Category Archives: Montgomery County

The Inigo Montoya Alcohol Report

Jonathan Shurberg   December 23, 2015   No Comments on The Inigo Montoya Alcohol Report

“You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.” The word in this case being not “inconceivable,” but “revenue.” Yesterday, Comptroller Peter Franchot held an event to tout his new “report” about all the “revenue” that will be gained by doing away with Montgomery County’s alcohol monopoly. I kept hearing Inigo Montoya’s voice over… Read more »

A New Baltimore Agenda?

Jonathan Shurberg   December 22, 2015   No Comments on A New Baltimore Agenda?

The Sun today has the word on plans by House Speaker Mike Busch and others for extensive new spending for Baltimore City. Leading Democrats in the House of Delegates plan to push at least a dozen legislative proposals aimed at addressing persistent problems highlighted by Baltimore’s unrest last spring. The sprawling package of bills would invest millions more to demolish vacant buildings,… Read more »

New Board Of Education Candidate?

Jonathan Shurberg   December 19, 2015   No Comments on New Board Of Education Candidate?

Reliable sources indicate that a new candidate is considering a run for the MoCo Board of Education, most likely in District 2 but potentially in the at-large race. Oscar Alvarenga is the president of the Summit Hall Elementary School PTA, and he was recently voted the PTA President of the Year by the Montgomery County Council of PTAs. Here’s a… Read more »

Peak Ad Hominem

Jonathan Shurberg   December 15, 2015   4 Comments on Peak Ad Hominem

As attentive readers of this establishment know, there’s a big fight going on over the issue of alcohol distribution in Montgomery County. The chief advocate for change has been Comptroller Peter Franchot, who is advocating for a bill to open up the County’s monopoly on alcohol distribution. Among the many opponents of such a change is MCGEO, the union representing… Read more »

ICYMI: Post Summary Of Alcohol Issue

Jonathan Shurberg   December 10, 2015   No Comments on ICYMI: Post Summary Of Alcohol Issue

Over last weekend, Bill Turque of the Post had a very good writeup of some of the basic questions surrounding the alcohol privatization issues currently being considered by the county’s legislative delegation. I missed it - if you did too, here you go. A snippet to whet your appetite: Montgomery’s monopoly in the alcohol business — as the county’s exclusive wholesaler of… Read more »

Whoops?

Jonathan Shurberg   December 9, 2015   No Comments on Whoops?

Montgomery County’s municipalities get a portion (around 17%) of the tax proceeds that would otherwise go to the county, as municipalities often pay for some functions that duplicate county services, such as police, trash collection, and the like. Hence the never ending fights over “tax duplication” between municipalities like Takoma Park and the county. The state - through the Comptroller… Read more »

Another 2016 Campaign Begins

Jonathan Shurberg   December 8, 2015   No Comments on Another 2016 Campaign Begins

Just what you want, right? Another campaign? Not for Congress or Senate or Mayor, but for Montgomery County Board of Education. Shebra Evans, who narrowly lost a hotly contested at large race in 2014 to Jill Ortman-Fouse, is running again, this time for the District 4 seat currently held by Chris Barclay. No word on whether Barclay, who ran an… Read more »

The LD14 Situation

Jonathan Shurberg   December 5, 2015   No Comments on The LD14 Situation

The legislative appointment process in Maryland is terrible, in desperate need of reform for years but with no changes thus far. The conventional wisdom in other counties is that since state legislators so thoroughly control the various county central committees, the selection of a new delegate or senator is dictated by the incumbents in the relevant areas. Ho hum no… Read more »

MoCo Elections Board Violated Open Meetings Law

Jonathan Shurberg   December 5, 2015   No Comments on MoCo Elections Board Violated Open Meetings Law

Back a couple of months ago, the Montgomery County Board of Elections (with a Republican majority as a result of Larry Hogan’s victory in 2014) attempted to shift two early voting sites from Burtonsville and Chevy Chase to Brookeville and Potomac. This created a huge uproar, which resulted in the proposed changes being rejected by the State Board and the… Read more »

BREAKING: LD14 Team Recommends Zucker, Queen

Jonathan Shurberg   December 4, 2015   No Comments on BREAKING: LD14 Team Recommends Zucker, Queen

Just moments ago, I received a press release from Delegate Eric Luedtke regarding the impending vacancy in the LD14 Senate seat. I’ve excerpted out the portions of the press release that are duplicative of the earlier Karen Montgomery release. Upshot: the team is recommending Craig Zucker for Senate, and Central Committee member Pam Queen for the delegate vacancy if Zucker… Read more »