GUEST POST: Warning from Former MoCo Planning Board Chair Gus Bauman on the MD vs. VA Transportation Battle

Former Montgomery County Planning Board Chair Gus Bauman provided Maryland Juice the following guest post on the transportation infrastructure race between Maryland and Virginia. His comments below were sent in two batches to County officials (once in 2009 and later in 2014). You can read his thoughts on the challenges facing Maryland below, triggered by the opening of the Northern Virginia WMATA Silver Line this past July:

GUS BAUMAN (CIRCA 2014): To the County Executive, Council Members, Planning Board Members: Tomorrow, July 26, 2014, at high noon, Montgomery County’s future will, in my judgment, have reached a tipping point. The Silver Line’s first phase to Tysons and Reston opens; five new Metro stations in prime areas of Fairfax County will change everything. Then it’s on to Dulles Airport.

Recently, DC opened a new Metro station at NoMa. Development is exploding there. Alexandria, for its part, is nailing down the location of its new Metro station at the growing urban center of Potomac Yard. In short, as I see it, the economic future of our region is increasingly concentrating along the Blue and Orange and now Silver Lines. The cultural vibrancy of the DC area is rapidly consolidating around places like U St., 14th St., Ballston, Clarendon. Tysons and Potomac Yard will invariably follow.

We must be candid with ourselves. Except for Silver Spring, Montgomery County has no place today that can realistically compete for the attentions and diverse demands of the all-important Uber Generation. I sent off a warning, called A Looming Challenge, about all this 4.5 years ago (see the attachment). We are now 4.5 years closer to our mutual future.

Gus Bauman's 2014 comments are a follow-up to the following letter (aka attachment) he sent county officials in 2009:

GUS BAUMAN (CIRCA 2009): Dear County Executive Leggett, County Council President Floreen and Council Members, Planning Board Chairman Hanson and Planning Board Members; In recent days, I have had the opportunity to tour several major transportation projects being built in the DC region and to review materials related to the forthcoming impacts of those projects. I have come to the conviction that the cumulative impacts of these projects are about to transform profoundly how people will view the DC region and, by extension, Montgomery County's place in it. Because of the geographic positioning of these projects and the singular timing of their arrival, how Montgomery County views its future may well need reassessment.

Consider the following.

Immediately to Montgomery County's west, in Fairfax County, Metrorail's Silver Line is well under construction. In 2013, a little over three years from now, four stations will open in Tysons Corner alone. That is akin to the Gallery Place, Metro Center, Farragut North, and Dupont Circle Red Line stations all opening at once. Simultaneously, the Capital Beltway HOT lanes are well under construction along a 14 mile corridor, centered on Tysons Corner, in northern Virginia. They are scheduled to open in 2012. Tysons Corner is then poised to commence massive redevelopment of its 3,200 acres.

To provide some sense of equivalent comparisons, downtown Bethesda covers 400 acres. The Life Sciences Center encompasses 900 acres. Immediately to Montgomery County's east, in Prince George's County, sits the future city of Konterra. It is ready to begin development once the Intercounty Connector (MD 200) interchanges with I-95. That will occur in 2012. Konterra covers 2,200 acres. Its ultimate scale will be enormous. Thus, just when we will likely have emerged from the Great Recession, the landscape we have been used to for so long will be radically changing on Montgomery County's western and eastern borders. Even before this coming upheaval in the region, looking at just one indicator of the long-current status quo should give one pause in Montgomery County. Already, of the 20 busiest Metrorail stations, fully 18 are in DC, Arlington County, and Fairfax County. Shady Grove is the 14th busiest and Silver Spring the 15th (Bethesda is the 21st). Once the Silver Line starts service in 2013 (and later continues westward to Dulles Airport), a more pronounced shift of the region's economic resources away from Montgomery County can reasonably be expected if current assumptions are not reexamined. And Konterra will likewise be pulling significant economic resources eastward.

Nothing I have stated is to begrudge our neighbors the creative initiatives they have embarked upon. It is all to their credit. But these huge initiatives, centered on imminent alterations to the region's transportation network west and east of Montgomery County, will likely shift the dynamic of growth, and life, within the County as well as the region. Of course, Montgomery County is not standing still. It also stands to gain from MD 200's interchange with I-270 as well as the County's plans for the I-270/MD 355 corridor.

Yet, I would respectfully suggest that the County's future-thinking needs to focus more on Montgomery's realworld position in a highly competitive region about to change dramatically on our borders. The looming challenge now posed by what is just around the corner should not be permitted to sap Montgomery County's viability within a strong region.

Mr. Bauman's comments mirror Maryland Juice's own worries about Virginia's significant investments in transit infrastructure in recent months.

JUICE: Analysis of Governor's Race Between Anthony Brown & Larry Hogan, MD Transportation Funding Crisis and More!

Below Maryland  Juice provides a round-up of news of interest to politicos:

JUICE #1: ANTHONY BROWN VS. LARRY HOGAN ANALYSIS // IS THIS GOING TO BE A CLOSE GUBERNATORIAL RACE? - Maryland Juice had been hearing about a poll for November's gubernatorial race allegedly showing Lt. Governor Anthony Brown ahead by only single digits against GOP activist Larry Hogan. I had not actually seen a copy of the polling memo, but earlier this week Center Maryland columnist Josh Kurtz wrote that he was shown a copy of the results (excerpt below):

CENTER MARYLAND: A recent statewide poll that was shared with me the other day, which was not conducted for either of the candidates for governor, showed Brown with a 46 percent to 40 percent lead over Hogan. The survey was taken by a highly reputable D.C.-based pollster who has vast experience querying Maryland voters. So, a 6-point lead. Not time to hit the panic button, if you’re a Democrat. But nothing to be too comfortable about, either. Could Brown lose? It’s hard to see at this point....

Previous polls in the Brown-Hogan race (as recent as July 2014) showed Brown with dougle-digit leads against Hogan, so I'm slightly skeptical about the accuracy of the supposed 6-digit Brown lead. It's hard to tell where that number is coming from without looking at the turnout modeling and the sample used in the new poll. If you have a copy of the results and care to share them, feel free to send them to david@marylandjuice.com.

RECENT HISTORY OF TURNOUT IN GUBERNATORIAL ELECTIONS: In the meantime, here are a few shorthand numbers showing the difficulties facing the Maryland GOP in November. First, in 2010 (the last gubernatorial General Election), we witnessed a match-up between two candidates who had both served as Governor: Martin O'Malley and Bob Ehrlich. Note that 2010 was a fairly low turnout election year, and we were then in the midst of the national Tea Party wave. Here's how many Democratic, Republican and unaffiliated voters turned out in 2010:

• Democrats 993,674 (50.77% Turnout)
• Republicans 546,962 (59.09% Turnout)
• Unaffiliated 168,634 (35.39% Turnout)

As you can see, even in a bad turnout year for Democrats, Republicans are still far outnumbered -- even if every independent voter who showed up voted with the GOP. 

