Montgomery County's Elected Officials
Set Poor Examples
Montgomery County's "Do as We Say, Not as We Do" County Council sets a new low when news reports reveal that two out its nine members owe significant amounts of back taxes. At the same time they are imposing new taxes on county residents, they are not meeting their own personal obligations.
Last week the Montgomery Gazette reported that Council President Valerie Ervin (D-Dist. 5) of Silver Spring owes $4,746.21 to Maryland in unpaid taxes, interest and fees from between 2007 and 2009. A state lien was issued for the taxes May 2.
The same story reported that Councilman Craig L. Rice (D-Dist. 2) of Germantown owes $5,717.99 to Maryland in unpaid taxes, interest and fees from 2007. A lien was issued for the full amount Oct. 6. Rice, whose wife, Tineshia, also is listed on the documents, as owing $12,410 in unpaid federal taxes, also from 2007. On Nov. 29, a lien was issued for the full amount.
Hypocrisy is nothing new for the County Council. For example, the Washington Examiner has previously reported that: "The nine reserved parking spots for Montgomery County Council members are almost always full during a council meeting. That's because all of the council members, who are tasked with making key public transportation decisions that will affect generations of commuters, drive to work."
These are the same Council members who advocate mass transit based solutions for the county's traffic gridlock. They have tried to limit access to parking in new development in order to "encourage" mass transit use.
I suppose, though, the Council members would defend themselves because they at least provide their own cars. County budget austerity has not extended to the use of "take-home cars" by county employees. Data shows that 297 government employees have permanent, take-home vehicles, compared with just 210 three years ago. Some 349 county vehicles cost the county $6.76 million at an average cost of $19,400 each.
County Executive Leggett leads the way with his two taxpayer-funded vehicles.
First he has a $47,698 Chevrolet Suburban driven by his security detail that Leggett uses for official county business. Then there is a $38,665 Jeep Cherokee that Leggett uses when he drives himself. Since the first vehicle is used for county business, presumably the second is used by him for personal reasons. (By way of comparison, the top elected official in Fairfax County does not have any "take-home vehicle.")
In addition to his county furnished vehicles, the county pays for a security detail for the County Executive at a cost of $360,000 per year for four bodyguards. By way of comparison to Leggett's $90,000 a year bodyguards, the starting salary for a Secret Service agent is $44,000 per year.
The County's budget shortfall has also not affected the treatment of former County Councilman Mike Subin. Subin has been receiving a $160,000 annual salary as the part-time, executive director of the county's Criminal Justice Coordinating Commission. The group which meets just four times a year and is tasked with "coordinating communication" among Montgomery's law enforcement agencies. The part-time arrangement has allowed Subin to continue his outside law practice.
The Council and County Executive's own "Organizational Reform Commission" recommended the elimination of Subin's position, so the Council and Executive responded by creating a new full-time position for Subin worth $190,000 per year.
In the final stages of the County Council budget approval process, the body decided to reverse the recommendation that the County Executive's proposal to de-fund the erectile dysfunction drugs, such as Viagra, under the county employee health insurance plan. Tax scofflaw Council President Valerie Ervin led the charge to restore $400,000 in funding to assure that county employees can receive at least six pills per month. (Presumably the restored benefit extends to the Council as well.)
None of this comes without a cost. And the cost for Montgomery County will be a 5% increase in the real estate property tax rate. Come next January, residents would be advised to check the county's online database to see which council members are current with their property taxes and which are not.
Mark Uncapher
Montgomery County Republican Chairman
MCGOP CONVENTION!