Message from the Chairman
 Intervention Required on Montgomery County Jobs Policies
Montgomery County residents need to stage an urgent intervention with our county politicians on the subject of job creation. Our officials are responding to our economic challenges with a toxic mix of higher taxes and targeted taxpayer-financed subsidies for businesses favored by political insiders.
Maryland currently ranks fourth in total taxes and 45th in business climate. That contrasts with when Governor Ehrlich left office and the Tax Foundation ranked Maryland's business climate as 25th in the nation. Our newest policies are making matters worse.
Start with the latest in taxes. Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett first proposed a 40% energy tax increase in March. Weeks later, he increased the request to over 60%. Revenues collected from our energy tax have jumped from $26.1 million in 2003 to $132 million in 2010. Leggett's current proposed levy would raise revenues to $217 million a year, a 731% increase since 2003.
Many businesses, such as restaurants or biotech companies, face significantly higher costs. Lisa Fadden, vice president of the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce, told the Washington Examiner that the increase for some biotech companies could amount to more than $500,000 a year.
The consequences of tax policies are having a direct impact on the county. Montgomery County lost $4.6 billion in taxable income from tax years 2007 to 2008. More than 82% of that drop came from taxpayers with income of $1 million or more. During that period, the number of income tax returns above $1 million fell by 27% and nearly 10% of the county's "millionaire taxpayers" who filed taxes for 2007 stopped filing in Maryland altogether in 2008.
While top earners flee, county employee wages continue to increase faster than the private sector. According to county data compiled by the Office of Human Resources, pay increases for most Montgomery County government employees outpaced the private sector pay increases by 15% during the last four fiscal years.
The difference between county pay increases and private-sector raises is nearly twice as high as it was for a four-year period 10 years ago. In fiscal years 1999 to 2002, county pay increased 8.9% more than private pay. In fiscal years 2003 to 2006, the difference was 13%. Considering that 80% of the county's budget is for pay and benefits, the "extra" pay county public employees enjoy far exceeds the county's projected budget deficit.
Almost as bad as county spending has been county politicians' strategy for attracting jobs. County Executive Leggett and the Council intend to give Costco a $4 million subsidy to build a new store in Wheaton, even though another unsubsidized Costco already thrives in the county. In effort to attract Northup Grumman to Maryland, state Sen. Richard Madaleno sent a letter to the company arguing that Maryland's approach to gay rights was better than Virginia's. (Can you picture the incredulous reaction to the letter at Northup Grumman - or at Virginia's Economic Development office?)
Beyond subsidies for big box stores and relying on gay rights to attract defense industry jobs, the latest step in the county's economic development strategy is to directly invest in private companies. The Maryland General Assembly has approved a bill that would allow Montgomery County to invest taxpayer dollars in startups. Montgomery's Department of Economic Development will be in charge of making the county's investment decisions and could require as much as a 25% county ownership stake in private companies.
State and county politicians are driving billions in private wealth away from Maryland with their business hostile tax policy. In their place they expanding a "crony" economic development system in which politically connected businesses can rely on taxpayer funded subsidies, investments and benefits.
Our state and county needs more jobs. To attract them, we need policies creating a competitive economic climate. These latest "insider friendly" policies are a recipe for a continued deterioration of our competitive position, especially with business friendly jurisdictions such as Virginia and Fairfax County. Without an intervention with our county politicians this November, we can only expect our relative economic position to get worse.
Mark Uncapher
MontgomeryCounty Republican Chairman | Rockville Tax Day  Tea Party
Approximately 400 people attended the Rockville Tax Day Tea party on April 15th. The event was Co-sponsored by Montgomery County chapter of Americans for Prosperity, Campaign for Liberty and Accuracy in Media. The 3-hour event featured more than 20 speakers, including Jeff Kuhner of the WTNT radio "Jeff Kuhner Show," (pictured at right), Director of Accuracy in Media (Don Irvine), Director of Maryland Pubic Policy Institute (Christopher Summers), President of Help Save Maryland (Brad Botwin), Americans For Prosperity Representatives, Campaign For Liberty Representatives, Nobel Peace Prize candidate (Ken Timmerman),10 candidates for office, two teachers, three business owners and several concerned citizens. - Ed Amatetti |
Elusive Congressman Chris Van Hollen holds rare townhall Opts for small venue, shutting out constituents (as usual)
The photo below shows several of Rep. Chris Van Hollen aides studiously blocking the doors of a 500-seat auditorium at Montgomery College Germantown so that constituents who did not arrive early enough would not be able to get in for the April 12 event. Three Van Hollen staffers (middle one not visible in photo) and security guard block doors to Townhall goers - photo by S. Green The use of a smaller venue is a convenient way to avoid hearing larger groups of citizens who wish to express concerns. Once the room was predictably filled, the fire marshall was brought in to cut off access.
