MPW contributor and two-time County Council District 2 candidate Sharon Dooley has started a new blog called Politics Plus. Good luck, Sharon!
Showing posts with label Sharon Dooley. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sharon Dooley. Show all posts
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Friday, October 15, 2010
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Tuesday, September 07, 2010
Monday, August 30, 2010
Primaries to Watch V, Part One
By Marc Korman and Adam Pagnucco.
Marc
A major fundraising report is in, the Washington Post has given its blessings from atop the mountain, mailboxes are filling up, and people who do not read this blog are finally starting to pay attention. So it is time for another installment of “Primaries to Watch.”
The problem with a list like this is it rewards bad behavior. The relatively tame District 14 and 17 State Senate challenges are not as fun to watch next to the madness of the District 16 or 19 Delegate races or the increasing nastiness of District 19 or 39 State Senate. But these races are supposed to be interesting, so here goes.
10. Hopkins vs. Berliner
Previous Rank: #10
Marc
Hopkins is hitting Berliner harder and harder through her mass emails, really taking it to him on one of his strongest issues, energy. She has attacked his loan program for home improvements, his public comments on Pepco, and his passage of a carbon tax. But it is probably too late to really change the overall momentum of the campaign. Hopkins does not have much presence outside of her geographic base of East Bethesda where she will likely do well. Berliner retains all the advantages of incumbency including a fundraising edge and most endorsements.
The Gazette endorsement is a nice feather in Hopkins’ cap and if she is thinking about her political future, she should figure out how to use big endorsements and other attributes from losing campaigns a la Laura Berthiaume (she got the Gazette in her 2006 Delegate race and later was elected to the School Board) or Ryan Spiegel (he got the Post in his 2006 Delegate race and later was elected to the Gaithersburg City Council).
More likely, Hopkins will spend the next few weeks continuing to hammer pretty hard at Berliner and try to pull out an unlikely win.
Full disclosure, I donated to Berliner in 2008 and serve on the Western Montgomery County Citizens Advisory Board with Hopkins.
Adam
Ilaya Hopkins had a lot of potential at the beginning of this race, but Berliner has totally overwhelmed her. He has run a classic incumbent campaign of reporting early money, rolling up lots of endorsements, taking the high road as she has gone negative and using his status as an incumbent to get into the Washington Post on the Pepco issue. This contest stopped being competitive when Berliner got on the Apple Ballot and now none of our informants believe Hopkins will win. She has to be kicking herself for missing out on the District 16 open seat. Hopkins would have been one of the favorites in that race.
The fact that we still have this contest at number ten illustrates how bored we are by the District 15 and 39 House primaries. Those races are midget wrestling compared to the titanic King-Ali and Lenett-Manno cage matches.
9. Council 2 Open Seat
Previous Rank: #9
Marc
There are five candidates in the race, but this one is really a three-way contest between Delegate Craig Rice, former Planning Board Chair Royce Hanson, and civic activist and prior candidate Sharon Dooley.
The stars may be aligning for Rice. He has the financial edge, strong endorsements, and is apparently the only candidate doing serious door knocking. Still, Hanson should have some latent name ID and people should be impressed by his experience. Dooley will be the only woman in the primary and has garnered substantial votes in the District before.
The winner here will face a spirited race against Robin Ficker, making this one of the more serious fall contests in the County.
Full disclosure, I have been doing some volunteer work for Craig Rice.
Adam
Craig Rice is now the favorite. He has the edge over Royce Hanson and Sharon Dooley in money, endorsements and prior electoral performance. Hanson last ran for office in 1978 (losing a Democratic County Executive primary to Charlie Gilchrist) and has half of Rice’s cash on hand. Dooley was crushed by incumbent Mike Knapp in 2006 and hasn’t changed much since then. She has almost no money. Rice worked very hard to beat popular Republican incumbent Delegate Jean Cryor in the last cycle and his Legislative District 15 precincts accounted for about 40% of the votes cast in Council District 2 in 2006. Additionally, MCEA will knock itself out on poll coverage in this district because Rice could be a swing vote on budget issues. All of this puts Rice over the top.
More tomorrow!
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Sharon Dooley: Why I Am Running for County Council
From Sharon Dooley's appearance on Political Pulse.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Craig Rice and Sharon Dooley on "Political Pulse" on Ch. 16 TV in MoCo
Craig Rice and Sharon Dooley, who are running in the Democratic Primary for County Council in District 2 will be on the "Political Pulse" TV Show on:
Thurs, August 19th, at 9:00 p.m.
Fri-Sun, August 20th-22nd, at 6:00 p.m. and
Tues, August 24th, at 9:30 p.m.
Political Pulse is on Montgomery Municipal Cable in Montgomery County.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Monday, May 03, 2010
Sharon Dooley's Introduction Video
Sharon Dooley is running for County Council in District 2 (Upcounty).
Friday, February 26, 2010
Sharon Dooley Announces Campaign Kickoff
Council District 2 candidate Sharon Dooley has announced a campaign kickoff event on Facebook. We reprint the notice below. Also, the Gazette profiled Dooley on Wednesday.
Sharon Dooley for County Council Kickoff/fundraiser
Type: Causes - Fundraiser
Date: Sunday, March 14, 2010
Time: 2:00pm - 4:00pm
Location: Cafe Mileto 8059 Mateny Road Germantown MD
Description
Come join Sharon Dooley and friends as she kicks off her campaign for the County Council seat in District 2.
It is a kick off and fund raiser so contributions will be appreciated as this is a grass roots effort which will need the support of you and your friends.
We'll have food and entertainment.
Help bring an attitude change to the council - elect a council member who cares about her District and the community.
