LAST CALL: MoCo Council Votes on Minimum Wage Today // Leggett Seeks Changes As Numerous Advocacy Groups Arm Up

LAST CALL TO CONTACT MOCO COUNCILMEMBERS: The Montgomery County Council is due to vote today on whether to increase the minimum wage in the county and establish a regional standard with Prince George's and the District of Columbia. Specifically, Councilmembers Marc Elrich, Nancy Navarro and Valerie Ervin are proposing: 1) an $11.50 an hour minimum wage in Montgomery County, 2) that would be phased in by 2016, and 3) would be "indexed" to rise with increases in the cost of living. Last Friday we published a whip count indicating where the County Councilmembers and County Executive candidates stand on this, and we noted that the effort needs one additional vote to pass without weakening amendments.

EMAIL NOW TO SUPPORT AN $11.50/HOUR MINIMUM WAGE: You can email all nine Montgomery County Councilmembers and the office of the County Executive by sending a message to montgomerycounty@lockheedwelfare.com. 

Prince George's County Councilmembers are poised to pass a parallel $11.50 an hour wage rate this week, but not until Montgomery County acts on the effort. Please bear in mind that the $11.50 figure was established by a coalition of Councilmembers from MoCo, D.C. and Prince George's, and a deviation from that arrangement will throw unpredictability into the proposed regional minimum wage and potentially derail the effort. Below Maryland Juice provides numerous updates on the current state of play, including proposed alterations being suggested by County Executive Ike Leggett and action alerts from numerous advocacy groups.

JUICE #1: MOCO EXECUTIVE IKE LEGGETT PROPOSES $10.75 TO $11.10 MINIMUM WAGE, PHASED IN BY 2018 - County Executive Ike Leggett is calling a last-minute audible and trying to lower the proposed $11.50 an hour minimum wage proposal to somewhere between $10.75 and $11.10.  Last night he released a memo outlining an alternate minimum wage plan that deviates in significant ways from the Elrich-Ervin-Navarro $11.50/hour proposal:

$10.75 OR $11.10 MINIMUM WAGE RATE: Leggett's proposal purports to establish a minimum wage of $11.50 an hour or $1 over the state minimum wage -- whichever is lower. Leggett would also establish a floor of $10.75 an hour, which is the lower rate proposed by an amendment from Councilmember Hans Riemer. Given that the state is likely to consider a $10.10 minimum wage, it seems extremely unlikely that the MoCo wage will reach $11.50. The actual likely wage rate under this slightly convoluted plan is going to be between $10.75 and $11.10.  

FIVE YEAR PHASE-IN PERIOD UNTIL 2018: The Elrich-Ervin-Navarro plan would phase-in an $11.50/hour rate by the year 2016, while the Leggett plan would phase in a maximum rate of between $10.75 and $11.10 by 2018.

EXEMPTION FOR PART-TIME EMPLOYEES 18 AND UNDER: The Leggett plan would also exclude the new minimum wage requirement for part-time employees age 18 and under. This position was also adopted by the members of the County Council's Health and Human Services Committee. Interestingly, Councilmember Riemer's Chief of Staff Adam Pagnucco posted the following comment about this exemption on Facebook:

ADAM PAGNUCCO: I am extremely upset that Nancy Navarro and the rest of the HHS Committee voted to exclude all employees age 18 and under from the minimum wage.

Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett's Proposed Amendment to Minimum Wage Hike

JUICE #2: CASA DE MARYLAND ACTION ALERT ON MOCO MINIMUM WAGE - CASA de Maryland released the following action alerts and press releases on today's minimum wage vote:

CASA DE MARYLAND: We need your urgent participation. Please call now the office of Montgomery County Councilmember Hans Reimer and ask to vote YES for the minimum wage increase to $11.50 an hour.  To this moment, he has said that he would only increase it to $10.75 an hour. Please tell him that it would be unacceptable to vote for anything less than $11.50. 

His contact information is: 240-777-7964 /  councilmember.riemer@montgomerycountymd.gov PLEASE TAKE A MINUTE TO CONTACT HIM. We need his vote to pass this bill.

Also, we will be holding a rally with CASA de Maryland and allies tomorrow at 12noon at the Montgomery County Council. We will proceed to the hearing room at 1:30pm to witness the vote. PLEASE COME SUPPORT.  Flyer attached / CASA press statement below.

PRESS RELEASE

CASA de Maryland Urges Montgomery County Council to Increase the Minimum Wage to $11.50, Eliminate 90-Day Temporary Worker Restriction
"As we approach Tuesday’s vote in the Montgomery County Council to increase the minimum wage to $11.50 an hour by 2016, we remind people about the faces of low-wage workers who make our county move forward. Take the case of worker Wilfred Mokoko, he states:

For many years, I worked in a hotel making the minimum wage. At the start, the wages were fair, but as the cost of food, rent, electricity, and water increased I saw my wages were too low. Over the past few years here in Montgomery County, I have seen the Ride On Bus Fare increase from $1.20 to $1.35 to $1.70 and today it is $1.80. To many people these changes do not make a difference, but they matter to me. There are days I put $14 on my bus pass and I am shocked when it is empty before the end of the week. Some weeks, I spend more than $20 on bus transportation. Working people are suffering and we are looking to political leaders to bring relief to our community. If the cost of living rises then so must the wages that people need to survive.

"Increasing Wildfred’s hourly rate to $11.50 makes a significant difference to support his family. CASA de Maryland, the largest Latino and immigrant organization in the state, urges members of the Montgomery County Council to support the minimum wage increase to $11.50 an hour by 2016.

"At the same time, CASA strongly urges members of the County Council to eliminate the 90-Day provision that excludes temporary workers from obtaining the minimum wage increase. Day laborers and temporary/seasonal employees perform some of the most grueling work in the County and should not be paid less because of the short-term nature of their employment. All workers deserve to live in dignity and be able to afford to protect their families. No worker should be left behind."

