Valerie Ervin
How would you characterize the quality of civic engagement in Montgomery County, and what do you think should be done to improve it?
The quality of civic engagement is lacking in focus and inclusion. The last two decades have seen the civic community, the environmental community and slow growth advocates merge into one small but unified voice representing a small minority of viewpoints. In my opinion the engagement would be much better if it was representative of the residents of the county and included a racial, ethnic, socio-economic, and generational representation of residents with a wide range of points of view. Civic engagement has become synonymous with fighting for the status quo. It needs to move beyond the politics of the past. It’s time to move forward with a new and fresh agenda.
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 county has a bifurcated system of governance of our public schools. The Board of Education is a state entity and it has control over all issues related to public school policy in the county. They are the governance body of the system. The Council on the other hand makes decisions on the school system’s budget. We have oversight only on the allocation of the funding. The Board of Education decides where and how the money will be spent. The Council can seek information regarding the budget, ask questions of the superintendent and Board of Education and the Council can make decisions to fund the budget based on categories determined by the state.
I think that the discussion we should be engaged in is whether or not the system that we have is working or whether we should seek ways to have the County control public school policy as well as determine the budget. This conversation cannot just occur at the county level. It is a conversation that needs to take place at the state level. Montgomery County has the largest school system in the state and it is growing considerably faster than other jurisdictions. The growth of our system and the structural budget deficit problems created by the Maintenance of Effort law must be addressed sooner rather than later. Our county’s fiscal health will depend on it.
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?
I think that the County should engage in a regional approach to public safety. I represent an area of the county that borders Prince Georges County and the District of Columbia. Recently there was a disturbing incident in downtown Silver Spring which resulted in the arrests of several youth from neighboring Washington, D.C. The youth in the Metropolitan Washington D.C. area know no boundaries and it is the responsibility of local elected officials to work together to maintain order and safety. I know that the Council of Governments is taking a look at this approach and I think that it is worthwhile. I also think that we should elevate the idea of community policing which is a philosophy based on the notion that community interaction and support can help control crime and reduce fear, with community members helping to identify suspects, detain vandals and bring problems to the attention of police. This played out recently in a neighborhood in Silver Spring where the community took the appropriate action to shut down a known drug house in their neighborhood. They held a community meeting that I attended and with the cooperation of the County Attorney’s office along with police officers assigned to their neighborhood arrests were made and the perpetrators are serving time. This example demonstrates what can happen when communities take charge and work together to assist local authorities to crack down on crime. Ultimately it is the County’s responsibility to maintain its commitment to the safety and well-being of all of our residents.
What, if any, changes to the structure of the county's tax system should we be considering?
The County’s tax system is overburdened like most local jurisdictions across the nation. County residents are being asked to pay more for basic services and because of the structural budget deficit problem they are paying more but receiving less. Until we come to terms with the structural deficit problem we will have a very difficult time moving ahead. This issue is multi-layered but essentially the government provides services and the service providers receive salaries, healthcare and pension benefits that have no cap. I support the extraordinary efforts of police officers, firefighters, teachers, librarians, and bus drivers, but unlike corporations, taxpayers are the board of directors of the county. The task of local elected officials moving forward is to deal directly with finding solutions to ease the tax burden on our citizens and at the same time providing the essential services that they have come to expect and that they deserve.
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?
I think that we will see our current planning efforts underway. The Purple Line Purple Line, the Corridor Cities Transitway, the Metropolitan Branch Trail, Bus Rapid Transit lines, White Flint, East County Life Science and the Great Seneca Science Corridor will be completed. These projects include multi-modal transit options built near jobs and housing. The impacts of this visionary planning will mean that people will live closer to their jobs. They will have the option to ride bikes on finished and connected trails, they will be able to walk on sidewalks constructed around the county and will have the option to ride transit to work and play. It will mean cleaner air because there will be fewer cars on the road. This vision will create jobs and grow the tax base. Ultimately residents will be able to live healthier and happier lives.
How will Montgomery County be different four years from now if you are elected?
Montgomery County will most certainly be different four years from now in some very significant ways. It will be more crowded, it will be more diverse and it will be more urban in some areas. I embrace these changes and I look forward to continue to be a voice for children, working families, the environment and will continue to provide excellent service to constituents across Montgomery County. I have proven myself to be a leader with a pragmatic point of view and someone who came to make a difference. I think that I have and that I will.
Valerie Ervin
District 5
Democrat
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