Sharon Dooley will get the job done!
Website up soon!
Citizens for Sharon Dooley Jim Haddow Treas.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Sharon Dooley Announces her Campaign for the County Council Seat in District 2
By Sharon Dooley.
I am proudly announcing the start of my campaign for the seat on the County Council representing District 2. For far too long we have not been well served in this part of the county.
Not only will I adequately serve the population in areas as diverse as Olney, Poolesville and Damascus and as populous as Montgomery Village and Germantown, I will also actively assist areas such as Boyds and Clarksburg, Barnesville, Hyattstown and Dickerson with their very particular concerns. I will be an involved council representative for my entire District and listen to those who live across this wide upcounty area. I am experienced and effective - I will get the job done for my district.
This race and the make-up of this next council can decide the future of our county with approvals on long term zoning decisions, and with (or without) protections for our efforts to have clean air and water and preserve our agricultural areas, just to mention a few concerns. It will address a multitude of business, economic, womens', cultural and social issues such as jobs for working people, adequate transit, health clinics and housing for county residents. It will also decide about educational spending and which budget issues are the most important and need to be maintained in light of tough fiscal decisions. It will make significant transit and transportation decisions and decide what your community may look like in the future. With your help I will be one of the decision makers here.
* Does the issue of Ride-on as a needed community service, rather than as a self sustaining transportation mode, mean anything to your community? I worked hard for this continuation of community buses. (Just approved by the Council.) I have supported the Purple line down county and the Corridor Cities Transit way upcounty. We need to look at multiple options for transportation solutions, such as the proposed bus rapid transit option - as we have not appropriately addressed real gridlock. We also must find ways to pay for these planned lines.
* I know our county can and must continue to grow but I believe that we need to look at growth through the prism of the many players involved - growth and development does not and cannot occur in a vacuum. We need to grow wisely, not just rapidly, as we had in the past. The Planning Board is proposing to change the zoning and permitting process; this needs to be reviewed carefully as community involvement must not be distilled; nor must developers have a long onerous process before they can build.
* I will work to ensure that our economic development improves and we attract jobs and businesses to serve not just my district, but the entire county, so we can decrease traffic and travel times by allowing some people to work where they live. Doing this will also improve our tax base and economic viability as a county. A brisk economic climate goes hand in hand with good education and strong schools which I will support.
* Does clear breathable air for our children mean something to you and your family? Then join with me in trying to keep the lungs of Montgomery County - the forests in the Ag Reserve - protected. I will work to keep the Agricultural Reserve as an area that will last for future generations to fully and freely enjoy. I have assisted with clean water issues and know we must keep our waterways clean and protect the Chesapeake Bay.
* I long fought the ICC - fruitlessly it seems, but I did manage to get the State Highway to downsize enormous and inappropriate signs planned for our neighborhoods. These will now be the model for all communities along the ICC route. As the just retired President of the Greater Olney Civic Association- GOCA - in my community of Olney (which has about 40,000 residents) we worked cooperatively to address zoning issues that might have negative effects and promote others that were seen as beneficial. We worked with the local Chamber of Commerce and other community groups to promote a vision for the future of our area. We were active in planning a mixed use concept plan for future development in our town.
Many of you know that I practiced as a registered nurse for many years and have also educated many by teaching in Montgomery Colleges' workforce development programs. I have raised my two children in Montgomery County and been both a soccer and PTA Mom and a community leader. I was instrumental in helping start a Farmers Market and "locally grown" efforts in my area and supported the movement throughout the County. As a precinct coordinator, I have long worked for Democratic candidates. After owning my own consulting business for a number of years, I have changed careers a bit and now am employed full time working in heath care compliance/fraud issues.
A resident of this county for more than 30 years, I serve on the boards of major organizations such as Mobile Medical, Olney Farmers and Artists Market, Greater Sandy Spring Green Space and have worked with Women Business Owners and Montgomery Women. I also am active with a group called Upcounty Action which serves a watchdog role in the upper county. As you can see, I believe in volunteerism, but I know it cannot solve all of our problems.
Finally, I am running for county council because I also believe that we deserve a county government that is more responsive to the needs of each of its voters. We need a council that not only hears but also listens to the voices of the people who come to make requests, share information or ask for solutions. This campaign needs people who believe as I do that we must continue to hear input of the electorate after we are elected; in short we need to have two way conversations. If I am to be successful, I need support from progressives and moderates alike. To do this I need your support - I need to have strong grass roots voices behind and in front of me - won't you come along? Won't you volunteer and contribute to the best of your ability to make this campaign a success?
I will have a formal campaign kick-off on March 14th - so save the date - details to be announced.
Other important dates!
* Democratic Primary: 9/14/10
* Early Voting: 9/3/10 to 9/9/10
* Deadline to Register/Change Party Affiliation: 8/24/10
Citizens for Sharon Dooley
PO Box 132, Brookeville MD 20833
Authority Jim Haddow, Treasurer, Irma Cuellar Chair
Questions? Contact me at: sharonkdooley@gmail.com or leave a message at: 301-260-8569
Website to follow soon; snow delays.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Where are the District County Council Challengers?
We have written extensively about the At-Large County Council race. But what about the District County Council elections?
Sadly for us but happily for the incumbents, there’s not very much to report.
At first glance, it should be easier for challengers to overthrow County Council incumbents in the county’s five districts for one simple reason: it is cheaper to run in a district than at-large. But that has not helped recent district challengers. The only two district incumbents who were thrown out in the last two cycles were Republicans unseated by Democrats: District 1’s Howard Denis, who was defeated by Roger Berliner in 2006, and District 2’s Nancy Dacek, who was defeated by Mike Knapp in 2002. All of the Democratic incumbents who were challenged won.