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JUICE #2: COALITION LETTER SUPPORTING $11.50 AN HOUR  - Several groups released the following letter to the County Council calling for an $11.50/hour wage, including SEIU Local 500, CASA, Jews United for Justice, MoCo Young Democrats, Progressive Maryland, Progressive Neighbors, and UFCW Local 400:

Montgomery County Minimum Wage Sign-On Letter

JUICE #3: PROGRESSIVE MARYLAND ACTION ALERT TARGETS RIEMER - Progressive Maryland released the following action alert on the minimum wage vote:

PROGRESSIVE MARYLAND: Riemer still waffling on $11.50 minimum wage with indexing, email now - Despite all the  calls and emails to Councilmember Hans Riemer's office in support of a $11.50 minimum wage in Montgomery County that is indexed to inflation, Councilmember Riemer has still not assured his constituents that he will vote in favor of Bill 27-13. This is shameful. At-Large Councilmember Hans Riemer needs to hear from you right now. Tell Riemer to raise the minimum wage to $11.50 per hour and to index it with the cost of living. Anything less will put workers in Montgomery County, Prince George’s County, and Washington, DC in jeopardy of not receiving the vital pay raise they are due.
 
Take 30 seconds to email Councilmember Hans Riemer right now. Let him know that you won't settle for anything less than $11.50 per hour with indexing. Make sure he knows that you won’t forget his vote at election time.

JUICE #4: JEWS UNITED FOR JUSTICE ACTION ALERT - Jews United for Justice released the following action alert on the minimum wage vote yesterday (excerpt below):

JEWS FOR JUSTICE: Call for a Higher Minimum Wage in Montgomery County, One more push to victory! - In the past two weeks more than sixty JUFJers have called Councilmember Hans Riemer asking him to support raising the minimum wage in the county to $11.50 by 2016. The pressure is starting to build - but we need to keep it up.

The bill passed out of committee on Thursday and will be voted on in the full Council on Tuesday, November 26th. Four Councilmembers have committed their support for the bill. We need to keep the pressure on to secure the fifth vote. The county is ready and our workers deserve a raise.

JUFJ and our allies will be keeping the phones ringing off the hooks in the County Council on Monday, November 25th to make sure this message is heard loud and clear.  

Please sign up to call At-Large Councilmember Hans Riemer at (240) 777-7964.

JUICE #5: MONTGOMERY COUNTY YOUNG DEMOCRATS PRESS RELEASE ON MINIMUM WAGE VOTE - The MoCo Young Dems released the following statement regarding the minimum wage vote:

PRESS RELEASE

Montgomery County Young Democrats Support $11.50 Minimum Wage Increase, Urge Council to Remove Youth and Temporary Worker Exemptions
Silver Spring, MD – The Montgomery County Young Democrats are urging the Montgomery County Council to vote favorably to increase the minimum wage to $11.50 an hour by 2016.

For member Gabriel Acevero, “The minimum wage is not just a story about income inequality, but rather it’s about achieving the American dream, and no one can achieve the American dream on $7.25 an hour.” Gabe is one of several members actively working on the state-wide campaign to raise the minimum wage, which the Young Democrats see as equally important to move the state forward economically and progressively as the County measure.

At the same time, MCYD is standing with organizations like CASA de Maryland in calling for the Council to eliminate the 90-Day provision that excludes temporary workers from obtaining the minimum wage increase. In addition, they are asking the County to remove the exemption for workers under 19 working less than 20 hours a week.

Board member Emily Shetty, who shared what raising the wage means personally to her at last Wednesday’s rally to raise the wage, states: “Above all, we want to see Bill 27-13 pass and change the lives of millions in the region when Prince George’s and DC pass similar bills. We do hope the Council will consider removing the temporary and youth workers exemptions. All workers in Montgomery County deserve the dignity of this higher wage.”

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JUICE #6: BETHESDA-CHEVY CHASE CHAMBER ACTION ALERT ON MINIMUM WAGE VOTE - BethesdaNow.com reports that the BCC Chamber sent out the following action alert calling for a MoCo minimum wage of no more than $10.10/hour:

BCC CHAMBER: For the past several weeks, the B-CC Chamber has been working with other chambers and business groups in Montgomery County to persuade Council members to delay consideration of Council member Elrich’s bill that would set the minimum wage in Montgomery County at $11.50 an hour that would be phased in over three years, beginning in July 2014 and indexed to increase with the consumer price index in future years.  Based on a survey of businesses in the county, this increase is too much too fast and the indexing could result in a county minimum wage that is far higher than the state’s, unless the state legislature also passes a minimum wage tied to indexing.  Yesterday, the County Council HHS Committee voted (2-0) in favor of Elrich’s bill, this despite the fact that the proponents’ own economists told them that $11.50 is too high.  They did amend the bill to exempt teens age 18 and under working fewer than 20 hours per week and set the minimum wage for tipped employees at 50% of the County minimum wage. This bill will go to the full Council for a vote this Tuesday.  IT WILL PASS – possibly unanimously — unless the business community is able to persuade some Council members to make some changes that would make it less burdensome for employers.

LAST CALL: EMAIL NOW TO SUPPORT AN $11.50/HOUR MINIMUM WAGE: You can email all nine Montgomery County Councilmembers and the office of the County Executive by sending a message to montgomerycounty@lockheedwelfare.com. 

ACT NOW: One Vote Needed to Pass MoCo Minimum Wage // Fate of Prince George's & DC Hike Rests on $11.50/Hr in MoCo

CONTACT YOUR LOCAL OFFICIALS NOW:  In recent weeks, a battle has been brewing among government officials in Montgomery County, Prince George's County and the District of Columbia over efforts to pass minimum wage increases at the local level. Councilmembers in all three jurisdictions are poised to move a "regional minimum wage" of $11.50/hour that is indexed to the consumer price index (aka a minimum wage that increases as the cost of living rises). Note that a person working 40 hours week and who takes no vacations would make $23,920/year under the proposed $11.50/hour rate -- keeping them just above the $20,000 poverty line. Given the record high wealth inequality we've witnessed over the past few decades, this hardly seems like a radical proposal.

