Below Maryland Juice provides the latest TV ad from opponents of gambling expansion. The spot below urges a "vote against" Question 7 and features Comptroller Peter Franchot's criticism of the effort:
PETER FRANCHOT: It is a lie to say that the existing slots program or the new casino that’s proposed in Question 7 will bring in new education dollars.
The key claim in the ad is that if question 7 passes, there is no guarantee that gambling revenue will be used for education spending:
JUICE #1: NEW RADIO AD FEATURES OBAMA: Today Marylanders for Marriage Equality has released a new radio ad featuring President Barack Obama's endorsement of marriage equality earlier this year. Listen to the new spot below:
JUICE #2: CRAZY ANTI-MARIAGE TRUCK AD: A Maryland Juice reader forwarded us the image below of a crazy anti-marriage equality truck ad. See the image below and accompanying explanation:
READER: Saw this on I-270 this morning. The side said "Shame on America."
JUICE #3: LIMITED SUPPLY OF FREE "VOTE FOR 6" LAWNSIGNS: Thanks to a generous donor, Marylanders for Marriage Equality is now offering free "Vote for Question 6" lawnsigns to the first 1,000 people who request them. You can pick up signs from Marylanders for Marriage Equality offices in Silver Spring, Baltimore, Cumberland and Frederick.
JUICE #4: ROCKVILLE COUNCILMEMBER TOM MOORE UNDER SEIGE FOR PRO-MARRIAGE EQUALITY LAWNSIGNS: Last week, Maryland Juice reported that Rockville City Councilmember Tom Moore decided to print city-specific lawnsigns urging a "vote for" Question 6. Note: You can pick-up signs at his house 11 Forest Ave in Rockville starting next Monday, October 29. In any case, Moore's effort is now under attack from the opponents. See the update below:
TOM MOORE: This is not particularly a news item, but I thought you might enjoy it. I'm not concerned that it will amount to anything, but man -- no good deed goes unpunished. Debra Daniel, for your reference, is Rockville's City Attorney. On Oct 24, 2012, at 11:07 AM, xxxxx <xxxx@verizon.net> wrote:
Dear Ms. Daniel,
Once again, I find it necessary to question the recent action of Councilmember Tom Moore. During Monday’s Council meeting, Mr. Moore displayed the image shown below. He announced that yard signs are available, and can be picked up at his house. It is my opinion he conflated the Council’s position on Question 5 with his personal position on Question 6.
The sign Mr. Moore displayed, and will distribute, gives the impression that the City, through the Mayor and Council, has taken a position on this issue. Who does Mr. Moore think he is, that he can speak for all of Rockville? Mr. Moore doesn’t seem to understand that as an elected official, when he uses such language as “Rockville Votes For”, he is representing our City, and goes far beyond expressing his personal views.
I am hereby requesting that Mr. Moore be told he cannot distribute or display the sign. The City did not approve this, does not take a position on the issue and Mr. Moore is not entitled to speak for all of Rockville.
I would like a timely response to my request, and what action, will be taken. If you feel that, as the City Attorney, you cannot respond directly to me, then I ask you direct your answer through the City Manager or the Mayor. If it is the decision of the City Attorney, City Manager or City Council that there is nothing wrong with Mr. Moore’s language, I would like an explanation as to why.
MoCo students advocate for a styrofoam ban at a recent youth town hall meeting.
MOCO STUDENTS GET POLITICAL OVER THE ENVIRONMENT: Maryland Juice picked up a number of pieces of literature at a Montgomery County Board of Education debate last night. But the most interesting flyer I grabbed was a "Young Apple Ballot" endorsement card produced by a group called "The Young Activist Club." The student-led movement has been trying for years to persuade Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) to eliminate environmentally unfriendly styrofoam trays from use in school cafeterias. Specifically, they have been trying to get permission to launch a pilot program at Piney Branch Elementary School (which happens to be about four blocks from my house). After their efforts were rejected the last few years, the young activists-in-training are now getting political. Below you can read a scan of their new endorsement card, along with some background information from their website (excerpt below):
YOUNG ACTIVIST CLUB: We want to replace the wasteful and toxic polystyrene lunch trays at Piney Branch Elementary School with 350 durable lunch trays and a tray washer (also called a ware washer). Once the ware washer is installed, we want to track the costs and benefits of moving away from disposables and toward reusables. We want this project to be a test or pilot for the county school district and then, if successful, a model for other schools anywhere in the country.
Money Raised to Date: We have raised $10,115 to pay for a rebuilt dish washer and durable reusable trays to replace the disposable polystyrene lunch trays.
Status: Montgomery County Public School (MCPS) administrators have denied our request to proceed with a pilot project. In a December 23rd, 2010 memo to the MCPS Board of Education, then School Superintendent Jerry Weast cited cost reasons for his opposition to the project. His staff continue to insist we need a $27,000 new ware washer, that installation costs are a whopping $12,000 (not true), and that two staff are needed to operate a ware washer in Maryland (also not true).... We will continue to appeal the decision and to present evidence justifying the merits of our pilot project which will save MCPS money during its operation, not cost money. We are now asking new Superintendent Joshua Staff to meet with us so we can discuss the benefits of our project and seek his support to move forward.
BOARD OF EDUCATION CANDIDATE LITERATURE: Maryland Juice also picked up a few pieces of literature that the school board candidates were handing out. Unfortunately, I did not see pieces from all of the candidates. Note that all Montgomery County voters will get to vote for candidates in all three school board races:
Montgomery County's Hispanic Democratic Club is mailing the sample ballot below to all registered Hispanic Dems in the county. Notably, the group has chosen to endorse the incumbents in the school board races, but chose Fred Evans over Rebecca Smondrowski for the District 2 open seat. The Hispanic Dems also endorsed a "vote for" the Dream Act (Question 4) and marriage equality (Question 6). The group made no recommendation on gambling or redistricting but endorsed a "vote for" Question B, which would repeal police "effects bargaining" rights. See below:
Today Maryland Juice received a copy of Montgomery County's Democratic sample ballot mailing. The piece below is being sent to all MoCo registered Democrats. We previously noted the fierce battle over some of the ballot question endorsements below. Below you can see the final product:
Maryland's teachers union (MSEA) recently held an annual convention, where they interviewed all five Democratic candidates for 2014 Governor. Below you can compare and contrast Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown, Comptroller Peter Franchot, Attorney General Doug Gansler, Delegate Heather Mizeur, and Howard County Executive Ken Ulman:
UPDATE:The Gazette today reports that Montgomery County's police union has been effectively shut out from advertising on county buses, even though MoCo has agreed to make an exception and let them advertise against Question B:
GAZETTE: Montgomery County might be willing to make a special exception and allow the Fraternal Order of Police to put signs against Question B on RideOn buses, but police say the decision came too late....
Zifcak, immediate past president of FOP Lodge 35, said the union was told by the contractor who handles the bus advertising, Direct Media USA, that it will take 14 days to get their ad on buses. The Nov. 6 election is 13 days away.....
Below, Maryland Juice discusses two updates to the ongoing battle between Montgomery County officials and their police union. First, we highlight a Maryland prosecutors investigation of whether MoCo was improperly engaging in advocacy on this November's ballot questions, and then we update our story on allegations of censorship on MoCo's bus ads.