Here are the Democratic primary statistics for all district seats held by Democratic incumbents from the last two cycles.
2006 Cycle
District 2 (Upcounty): Incumbent Mike Knapp vs. Sharon Dooley
Vote Percentage: Knapp 63.8%, Dooley 36.2%
Contributions: Knapp $213,547, Dooley $16,339
District 3 (Rockville/Gaithersburg): Incumbent Phil Andrews vs. Bob Dorsey
Vote Percentage: Andrews 75.9%, Dorsey 24.1%
Contributions: Andrews $98,298, Dorsey $25,570
District 4 (East County): Incumbent Marilyn Praisner vs. Mike Jones
Vote Percentage: Praisner 79.9%, Jones 20.1%
Contributions: Praisner $52,326, Jones filed no reports
District 5 (Silver Spring/Takoma Park/Kensington): Open Seat
2002 Cycle
District 3: Incumbent Phil Andrews vs. Bob Dorsey
Vote Percentage: Andrews 53.6%, Dorsey 46.4%
Contributions: Andrews $75,173, Dorsey $68,072
District 4: Incumbent Marilyn Praisner vs. Steve Joseph
Vote Percentage: Praisner 80.2%, Joseph 19.8%
Contributions: Praisner $27,739, Joseph $42,942
District 5: Open Seat
Averages, District County Council Seats Held by Democratic Incumbents, 2002 and 2006
Vote Percentage: Incumbents 70.7%, Challengers 29.3%
Contributions: Incumbents $93,417, Challengers $30,585
The only competitive district race in the last two cycles was incumbent Phil Andrews’ 2002 win over Bob Dorsey in District 3, which includes Rockville and Gaithersburg. Dorsey was a Rockville City Council Member who ran as part of County Executive Doug Duncan’s End Gridlock slate. Andrews survived twelve(!) pro-Dorsey mailings and numerous negative attacks in part because he was endorsed by MCEA. (My, how times change.) None of the other challengers had any significant institutional support. The only Democratic district incumbent to lose in 1998 was District 3’s Bill Hanna, who was driven out by none other than Andrews.
The winning recipe for district incumbents is straightforward: pay attention to constituent service, earn the support of community leaders around the district, wrap up important endorsements and raise more money than the opponent(s). All of that sucks up the oxygen needed by any challenger. At-large elections are more complicated since they are four-person round robins. Lots more factors count in those contests, including incumbent-on-incumbent rivalries. Both the 2002 and 2006 races featured one open at-large seat and one defeated incumbent, producing two at-large freshmen.
Currently, the district races do not look as interesting as the at-large contest. No incumbent has a confirmed challenger yet. Here’s what we are hearing.
District 1, Incumbent Roger Berliner
East Bethesda civic leader Ilaya Hopkins is exploring a challenge. We sized up this potential race last month.
District 2, Incumbent Mike Knapp
Knapp may not run for re-election. If he does, he may face civic activist Sharon Dooley again. Dooley lost to Knapp by 28 points in 2006. If Knapp does not seek to return, Gaithersburg/Germantown Chamber of Commerce CEO Marilyn Balcombe and Dooley seem certain to run, and there may be other candidates.
District 3
We reported rumors that former Rockville Mayor Larry Giammo was a possible candidate for this seat a year ago, but have heard nothing since. Phil Andrews may run unopposed.
District 4
Delegate Ben Kramer (D-19) is still smarting from his special election loss to Nancy Navarro in the spring of 2009. Kramer never conceded the race and never endorsed Navarro against Republican Robin Ficker. He may seek to challenge Navarro again. If so, he will likely be supported by at-large incumbent Duchy Trachtenberg, who lost her chance to become Council Vice-President in 2010 and Council President in 2011 because of Navarro’s election. The last Navarro-Kramer contest was a bitter affair culminating in multiple negative mailers by Navarro against Kramer. A rematch would see no quarter given by either side.
District 5
Incumbent Valerie Ervin has no rivals on the horizon. She could very well be a kingmaker in the at-large race. Many suitors will no doubt seek her support.
If anything changes, we’ll be sure to let you know!
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Ride-On Woes
By Sharon Dooley.
The proposed county budget is suggesting cuts for many current Ride-on routes and outright elimination for others. Current bus riders fear loss of connectivity and bus drivers, who are county employees, face loss of jobs.
At the outset, it must be acknowledged that the county faces significant budget issues and cuts are to be expected across the county in services. This area, however, is one where the impact would be widespread and reconsideration is necessary. The move, suggested to save slightly over a million dollars is not – in the long run – a wise decision. Across the county, neighborhood activists, government workers, societies for disabled children and adults and school communities are speaking out and urging opposition to these changes. From down county to mid county, from Olney to Germantown, buses are being layered in flyers, alerts and petitions. Community groups are meeting, emails are being shared and plans are in place to have a good turnout at the Department of Transportation hearing on Monday February1st. The hearing is open to the public and currently has over 60 speakers scheduled to testify. Available to the Shady Grove Metro Red Line travelers most easily, the hearing is being held in the cafeteria of the Executive Office building at 101 Monroe Street in Rockville at 6:30.
Currently 23 routes (mostly part-time Rush hour only or weekend routes) are scheduled for complete elimination and 6 other routes are scheduled for cut-backs. It is most counter productive in a difficult economy to make commuter travel less accessible to transit and more expensive. It is further short-sighted to directly impact those who cannot or do not travel by cars but still want to be productive members of this community. Finally, if we are to ever be a green community, we must encourage less vehicular traffic.