But efforts are afoot to weaken the bills in a way that threatens to derail the tenuous arrangement between a coalition of Councilmembers in MoCo, Prince George's & DC, who have all agreed to move an $11.50/hour minimum wage. While compromising on the amount of the wage increase would normally seem like fair game, in this instance, Prince George's lawmakers have a ready majority for $11.50 an hour but are waiting for Montgomery to act before pulling the trigger. A failure to pass the same rate increase will throw all sorts of unpredictability in the process and threaten to derail a historic economic justice pact between governments in the ever-expensive DC Metro region.

WHIP COUNT: Here's the current status of the $11.50/hour minimum wage proposals within the three participating jurisdictions:

MONTGOMERY COUNTY: The $11.50/hour minimum wage bill in MoCo is being sponsored by Councilmember Marc Elrich and co-sponsored by Councilmembers Nancy Navarro and Valerie Ervin. Additionally, Councilmember George Leventhal has publicly supported an $11.50/hour minimum wage but tells Maryland Juice he would support a lower amount, "if that's what it takes to get a bill out of the full Council." That means there are currently four votes for an $11.50/hour minimum wage in MoCo, but one more vote is needed to pass the bill without weakening amendments. We also need to shore up Councilmember Leventhal's vote. The full MoCo Council votes on Tuesday and the members need to start hearing from you now - you can email all nine Councilmembers and the office of the County Executive by sending a message to montgomerycounty@lockheedwelfare.com. In the meantime, here's a whip count for the nine Councilmembers:

• Marc Elrich - Sponsor of an $11.50/hour minimum wage - councilmember.elrich@montgomerycountymd.gov

• Nancy Navarro - Co-sponsor of an $11.50/hour minimum wage - councilmember.navarro@montgomerycountymd.gov

• Valerie Ervin - Co-sponsor of an $11.50/hour minimum wage - councilmember.ervin@montgomerycountymd.gov

• George Leventhal - Would support $11.50/hour or less if the votes aren't there - councilmember.leventhal@montgomerycountymd.gov

• Hans Riemer - Sponsoring an amendment to lower the rate to $10.75/hour or $1 over the state minimum wage - councilmember.riemer@montgomerycountymd.gov

• Nancy Floreen - Position unknown - councilmember.floreen@montgomerycountymd.gov

• Roger Berliner - Position unknown - councilmember.berliner@montgomerycountymd.gov

• Craig Rice - Position unknown, but stated he would prefer to table the bill until the state acts - councilmember.rice@montgomerycountymd.gov

• Phil Andrews - Position unknown, but stated he would prefer to table the bill until the state acts - councilmember.andrews@montgomerycountymd.gov

Note that a key element to the MoCo wage hike is a plan to index the pay rate to the cost of living, so that we don't have to have this fight every few years. But all Councilmembers need to hear that you support an "indexed $11.50/hour minimum wage."

Meanwhile, County Executive Ike Leggett has indicated he will sign a minimum wage hike into law but prefers a $10.75/hour increase with no increase with rises in the cost of living. He has not yet declared whether he would veto an $11.50/hour minimum wage if approved by the County Council. Former County Executive Doug Duncan has stated he has problems with a county minimum wage increase and wants to wait for the state to act. The County Council votes this TUESDAY, so please email all nine Councilmembers and the office of the County Executive NOW by sending a message to montgomerycounty@lockheedwelfare.com.

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY: Montgomery County Councilmember Marc Elrich, the sponsor of MoCo $11.50/hour proposal, indicates that a majority of the Prince George's County Council is prepared to approve the same plan in their county. However, P.G. lawmakers want certainty that Montgomery County to act and are scheduling their vote to occur immediately after MoCo passes an $11.50/hour wage rate. Meanwhile, County Executive Rushern Baker has expressed concerns about the proposal, and it is unclear whether he would sign it into law or veto the plan. Please contact Prince George's County Executive Rushern Baker to urge his support for a minimum wage increase at: (301) 952-4131 or countyexecutive@co.pg.md.us. And please do the same for the P.G. Councilmembers - their contact info is available here.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: Councilmember Vincent Orange and his colleagues are pushing an $11.50/hour minimum wage proposal, though Mayor Vincent Gray wants an "independent commission" to study the exact rate. If Montgomery and Prince George's pass an indexed $11.50/hour minimum wage, it seems likely that the D.C. Council will follow suit. Please contact Mayor Gray and urge his support at (202) 727-6300 or eom@dc.gov. You can also find contact info for the D.C. Councilmembers here.

BOTTOM LINE?  IT'S NOW OR NEVER FOR ECONOMIC JUSTICE - On Tuesday, all eyes in the region will be on the Montgomery County Council. If they pass an $11.50/hour minimum wage, I predict the Prince George's and D.C. Councils will do the same, and their Executives will more likely than not sign the bills into law. This would also help lay the political groundwork for a robust state minimum wage increase in Maryland. But if Montgomery County cannot summon the will to get this done, all bets are off, and the wrong message will be sent to lawmakers in Annapolis. Please contact all nine Montgomery County Councilmembers and the office of the MoCo Executive by sending a message to montgomerycounty@lockheedwelfare.com. You can read some more context on the MoCo fight below:

The MoCo Council staff memo regarding the minimum wage proposal describes two amendments to the minimum wage hike proposal that will be considered by Councilmembers. The bill's lead sponsor Councilmember Marc Elrich proposes reducing his proposed $12/hour minimum wage to $11.50/hour to create a regional standard in tandem with the District of Columbia and Prince George's County:

MOCO COUNCIL STAFF MEMO: Councilmember EIrich intends to introduce an amendment to reduce the minimum wage in 2016 from $12.00 per hour to $11.50 per hour to be consistent with the anticipated regional minimum wage that may be adopted by Prince George's County and the District of Columbia.