PARTISAN POLARIZATION IN MARYLAND: Has the political world changed enough since 2010 to produce a plausible Republican victory? I am skeptical. For that to happen, there would need to a huge number of persuadable/movable voters within the state's Democratic and unaffiliated voter pools. But one insightful analysis of the 2010 O'Malley-Ehrlich election cycle indicates that Maryland has America's most polarized electorate, meaning that there are hard lines between Democratic and Republican voters -- with very few swing voters that will shift allegiances. In 2011, the Legislative District Index blog highlighted Maryland's unique electorate (excerpt below):

LDI BLOG: Maryland is by far the most polarized state we have come across. Sure, there are other states with districts far more Democratic than the rest, but that is a natural feature - metro areas are going to produce these sort of bumps. But generically, the middle 50% of districts are within a fairly narrow electoral band +/- 10% or so. Now, those districts might favor one party of the other, but the central point is that there is a large swath of the electorate that is of a relatively similar composition - the ability to win them over to your side probably translates into electoral success for your party.

In Maryland however, that middle section is totally absent. I believe the kind of data we're seeing here makes a strong case for campaigning to your base rather than the middle in Maryland, as there isn't a homogenous middle-group to court. It immediately brings to mind some of the ridiculous cynical campaign tactics employed by the Ehrlich and Steele campaigns - fake brochures advertising Republicans as Democrats, ground campaigns to designed to cause confusion and uncertainty within the Democratic base, rather than winning over those middle, "independent", Maryland voters. While their tactics were absolutely indefensible, they were operating them along the only path to victory they saw - bolstering turnout among their supporters, and counting on that huge Democratic base to miss out on election day.....

LARRY HOGAN PIVOT? - We're already seeing GOP gubernatorial nominee Larry Hogan half-heartedly trying to remain in contention with the state's moderate voters. For example, The Seventh State blog noted that a secessionist candidate narrowly won a Republican Primary for the Anne Arundel County Council, and Hogan was quick to distance himself from the crazy (excerpt below):

SEVENTH STATE: Anne Arundel County Council Candidate Michael Peroutka was until recently the rare political bird who refused to talk to the media. When he finally did agree to talk to reporters, one cannot help but think that the original refusal was the better bet....

Peroutka has been active in the John Birch Society but it is his current board membership on the League of the South that has attracted scrutiny. Labeled a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, the League advocates secession from the U.S. Indeed, the video above shows Peroutka asking people to “stand for the national anthem” of Dixie–not the Star-Spangled Banner....

As a result, Republicans have started running for the hills. Gubernatorial Candidate Larry Hogan wisely didn’t wait to disassociate himself from Peroutka and his campaign says that Hogan “absolutely disavows” him. Peroutka now whines that Hogan didn’t “dialogue” with him.....

But is distancing yourself from a local candidate advocating for secession enough to win over Democratic and independent voters in a liberal state like Maryland? I hardly think so.

OTHER FACETS TO THE 2014 GUBERNATORIAL RACE: In contrast to 2010, Anthony Brown (who has been on the statewide ballot twice) will be more well-known by voters than first-time candidate Larry Hogan. Moreover, the 2014 primary turnout differences between Democrats and Republicans were quite vast, even with contested races for both parties:

2014 ELECTION DAY & EARLY VOTE PRIMARY TURNOUT (BY PARTY)

• Democrats: 470,528
• Republicans 217,707

IMPACT OF FUNDRAISING ON THE GOVERNOR'S RACE: One final note to consider is the fundraising differentials between Anthony Brown and Larry Hogan. The Washington Post's John Wagner recently highlighted the impact of Larry Hogan's decision to use public financing for his campaign (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON POST: The Republican nominee for Maryland governor, Larry Hogan, has become the first candidate in 20 years to participate in the state’s public financing system in the fall election, a move likely to leave his campaign with far less money to spend than his Democratic opponent.

Hogan will receive a grant of about $2.6 million from the state, and his campaign will not be allowed to spend more than that on the race, election officials said Wednesday. The decision cements Hogan’s financial disadvantage in the race against Lt. Gov. Anthony G. Brown, who spent about $9 million this year to win the Democratic primary and has started to replenish his war chest....

One wrinkle to these fundraising dynamics is that since Hogan is receiving public financing, he will have access to cash much quicker than Anthony Brown. The Lt. Governor likely had to spend down the millions he raised during the primary for his battle against Doug Gansler and Heather Mizeur. Indeed, as of June 8th (before the primary was completed), the Friends of Anthony Brown campaign account had only $543,510.55 cash on hand.

So as I see it, to keep the Brown campaign on track to defeat Larry Hogan, our Lt. Governor needs to start rebuilding his cash advantage as quick as possible and should start finding ways to excite the Democratic base in our highly polarized state. But hey, what do I know!  Just my two cents.


JUICE #2: BALLOT QUESTIONS THAT WILL BE ON THE NOVEMBER BALLOT // MARYLAND TRANSPORTATION FUNDING CRISIS AND SPECIAL ELECTIONS - MoCo's new political blogger Paul Bessel highlighted two ballot questions that voters will get to weigh in on this November (excerpt below):

PAUL BESSEL: This year (November 4, 2014) there will be two proposed Maryland Constitutional Amendments on the ballot.... That's fewer ballot questions than in many previous years.

The first ballot question asks voters if the Maryland Constitution should be amended to make it more difficult for money in or intended to go into the state's Transportation Trust Fund (TTF) to be used for purposes other than transportation. In the past, this money was sometimes used to balance the overall state budget, not for transportation needs.

If this Constitutional amendment is adopted, in the future any use of this TTF money other than for transportation would first need a formal statement by the Governor that there is a "fiscal emergency" and then 60% of each house of the legislature would have to approve it.

The other proposed Constitutional amendment would allow counties such as MoCo to provide for special elections to fill any vacancies in the office of County Executive, just as now can be done for vacancies on the County Council....

MARYLAND TRANSPORTATION FUNDING CRISIS: Of the two ballot questions, I find the one about the Transportation Trust Fund to be the more intriguing one. By all measures, the United States and Maryland are facing huge transportation funding crises. The Washington Post's Ashley Halsey reported on the political contours of the national infrastructure funding problem (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON POST: Fearful they may lose the Senate in November, Democrats want to force Congress to come up with a long-term method to pay for transportation funding in the lame duck session. Republicans, hopeful they will be in control next year, want to set a May 31 deadline for the task....

The issue is of mind-numbing complexity and might be ignored were it not for the fact that, without a temporary funding extension and then a long-term plan to find new revenue, federal money to build and maintain the nation’s roads, bridges and transit systems will begin to run dry in August.