In a community meeting, shop steward Nelvin Ransome of UFCW Local 1994 said that 20 bus driver positions are currently unfilled and 33 more are slated for elimination if these cuts go through. He said his union is working on creative solutions to maybe create a senior driver force where part-time routes could be served by retirees working limited hours and not requiring benefits. He indicated that his members were thankful for the community support that they have received across the county. Last year many of these same routes were slated for elimination but were saved when the county residents spoke up; this year many are confused since few issues have changed.
In the community of Olney, many areas are far from the town center where Metro buses run. The community is more than 10 miles from both Glenmont and Shady Grove Metro stations and almost as far from the Rockville Metro – the terminal ends of the two Rush Hour only Ride-Ons that serve the community (Routes #52 & #53). These 2 buses travel many miles as they go in and around neighborhood streets then run a circular route between the town and the Metros. Recently riders have kept tallies of the numbers of riders indicating many days when there were standees due to lack of capacity. Others have noted the many times fare boxes were broken or absent entirely. Many complain that the ridership is undercounted. Some indicate that because the community is further out – Olney is only 5 miles from the Howard County line - that numbers are irrelevant. The Ride-on had always been a promised link to the rest of the county and that link should not be severed.
If the county is truly committed to Smart Growth principles, then cutting off rush hour Ride- ons is absolutely the wrong decision. To reinforce this, the mid-county advisory board, (MCAB), Action for Transit (ACT) and the Greater Olney Civic Association (GOCA), among many other groups, have all spoken in opposition to these suggested cuts. In Olney it was thought that another 300 cars would enter the rush hour commutes should rush hour not have options.
Many in the Upcounty live in widely spaced communities. There are fewer apartments where many riders could be served by a single stop; their buses have to travel greater distances with lesser ridership. They also have less access to Metro bus lines; this is seen especially when students stay late at High Schools past activity bus schedules and their schools are off the beaten track. Communities far from the Metro stations such as those in Olney, Damascus, Clarksburg, Poolesville and Germantown also pay taxes and should not be distanced from a transit connectivity just because they are “far out” in a geographic sense. Policies that say we need to car-pool and do not provide commuter lots or Express buses do not jive. Policies that do not serve all of the residents of the county are not reasonable. The Upcounty should not be isolated or dismissed; it should not be forced further into gridlock situations.
Until down county urban areas can benefit from the promised Purple Line, they needs Ride-on buses.
Until areas in the Upcounty can reap the benefits of proposals such as the Corridor Cities Transitway (CCT) – long on the books - or the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) suggested by Council Member Marc Elrich, they need Ride-on buses. The county must keep its inferred promises to each of the communities in the area, that the old and infirm will not be isolated in their homes, that those without cars will not only be given the options of walking or taxis, that our school children with working parents can get safely back home, that public employees who do a good job will keep that job.
See you at the hearing!
Sharon Dooley is President of GOCA the community civic group which serves the more than 40,000 residents of the greater Olney area – and a frequent MPW contributor.
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Montgomery County 2009: What Will 2010 Bring?
A verse and a challenge by Sharon Dooley.
Twas the night before New Years and all was still
The offices were closed; in the air was a chill.
The county was broke; the blogs did moan
However ratings still held; could we get a loan?
Positions were fluid, then suddenly hard
Who it appears would hold the top card?
As unions, and non-profits did their cash dance
Each hoped fervently that their cause would advance;
Council members were wooed and vilified as all
Tried for their attention and waited for their call.
The County Exec over across the street,
Re-did the numbers on his balance sheet;
He furrowed his brow, shook his tired head
How do these figures stay in the red?
He hoped for a miracle to surely change
The numbers that stubbornly seemed so strange.
What should Montgomery County do?
Where was the answer to this budgetary stew?
The new council Pres shook her blonde head
Since Budget cuts she had hoped to shed.
As she took office she wanted to grow
And help the county promise to show
So what is the answer, dear voter please try
Give us the answers; the new course to fly
Help the county to again be on track
Assist in keeping our mission intact.
What should you, what would you cut out
If the decision was yours, no don’t just pout
Answer right now, what is an excess load?
Is it the ICC – that Lexus road (nope, that is the state)
Could it be snow plowing – it never snows here – guess not!
How about the Purple line and the CCT – never will happen – nor should it!
Education – no, that is a sacred cow – even without maintenance of effort
Jobs and salaries – should they be decreased – but we need jobs and workers, how could that be?
Funding for non-profits – but the needs are so great – see this is not easy!
So tell me please – MPW - folks – if you were an elected county official - what could be dismissed from our budget of over 4 Billion dollars; it is easy to criticize, but now let’s see how creative you each can be.
Come up with your list of the top three (we know how Adam loves lists) the top three to keep and the top three to cut. Do let us know before the New Year!
Tuesday, December 08, 2009
Primaries to Watch Update, Part One
By Marc Korman and Adam Pagnucco.
All right everybody, it’s time to update our intel on the most interesting actual and potential primaries in Montgomery County that we are watching. Just like last time, Marc and Adam are going to co-write this mini-series. New information has prompted us to reorder our rankings of the most compelling races.
Off the list: District 14 Senator Rona Kramer vs. Eric Luedtke
Prior rank: Second
Marc
This race drops off the list because the challenger, Eric Luedtke, has decided not to run. Luedtke, a teacher and activist, began raising money and making the rounds. He was expected to mount a challenge against incumbent Senator Rona Kramer from the left on issues such as the death penalty. But going against a self-funding incumbent was an expensive proposition and Luedtke decided not to take it on. Expect to see his name on the list of potential candidates in District 14 for a long time. Full disclosure, I donated to Luedtke’s campaign.