Meanwhile, Councilmember Hans Riemer proposed an amendment to reduce the MoCo minimum wage increase even further to $10.75 (or $1 over the Maryland minimum wage). His amendment would stop MoCo's minimum wage from rising with increases in the cost of living. This foreshadows a fight that may begin brewing in Annapolis, if state lawmakers similarly try to stop the Maryland minimum wage from rising with the cost of living. The County Council's staff memo also described Riemer's amendment and its rationale (excerpt below):

MOCO COUNCIL STAFF MEMO: Councilmember Riemer intends to introduce an amendment that would set the County minimum wage in 2016 at the greater of $10.75 or $1 over the State minimum and remove the index to the CPI-U. Councilmember Riemer's amendment would make similar changes to the County minimum wage during the phase-in period....

COUNCILMEMER HANS RIEMER: Of the 45 states that have minimum wage laws, eleven (Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, Ohio, Oregon, Vermont and Washington) have inflation escalators. No state or locality in the Washington D.C. area currently has one. As of this moment, there is no assurance that the State of Maryland will adopt one.

Riemer's amendment may help explain why the advocacy group Jews United for Justice hosted a call-in day with its members asking Councilmember Riemer to support an $11.50 minimum wage. You can see the script they are asked members to read (excerpt below):

JEWS UNITED FOR JUSTICE: I'd like to thank the Councilmember for his commitment to raising the minimum wage in Montgomery County and for his leadership on raising the local EITC. Also, I appreciate the Councilmember proposing to amend certain provisions of the current minimum wage bill that would weaken the bill.

I think the Councilmember is a leader on progressive issues, however, I was disappointed to see he does not support a timeline that would raise the minimum wage to $11.50 by 2016. Workers in Montgomery County can't wait any longer.

I'm calling to ask Councilmember Riemer to join his colleagues in supporting an increase in the minimum wage to $11.50 per hour by 2016....

ONE LAST TIME: CONTACT YOUR COUNCILMEMBERS NOW - Please contact all nine Montgomery County Councilmembers and the office of the MoCo Executive by sending a message to montgomerycounty@lockheedwelfare.com

JUICE: MoCo Schools Chief Seeks Later School Start, MoCo Minimum Wage Hike, Pot Fail, New Laws & MD #1 for Women

Below Maryland Juice writers Dan Furmansky & David Moon present a round-up of recent political news:

JUICE #1: MONTGOMERY COUNTY SCHOOLS CHIEF RECOMMENDS STARTING SCHOOL ALMOST AN HOUR LATER - DAVID MOON: Today Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) Superintendent Josh Starr announced a recommendation to change the start of the school day in MoCo from 7:20 to 8:15 am. Below you can see some background on the issue, along with press releases from MCPS and the Maryland-based advocacy group Start School Later.

BACKGROUND: This time last year, Maryland Juice reported on a viral movement in MoCo to push back the start of the school day by about an hour. I first heard about this effort through my neighborhood listserv in Takoma Park and was encouraged to see that 4,000 people signed a petition to Josh Starr urging a start time of 8:15 am or later. Public schools in MoCo currently start at 7:20 am, and a body of research suggests that this early start hampers the readiness to learn for young minds. Numerous petition signers noted various negative effects and pointed to studies backing up their concerns. I myself came up through MoCo public schools, so I can attest to the straining impacts of our early start times. In any case, in the year that has now passed, the number of petition signers has grown to over 11,000, and the movement is advancing in Howard and Anne Arundel counties. In response, MCPS launched a committee to study school start times, and I must admit I feared that the study effort might end up being a black hole. Josh Starr's press release today proves me wrong (excerpt below):

PRESS RELEASE

Superintendent Recommends Later High School Start Times,
Longer Elementary School Day 

Broad Public Input Will Be Sought on Recommendation

Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) Superintendent Joshua P. Starr is recommending that the district consider pushing back high school start times by 50 minutes and extending the elementary school day by 30 minutes. The recommendation is based on the report by the 2013 Bell Times Work Group, which has been studying the issue of school starting and ending times in MCPS for the past 10 months.... There will be extensive outreach to gather input from students, staff, parents, and community members about Dr. Starr’s recommendation. Staff will also determine the cost and operational impact of making changes to the school schedule. The earliest any changes would occur is the 2015-2016 school year....

“I am making this recommendation because I believe it is in the best interests of our students. There is extensive research that demonstrates that adolescents are simply not getting enough sleep. This is a public health and safety issue,” Dr. Starr said....

Dr. Starr is recommending the following changes be studied:

• Move high school start times 50 minutes later, from 7:25 a.m. to 8:15 a.m. (school ending at 3 p.m.)
• Move middle school start times 10 minutes earlier, from 7:55 a.m. to 7:45 a.m. (school ending at 2:30 p.m.)
• Keep elementary school start times as they currently are (8:50 a.m. and 9:15 a.m.), but extend the school day by 30 minutes (school ending at 3:35 p.m. and 4 p.m.)

The Start School Later advocates responded to the positive news with the following press release (excerpt below):

PRESS RELEASE

Montgomery County Public School System Recommends Later Bell Times
School Board should move quickly to approve the changes

I applaud Dr. Starr for his bold stance and I urge the board to support him.

This announcement would not have been possible without the enormous outpouring of support from the community. In December 2012, advocates presented the board with a petition of more than 10,000 signatures calling for later start times. An analysis of the survey found that signers were overwhelmingly local, came from every part of the county, and represented everyone involved in this issue, including parents, teachers, students, sleep experts, and health care providers. Local activists continued to make their voices heard over the past year, and the petition is still collecting signatures to this day....