The Highway Trust Fund that relies primarily on fuel taxes no longer brings in enough cash to pay the bills submitted by the states. The White House has warned that it will run into the red next month, requiring an immediate infusion of money to keep current projects going, and then a creative way to bring in more revenue for the long haul....

Indeed, infrastructure funding has never been a sexy priority for policymakers -- until we start seeing levies break and bridges fall (aka after the damage has already been done). But closer to home, the problem for Maryland is one of economic stagnation, especially while Virginia is now kicking our asses in quickly building 21st century transit projects.

VIRGINIA CRUSHING MARYLAND FOR INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT: I truly believe that Northern Virginia's faster build-out and funding of transit projects is a much greater threat to Maryland than their lower tax rates. Virginia, after all, has always had lower taxes than Maryland, but their race to build infrastructure is a new development. Take a look what's going on in the former heart of the confederacy:

WASHINGTON METRO SILVER LINE TO VIRGINIA OPENS: In case you haven't heard, the new WMATA Silver Line to Virginia has opened. The Washington Times provided a hint about the economic development impact of this transit project for the state (excerpt below).

WASHINGTON TIMES: Gerald Gordon, president and CEO of the Fairfax Economic Authority, said the commitment to the Silver Line was crucial to the area economy. “The initial impact of the Silver Line was having major corporations come to Tysons specifically because of the Silver Line and having companies remain in Tysons because of it,” Mr. Gordon said....

The Fairfax Board of Supervisors is expecting almost 100,000 jobs to be added by 2050 as a result of the line, according to a 2010 report. Mr. Gordon said the line will help establish Tysons as a major city — not just in the region but the world. “You can’t be a world-class city unless you have a rail system,” Mr. Gordon said. “Now we can compete with cities that do have a rail system and become a world-renowned city.”

Here's a video about Virginia's Silver Line:



VIRGINIA "METROWAY" BRT SERVICE OPENS THIS MONTH: Coming right off the heels of the Silver Line opening, The Washington Post's Luz Lazo reports that Northern Virginia will this month also open a new "bus rapid transit" system (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON POST: The Washington region’s first bus rapid transit system is set to open next month. The service, called Metroway, will feature bus-only lanes along a five-mile stretch of roadway in Crystal City and Potomac Yard in Arlington and Alexandria. It introduces a new bus experience to the Washington region: buses will travel much of the route traffic-free, they will be frequent, and riders eventually will be able to pay their fare before boarding. Buses will serve stops equipped with shelters, benches and lighting between the Braddock Road and Crystal City Metro stations....

The service will offer faster rides and shorter waits at the bus stop. Buses will travel most of the route in bus-only lanes. Bus rapid transit is viewed as a way to speed public transit without the huge costs involved in building rail lines.... “We are extremely pleased to launch Metroway in the (Crystal City-Potomac Yard) Corridor, a first for Metro and the region,” Metro General Manager Richard Sarles said in a statement. “This new premium service will provide faster commutes, better connection to existing and developing retail areas, and expand economic growth within the Arlington and Alexandria communities along Route 1.”

Here's a video about the Virginia Metroway BRT system:



NORTHERN VIRGINIA STREETCAR PROJECT GETS FUNDING: Lastly, The Washington Post's Patricia Sullivan reported last month that Virginia policymakers have dumped funding into a streetcar project expected to generate a large revenue boost (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON POST: Virginia will increase state funding for the controversial Columbia Pike streetcar project by up to $65 million, the state transportation chief told officials in Arlington and Fairfax counties this week, allowing the streetcar line to be built at least a year faster and without federal funds.... The long-planned streetcar line, which is expected to run from the Skyline area of Fairfax to the Pentagon City Metro station, has been projected to cost about $358 million. Arlington dropped that estimate to $333 million Friday because of the faster completion time. County officials hope it will be done by 2020....

Not using federal funds means that the county can assume its normal inflation rate of 3 percent for the project, not the federal transit agency-suggested 4 percent. Local elected officials say no homeowner-financed general obligation bonds or residential taxes would go toward building the project, although operating costs are expected to be borne by taxpayers.... The project is closely tied to Arlington’s plans for redeveloping the aging corridor, which county officials say will preserve more than 6,000 affordable apartments for several decades.

A county-funded consultant’s study released in March said the streetcar would generate $3.2 billion to $4.4 billion in new real estate value for Arlington and Fairfax counties over 30 years. It also estimated that the streetcar would produce $455 million to $895 million in new tax revenue for both counties over 30 years, attract 6,600 new jobs within 10 years, and increase state income and sales taxes....

Here's a rendering of the Northern Virginia streetcar project:

WHAT DOES VIRGINIA'S TRANSIT PUSH MEAN FOR MARYLAND? - So while Maryland policymakers have fixated on Virginia's tax rates, our neighbors have been focusing on something else altogether: building modern transit infrastructure that will attract investment, boost tax revenues, and provide better commutes for residents.

Notably, Maryland has multiple transit projects on the books (Baltimore's Red Line, the Montgomery County/Prince George's Purple Line, the Corridor Cities Transitway, the Montgomery County rapid transit system, etc). But it seems quite likely that all of Virginia's transit projects will be funded and built before Maryland even breaks ground on any of its new transit lines. Given these facts, can we really afford to pay for these projects (that are critical to economic development), if we continue on the path of voluntarily cutting our revenues (eg: through more tax cuts)?


JUICE #3: FBI DEBATING MOVING HEADQUARTERS FROM DC TO PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY - One bright spot in our regional competition for jobs, is that the feds are thinking about moving the FBI headquarters (and its 11,000 jobs) to Prince George's County. The Washington Business Journal reported on the development (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON BUSINESS JOURNAL: After more than a year of anticipation, the General Services Administration on Tuesday named three sites — one in Springfield and two in Prince George's County — on its short list of potential locations for a new FBI headquarters.

Greenbelt and the Landover Mall in Prince George's and the GSA warehouse in Springfield in Fairfax County made the list, ruling out a range of wildcards such as the Westphalia Town Center and Exxon Mobil's Merrifield campus. The short list excludes D.C. from the running, but many real estate experts regarded Mayor Vincent Gray's proposal, Poplar Point, as a long shot at best.

The Greenbelt and Springfield sites were long expected to be high on the GSA's short list, while Lerner Enterprises surprised many by offering up the former Landover Mall as a contender in January. Lerner Enterprises is owned by the Lerner family, which also owns the Washington Nationals....

The new headquarters, which will house 11,000 employees, must be at least 2.1 million square feet and will cost an estimated $2 billion to build. Sites were required to be no more than 2 miles from a Metro station and 2.5 miles from the Capital Beltway....

Will Maryland beat out Virginia on at least this project? We shall see!

