ü       Positioning the County to enter the next phase of the biotechnology and biomedical economic growth through the Smart Growth Initiative. This initiative frees up land in the heart of our biotechnology corridor for appropriate transit oriented development ensuring quality future job growth.  At the same time, this initiative will ensure that our public safety employees are trained at a state of the art facility, and more appropriately locates the County’s public service park and liquor warehouse. 

ü       Secured the location of the State’s Maryland Clean Energy Center in Montgomery County helping to identify the County as a welcome location for “green businesses” and further highlighting our leadership in the clean energy sector.

ü       Brought a major music venue to the heart of Silver Spring’s downtown which will enhance further redevelopment in a much needed area..

ü       Reached an agreement successfully within a few months in office, on the acquisition of the 115-acre Site 2 property from the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission which will allow the development of a high tech center in the east county.  The County had been attempting, without success, to purchase this property for several years.

 Safe streets and neighborhoods

ü       Dropped the crime rate by 5 percent last year, with serious crimes down by more than 7 percent. Funding for Police and other public safety departments remains top priority, as the only departments to receive increases in their operating budgets in fiscal year 2010.                                                              

ü       Helped to reduce traffic collisions with Safe Speed” a  program used in areas with speed cameras by 28 percent, along with a 39 percent reduction in crashes involving injury. Average driving speeds in those areas have been reduced by nearly 20 percent. 

ü       Opened the first new fire station in Montgomery County in 25 years, with the new Germantown-Kingsview Fire Station 22.  Two additional new fire stations will be opened – one in Takoma Park and the other in the Germantown-Milestone area.

ü       Started the implementation of four-person staffing on equipment which has significantly improved our firefighters’ ability to respond quickly with advanced life support equipment saving the lives of residents.

ü       Fully funded a comprehensive initiative that was developed by our Pedestrian Safety Task Force. Key elements of that plan include a greater emphasis on education, engineering and enforcement. In addition, we have doubled the funding for new sidewalk construction. 

Affordable housing progress 

ü       Increased the County’s Housing Initiative Fund from $18 million to $58 million per year over a three-year span, enabling the addition of more projects and opportunities to partner with non-profit and profit entities. 

ü       Completed or currently under construction approximately 5,000 new affordable housing units in Montgomery County, over the past three-plus years. 

ü       Provided counseling and housing assistance  -- worked to prevent foreclosures and work with families that were facing foreclosure.

Environmental stewardship and sustainability 

ü       Crossed the 70,000-acre mark for agricultural land preservation. Montgomery County has the largest percentage (94 percent) of its farmland protected under easement. 

ü       Boosted the County’s purchasing of clean, renewable energy to 30 percent of annual electricity consumption. Also developed a comprehensive Climate Protection Plan for the County, based on 58 recommendations of the Executive’s Sustainability Working Group.

ü       Led the nation in new stormwater management regulations that will help to improve the quality of the County’s streams as well as the Chesapeake Bay.

ü       Increased the County’s recycling rate to 43% thereby closing in on the recycling goal that had been set when I was a Council Member.

Health and wellness 

ü       Coordinated comprehensive local response to the worldwide H1N1 flu pandemic, with effective public awareness campaign, medical testing, and vaccine distribution.  

ü       Expanded primary care medical services for uninsured adults, with increased patient treatment through the “Montgomery Cares” program. Last year alone, this program provided primary care, medications and other medical services to more than 21,000 uninsured, low-income adults and will serve nearly 27,000 this year.   

ü       Enabled 3,600 children to access primary health care services, prescriptions and specialty care.  

Transportation and infrastructure

ü       Secured major federal funding to support transportation upgrades needed to serve the expansion of the Bethesda Naval Center area, as a result of its consolidation with the Walter Reed Army Medical Center. In total, the consolidation is expected to bring 2,500 additional jobs. 

ü       Enhanced pedestrian safety, by significantly expanding the number of intersections with traffic signals that are equipped with pedestrian countdown displays, among other safety improvements and traffic calming initiatives that have been added.

ü       Worked with our Federal and State partners to secure approval and funding for additional transit services in Montgomery County – both the Purple Line and the Corridor Cities Transitway – so that our residents won’t have to get into a car to go to their jobs.

ü       Funded the construction of the Silver Spring Transit Center which will improve transit services.

Vital Living for All Residents

ü       Provided funding for the renovation of three recreation centers serving communities with high levels of low-income families.

ü       Expanded Library Hours including popular Sunday library hours.

ü       Provided funding for the renovation or new construction of a number of libraries, including a new and relocated Silver Spring library and modernized Gaithersburg, Olney and Davis libraries.

ü       Developed and funded a Positive Youth Initiative for which I recently received the “National Breakfast of Champions Award” focuses significant resources in a coordinated effort to provide our youth with constructive activities.  This effort has been important in reducing levels of gang activity.

ü       Convened a Senior Summit which successfully developed recommendations for policies and programs to respond to the growing senior population.  Created a “Senior Sub-cabinet” among County agencies to facilitate improved services to seniors.

ü       Funded the construction of a new Silver Spring Civic Center which will function as a community resource in the heart of downtown Silver Spring.

ü       Provided funds to make available all-day free County Ride-On and Metro Bus services for seniors and disabled riders.

ü       Established the County’s Commission on Veteran Affairs to ensure that we are appropriately serving the many men and women who have served our country.