Meoww! Duchy Praises Self, Tweaks Leventhal, Pans Challengers

One of our favorite developments of this cycle is the emergence of Duchy Trachtenberg's new campaign manager/PR man Woody Brosnan. Woody is a retired journalist who is a civic leader and one of the main strategists of the Sligo Creek Golf movement. He has a knack for putting together zippy press releases, and this one concerning last night's at-large debate is positively saucy!

In it, Trachtenberg says, “I’m a fighter. I’ve got a heart. And I’ve got a spine,” and on the budget, adds, “I was right then and I’m right now.” We just love it when politicians praise themselves! Trachtenberg also thumbs her nose at long-time rival George Leventhal. And Woody himself gets in on the act, ridiculing any challengers who dare to question his boss's handling of the budget.

Read it for yourself!

Press Release, July 12, 2010:

GERMANTOWN – At a forum for at-large county council candidates, Councilmember Duchy Trachtenberg said she is the at-large candidate who has advocated for fiscal discipline in the past, not just in this election year.

Trachtenberg, chair of the Council’s Fiscal and Management Policy Committee, went unchallenged in her assertion that the county would have been better off this year if a majority of the council two years ago had adopted her proposal to slightly reduce the cost-of-living increases for county employees.

“I was right then and I’m right now,” said Councilmember Trachtenberg.

Had her proposal been adopted by the Council, the county would have saved more than $120 million in funds that could have been used to stave off furloughs or restore cuts in this year’s budget.

Councilmember Trachtenberg and seven other at-large Democratic candidates took turns answering questions at a forum sponsored by the Gaithersburg-Germantown Chamber of Commerce Monday night, one of a dozen such forums already scheduled before the Sept. 14 Democratic Primary.

How to spur economic growth and maintain services in the midst of one of the county’s worst budget crises dominated the forum.

Councilmember Trachtenberg warned that the Council’s ability to continue to hold the line on property taxes and find money to invest in job-producing projects like the Great Seneca Science Corridor will depend on having “difficult” discussions with county employees about compensation and benefits.

Another incumbent, Councilmember George Leventhal, who opposed her reductions two years ago, said, “I agree with Duchy that we cannot continue to pay compensation and benefits in excess of the inflation rate.”

Councilmember Trachtenberg said she is prepared to lead on the fiscal issues because “I’m a fighter. I’ve got a heart. And I’ve got a spine.”

Trachtenberg’s campaign manager, former political reporter Woody Brosnan, observed that the challengers all trotted out some colorful clichés like “kick the can down the road” and “drove the bus into a wall,” but none of them criticized any specific vote by any of the Council incumbents or offered any alternative policies.

In her closing remarks, Councilmember Trachtenberg referred to her recent endorsement by County Executive Ike Leggett.

“In my opinion, and I know in the county executive’s opinion, this is not the time for on-the-job training. We need an experienced hand, someone who is fiscally responsible, and someone who can make the right decisions for you regardless of the political consequences,” said Councilmember Trachtenberg.

Contact Woody Brosnan, campaign manager, 240-481-0309
Visit our website www.VoteDuchy.org

By the authority of Trachtenberg for County Council, Elaine A. Blong, Treasurer