When asked why such a small site was chosen - given the hot issues of the times and Van Hollen's infrequent town halls (barely more than once a year) - his aides simply claimed they did not know how many would show up. When asked why they might not have chosen one of many high school auditoriums that seat up to 2000, their answer was "Maybe next time." The townhall session itself was reported to be predictable, with Van Hollen's signature non-answers to constituents who are concerned about their families' rising tax burdens and the lightening speed growth of government control over their daily lives and their shrinking resources.
Anyone entering the townhall was greeted by several shills for the congressman who held up in-your-face 4' x 6' signs thanking Van Hollen, the late Ted Kennedy and President Obama for Obamacare.
Chris Van Hollen should be held accountable not only for his misguided policies, but for his lack of respect for any constituent who might disagree with him.
- S. Green | 
Volunteer Spotlight
The One and Only Jackie Phillips
by Marie Ciliberti
The first time I met Jackie Phillips umpteen years ago, I remarked to someone: "she's like a firecracker," as indeed she was. The ensuing years have not diminished either the sparkle or the razzle-dazzle of her personality. Nor have the years dampened her energy or enthusiasm or derailed her equilibrium.
From volunteer and precinct chairman at the grass-roots level, Jackie's competence and organizational abilities have thrust her up the ladder of political achievement culminating in appointments to the Reagan and first Bush administrations where she served as Chairman of the Appalachian Regional Commission followed by her appointment to Governor Ehrlich's cabinet in the Maryland Department of Housing & Community Development and the Maryland Department of Aging.
A community activist of the first order, Jackie believes that funding works best when decided at the local level by those who know the needs first-hand. At the Appalachian Regional Commission where she supervised a $200 million budget, Jackie realized that a federal agency in Washington should not be unilaterally dictating policy without the input of the local population, deciding, for example, to build superfluous roads when the people really needed a sewer system. Her many accomplishments at the Commission included the coordination of federal agencies to increase the number of foreign-born primary health-care physicians to serve in remote areas of Appalachia as well as the development of manufacturing competitiveness, telecommunications and tourism in this beautiful but isolated mountainous area.
Jackie's education includes degrees from Madison Women's College, University of Maryland and the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. Along the way, she acquired skills in public relations and public speaking, testifying before the Congress and State legislature, holding press conferences and lecturing on campaign management.
A member of Chevy Chase United Methodist Church, Jackie moderates a weekly adult Bible study group as well as serving as lay reader at church services. With the church, she led a youth mission to the Dominican Republic and participated in missions to the Czech Republic and to Cuba.
Currently, Jackie is the Director of Coalitions in Montgomery County for Bob Ehrlich's gubernatorial campaign.
A resident of Montgomery County for 50 years where she knows all its nooks and crannies both geographically and politically, Jackie is the proud mom of four children and as she adds: "the grandmom to 12 wonderful grandchildren".
It's no wonder that this wonder has her name included in the International Women of Influence. | | State Pension Reform Delay Will Lead to Fiscal Crisis
All over the country, city and state pension systems are ticking budget time bombs, exacerbated to the breaking point by the recent fiscal crisis. According to a recent article in the Baltimore Sun, the Baltimore City Pension system has a $64 million shortfall this year. Police and Firefighter's unions are "contemplating suing the city for chronically under-funding the pension plan." Could the State of Maryland's pension system be far behind?  Former budget secretary Cecilia Januszkiewicz wrote a commentary for The Free State Foundation that outlines how state officials have continually avoided the hard choices in pension reform by instead forming commissions to study the issue. For the full article see this link: | Republican Senate Slate
How the Teachers Union Controls Education Policy in Annapolis
The Washington Post bemoans the lackluster provisions passed in Governor Martin O'Malley's education reform bill this past session. In a recent editorial, the Post notes how difficult it is to succeed in reform that is opposed by the teachers when the conference committee on a bill includes Prince George's County Senator Paul Pinsky, who works as a teachers union organizer from MontgomeryCounty.
Yes, the teachers union's tentacles run deep in Annapolis. Most legislators have a hard time finding employers who allow a 3-month leave of absence to serve during the legislative session. However, for many years, a conscious effort has been made to elect teachers who are granted legislative session time from their Boards of Education so that state education policy can be shaped by the educators themselves.