JUICE: Frosh Video, Gross D9A Facebook Post, D13 Family Ties, Henson vs. McFadden, MoCo School $, MCDCC Battle & More!

Below Maryland Juice provides a quick round-up of news items of interest to politicos:

JUICE #1: BRIAN FROSH RELEASES NEW WEB VIDEO HIGHLIGHTING GUN CONTROL ADVOCACY - Sen. Brian Frosh (a candidate for Attorney General) released a new web video today highlighting testimonials from national gun control advocates:



JUICE #2: OUTRAGEOUS FACEBOOK COMMENTARY FROM D9A DELEGATE CANDIDATE FRANK MIRABILE - Social media platforms are known to produce feisty back-and-forth commentary between politicos. But a Maryland Juice reader highlighted an outrageous set of comments from District 9A candidate Frank Mirabile, a Republican candidate for an open Delegate seat.  In the Facebook thread (excerpts screen-capped below), Mirabile responds to someone criticizing his stances on various issues by repeatedly insulting her physical appearance:

#TACKY: Maryland's District 9A is two-member House of Delegates district, with one open seat. D9A incumbent GOP Delegate Warren Miller is running for re-election, but there are four candidates in the Republican Primary for the one open seat: Eric Bouchat, Trent Kittleman, Kyle Lorton and Frank Mirabile. Notably, Frank Mirabile was also the 2010 Republican Congressional nominee against Congressman Elijah Cummings. I'm not sure I've seen a candidate for public office publish commentary as crass and unseemly as this before. Notably, the Facebook link appears to have been deleted, but not before a few hundred comments appeared on the thread.


JUICE #3: BIZARRE FAMILY JOCKEYING IN HOCO'S DISTRICT 13 DELEGATE RACE - Strange things are happening in the House of Delegates District 13 race. In the three-seat Howard County-anchored district, incumbents Shane Pendergrass and Frank Turner are currently filed to run for re-election. They had previously formed a slate with HoCo school board member Janet Siddiqui, but on the last day for candidates to file, Turner's protege Vanessa Atterbeary and Siddiqui's husband Nayab Siddiqui both filed for office. This appears to be a bit of a switcheroo, because Janet Siddiqui has now withdrawn from the race. The Baltimore Sun's Amanda Yeager had this to say (excerpt below):

BALTIMORE SUN: The political world got a last-minute shock Tuesday night when Nayab Siddiqui, husband of district 13 candidate and Howard County school board member Janet Siddiqui, filed to run in the same race. But as of Thursday afternoon, Janet Siddiqui is no longer up against her husband. She has officially withdrawn from the race, according to the state Board of Elections’ online list of candidates.... Other Democratic candidates include Oakland Mills community organizer Fred Eiland and Fulton lawyer Vanessa Atterbeary, who also filed at the last minute on Tuesday.

JUICE #4: JULIUS HENSON PLEDGES TO CONTINUE CAMPAIGN AGAINST SEN. NATE MCFADDEN, EVEN AS JUDGE RULES IT IS A PROBATION VIOLATION - Baltimore consultant Julius Henson was convicted of voter fraud charges for illegal robocalls he deployed on behalf of GOP Governor Bob Ehrlich. But Henson is now a candidate for State Senate against Sen. Nate McFadden, and he's pledging to continue campaigning even though a judge has ruled he's now violating his probation. The Washington Post's Paul Schwartzman reported on the development (excerpt below, H/T Maryland Reporter):

WASHINGTON POST: Julius Henson ... promised to keep running for office despite a judge’s ruling that he had violated his probation by becoming a candidate.... Henson, 64, vowed not only to appeal but also to press on with his campaign to “retire” Nathaniel J. McFadden (D), who has served in the state Senate for 18 years....  Prosecutors accused Henson of seeking to suppress turnout among African Americans during the 2010 governor’s race when he worked as a strategist for the campaign of former governor Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. (R)....  At Thursday’s hearing, Emmet Davitt, Maryland’s special prosecutor, argued that the language of Henson’s probation order — barring him from working on campaigns “in any capacity” — made his candidacy a violation....

JUICE #5: MOCO UNLIKELY TO GET SCHOOL INCREASE IN SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION FUNDING? - The Gazette's Kate Alexander reported this week that despite surging enrollment, Montgomery County may be unlikely to receive an increase in school construction funding this year (excerpt below):

GAZETTE: Midway through Maryland’s 90-day legislative session, county lawmakers seem to hold little hope of their top legislative priority passing the General Assembly and establishing a steady, predictable stream of state money to leverage borrowing for school construction.

[MoCo Executive Ike] Leggett said the county began pushing for more school construction dollars in 2010 and was able to get some additional state money through the conventional budget process. But to keep pace with growing enrollment — about 2,000 new students each year for Montgomery County Public Schools — even more money is needed.... [Delegate Anne Kaiser’s school construction funding] bill is scheduled for a hearing March 6. The Senate version is scheduled for a hearing March 12.

JUICE #6: PROGRESSIVE MARYLAND LAUNCHES SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN OPPOSING ESTATE TAX CUT - Progressive Maryland's Executive Director Kate Planco Waybright recently published a guest post on Maryland Juice urging lawmakers to abandon support a cut in the state's estate tax. It appears the organization is now following up on their effort with targeted social media ad buys. Check out the screen cap sent to us by a reader below:

JUICE #7: CONTESTED RACES FOR MOCO DEMOCRATIC CENTRAL COMMITTEE // SEE WHO IS ON THE OFFICIAL MCDCC SLATE - Bethesda Magazine's Lou Peck reported on jockeying over the upcoming Democratic Primary elections for the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee (MCDCC). Notably, the MCDCC appoints Democrats to fill vacant legislative seats and mails sample ballots to voters recommending positions on referenda. Last year we witnessed all sorts of mayhem  when some labor unions picketed the MCDCC spring ball due to the group's support for repeal of "effects bargaining" rights in MoCo (aka Question B). This week Bethesda Magazine reported on the aftermath (excerpt below):

BETHESDA MAGAZINE: An ongoing effort to mend a rift between the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee and local labor groups appears to have taken a step forward, as a party screening committee put forth a slate of candidates aimed at placing a significant number of new faces on to the 24-member MCDCC.

One party insider described behind-the-scenes developments over the past week – with the slate not finalized until shortly before Tuesday’s primary filing deadline – as “a bloodless coup in a lot of ways.”

While there will be a number of contested central committee seats in the upcoming June 24 primary – including challenges to some committee veterans – the slate proposed by a five-member screening committee headed by MCDCC Chair Gabriel Albornoz won praise from a top local labor leader....

