Jane de Winter
How would you characterize the quality of civic engagement in Montgomery County, and what do you think should be done to improve it?
In my opinion as a long-time community leader, Montgomery County has a strong tradition of civic engagement. As our population and times change, there are challenges to maintaining this tradition including: language accessibility; unfamiliarity with the structure and processes of government; and having the time to be involved while facing the increasing pressures of earning a living. In my experience, communities and civic groups are able to be engaged and effective participants when information is easily available. County government has worked hard to make its website language accessible but there are other areas where it could be improved such as a better search capability for proposed projects on the Park and Planning website and archived video of meetings on the council website. I believe elected officials should be out in the community, listen respectfully to people, and willing to explain their decisions.
What role do you think the Council and County Executive should play in setting education policy and providing oversight of the Montgomery County Public Schools?
The Maryland State Board of Education authorizes the Board of Education to establish the policies which govern our school system. In my opinion, the level of budget oversight provided by the Board of Education could be improved by the greater exercise of the authority they already possess. I believe it is appropriate for the County Executive and the County Council to ensure that our school system is using funds wisely and responding to the educational needs of our county. This can be done in both formal and informal ways. Formally by commissioning reports from the Office of Legislative Oversight and asking BOE members, the superintendent, and his staff to report on matters at committee and council meetings. Informal means include maintaining open channels of communication, frequent dialogs about realistic funding levels, the educational needs of our children and youth, and collaboration between the school system and other organizations, both public and private. If I were on the Council, I would be asking the school system to report on their plans to address the declining graduation rate for minority students which imperils the future economic health of the county.
What steps should the county take to maintain or improve public safety at a time when budget pressures are forcing cuts to spending on police and social services?
The fact that the crime in most categories has fallen in the face of severe economic pressures is a testament to the quality of our police forces. In spite of these statistics there are communities that feel increasingly unsafe and my first thoughts are to renew our focus on community policing and outreach as well as to hold the line on any further cuts to programs that keep youth engaged in productive pursuits after school and during the summer. When considering the further consolidation of the Park Police with the County Police, our foremost priority should be the ability to maintain public safety in our parks and community.
What, if any, changes to the structure of the county's tax system should we be considering?
As an Economist I believe that the most efficient tax structure is broad based taxes unless we are specifically seeking to encourage or discourage certain types of economic activity. I would support a more progressive structure in the state and piggy back tax than we have now—there is very little progressivity. When residential property tax rates are increased I support using a mix of rate increases and credits to assist low income property owners so that the property tax also has some progressivity. I am in favor of exploring development tax districts to raise funds for development related infrastructure needs. When considering new revenue options, we need to have a thorough understanding of the impact on economic activity.
What should we expect Montgomery County's transportation network to look like in 30 years, and how will that affect where and how we live and work?
Looking ahead 30 years, we will likely see many if not most of the current master plans fully implemented as well as completion of the Purple Line and CCT. While these Master Plans don’t completely address the existing jobs/housing imbalances, implementation should lessen the imbalances. Due to the reality of two income families and the size of our greater metropolitan area there will still be some residents who don’t work near where they live but if we provide a better balance of housing and jobs, over time patterns may change. The need to attract younger residents who desire a more urban lifestyle has been mentioned frequently, but unless we take deliberate steps to provide housing options by transit that appeal to families as they grow, and improve our transit options outside of the main transportation corridors, we are likely to see these younger residents eventually assume lifestyles similar to our current auto dependent 40 and 50 something generations.
My vision would be for a county were we have a well thought out transit system along major corridors with connections to neighborhoods, such as spurs on a BRT system. I would like to see density concentrated along transit lines with the agricultural reserve still intact and few changes in the character of most residential neighborhoods. Our residents will have community centers, parks, libraries, and schools that are essential to their quality of life. Hopefully, the strip mall will be a thing of the past and walkability will be something people take for granted.
Thirty years of redevelopment projects should be able to achieve significant improvements in environmental stewardship such as improved storm water management; LEEDS buildings; and increased use of renewable energy sources.
How will Montgomery County be different four years from now if you are elected?
It is not how it will different four years from now, but how it will be different twenty years from now for our children and our future. The decisions we make today, in these difficult economic times, will impact us for many, many years to come. Whether the economy grows, whether we increase our tax base, whether our residents graduate prepared for the 21st century workplace, whether we can continue to provide the programs and services our residents need, completely depends on the council’s understanding the long term impact of what they do. As a professional economist and as someone who understands our community, I hope to not only have an impact on our county in the short term, but to also have an impact on the decisions that will shape our county over the long run.
Jane de Winter
At-Large
Democrat
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