The Post states: "As one of its last acts before adjourning Monday, the General Assembly approved legislation affecting teacher tenure and compensation in a bid to strengthen its application for federal Race to the Top dollars. The measure extends by a year the time a teacher must work before getting tenure, but opposition from teachers unions resulted in compromises that weakened reforms in how teachers are evaluated. Sen. Paul G. Pinsky (D-Prince George's), a union organizer for the Montgomery County Education Association, played a leading role in the conference that worked out the final bill, so it should be no surprise that the requirement that measurable student gains account for 50 percent of judging a teacher's performance was dropped. Unions also won a bigger role in developing the evaluations. Mr. Pinsky took exception in a recent letter on this page to our charge that he has a conflict of interest, but how else to describe a lawmaker shaping legislation that directly affects his employer?" To read the full editorial,
click here. In response, Pinsky states that he has been influencing state policy for teachers for over 24 years - so why is the Post a Johnny-come-lately with its charge of "conflict of interest." To read the entire letter, click here.
Pinsky's letter echoes the classic Maryland legislator rebuttal, "Conflict of interest? How does this conflict with my interest?" - the legendary response given by Delegate Joe Staszak, a Baltimore City State Senator and tavern owner, on being asked whether a bill he sponsored benefiting taverns constituted a conflict of interest.
| We need Republican Candidates and Republicans to get behind them
Consider being a Candidate's Treasurer
Did you know that a potential candidate cannot file for office until he or she has designated a treasurer for the campaign? Just about any adult with dedication to a candidate and basic math skills is eligible to be a treasurer. Also, the treasurer's name needs to appear in small print at the bottom of a candidate's literature. For an example, see the authority line at the bottom of this newsletter that identifies the treasurer of the Montgomery County Republican Party.
If you are a Republican interested in running for office in Montgomery County - or in helping any of our candidates, please let us know by e-mailing jimshalleck@hotmail.comor calling MCGOP headquarters at 301-417-9256.
For further information about filing for office, see:
http://elections.state.md.us/candidacy/index.html
| | | Young Republicans present 'Meet the Candidates' On Tuesday, April 20th, the Montgomery County YR club hosted a fun, informative and inspiring evening at Growlers Pub in Gaithersburg.  Over a dozen Republican candidates for the various County and State offices showed up to meet and greet the guests. Each of the candidates had several minutes to introduce themselves and speak about their ideas. The candidates sounded the familiar Conservative themes of lowering taxes, jump-starting the economy, and creating a business-friendly environment. The candidates also talked about the need to cut spending and increase tranparency.
To keep up on other events of the Young Republicans, check upcoming events in this newsletter or see mcgop.net
| | |
Upcoming Events
April Precinct Training
Saturday, April 24 10:00 - 12:00
MC GOP Headquarters
15833 Crabbs Branch Way , Rockville, MD Patricia Fenati
301 253-5205
fenati@verizon.net
Rock Creek WRC Luncheon Meeting
Tuesday, April 27
11:00 - General Meeting
11:45 - Luncheon/Speaker
Alfio's Restaurant
4515 Willard Ave.
Chevy Chase, MD
Cost: $20 per person
Guest Speaker: Dan Campos (candidate for Delegate in District 17)
For reservations call Midge Wiehl at 301-216-5880 Central Committee meeting - Tuesday, April 27 - 7:30 pm at party headquarters.
Chevy Chase WRC Luncheon
Wednesday, April 28
Bethesda Country Club
67601 Bradley Boulevard
Bethesda, MD
Special Guest: The Honorable Charles Black who will discuss his reflections and make political predictions.
Cost: $33.00
Reservations: call Loret Miller - 301-530-7550
Potomac WRC Luncheon
Thursday, April 29th - 10:00 a.m
Call Linda Lerch for information: 301-924-4920
Speaker: Mark Uncapher, Chair of Montgomery County Central Committee
Olney WRC Meeting
Thursday April 29 - 11:30 a.m.
Home of Sherry LaGrone
18900 Celebrity Lane
Sandy Spring, MD 20860
Speaker: Honorable Katja Bullock - she will discuss her personal experiences in the White House including the unique styles of Presidents Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush
Reservations: Call Sherry at 301-924-3688
MD GOP Spring Training Convention
Friday, April 30 (1:00 pm) - Saturday May 1st (10:00 pm)
Hosted by the Maryland Republican Party
Princess Royale Hotel
Ocean City, Maryland
Contact: Kim Jorns
410-263-2125
kjorns@mdgop.org
Kentlands Parade, Saturday, May 1
Join Montgomery County Republicans to march in the Kentlands Parade.
Help boost the morale of local Republicans and recruit volunteers this way. For more information, call Events Chair Chris Schauer, 240-750-9255.
First Monday Introductions
Monday, May 3, 7:30 - 9:00
Montgomery County Republican headquarters
15833 Crabbs Branch Way
Rockville, Md 20855
The first Monday evening of each month The Montgomery County GOP hosts an event in which Republicans can meet candidates and discuss concerns and ideas. May Speaker: Mike Philips, 8th Congressional district, Neal Cohen, US Senate. contact: Mark Uncapher
mark@uncapher.net
Let's Talk Politics - Topic: National Defense May 4 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Hosted by the Chevy Chase Women's Republican Club
The home of Nancy Griffin
12437 Ansin Circle Drive
Potomac, MD
Contact Nancy with questions:
301-762-2852
Carroll County Young Republican Organizational Happy Hour
Monday, May 5, 7:00 - 9:00
Hosted by Maryland Young Republicans
The Greene Turtle
830 Market Street
Westminster, MD 21157
Brian Griffiths
brian@briangriffiths.com
http://www.mdyr.org
Chevy Chase Women's Republican Club Political Lunch Bunch
Thursday, May 27th 1:30 pm
La Madeleine Restaurant
11858 Rockville Pike
Rockville, MD
Contact: Anne Dickey
301-983-1854
First Monday Introductions
Monday, June 7, 7:30 - 9:00
Montgomery County Republican headquarters
15833 Crabbs Branch Way
Rockville, Md 20855
The first Monday evening of each month The Montgomery County GOP hosts an event in which Republicans can meet candidates and discuss concerns and ideas. contact Mark Uncapher mark@uncapher.net
Maryland Young Republicans 2010 Leadership Conference
June 18 (4:00 pm) - June 19 (11:30 pm)
Salisbury State University
1101 Camden Avenue
Salisbury, MD 21801-6837
Contact: Moshe Starkman
301.254.9660
mstarkman@moshetechnologies.com
|
Please send Condolences for Poland
On April 10, 2010, near Smolensk, a tragic air crash took the lives of Polish President, Lech Kaczynski, his wife Maria and many officials of the Polish government. For those of you who would like to express your condolences to the families of the victims, you may do so on a special commemorative page illuminated by the traditional Polish candle. Please click on the link below to add your name to the condolence book:
Condolences to the families of the plane crash victims near Smolensk
| | Calling all
Activists!  MCGOP headquarters 10:00 - 12:00 15833 Crabbs Branch Way, Rockville.
Learn how to Organize Republicans in your Precinct to Elect Republicans in Montgomery County
For more information call Pat Fenati at 301-253-5205
Immediately following at Noon to about 1:00 p.m. will be a Communications Committee meeting. Anyone interested in Communications contact Stella Green at
stella.green@comcast.net | |
Republican Tent Coordinator
Montgomery County Fair
If you are a Republican Activist who would like to dedicate one week this summer to providing a Republican presence for fair goers, please consider offering your services to help staff our MCGOP tent with volunteers.
The tent coordinator would not have to be present at the tent throughout the fair. He or she would be responsible for opening and closing, and keeping a list of 2-hour volunteer time slots for staffing the tent. MCGOP would provide the tent coordinator with information to contact our most dedicated volunteers. The fair is a great place to meet and greet Republicans and engage citizens and new voters in Montgomery County. If you are interested, please contact Mark Uncapher at mark@uncapher.net
| Quote to remember:
"Of course it's the same old story. Truth usually is the same old story" - Margaret Thatcher | Past Party Line
Newsletters
April 10, 2010 February 20, 2010
February 6, 2010
January 23, 2010
January 9, 2010
December 19, 2009
December 5, 2009
November 21, 2009
November 7, 2009
October 24, 2009
October 3, 2009
September 19, 2009
September 5, 2009
August 22, 2009
August 8, 2009
July 25, 2009
July 4, 2009
June 20, 2009
June 6, 2009
May 23, 2009
May 9, 2009
April 25, 2009
April 11, 2009
March 28, 2009
March 14, 2009
February 28, 2009
February 3, 2009
January 2009
| CONTACT YOUR CENTRAL COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Hon. Robert Dyer, III. - 16 Hon. Dan Willard- 19
dswlaw@willardlaw.com
****
J. David Cotter
Jdavidcotter@gmail.com
Treasurer
| |
MCGOP CONVENTION!