The MCDCC sent Maryland Juice a press release announcing their selections for the official slate of recommended candidates in the June 24th primaries. Their statement noted the following (excerpt below):

MCDCC: The 2014 Democratic Leadership Team Slate is pleased to announce the candidates for the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee. The candidates will be on this June’s primary ballot. The slate is comprised of Democratic leaders from many different backgrounds, including: labor, non-profit, government and business. In bringing this group together, party organizers considered the diverse voices and backgrounds that represent the Democratic Party –as well as the various skills and expertise needed to effectively run the party organization....

FULL LIST OF MCDCC CANDIDATES: All of the MCDCC races are contested, except in Districts 17, 18 and 39. Below we publish the MCDCC'S choices, along with the names of candidates who are running against the slate:

• Brian Anleu, District 14
• Arthur Edmunds, District 14 - MCDCC Slate - (incumbent)
• Pam Queen, District 14 - MCDCC Slate - (incumbent)
• Anis Ahmed, District 15
• Tim Whitehouse, District 15 - MCDCC Slate
• Venattia W. Vann, District 15 - MCDCC Slate - (incumbent)
• Kris Verma, District 15
• Wendy Cohen, District 16 - MCDCC Slate
• Loretta Jean Garcia, District 16
• Almina Khorakiwala, District 16 - MCDCC Slate - (incumbent)
• Julian Haffner, District 17 - MCDCC Slate
• Jonathan Prutow, District 17 - MCDCC Slate - (incumbent)
• Alan Banov, District 18 - MCDCC Slate - (incumbent)
• Aaron Kaufmann, District 18 - MCDCC Slate
• Hoan Dang, District 19 - MCDCC Slate
• Harold Diamond, District 19 - (incumbent)
• Melissa Pinnick, District 19 - MCDCC Slate
• Tamika Bennett, District 20 - MCDCC Slate - (incumbent)
• Ed Kimmel, District 20
• Jheanelle Wilkins, District 20 - MCDCC Slate
• Juan Cardenas, District 39 - MCDCC Slate - (incumbent)
• Mumin Barre, District 39 - MCDCC Slate
• Darrell Anderson, At Large - MCDCC Slate - (incumbent)
• Steve Boliek, At Large
• Chris Bradbury, At Large - MCDCC Slate
• Natalia Farrar, At Large
• Marjorie Goldman, At Large - MCDCC Slate - (incumbent)
• Johntel Greene, At Large - MCDCC Slate
• Michael Gruenberg, At Large - MCDCC Slate
• Dave Kunes, At Large - MCDCC Slate
• Pavel Sukhobok, At Large
• Kevin Walling, At Large - MCDCC Slate
• Erin Yeagley, At Large - MCDCC Slate

JUICE #8: MINIMUM WAGE SUPPORTERS RALLY OUTSIDE OF MARYLAND RETAILERS ASSOCIATION OFFICE - The debate over a Maryland minimum wage increase is heating up during the current Annapolis legislative session. Yesterday SEIU organized a rally outside the offices of the Maryland Retailers Association (industry opponents of the minimum wage increase). Check out some photos from the event:

JUICE #9: NEW MAP OF THE PROPOSED MOCO RAPID TRANSIT SYSTEM - The newly rebooted Maryland Politics Watch (www.theseventhstate.com) posted a new map of a planned rapid transit system (RTS) for Montgomery County. The transit network below is advancing right now, but it is still in the early stages of development:

JUICE: Gansler's Kickoff, D15 Candidates Forum, Lower Corporate Taxes in MD vs. VA, MoCo's 10-Line Transit Network

PLUS: WEST VIRGINIA GOP REJECTS CARPETBAGGER ALEX MOONEY

Below Maryland Juice provides a few news items of interest to Free State politicos:

JUICE #1: WHO ATTENDED DOUG GANSLER'S CAMPAIGN KICKOFF IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY? - Attorney General Doug Gansler kicked off his gubernatorial campaign yesterday in Rockville, Maryland. Several politicos asked Maryland Juice who attended the event, and I was able to compile the following list of MoCo officials who attended. Note that I have no idea if these folks are actually endorsing Gansler, so don't read too much into this without asking them yourself:

• Comptroller Peter Franchot
• Senator Jennie Forehand
• Senator Rich Madaleno
• Senator Karen Montgomery
• Delegate Charles Barkley
• Delegate Al Carr
• Delegate Susan Lee
• Delegate Luiz Simmons
• Delegate Craig Zucker
• Councilmember George Leventhal
• State's Attorney John McCarthy

JUICE #2: MEET THE DISTRICT 15 DELEGATE HOPEFULS NEXT TUESDAY 10/1 - Now that Delegate Brian Feldman has been appointed to replace Rob Garagiola in the State Senate, the MCDCC will next select a replacement for Feldman's D15 Delegate seat. The District 15 Democratic Caucus is holding a candidates forum next Tuesday, October 1st and is inviting members of the public to come and meet the Delegate hopefuls (excerpt of details below): 

D15 DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS: The District 15 Democratic Caucus invites you to attend a Candidates Forum on October 1st at 7pm at the Up County Regional Services Center at 12900 Middlebrook Road, Germantown, MD 20874. The Forum will provide a place for residents seeking the appointment to the open District 15 seat in the Maryland House of Delegates to introduce themselves to Caucus members and the general public. After the forum, the candidates will have an opportunity to informally socialize with members of the audience, Caucus officials, and others....

Candidates who desire to participate in the Forum shall notify the District 15 Caucus of their intent to participate by 5:00pm Monday, September 30, 2013, by replying to this email....

JUICE #3: STUDY SAYS MARYLAND'S EFFECTIVE CORPORATE TAX RATES ARE LOWER THAN VIRGINIA'S - Like in Maryland, officials in the District of Columbia have been embroiled in a minimum wage fight in recent weeks. Not surprisingly, DC officials are also discussing the city's corporate tax rates, and some Democrats are suggesting that the city's taxes need to be lowered to compete with Virginia. But an article in The Washington Business Journal yesterday highlighted a new report from the D.C. Tax Revision Commission suggesting that not only are the District's effective tax rates comparable to Virginia's, but that Maryland's effective corporate tax rates may be lower than those in Northern Virginia. In a comparison of DC, Prince George's and Northern Virginia corporate taxes, Montgomery and Prince George's Counties are actually listed as having the lowest effective tax burden of all the local jurisdictions (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON BUSINESS JOURNAL: D.C.’s reputation as a high tax jurisdiction may be fueled by its highest-in-the-region corporate income tax rate of 9.975 percent, its nearly 10 percent business franchise tax rate and complex rules for pass-through entities, especially where Virginia residents are concerned.

But the overall tax burden is a combination of every levy, and D.C. fares quite well when they’re all tossed together. The study compares, in a variety of situations, what a fictional corporation with $30 million of total revenue and $2.4 million of income before taxes would pay in D.C., Alexandria and Montgomery, Prince George’s, Fairfax and Arlington counties.