The MCPS Board should move quickly to approve Dr. Starr's recommendations. Every day parents struggle to drag their sleep-deprived teens out of bed and off to early buses. The sooner these changes are made, the sooner everyone will benefit.

# # #

In tandem with the effort in Montgomery County, Delegate Aruna Miller introduced legislation to set up a statewide task force to research the issue. The Capital Gazette reported on Miller's effort last March (excerpt below):

CAPITAL GAZETTE: The House Ways and Means Committee’s Education Subcommittee moved House Bill 1462 forward last week, said Del. Aruna Miller, D-Montgomery, its sponsor.... The bill would establish a task force including politicians, education leaders, and health and sleep experts to look at the ramifications of starting school later in the morning....

“While we’re talking about school start times, what we’re really talking about is the health and safety of our children,” said Merry Eisner, policy chairwoman of the Montgomery County chapter of the grass-roots organization Start School Later.

Sleep loss causes problems with complex thought, motor responses, memory and attention, control of emotions, and performance in school or on the job, according to the National Institutes of Health. The NIH also reports the amount of sleep that an individual will need each day changes considerably over the course of a lifetime, with school-aged children needing at least 10 hours a day and teenagers needing at least nine hours a day....

Indeed, the Start School Later movement has been building support among public officials in recent months, and I noted the following Tweet in response to today's news:

JUICE #2: COUNCILMEMBER MARC ELRICH INTRODUCES BILL TO RAISE MOCO MINIMUM WAGE, IN TANDEM WITH PRINCE GEORGE'S & DC - DAVID MOON: Bethesda Now reported today that Montgomery County Councilmember Marc Elrich introduced a bill to raise the county's minimum wage from $7.25 to $11.50 an hour. The effort is part of a regional initiative involving Prince George's County and the District of Columbia (excerpt below):

BETHESDA NOW: County Councilmember Marc Elrich on Tuesday introduced a bill that would increase the county’s minimum wage to $11.50 per hour in a unique regional effort that would join Montgomery County with Prince George’s and D.C.

In August, Elrich announced he would propose a $12 an hour minimum wage for the county. On Tuesday, Elrich said after consulting with Prince George’s County Council Chair Andrea Harrison and D.C. Council Chair Phil Mendelson, he moved his number down to $11.50 per hour to match proposals in those jurisdictions and establish a regional minimum wage....

Councilmembers Valerie Ervin (D-Silver Spring) and Nancy Navarro (D-East County, Mid-County) joined Elrich to co-sponsor the bill.... Councilmember Roger Berliner (D-Bethesda-Potomac) on Tuesday said he will not co-sponsor the measure, saying the state minimum wage measure will make the biggest impact.... Councilmember Phil Andrews (D-Gaithersburg) also went on the record as against the bill, saying the county can help poorer families by phasing out certain taxes. Councilmember George Leventhal (D-At large), chair of the Health and Human Services Committee that will work on the measure, said he will not support the bill now....

JUICE #3: ADVOCATES SAY MARYLAND IS NOT A MEDICAL MARIJUANA STATE - DAN FURMANSKY: 18 states have legalized medical marijuana, but many advocates don’t consider Maryland to count as number 19. That’s because Maryland passed by far the weakest law in the country. Patients in need of medical marijuana have no way of obtaining it — and it’s entirely unclear when that might change. Gov. O’Malley established an 11-member commission to help set up a system to help design and implement a program, but so far, no one has stated a program might even be up and running until 2016.  Here’s more from a press release issued when the law was passed by the advocacy group Americans for Safe Access (aka ASA) (excerpt below):

AMERICANS FOR SAFE ACCESS: The Maryland Senate voted 42-4 today to pass what legislators are calling a new statewide medical marijuana bill, but patient advocates say that HB1101 is more symbolic than practical and will fail to make much "real-world" difference in the lives of patients. Specifically, HB1101, which has already been passed by the House of Delegates, would extend the current affirmative defense for patients who are arrested and prosecuted under state law, but would provide no way for patients to obtain their medication. Agreeing with the sentiment of advocates, the nonpartisan Maryland Department of Legislative Services issued a fiscal note last month that questioned the bill's effectiveness, casting doubt on whether it will ever meet legislators' expectations....

Complaints about the program focus on the fact that—thanks to Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Secretary Joshua Sharfstein—medical marijuana may only be obtained from a licensed "Academic Medical Center" (AMC).  The new law, according to ASA, fails to establish a well-regulated system for qualified patients to cultivate their own medical marijuana, a right that has been the cornerstone of most state laws since the passage of California's Compassionate Use Act in 1996.

Maryland has a long way to go with regard to compassionate care, not to mention drug policy overall. You might recall that I called out our state for falling behind Mississippi and Nebraska on marijuana reform. Those two red states are among fifteen states have already decriminalized possession of small amounts of marijuana (not including Colorado and Washington).

It would help if we had real leadership from Gov. Martin O’Malley on the issue. Unfortunately, as late as 2012, he was threatening to veto medical marijuana legislation, so it’s little surprise that we now have a medical marijuana law in name only for the foreseeable future. The Governor also failed to take a position on a decriminalization bill that overwhelmingly passed the Senate this year and as a result, it died in the House. 2014 will be a crucial year for Gov. O’Malley to exhibit real leadership in the area of marijuana policy reform.


JUICE #4: NEW LAWS ON CELL PHONES, SEAT BELTS, AND PREGNANT WORKERS TO TAKE EFFECT - DAN FURMANSKY: Besides our toothless medical marijuana program and our new laws regarding firearms, there are a host of other new laws going into effect this week that are noteworthy. Here’s a quick summary from The Washington Times, free of any conservative commentary from our ideological counterparts (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON TIMES: Hand held phone calls: Driving in Maryland is going to also change next week. Starting on October 1, holding a cell phone in your hand to talk will become a primary offense....