Adam
Luedtke is not running against Kramer, leaving the county’s most anti-labor and anti-environment Senator safe. Difficulty in raising money was one of the big reasons why Luedtke opted out. This illustrates a growing problem in state and county politics: a candidate must increasingly be independently wealthy, incredibly well connected or have lots of rich friends to have a shot at office. Luedtke, an outstanding progressive activist and a winner of our Young Gun awards, had none of those advantages. But just like Marc says, Luedtke will be a player in county politics for the foreseeable future.
10. Council District 2 Maneuvering (Rumored)
Prior rank: Off the list
Marc
Near the top of the list of Montgomery County political rumors that will not die is the future of Councilman Mike Knapp. Each month brings a new rumor that Knapp is retiring, running for County Executive, or running for reelection. If he hangs it up, Gaithersburg-Germantown Chamber of Commerce Marilyn Balcombe is almost certain to run. Sharon Dooley, who ran against Knapp in 2006, is a potential candidate whether there is an opening or not.
Adam
Mike Knapp could make a lot of money if he returned to the private sector, where he founded multiple businesses. It must also be really tempting to leave Rockville’s Drama Queens behind for a saner life. But Knapp might not be done with politics yet. His ten-point Economic Development Strategy looks like a policy platform for a County Executive race and set tongues wagging when it was released. It’s also entirely possible that Knapp will run for his current seat again. Knapp just held a fundraiser at Loiederman Soltesz Associates in Rockville, so he is keeping his options open.
Marilyn Balcombe will not challenge Knapp if he runs for re-election, but I expect her to run if he leaves. Civic leader and MPW contributor Sharon Dooley, who lost to Knapp by 28 points in 2006, might get in no matter who is running. There’s no reason to believe that Knapp is vulnerable if he wanted to return in District 2. But if he left for whatever reason, the race to succeed him would be wide open.
9. District 39 Open Delegate Seat (Rumored)
Prior rank: Ninth
Marc
The potential State Senate race in District 39 will be discussed later in the series, but if Delegate Saqib Ali runs for the State Senate, he will leave behind an empty Delegate slot. Bob Hydorn, President of the Montgomery Village Foundation Board, has given early indications he will run if there is an open seat or not. If there is not an open seat and the current incumbents run as a slate, there is likely to be no movement here. If there is an opening, more candidates could take a look at the race. Delegate Kirill Reznik, appointed to the seat in 2007, needs to work hard because he has not run before. Full disclosure, I serve as District 39 Delegate Kirill Reznik’s campaign chair and voted for him in the 2007 Central Committee appointment process.
Adam
Central Committee Member Shirley Rivadeneira has everything it takes to be a dynamic candidate. She is a well-spoken, super-smart, appealing young Latina with great progressive credentials. But she would have to resign her job at the U.S. Department of Labor to go to Annapolis, so her candidacy in the event of an open seat is not guaranteed. Furthermore, she will not challenge a united slate.
Bob Hydorn is much more inclined to run. His dislike for Saqib Ali creates the possibility of a challenge even if the incumbents all run again. Hydorn would have to raise money, pick up endorsements and gain exposure outside Montgomery Village to have a shot at knocking off an incumbent. That’s easier said than done in a bad environment for fundraising.
If the slate sticks together, I don’t see the incumbents as particularly vulnerable – not even appointee Kirill Reznik. Reznik has compiled a voting record that is consistent with his district and is working to build a base of support. Appointees who do those things usually return to Annapolis.
8. Reggie Oldak vs. District 16 (Rumored)
Prior rank: Eighth
Marc
When Reggie Oldak ran in 2006, she was an underdog competing against a close partnership of Delegates Marilyn Goldwater, Bill Bronrott, Susan Lee, and State Senator Brian Frosh. Oldak came in a strong fourth and scored the endorsement of the Washington Post. Ever since she was not appointed to succeed Delegate Goldwater, the rumor has been that she would run for the seat in 2010.
Some view Delegate Bill Frick as vulnerable because he has not run before, but he has also been working the district very hard and raising money. Delegate Bill Bronrott has not recorded a contribution since 2006, though his January finance report may tell a different tale. He has also been an active player on the Purple Line and if he chooses to, has a lot to crow about with the project heading to the Federal Transit Administration. Delegate Susan Lee had a balance of over $100,000 last January and has continued fundraising all year.
If Oldak gets into the race, she will certainly be a serious candidate. But she may find herself facing the same dynamic as 2006, a close slate that has not given their constituents any reason to vote against them. Full disclosure, I am a Central Committee Member for District 16, voted for Bill Frick in the 2007 appointment process, and have donated to him.
Adam
This race is all talk and no action. Reggie Oldak does not appear to be doing anything to put together a potential Delegate challenge at the moment. And none of the incumbent Delegates look vulnerable. The only drama here is whether superstar-in-the-making Bill Frick finishes first. Wouldn’t “Pick Frick” be a great election slogan?
We’ll cover four more races in Part Two.
Sunday, September 06, 2009
Transportation Leads the List
By Sharon Dooley.
Many residents of the county will state that transportation woes lead their lists of daily concerns, and as travel distances increase and commuting times become longer, frustrations grow larger for many. So it is fitting as children return to school and most of us return to our usual routines after summer vacations, that thoughts turn to transportation. The County Council will soon address significant and important issues that shall shape our county’s future. Today’s remarks look at the transportation quandary.