In the case of a corporation with a single location, the business would pay $263,738 in annual taxes to the District, $264,424 in Arlington, $261,574 in Alexandria, $246,432 in Fairfax, $220,418 in Prince George’s and $216,378 in Montgomery.

If the business has no taxable income to report (and many do not, some by design) then D.C.’s relatively low gross receipts tax and its healthy incentives for qualified high technology companies keep it competitive with Maryland, while the Virginia burden can soar as a result of the Business, Professional, Occupancy License tax, according to the study....

Notably, The Washington Post reported last month that Attorney General Doug Gansler called for a lowering of Maryland's corporate tax rate, citing an unfriendly business climate compared to Virginia (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON POST: Douglas F. Gansler, a leading Democratic hopeful for Maryland governor, said Thursday that he wants to cut the state’s corporate income tax rate to the same level as Virginia’s, embracing a cause that has been pushed primarily by Republicans.

Gansler, Maryland’s attorney general, said that reducing the rate from 8.25 percent to 6 percent would help the state compete for jobs against Virginia, which he has repeatedly characterized as more aggressive and business-friendly than Maryland....

This political movement for a corporate tax cut in Maryland reminds me of other misleading advocacy we've seen in the Free State in recent years, with some Democrats alleging our state is business unfriendly and misleadingly claiming millionaires were fleeing Maryland for Virginia.

David Moon at Rapid Transit press conference

JUICE #4: MOCO COUNCIL BEGINS HEARINGS ON RAPID TRANSIT PLAN, WHILE VIRGINIA WILL OPEN TWO RAPID TRANSIT LINES NEXT YEAR - In Maryland Juice's opinion, one area where Virginia has been making itself more competitive than Maryland is in getting transportation infrastructure built more quickly than in the Free State. Virginia officials succeeded in funding the new Metro Silver Line to Dulles and are now building two "bus rapid transit" lines in Alexandria and Arlington. Virginia also passed a transportation funding package this year and many believe that their effort to raise these infrastructure funds was critical in pushing Maryland lawmakers to adopt their own transportation funding plan. 

In an effort to preempt our own growing traffic and environmental problems, Montgomery County officials are proposing a 10-line Rapid Transit System (RTS) that would run modern buses in dedicated transit lanes along many major transportation corridors throughout the county. The plan has support from a range of environmental, civic, and business groups including the local Sierra Club, CASA de Maryland, MoCo Young Democrats, Jews United for Justice, Chesapeake Climate Action Network and more. The County Council held the first of two public hearings on the project last night, and the news media is now tuning in to the debate in Montgomery County. Below you can see two quick articles on the MoCo RTS plan that appeared this morning in WAMU and Bethesda Now (excerpts below):

WAMU: A coalition of 32 groups representing civic associations, environmental activists, smart growth advocates, and real estate developers testified in favor of constructing an 80-mile bus rapid transit (BRT) network in Montgomery County over the next decade during the first public hearing held on the issue by the County Council Tuesday night.

The hearing officially began what will be a months-long public process that will culminate in county legislators deciding whether to build what observers say is the most cost-effective way to cope with crushing traffic congestion. Montgomery County’s population—already bulging at one million people in 500 square miles—is expected to grow substantially.

“Our task force recommended a 160-mile system. An [80-mile] system is a good start. We hope it gets fully implemented and when it is successful the county will add additional corridors,” said Mark Winston, the chair of county executive Ike Leggett’s transit task force and chairman of the group Communities For Transit.

While building heavy Metro rail costs hundreds of millions per mile (see: Silver Line; 23 miles, $6 billion) or a light rail system costs tens of millions per mile (see: Purple Line; 16 miles, $2.2 billion), bus rapid transit is relatively cheap. Winston estimates the county’s BRT network could run $15 to $25 million per mile in capital costs. During the hearing a representative of Leggett’s office was unable to provide a cost estimate.

The BRT network will require building new lanes for buses as well as repurposing existing car lanes with traffic signal prioritization, otherwise the express buses would just sit in traffic with everyone else....

Alexandria is constructing a BRT network which is set to open in 2014 consisting of a new median bus lane along most of the route and repurposed curb lanes within Crystal City. Other major cities are pursuing BRT; Cleveland, Oakland, and Los Angeles have decided to dedicate general traffic lanes just to transit. 

Full disclosure: As noted in the Bethesda Now article below, Maryland Juice blogger David Moon is currently working for Communities for Transit, a nonprofit group conducting public education activities on the Montgomery County Rapid Transit System (excerpt below):

BETHESDA NOW: “The fundamental premise behind this is that our traffic is bad and our traffic is not going to get better, and that should not be news to any of you,” Councilmember Roger Berliner said. “We can’t afford to build more subways and we can’t afford to build any more light rail after the Purple Line. We have only one real option and that is rapid transit. It is, without a doubt, the most cost-effective, flexible option that is available to us. And it is a proven option....”

Kelly Blynn from the Coalition for Smarter Growth and David Moon from newly-formed advocacy group Communities For Transit introduced a coalition of 30 environmental, civic, business and development groups that supports the plan in a press conference before the public hearing.... 

"This movement has really got broad support," Moon said. "All of these groups have come behind this idea that the rapid transit system is a visionary, game-changing, catalytic project for traffic reduction, sustainable environmentalism in Montgomery County and economic development...."

[Councilmember Marc] Elrich got in a back-and-forth with North Bethesda civic activist Paula Bienenfeld, who claimed the bus rapid transit plan would mean the taking of 3,000 properties. That won’t be determined in the master plan process. Other opponents claimed the bus rapid transit system was a gift for developers.

“I’m not gonna respond to every misstatement that was made. We’re not going to take 3,000 properties from people,” Elrich said after Bienenfeld’s testimony. “I’m probably the last person on earth, or at least in this room, that would do something on behalf of developers. …There’s no way our roads can handle what’s coming.”

Below you can see a map of the proposed Montgomery County Rapid Transit System, as well as some photos of the Arlington-Alexandria "bus rapid transit" systems due to open next year:

MONTGOMERY COUNTY RAPID TRANSIT SYSTEM MAP

 

NORTHERN VIRGINIA "BUS RAPID TRANSIT" CONSTRUCTION

JUICE #5: WEST VIRGINIA REPUBLICANS REJECT FORMER MARYLAND GOP CHAIR ALEX MOONEY - Maryland Juice caught an amusing column today in Martinsburg, West Virginia's Journal newspaper. Former Maryland GOP Chair Alex Mooney recently left the Free State to run for a congressional seat in nearby West Virginia, but it appears that our neighbors are not thrilled at the prospect of electing Mooney (excerpt below):

JEFF WERNER (VIA THE JOURNAL): Congressional Candidate for District 2 and failed Maryland GOP Chair Alex Mooney, who states he was "exiled," is going back to Maryland for a massive fundraiser.