Seatbelt and child seats: In an attempt to make driving in Maryland safer, the start of the new fiscal year will bring two additional car safety laws. Seatbelts will need to be worn by everyone in the car, including adults in the backseat and all children under the age of eight, regardless of weight, who are less than 4ft 9 in. will need to be secured into a child safety seat....

Pregnancy on the job: Lawmakers in Maryland have declared pregnancy a disability. According to HB0804, Maryland employers who employ 15 workers or more must make reasonable accommodations to a woman who experiences limitations due to her pregnancy....

JUICE #5: PROGRESSIVE MOTHER SHIP CALLS MARYLAND #1 IN NATION FOR WOMEN - DAN FURMANSKY: Politicians continue to crow about how Virginia is stealing all of our business because of its lower corporate tax rate. Whatever. Here is another great example of why the “creative class” of young workers will find Maryland a far more attractive place to live than Virginia, which already has a reputation for being about 800% less gay-friendly than us. In turns out that Virginia is also significantly less women-friendly. (Perhaps that’s why female voters are defecting in droves from the establishment gubernatorial candidate Ken “I saw Goody Proctor with the devil!” Cuccinnelli.)

According to a new report by the Center for American Progress (of which I am clearly a fan, since I titled them the progressive Mother Ship), Maryland ranks No. 1 in the United States for the state of its women. Here’s a report from The Baltimore Sun (excerpt below):

BALTIMORE SUN: Maryland received a new No. 1 title for Gov. Martin O'Malley to crow about Wednesday as the Center for American Progress ranked its the best of the 50 states for women. And crow the governor did, releasing a statement saying he and Lt. Gov. Anthony G. Brown were "thrilled" by the distinction. “Working together, we have made great strides in making Maryland a great place for women to live, lead, and learn," O'Malley said.

The ranking is unlikely to impress conservatives because the Center for American Progress is a liberal group that counted such things as unimpeded access to abortion services and contraception among its criteria for a positive rating. But the title could give Maryland bragging rights among the blue states and could be a plus for O'Malley as a possible presidential candidate making a pitch to women who vote in Democratic primaries. The center ranked Maryland No. 1 in terms of women's economic standing and leadership opportunities. It was rated 17th in terms of women's health.

Among the 36 factors taken into account were women's income levels, poverty rates and representation in the state legislature and Congress. Also considered were levels of infant and maternal mortality, as well as the availability of paid sick leave and family and access to early childhood education. States were downgraded for such things as requiring ultrasounds before a woman can have an abortion and defunding Planned Parenthood.

And here’s some healthy Virginia-bashing, c/o WAMU’s analysis of the report (excerpt below):

WAMU: On economic factors, Maryland likely benefits from its proximity to the boom economy of D.C., but that doesn't tell the whole story. Maryland is tied with Nevada for the lowest wage gap for women in the country at 85 cents to the dollar, and it has the third-lowest poverty rate for women in the nation at 11.4 percent.

Virginia did not fare as well as Maryland, with a C+ overall grade and a No. 23 ranking. Like Maryland, Virginia offers women relatively robust economic opportunities, with low levels of women in poverty (12.7 percent).

It was Virginia's D+ grade in health, however, that really sank the commonwealth to the middle of the pack, largely driven by legislation on women's reproductive health.

Anna Chu, one of the authors of the study, suggests that the lack of women in positions of leadership in the Commonwealth may in part be responsible for the nature of the laws passed affecting women's health. "Would women be better served if there were more women in leadership positions? It deserves a deeper look and analysis," says Chu. "This is especially true right now in Virginia, when the state is trying to find out what they want their leadership to look like."

There are no women currently representing the Commonwealth of Virginia in Congress or in statewide elected executive seats. Of elected state legislators, just 17.9 percent are women. Last year, controversial legislation was passed requiring women seeking abortions to first have an ultrasound exam. The Virginia Board of Health also signed off on new regulations that effectively put most of the state's abortion clinics out of business.

Take that, Virginia!

JuiceBlender: Valerie Ervin Builds MoCo Exec Team, Anne Arundel Exec John Leopold Suspended & Transgender Rights

The late Del. Hattie Harrison

PLUS: WHY IS DOUG DUNCAN HIDING?

Below Maryland Juice highlights a few items of interest to politicos....

But before we begin the JuiceBlender, we note the recent passing of Delegate Hattie Harrison, a Democrat representing District 45 in the Maryland House. Maryland Democratic Party Chair Yvette Lewis commented, "From her appointment 40 years ago until today, Delegate Harrison served the people of Maryland with grace, honor, and distinction.

Delegate Harrison's legacy will live on in the lives of the many people she inspired. As the longest serving member of the House of Delegates, she broke though barriers time and again, including becoming the first African American woman to chair a major committee."


JUICE #1:  MOCO COUNCILMEMBER VALERIE ERVIN BEGINS ASSEMBLING 2014 COUNTY EXECUTIVE CAMPAIGN TEAM  - The Washington Post's Bill Turque yesterday reported that Montgomery County Councilmember Valerie Ervin has begun assembling a team for a County Executive run in 2014. Among the revelations in the article are rumors that Ervin is working with O'Malley-Brown pollster Fred Yang and political consultant Martha McKenna (formerly of the DSSC and EMILY's List). Morever, Ervin stated she would run regardless of incumbent Executive Ike Leggett's decision on his future (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON POST: Montgomery County Council member Valerie Ervin, long mentioned as a possible candidate for county executive in 2014 , is moving closer to running. Ervin (D-Silver Spring) said she is in "serious discussions" with two national Democratic operatives, pollster Fred Yang and media consultant Martha McKenna, about roles in the campaign. Incumbent Isiah Leggett (D) has yet to announce whether he will seek a third term. But Ervin said if she runs, it will be regardless of whether Leggett is in or out....

