Accomplishments & Goals

Standing Up for Progressive Values

Passed legislation improving access to affordable health insurance for employees of County contractors and strengthening the County’s Living Wage Law
Added funding for child care for most vulnerable residents
Passed Secure Communities Resolution to keep our local police force from enforcing federal immigration law
Passed Gun Control Resolution calling on Congress and the Maryland General Assembly to pass gun safety legislation in the wake of the Sandy Hook shooting
Created Right to Vote Task Force and Passed Right to Vote Resolution to increase voter turnout in Montgomery County
Sponsored Marijuana Decriminalization and Lowest Law Enforcement Priority Resolution to request that police de-prioritize simple possession of marijuana by adults
Passed legislation providing equal benefits for same-sex couples employed by County contractors
Passed strongest Earned Sick & Safe Leave law in the nation
Passed landmark Minimum Wage legislation as Council President and cosponsored bill raising minimum wage to $15

Expanding Opportunities for Children, Youth, & Families

Created and subsequently expanded Teen Escape Club program
Saved Ride On’s “Kids Ride Free” Program from proposed funding cuts
Increased funding for Street Outreach Network – a gang prevention program – in FY13 budget
Increased funding for Excel Beyond the Bell afterschool program in FY13 budget
Established the Montgomery County Children’s Opportunity Fund
Partnered with the Norman & Ruth Rales Foundation to bring the Building Educated Leaders for Life (BELL) Summer Enrichment Program to more than 1,000 students at Title I schools each summer for four years
Helped establish Health Center at Bel Pre Elementary School
Secured funding for expansion of Wellness Centers to new schools including Wheaton High School
Passed legislation creating the Child Care Expansion and Quality Enhancement Initiative
Passed legislation creating a program that promotes and prioritizes the use of public facilities for organizations that serve youth, vulnerable, and low-income residents
Partnered with the Hispanic Heritage Foundation to bring Code as a Second Language to Wheaton High School and Springbrook High School

Building Community Amenities

Secured funding for County led redevelopment in Wheaton
Lead effort to include Olney Civic Commons project in the County’s Capital Budget
Accelerated construction of new Wheaton Library & Recreation Center
Protected funding for Wheaton High School/Edison Technical High School Modernization
Created Department of Housing and Community Affairs capital project to improve commercial facades in the Colesville area
Secured funding for the redevelopment of Kemp Mill Urban Park
Added major bikeway projects for the Greater Olney Area, including Sandy Spring, to the Capital Improvements Program

Communicating with Our Constituents

Created bilingual Council public information officer and weekly Spanish-language radio show
Increased Council transparency by televising all Council and committee sessions
Organized Latino Action Summit, in partnership with the White House, to give residents an opportunity to interact with officials from federal agencies
Strengthened the Interagency Technology Policy Coordinating (ITPCC) by setting clear expectations and providing funding for collaborative technology projects
Created Legislative Branch Communications Non-Departmental Account (NDA) to fund website improvements, constituent management software, and technology upgrades

Improving Quality of Life

Procured funding for traffic calming and pedestrian safety improvements on Castle Blvd
New Hampshire Avenue Street Lighting
Hosted Community Foreclosure Seminar to provide important information to homeowners during the Great Recession
Created Senior Villages Coordinator position
Successfully lobbied for state legislation that allowed the County to stiffen penalties for illegal dumping and littering
Organized the Latino Leadership Conference in 2012
Developed the Latino Civic Project, a linguistically and culturally proficient education program designed to strengthen the civic participation of the immigrant community, which has reached more than 200 Montgomery County residents
Cosponsored successful legislation to increase tenant’s rights and improve rental housing inspections
Added funding for Suburban Welcome Back Center, assisting foreign-trained health professionals in receiving their license to practice in Maryland
Added full-time bilingual staffing at the Holiday Park Senior Center
Passed zoning change that paved the way for Aldi Supermarket to open in Plaza del Mercado

Demonstrating Fiscal Responsibility

Implemented County’s Fiscal and Reserve Plan as chair of Government Operations and Fiscal Policy (GO) Committee
Maintained County’s AAA Bond Rating as chair of GO Committee
Closed nearly $3 billion in budget gaps since elected in 2009
Made difficult decisions regarding compensation, benefits, and mid-year reductions at the height of the Great Recession
Created “Small Business Assistance Program” to help small businesses that are adversely impacted by County-led redevelopment
Recommended the creation of the Department of Finance Tax Compliance Unit, saving the County millions of dollars in tax revenues each year by identifying properties ineligible for the Property Tax Credit and Homestead Tax Credit
On track implementing plan to increase reserves to 10% by 2020

Promoting Sustainable Growth

Goals

Accelerating economic enhancements and community improvements in the Mid and East County
Addressing the Academic Achievement Gap as a socioeconomic imperative, by providing equitable access to opportunities
Developing a policy framework to plan for future workforce needs
Implementing the Wheaton, White Oak Science Gateway (Viva White Oak!) and Glenmont redevelopment
Fully funding and implementing the County’s Small Business Assistance Program
Creating a dedicated funding stream for children and youth programming (at local and state level)
Expanding and enhancing the continuum of quality, affordable and accesible Early Care and Education programs.
Continuing to build capacity for improved Council communications and Civic education with the public
Improving quality of life in previously neglected neighborhoods