It is very concerning that a pro-choice GOP candidate who was chased from Maryland would go back there to get more campaign dollars. He formed an exploratory committee to run for retired Congressman Roscoe Bartlett's seat, and he raised $100,000. When it was determined that Roscoe was going to run again, Alex stopped his campaign and decided to move to Falling Waters, W.Va., to run for Congress and brought that money with him, not that he would even think of returning it to those he took from.

Alex Mooney presented a bill while still Maryland state senator to fund abortions for the mentally ill with tax dollars. He can't go around stating he is pro-life and state he will fight the pro-choice "zealots" in Congress; that would go against his own principles. But as a former resident of Maryland who knows Alex, it doesn't surprise me that he would fib to the electorate of District 2.

Alex Mooney was also for in-state tuition for illegal immigrants on the backs of Maryland taxpayers in 2003, a bill he supported and was vetoed. It violated the 1996 Federal Immigration Reform Act regarding Post Secondary Education for Illegal Immigrants and Foreign Nationals.

Mooney, while Maryland state senator, also supported bills that would have increased taxes/fees in Maryland. I have his voting record.

If you look up Alex Mooney on Google, you will find his resignation from the Md. GOP chairmanship. He was under heavy pressure to resign due to his lack of leadership skills....

HELP: Transportation Funding Facing "Do or Die" Moment in Maryland House // PLUS: O'Malley & Robin Ficker Ready to Duel

CRITICAL MOMENT TO HELP FUND THE PURPLE LINE, RED LINE & MORE!

HELP: MARYLAND HOUSE ON THE VERGE OF APPROVING CRITICAL TRANSPORTATION FUNDING, BUT SOME LAWMAKERS WAVERING - Last night, the Maryland House of Delegates moved forward with a much-needed plan to raise transportation funds for the state's numerous stalled projects (think everything from highway maintenance to new transit lines like the Purple Line & Red Line). Even our neighbors in anti-tax Virginia have approved tax increases to pay for their transportation improvements & transit (details below).

But it appears that some Maryland Democrats are wavering and may need some encouragement.  Nobody wants to increase the cost of prices at the pump, but this is the only legislative vehicle we have to finally get transportation funds flowing in Maryland -- a prerequisite to boosting economic development in the places that drive Maryland's economy (like say Montgomery County).

The Maryland House could take a final vote on the transportation funding plan as early as tomorrow, and every vote will be needed. A knowledgeable source has indicated that the following Montgomery County lawmakers may need some encouragement. Please tap these folks on the shoulder and encourage them to support the Governor's transportation funding plan:

• Del. Al Carr - alfred.carr@house.state.md.us
• Del. Ben Kramer - benjamin.kramer@house.state.md.us
• Del. Luiz Simmons - luiz.simmons@house.state.md.us
• Del. Jeff Waldstreicher - jeff.waldstreicher@house.state.md.us

LINES BEING DRAWN OVER GAS TAX ISSUE - Yesterday The Washington Post reported that supporters of Gov. Martin O'Malley's transportation funding package are getting ready to go to battle to defend the plan. O'Malley's allies are apparently raising money for a voter engagement effort (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON POST: A group led by some allies of Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley (D) has been raising money and trying to mobilize public support for legislation to increase transportation funding.

The group, known as Broad Stripes/Bright Stars, has helped pay for ads on the Web sites of both The Washington Post and Baltimore Sun. And it has coordinated phone calls to lawmakers weighing a bill sponsored by O’Malley to boost funding for road and mass transit projects, according to organizers.... O’Malley’s plan, which was tweaked this week by a House committee, relies heavily on a new sales tax on gasoline. It is projected to yield $3.4 billion over five years....

A recent fundraising solicitation sent out by the group, obtained by The Post, says that “all monies will be directed into voter engagement about the once-in-a-generation opportunity to get Maryland moving again....”

ROBIN FICKER DEPLOYS ROBOCALLS AND LAWNSIGNS AGAINST GAS TAX - Maryland transportation boosters are likely wise to be preparing for political battle over the gas tax. After all, Montgomery County's persistent anti-tax activist Robin Ficker is already making noise over the issue. I spied the lawnsign below in Montgomery County recently, and several sources recently reported receiving robocalls about the gas tax, purportedly from Ficker:

• REPORT #1: Talked with someone just now who got a robocall asking them to oppose "Governor O'Malley's 18-cent gas tax."  Unfortunately, they hung up before the end and didn't hear whether it gave any sponsoring name.

• REPORT #2: Yes, my Aunt here in Potomac must have received that same phone call. She only heard the message once, but she's pretty sure the message said it was from Robin Ficker.

It does appear that Robin Ficker is behind the robocalls, as he posted the following Facebook message right around the time the reports started coming in:

TRANSIT PROJECTS ARE TOP PRIORITIES FOR DEMOCRATS - Robin Ficker notwithstanding, transportation projects (and transit lines in particular) are becoming top priorities for ambitious Democrats. A Maryland Juice source noted, for example, that Howard County Executive Ken Ulman recently spoke to members of the Action Committee for Transit and pledged support for the Prince George's & Montgomery County Purple Line (a light rail line that would run East-West from New Carrollton to Bethesda). Notably, Ulman's visit comes after fellow gubernatorial candidates Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown and Del. Heather Mizeur also met with the group and pledged similar support for the Purple Line.

Indeed, a large community of advocates is quickly emerging to try and bolster chances that Maryland will raise a significant amount of funds for transportation this year. Many of these advocates are specifically hoping to see a surge in funding for Maryland's stalled transit projects. To be sure, Maryland has been underfunding transportation for years, but the state's transit projects have been disproportionately affected. Meanwhile, voters around the state seem unaware that taxpayers and transit-riders have been subsidizing auto use for decades (and continue to do so). But times are changing....


THE FUTURE IS HERE: YOUNG PROFESSIONALS PREFER TRANSIT-ACCESSIBLE COMMUNITIES - Just Up the Pike blogger Dan Reed recently reported on how the younger demographics that communities need to attract to survive are increasingly seeking transit-accessible housing. Reed notes that Montgomery County's metro stations attract young professionals, but that more priority needs to be given to these issues:

JUST UP THE PIKE: Trends show that Millennials want an urban lifestyle, but are often stymied by limited funds and a dearth of affordable housing.... The county's largest concentrations of Millennials are along the Red Line in places like White Flint, downtown Bethesda and downtown Silver Spring, where young adults are a slim majority. Notably, these are also the places where walking, biking and taking transit to work are most common....

These maps have implications not just for Montgomery County, but the whole region. They show that the District and Arlington aren't the only places that can attract Millennials, so long as they can be near neighborhoods near transit, shopping and jobs. While many young families are choosing to live further out, they're still seeking a semi-urban experience.