MARC ELRICH WEIGHING POTENTIAL COUNTY EXECUTIVE CAMPAIGN - Though Valerie Ervin is not making a run for County Executive contingent on the actions of Ike Leggett, At Large Councilmember Marc Elrich is suggesting he may be a candidate if Leggett retires. After hearing rumors yesterday that Elrich had publicly discussed his possible bid, Maryland Juice asked Elrich about the race. Here's what he had to say:

MARC ELRICH: If Ike does not run, it is likely that I will, but I expect that he will decide to run again, in which case I'll support him.

PHIL ANDREWS BEGINS CANVASSING - Notably, The Washington Post article also took note of where MoCo Councilmember Phil Andrews was in his County Exec campaign: "Andrews said Monday that he doesn’t expect to hire either a pollster or media consultant. 'I’m out knocking on doors right now. That’s the best kind of poll to have,' he said." Coincidentally, two days ago a Maryland Juice reader contacted us on Twitter to report being door-knocked by Phil Andrews:

WHERE IS DOUG DUNCAN?: Perhaps driven by all of this chatter from County Executive candidates, The Baltimore Sun's John Fritze Tweeted an interesting question yesterday:

Indeed, former Exec Doug Duncan has been awfully quiet lately, after previously announcing he was running for MoCo Executive in 2014. Maryland Juice asked a source close to Duncan about this, and our contact stated that he was indeed still in the race. But that's not stopping reporters from wondering about Duncan's whereabouts. The Gazette's Kate Alexander today noted this abensence in an amusing article headlined, "Doug Duncan spent $33,000 to find out people remember him" (excerpt below):

GAZETTE: January campaign finance reports showed Duncan’s campaign paid $33,000 last May to Hickman Analytics of Chevy Chase for “cell and landline sample polling.”

When Duncan announced his race to supporters at a November breakfast, sources said he referenced a poll that showed him with favorable ratings....

Duncan, who has not responded to requests for comment since announcing his campaign, did not return calls seeking comment.

Hat tip: Maryland Reporter. Lastly, At Large Councilmember George Leventhal is also actively pursuing the County Exec office right now. Still no word from Ike Leggett!


JUICE #2:  ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY EXEC JOHN LEOPOLD FOUND GUILTY OF MISCONDUCT & SUSPENDED FROM OFFICE  - Maryland Juice previously discussed the bizarre saga surrounding Anne Arundel County Executive John Leopold. The Republican politician has been under siege for months, due to accusations he misused the powers of his office in numerous ways -- including using police officers and government employees to: conduct political activities, enable affairs and sexual encounters, and even to dispose of his urine. But The Baltimore Sun reported yesterday that Leopold was found guilty of two counts of misconduct and was suspended from office (excerpt below):

BALTIMORE SUN: Anne Arundel County Executive John R. Leopold has been suspended from office after being found guilty of two counts of misconduct Tuesday.

Circuit Court Judge Dennis M. Sweeney convicted the county executive for using his taxpayer-funded police protection detail to perform political duties and for requiring officers and an aide to empty the urinary catheter bag he used after back surgery.

County Attorney Jonathan A. Hodgson said Chief Administrative Officer John Hammond is now the acting county executive....

JUICE #3:  OVER TWENTY MARYLAND SENATORS CO-SPONSOR TRANSGENDER ANTI-DISCRIMINATION LAW // BILL POISED FOR PASSAGE  - After previously stalling in the Maryland State Senate, The Washington Blade yesterday reported that legislation to prohibit discrimination against transgender residents was introduced and already has over twenty co-sponsors (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON BLADE: Maryland lawmakers on Tuesday introduced a bill that would ban anti-transgender discrimination in the workplace, housing and public accommodations.

The Fairness for All Marylanders Act of 2013 that gay state Sen. Rich Madaleno (D-Montgomery County) and state Sen. Jamie Raskin (D-Montgomery County) introduced has more than 20 co-sponsors. These include state Sen. Allan Kittleman (R-Howard County.)....

Metro Weekly followed up with coverage indicating that the bill may now be on track for passage (excerpt below):

METRO WEEKLY: This new bill will first receive a hearing in the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee sometime in the next month, after which the committee is expected to approve it and send it to the floor for a vote, if Miller consents. Advocates are confident they have the requisite number of votes needed to pass it in the upper chamber. It would then go to the House, where it is expected to pass easily....

JUICE #4:  ACTIVISTS PETITION LEGISLATURE FOR EQUAL FUNDING FOR MARYLAND'S HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES  - A few activists and organizations have contacted Maryland Juice regarding a renewed effort to seek equal funding for HBCU's in the Free State. The coalition of groups involved in the effort circulated the following action alert via BEST Democratic Club (excerpt below):

MARYLAND BLACK CAUCUS: On February 4, 2013 more than 2,000  students and supporters of Maryland’s four Historically Black Colleges and Universities – including Morgan State University, Bowie State University, Coppin State University, and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore - will converge on the Maryland State House to lobby legislators for increased funding to support these historically underfunded universities....

Click Here to sign the petition to urge Governor O'Malley to stand with Maryland's HBCUs then share it with your friends

As part of the Caucus’ push, they are calling on Governor O’Malley to find a just end to the six-year legal battle between the Coalition for Excellence in Higher Education in Maryland, which represents the Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and the Maryland Higher Education Commission and the State of Maryland.

Additionally, given that both parties have indicated that they would seek an appeal should they not prevail in the lawsuit, which could result in an additional six years of litigation, the Caucus is asking that Governor O’Malley provide for a special appropriation of $14 million per year in funding over the next five years, beginning in 2014....

A diverse coalition of groups supports this call to action. The initiative is backed by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), CASA de Maryland, B.E.S.T. Democratic Club, Maryland Young Democrats, and the Sierra Club.

MOCO POLICY WAR: County Council Divided on Protections for Janitors // Chambers of Commerce & Rival Unions Weigh In

UPDATE: Montgomery County Council passes the displaced workers bill in a divided 5-4 vote. See the vote split below.