What directions should the Annual Growth Policy (AGP) take? How does a county that has decreasing revenues fund necessary improvements? Will our roads evolve into near permanent gridlock or will our planners advise effective and adequate transportation solutions? Now that the Purple Line seems to be passing all hurdles, will the county soon see the predicted benefits? Is the chosen route still subject to change? Does it make sense to not bring it up to the Medical Center area that will soon be impacted by BRAC? Does this increase or harm the chances of the Corridor Cities Transit way (CCT) being fast tracked for the beleaguered upper county areas? (Could the CCT be paired with a Baltimore area project to increase the chances of approval by the state?)
Development of the Johns Hopkins Life Sciences Centers and the Science City proposed in the Gaithersburg West Master Plans will also consider the CCT and planners have proposed significant re-routing of the long planned route to facilitate the transit ideas that have evolved in this plan. In fact, it is suggested that approximately 30% of the residents in the new residential areas may not need cars, nor have places to park them in the long term. Extensive public education will be necessary if public behaviors are expected to change successfully. However, development is not staged in such a way that Stage One will not proceed, if the CCT is not in place. It may well be that there needs to be an Express component on this line to bring those from the upcounty to the Shady Grove Metro and a more local stop option to address the Gaithersburg West development, as the time people can spend in any commute must be considered. This long awaited and major commercial, mixed use and residential plan is also predicated on the economy being strong enough to support these plans. Montgomery County would enhance its’ reputation as a major player in the Life and Bio-sciences development areas when this project is a reality, so each stage should be carefully developed, to ensure that success is a given. The eventual business and residential growth here, as proposed would take place over 25-35 years and should allow enough time for proposed infrastructure to be in place as each stage progresses. The major question is – will this happen? The council must ensure that adequate infrastructure and required public facilities are also staged in conjunction with the development. This county has a history of placing projects in a queue, yet not providing funding. Other projects, such as the Montrose Parkway, were fast-tracked with county money when we had more options. Communities such as Germantown and Clarksburg have been described as Transit dependant, yet they still await the CCT, which has been long promised. Olney has long awaited a bus way down Georgia Avenue that would facilitate Metro access; perhaps the Bus Rapid transit (BRT) along the bus way could be an answer to that proposal.
Several transportation projects have been considered as major necessary improvements for many years but have not happened. Among the unfunded ones are major modifications of several intersections: Randolph Road at Georgia Avenue, Route 28 and Georgia Avenue, Viers Mill Road at First Street, Brookeville By-pass, just to mention a few long standing areas of bottle necks in the mostly mid county area. Other long stalled projects are common to all areas. The County Council sends lists of prioritized projects to the County delegation each year, yet other priorities intercede as budget demands change. Concerns about both the Purple line and the CCT include costs; if BRT is cheaper, why not mandate that? However if Federal finds are in place for light rail, why not take advantage of ‘free money’, so to speak? These are all hard choices and decisions that should be well considered and not hastily made.
What will happen with plans for 270 improvements; will the county just keep on adding lanes without adequate planning and input from those who live nearby? Just how big should a highway be? Obviously lanes need to be added to decrease the bottlenecks seen daily from Frederick South; but what form should they take? The state planners envisioned that in 50 years or so that the CCT will go up along 270 in some manner all the way to Frederick. We must be careful to plan any expansion so that this could still occur. Some have suggested adding two outside High Occupancy Toll Lanes (HOT) alongside current routes in each direction, while others have suggested placing the HOT lanes in the middle and making them reversible to fit the rush hours, mush as is done on the Bay Bridge. Will other planned or suggested highways be considered or stalled such as the M-83 or the Tech road? Will they be kept on the books as viable opportunities for the future or will the county finally turn to reasonable alternative measures and stop deforestation of parkland, destruction of watershed, the ag reserve and other large areas of the county? The county needs to think long term here in looking at solutions; too often we settle for the short-term fix and later have to address unforeseen complications, such as environmental damages.
Will BRT be in the County’s future? This seems to be a responsible, cost effective alternative to reducing traffic flow, but public buy in is a necessary component. Recent hearings at the County Planning Board indicated displeasure from both residential neighborhoods and development attorneys in aspects of growth decisions based upon PAMR (policy area mobility review) and local traffic studies, neither of which have validation by national transportation authorities and seem to be a home grown remedy that has failed as a long term therapy for gridlock. With continued slow downs on Metro and the inability to increase car lengths beyond 8 cars is it realistic to try to force more commuters onto Metro in the short term? Where is Metros long term future; is it based in longer routes or do we need to pause and realistically decide that perhaps spending some real funds on maintenance and upgrades is in our best interests? If that is the decision made, perhaps BRT could fill the gaps.
In conclusion, it appears that the County Council has a major agenda concern with transportation alone; the annual growth policy, the budget and other topics cannot be disregarded nor will they disappear and further options shall be discussed in future posts.
Council hearings will be held on the Gaithersburg West Master Plan on Tuesday, September 15th and the Annual Growth Policy on September 22nd at 7:00pm in the third floor Council Hearing Room of the County Council building. The public is invited; usually hearings are also televised on county cable TV.
Monday, August 10, 2009
The Health Insurance Racket: Getting Rich by Denying Americans Care
Forwarded by Sharon Dooley:
For more, visit here.
Saturday, August 08, 2009
Swift Boating Health Care
By Sharon Dooley.
Well folks, it’s August and the Swift boaters have come up from the murky depths yet again, this time to try to distort the message against health care. They and others on the right have marshaled their mercenary forces against change and set out once again to spread the lies that polls have decided would be effective destructors. Disgraced former Health care Executive Rich Scott (mentioned in my earlier blog) has spread his millions around various lobbying outlets in DC, helping to outfit buses and pay for “involved citizens” to tour around and organize demonstrations that suppress free speech and quash civil discourse. (Conservatives for Patients Rights is one of them.) This is becoming an annual August rite – only much more venal than Hay fever!
In Maryland, House Majority leader Steny Hoyer was shouted down when he tried to meet with constituents and have a reasonable discussion about the various Health care options before the Congress. Some criticized Senator Ben Cardin, when he held a closed door Town meeting recently, but perhaps he was wiser than some of his colleagues who were filmed attempting to shout over organized mobs. Progressives throughout the area are attempting to provide sane voices in these meetings and Move-on and others are trying to run reality commercials.
MSNBC filmed Republican operatives – denying their affiliations and insurance company employees – in their company shirts – all speaking out as “ordinary people” in their objections to “government run health-care.” Oddly enough many parents and grandparents are doing quite well with their “government run” Medicare programs and even their prescriptions drug plans. Additionally, thousands of children are now immunized through the federally run Vaccines for Children programs and the SCHIP for uninsured minor children, while other elderly residents in nursing homes are covered under the dually sponsored State and Federal Medicaid programs.
Some in Montgomery County may have received the emails and scare tactics being voiced here in this battle. Only this time the sides are not evenly matched. While well-meaning Democratic Members of Congress attempt to reach out to their constituents, the opposition has the propaganda machine out in force. Older residents are being frightened and told that their health care will be rationed and their Medicare benefits will be reduced. Claims are being made that indicate seniors will be required to make living wills and end of life plans (not a bad idea in the abstract) which will then lead to euthanasia. Also discussed is the supposed creation of local medical panels that will make specific life and death decisions about elderly people based on economic criteria. While studies have shown that the last year of life is a huge expense for Medicare, care decisions are often made by families who are upset and emotional and do not know what their loved one might have wished. Nurses know how hard it is to decide whether or not to provide more life supports. Caring advisors believe that this decision is a difficult one best made when all sides are healthy and unemotional. But death squads and rationing of end of life care options – incredible! Nothing could be further from the truth; where are the sane voices? Nurses and primary care physicians who care for these patients and others have long been among the loudest voices pressing for health care for all and in support of the single payer options, because they know the reality of our inadequate health care system. AARP has some facts and myths on their web site Myths that try to answer some of these concerns but this voice is a quiet one, not easily heard in this bedlam of the current media. AARP should not be so timid and should use their bully pulpit as they did in the prescription drug plan fight where they helped the flawed Bush drug plan get passed.
Those in favor of Health care reform are being labeled as anti-American Nazis, posters have shown Obama with a Hitlerian moustache and the haters are out in force. Even Sarah Palin has weighed in, claiming these planners would kill her son with Down’s syndrome because he is not productive in society. This must stop. How could an intellectual discussion be reduced to such absurdity? Americans spend more than any other country on health care, but we trail many countries in areas such as infant mortality and longevity because we do not use our health care dollars wisely. We need to follow the money here and note that those who stand to gain the most if reform fails are the major drug companies, insurance companies and hospital associations. Those who would lose the most are all the rest of us. Since there is no one bill currently approved – just agree upon reform. Please be a voice for reason and sanity and contact your elected officials now – let them hear from the real voters whose free speech is stilled by the voices of the mobs. Tell them we need real reform – now. Do not fall for Swift boating again.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Agriculture, Environment and Open Space Co-exist in the County – For Now
By Sharon Dooley.
This is the weekend of the Montgomery County Farm Tour and Harvest Sale. Several farms are open for tours, produce picking, sales or demonstrations. Take advantage of the opportunity to visit working farms and orchards and further the efforts of the buy local experiences. Yesterday one of the sites I visited was Butlers Orchards near Germantown. There one can find field fruits for picking such as blackberries or just picked vegetables from the fields for sale in the farm stand. Families unloaded from cars and children hurried to pick their choice of fruit. Let’s all hope that our elected and appointed officials ensure that this experience continues for residents of our county.
To get to this farm one must wander through a tucked away and beautiful area along truly rustic roads that traverse dense forests following meandering waterways with the occasional one lane bridge spanning the streams. Here, only moments from 270 and 355, the din from those bustling roads is not evident as the dominant sounds are those of birds, flowing waters and rustling branches. A youngster was spotting hopping across rocks in one stream as the sun glistened through the trees and the waters sparkled. Occasionally a meadow or farm field is spotted up from the narrow lanes that join the routes sometimes-steep inclines, where trees line the edge of the shoulder less roads. These roads have descriptive names such as Wild Cat or Davis Mill and all are urged to explore these quiet places while we can. Unfortunately, also noted, was a small cluster of luxury homes being built along Davis Mill – how long will it be before these homeowners will demand wider roads and straighter exits from their wooded hide-a-ways? How inappropriately sited this development seemed.
Yet, I was reminded that some of this forested area is being considered for yet another highway – one that would carry the traffic from the mid-county highway (soon to be linked to the ICC) from its current terminus in Montgomery Village up through the Brink Road areas to near Clarksburg. It would go again through stream valleys and Seneca Park, while some routes would continue this passage through some of the virgin forests just described. Areas in the Dayspring retreat center, where meadow habitats and lively flowing waters are now protected, would be threatened with destruction. The county has placed signs at spots along Blount Road and other places noting the potential for this highway. Some potential routes would cross waterways in a dozen or more areas and would change the natural resources, degrade water quality and destroy plant and animal life in large measures. This is not stewardship of the environment – a phrase too often tossed around in political circles these days, but given lip service frequently.
Recently I was among those requesting that the Maryland National Capitol Parks and Planning Board delay planned construction in the western area of Clarksburg near 270 because of the potential damage to the Seneca Creek watershed generally (because of impervious surface runoff among other concerns) and the Ten Mile Creek area specifically. Ten Mile Creek – to those of you who are down county – is an actual ford – where the stream waters are often flowing over the road surface. The testimony from Diane Cameron of Storm water partners can be read here and is representative of comments submitted.
The decision was taken to indeed delay this construction; environmentalists throughout the area applauded this action.
The county has spent millions of dollars to restore and reclaim some of our down county creeks and waterways, so it is a real positive note to see that the planning board took this proactive stand. Now – it is hoped that the council will continue to approve this delay despite demands by builders to the contrary. However we cannot just stop there and applaud; the community must remain vigilant and stop allowing channeling of streams as has happened with negative effects in Clarksburg already along with other sensitive areas in the county. Affected communities need to question claims that this actually protects the streams. It has been demonstrated many times that the straight stream is not the most effective way to direct water flow.
In previous County Council testimony, contractors have noted that they are not always following the county water standards. Recent storms have sent mud and water flowing out from the construction sites along the ICC. Large tracts along the path of this monster highway have been cleared and are now clear-cut with no remaining undergrowth to hold storm waters. A recent article in the Washington Post noted the huge culverts and massive bridges that are being built over sensitive areas of the upper Rock Creek and Lake Need wood Park areas. The environment was supposedly protected with a runway for deer and other small animals. These structures were created which keep the traffic flow above the natural beauty below - supposedly minimizing the negative effects of this three Billion dollar highway. How much nicer could it have been if these natural areas had not been disturbed at all?
Now back to the Farms and the upper county areas of beauty and quiet reflection. Is there will in this county to keep these forests, vistas, and farms and nearby crops? Is there a critical mass of those who would speak up for protecting what we have and keeping the Buy Local movement alive? Are the powers of those who would work to build highways at the cost of life quality and protection of the environment and our heritage greater than those who would protect our current choices for moderate growth? This question gives the county a clear choice and whatever choice is made can provide a critical tipping point for county residents, not just for ensuing decades but also maybe for the entire metro area. Can we – should we ever have to – sustain our growth and provide for food, energy, education, employment, transit and shelter for those who will live here?
Thursday, July 02, 2009
Blair Ewing: A Tribute
By Sharon Dooley.
The last time I saw Blair was in May at the annual Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee Spring Ball. He looked quite fragile as he walked unsteadily to his table, but said he was “fine” when I greeted him. This was the same response I had received at the NAACP Dinner in March and the Democratic Holiday Party in December. But many knew all was not well, he was far too gaunt and frail to be “fine”. So when I heard he died of carcinoid this week I was saddened, but not surprised. In reflection that May evening, I thought it is too bad Blair is not being honored tonight – we are not going to have a chance to do so in his presence much longer. But seeing him at these big gatherings month after month speaks to his character and to his courage. As an intelligent man, he knew he was ill and still kept to his routine. He asked no sympathy and carried his dignity forward with each uncertain step.
I’m not claiming great camaraderie with this man – he was not the boisterous political type who is always ‘meeting and greeting’ and has thousands of acquaintances, but few friends. No, Blair was a serious intellectual person, evidenced by his status as Phi Beta Kappa and previous collegiate rank as a professor. I first met him when he was a member of the Montgomery County Board of Education and found him to be caring and passionate about the education of students in this county. He has always been kind and friendly toward me and I considered him a respected friend and elder. He was an active advocate equally both for the services of gifted students as well as for those students whose educational needs were not being met by the system. He was outspoken concerning civil rights and equal opportunities in public education and first won election opposing conservatives. When I worked with a statewide advocacy group for gifted children’s education, Blair was a source of suggestions, advice and experience; he was always approachable and down to earth.
He really liked being on the County Council and did an excellent job of it. When the council at the time cut county clinic services for the mentally ill, I remember his crusade to try to restore these services for county residents. He kept his emphasis on education but added environmental issues to his plate and was an early opponent of the ICC. He was the real at large representative for and of the populace on the council around 2000. When he ran for re-election for his at large seat, those on the End Gridlock slate targeted him. County Executive Duncan additionally claimed he was an obstructionist to plans for growth; however few really expected his defeat in 2002. Across the county many spoke of “Blair” that year – he had been an elected official for 22 years on the school board and 4 on the council. That demonstrates a legacy that few could match before or probably will not afterwards.
Blair Ewing also did not forget and started working for Martin O’Malley as soon as he announced his candidacy for governor. He marshaled many in the county to this quest and was publicly jubilant at the O’Malley victory. Named to the State Board of Education by the governor, his advocacy for Montgomery County continued. In fact, one of his final acts as a State Board member was to support he county’s request for a waiver on the maintenance of effort – just a few short weeks ago in May. To the end he served this county and stood up for his beliefs and principles. He wore his passions as a vest – they were a part of his uniform. One always knew where he stood and where you stood with him. Blair was an old-fashioned guy in some ways – he couldn’t be called a progressive – he was a true liberal and remained one even after many tried to smear that label - he wore it proudly. He didn’t test the wind before he chose his side in a battle; he went stolidly into the fray with the might of right on his side. When I ran in 2006 I was honored to receive the endorsement of both Blair and Neal Potter; neither were given lightly, both were proudly received. Recently in the District Council 4 race Blair Ewing endorsed Cary Lamari, still keeping to his principles and standing his ground, still involved in the politics of the county.
Today Рhis quiet person to person campaigns, his principled stands, his passions for people oriented services, seem almost pass̩ in the loud frenetic media driven world of politics we see daily. I hope that many will now pause, reflect and be thankful for his service and leadership in our county and will use his example to inspire future leaders. I know that I will. Many in Montgomery County will really miss Blair Ewing and I am certain join with me in sending condolences to his widow and family.
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