They also show that one of Montgomery's greatest strengths remains its diversity of neighborhoods, allowing it to attract both singles and families. However, two distinct challenges lie ahead. One is to preserve a supply of affordably-priced housing in the county's urban areas, both established places like Bethesda or emerging ones like White Flint. The other is to create more walkable neighborhoods and improve access to jobs, shopping and transit in the Upcounty and East County, where young families continue to settle.

Of course, Millennials aren't the only ones who want an urban or semi-urban lifestyle. But if Montgomery County wants to attract a new generation of residents, it needs to start listening to young adults. Without us, the county doesn't have much of a future.

THE REAL THREAT FROM VIRGINIA IS NOT TAX RATES // THEY'RE CREATING LARGE AMOUNTS OF TRANSIT-ACCESSIBLE HOUSING IN QUALITY NEIGHBORHOODS - Maryland lawmakers have been complaining for years about how the state is becoming less competitive with neighboring Virginia for jobs, investment and residents. Time and again, politicians have pointed to Virginia's lower tax rates as evidence that Maryland is doing something wrong. They have used the threat of an aggressive and hostile neighbor on our border as reason to justify all manner of anti-tax hysteria in Maryland, including allowing our "millionaires tax" to expire.

But Northern Virginia residents and lawmakers have for years been plagued by problems relating to the state's rabid anti-tax political base, and policymakers have been exasperated by their inability to fund the state's growing transportation priorities..... until recently.

First, Virginia made a huge leap forward by finding funding to build a new Metro "Silver Line" to Dulles Airport. And now Virginia is raising billions of dollars for additional transportation improvements and transit funding. The reality is that the bread and butter for Maryland's revenues is our high quality of life and solid neighborhoods, which are obviously all aided by our proximity to the Federal government.
 
But now Virginia is moving forward with their own transportation improvements, and they are threatening to put Maryland to shame. The Richmond-Times Dispatch today explained what Virginia's transportation funding plan would mean for the state (excerpt below):

RICHMOND TIMES-DISPATCH: For the first time in four years, Virginia’s six-year plan for road construction will mean something. The state would receive an additional $4 billion for its six-year plan ... under legislation awaiting the signature of Gov. Bob McDonnell that would raise state tax revenues for transportation for the first time in 27 years....

The complex funding package would result in almost $3 billion for highway construction projects.... McDonnell has not said whether he will propose any changes in the legislation ... but his administration is moving ahead swiftly in planning for the new funding, which also would add about $1 billion for mass transit.... Cities and counties, for example, would receive an estimated $125.6 million in 2017-2019 for their priorities.

“The revenues generated by (the legislation) will breathe new life into Virginia’s transportation program,” [John W. Lawson, chief financial officer of the Virginia Department of Transportation] concluded.

Will Maryland politicians find the courage to fund our future?

P.S. LOCKHEED TAX CUT VS. GAS TAX INCREASE? - For those of you following the debate over the Lockheed Martin corporate welfare bill in Maryland, it should be noted that some politicos (and Robin Ficker) are already comparing the gas tax increase to the proposed Lockheed handout. Indeed, it would seem absurd for lawmakers to raise the gas tax on ordinary Marylanders at the same time they give Lockheed Martin millions of dollars in tax cuts. Thousands of Marylanders are watching Del. Sheila Hixson's handling of the Lockheed bill in the House Ways & Means committee - live on Facebook:

TUESDAY RUSH HOUR: The Future of Mass Transit in America? // Farragut Square Rally for Transit Commuters

Montgomery County's Action Committee for Transit President Tina Slater sent along the following event announcement. She is due to speak at a rally for mass transit on Tuesday morning. See the alert below and note that many advocates for sustainable and efficient transportation have been extremely disappointed in the continuing prioritization of funding for sprawl-inducing highways instead of transit.

The Future of Mass Transit in America?

The MD/DC Alliance for Retired Americans and the Amalgamated Transit Union invite you to join our members from the Washington, DC area and around the country as we educate the DC Riding Public about the crisis in transit.

Rush Hour Demonstration -  8:00-9:15 am
Tuesday, March 13th - Farragut Square

We will be leafleting morning commuters at Farragut North & Farragut West metro stops beginning at 8am and culminate in an 8:45 am rally led by ATU International President Larry Hanley and featuring guest speakers.

We welcome our friends’ & allies’ attendance!

MoCo's Battle Over Building Height Limits // Maryland Juice Makes Cameo Appearance at Rockville City Council Hearing

UPDATE: A reader provides more context to the development battles in Rockville, by way of a recent Gazette article. The City Council is currently weighing changes to their "Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance" -- which creates standards linking infrastructure with development.

A couple days ago, the Rockville City Council held a public hearing to discuss proposed mixed-use development at the Twinbrook Metro. As is becoming the norm, building heights were the topic of much of the discussion. Coincidentally, the February 27th hearing came only days after Maryland Juice published an article lamenting that activists too often fight density near Metro -- and that this could unintentionally thwart environmental and social justice goals.

The fact that Montgomery County is now more expensive to live in than New York City and San Francisco triggered this discussion on Maryland Juice, and we hope that the dialogue continues among policymakers throughout Maryland. But in the meantime, we are humbled to note that a reader reports that our article was invoked by a citizen activist at the hearing. A Rockville juicer testified in favor of the development project in question and for greater height limits near Metro stations.

We provide a short clip of the hearing below (Note: it begins with bits of testimony from an opponent of greater density at Twinbrook Metro):





Keep drinkin' the Juice!

End Commuter Discrimination: Senators Cardin & Mikulski Fight to Preserve Transit Tax Credit - Relief Ends in 2.5 Weeks!

Federal News Radio today reported that U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Barbara Mikulski are calling on Congress to protect and expand a tax credit for mass transit commuters. The benefit is set to expire at the end of this year:

A group of 22 senators has called on the Senate Finance Committee to take up extending a mass-transit commuter tax benefit, which expires at the end of the year.

The mass-transit benefit is set to be cut nearly in half — from $230 a month to $120 — starting next year, barring action by Congress.

Maryland Democratic Sens. Barbara Mikulski and Ben Cardin, who both signed the letter, said the cut could disproportionately affect federal workers....

The commuter benefit was last boosted in December 2010, when Congress upped the benefit to its current level — the same amount afforded parking benefits.

In a joint press release last Friday, the two Maryland Senators explained why they were fighting for this critical, but not-so-glamorous benefit:

U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski today joined a bipartisan coalition of twenty additional Senators in urging the Senate Finance Committee to include an extension of the widely used mass-transit commuter tax credit in any relevant legislation taken up by the Senate before it expires at the end of the year. The tax credit has an immediate impact on the region’s federal workforce and middle-class commuters across the nation. At a savings of over $1,000 per year, it eases the burden of high travel costs on families, allowing them to invest it in the local economy.