• Voting FOR: Valerie Ervin, Marc Elrich, Nancy Navarro, Hans Riemer & Craig Rice. 
• Voting AGAINST: Nancy Floreen, George Leventhal, Phil Andrews & Roger Berliner.
  

MOCO COUNCIL DEBATES WORKER PROTECTIONS FOR JANITORS - Today, the Montgomery County Council is scheduled to vote on legislation that would grant janitors and other low-wage service workers temporary protections in the event that their employer suddenly terminates their contract. Indeed, it is a common story to hear about janitors and other service workers whose lives are upended after their contracts are suddenly terminated. The proposed MoCo bill would simply provide a 90-day transitional period for the displaced janitors and service workers to stay employed while seeking new employment or transitioning to unemployment.

NOTE: Any workers (ie: bad employees) could still be fired for cause, and the provisions of the law are only temporary. This policy is the law in numerous bastions of "socialism" like D.C., New York, and Los Angeles. In fact, in 2010 the Obama administration created similar temporary protections for federal contractors.

VIDEO: Montgomery Councilmember George Leventhal Slams Steve Silverman on Ike Leggett's Lockheed Martin Welfare Plan

PLUS:  SEE VIDEO COMMENTARY FROM VARIOUS COUNCILMEMBERS ON LEGGETT'S PLAN

BACKGROUND: Maryland Juice has been tracking the strange saga of Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett's repeated efforts to give Lockheed Martin nearly $1 million from the government treasury -- in exchange for nothing at all. He previously sought County Council approval for his corporate welfare plan, but the nine-member body balked at the idea. Two years later, he has re-packaged the welfare plan as an economic stimulus measure, and is trying once again to spend money on mindless corporate welfare. Montgomery County resident Jean Athey, has a new column at the Foreign Policy in Focus website, that explains some of the political context to the Lockheed controversy.

Most County Councilmembers have expressed disapproval at the idea of using economic stimulus dollars to give a single, profitable corporation a tax rebate. But even some who oppose the Leggett plan are still open to the idea of permanently implementing a tax break for Lockheed Martin. Below, we provide several video clips of Councilmembers expressing their opinions on the Lockheed welfare plan:

MARYLAND JUICE CAMEO AT COUNCIL COMMITTEE MEETING: Last week, Maryland Juice reported that the proposed Lockheed tax giveaway was debated during a County Council PHED committee meeting. We have now obtained video footage of the April 26th meeting and are amused to see that Maryland Juice's advocacy against the Lockheed welfare plan was a topic of discussion (see below).

BREAKING: Montgomery County Planning Board Director Rollin Stanley Resigns // Major City Poaches Smart Growth Evangelist

UPDATE: Washington Post coverage of Rollin Stanley's departure today mentions Maryland Juice's coverage and notes that Stanley will be leaving mid-May. Meanwhile, MoCo blogger Dan Reed from Just up the Pike has a piece up at Greater Greater Washington that summarizes Stanley's work plotting out the future of land use in Montgomery County.

MoCo Planning Director Rollin Stanley

"THIS IS WHY WE CAN'T HAVE ANYTHING NICE"

ROLLIN STANLEY DITCHES MOCO: Maryland Juice has learned from two knowledgeable sources that Montgomery County's Park and Planning Director Rollin Stanley has resigned today. When asked about the matter, Democratic Planning Board member Casey Anderson stated simply: "He got a fantastic offer. A much bigger job."

This would indicate that Rollin Stanley was poached by another jurisdiction. When asked to provide details about where Mr. Stanley was headed, Casey Anderson stated: "It is a major city that has grown rapidly and is expected to continue growing fast. They want to announce his hiring themselves next week."

That Rollin Stanley should be poached is not surprising, considering that the public tide among planners and residents these days, strongly favors smart growth principles for land use. Stanley's vision for Montgomery County and his work for other cities has won national accolades. Even still, the timing of the poaching is very interesting, given recent controversy surrounding Mr. Stanley. He recently engaged in a war of words with anti-growth activists, and his job upgrade now leaves him with the last laugh. But the consolation prize for his critics is that he is now gone. Maryland Juice's hope is that the next Planning Board chief will bring the same broadview and gaming out of Montgomery County's future that Rollin Stanley did.

Montgomery County Public Safety Committee Votes 2-0-1 to Oppose Youth Curfew Proposal

UPDATE: Here is a quick roundup of the latest MoCo curfew coverage -- 1) Washington Post: "Montgomery legislators may throw curfew into limbo," 2) Gazette: "Montgomery’s curfew proposal likely to fizzle," and 3) Kensington Patch: "Montgomery County Curfew Bill On Its Last Leg." 

BREAKING: The Montgomery County Council's Public Safety committee voted 2-0-1 to oppose County Executive Ike Leggett's controversial youth curfew proposal. The committee's three members include Councilmember Phil Andrews (Committee Chair), Roger Berliner (Council Vice President) and Marc Elrich. Mr. Andrews and Berliner voted to OPPOSE the curfew, and Mr. Elrich ABSTAINED. During the course of the committee meeting, the three Councilmembers conveyed the following views:

Think Tank Doubleheader with the Koch Brothers // MPPI vs. Maryland Juice & CATO vs. Marc Elrich

UPDATE: A GOP blogger at Red Maryland has responded to Maryland Juice's "think tank doubleheader." Mr. Newgent makes an observation about "rich Marylanders voting against their economic interests" by supporting Democrats. How's that for class warfare?

Yesterday, the innocently-named Maryland Public Policy Institute (MPPI) published an article responding to Maryland Juice's post about how Red States are the biggest welfare recipients. The piece was apparently developed after conversations with a Red Maryland blogger, so we decided to track down MPPI's mission statement:

The mission of the Maryland Public Policy Institute is to formulate and promote public policies at all levels of government based on principles of free enterprise, limited government, and civil society. 

Surprisingly, the Baltimore County Public Library website has an election resources section that describes MPPI as follows: