By Adam Pagnucco.
Last week, the Greater Capital Area Association of Realtors (GCAAR) sent out a statement on the county council’s passage of the FY24 operating budget. GCAAR is not a fan of tax hikes targeting their industry so their appreciation of the efforts by some council members to lower this year’s increase is not a surprise. But this statement caught my eye:
As a result of the work done by GCAAR and our campaign teams, thousands of residents sent councilmembers more than 43,000 emails in opposition to the increase.
I asked several of my sources whether they found this claim to be credible. While none could confirm this number, most of them found it to be at least somewhat credible and all described seeing a lot of emails. District council offices apparently received emails that came from their own constituents. Many of my sources described this campaign as one of the largest ones they have seen in their time at the council. One said they received more emails about Thrive 2050, though those came from a variety of groups who both supported and opposed that plan.
Did these emails make a difference? My sources disagreed about that. One source said, “There are so many on both sides that they almost cancel each other out.” Indeed, the MCPS unions organized a petition for County Executive Marc Elrich’s entire ten percent property tax hike that gathered 10,003 signatures. Don’t compare these signatures to the emails claimed by the realtors since the latter’s 43,000 figure probably includes multiple emails sent by the same individuals.
The union petition for Elrich’s tax hike.
The real question is what would have happened if the realtors and Empower Montgomery had not stepped up. A common saying in politics is, “If you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu.” To the rest of the business community, which did little or nothing during this fight, the lesson is that mass organizing matters. The left does it. The smart growth community does it. The environmental community does it. Those groups matter because they play. If all the business community does is send a handful of people to testify at hearings, they are going to get rolled. They should regard the realtors as a role model in how to play effectively. Otherwise, they should not bother to get on the field.
The realtors’ statement is reprinted below.
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For immediate release
GCAAR statement on the Montgomery County Council approved FY ‘24 Operating Budget
ROCKVILLE, Md. – The Greater Capital Area Association of REALTORS® (GCAAR) released the following statement in response to the Montgomery County Council’s vote to approve the FY ‘24 operating budget, which includes a 4.7% property tax increase.
“During the last few weeks, GCAAR has mobilized its members and Montgomery County residents to push back on County Executive Marc Elrich’s bloated budget proposal and the massive 10% property tax increase he’d like to use to pay for it. As a result of the work done by GCAAR and our campaign teams, thousands of residents sent councilmembers more than 43,000 emails in opposition to the increase.
“While we are relieved to see the Montgomery County Council reject the county executive’s 10% tax increase, we believe there is more work to be done to better prepare for our county’s future and its fiscal outlook.
“The councilmembers and their staff did an incredible amount of work to bring the proposed budget under control and lower the county executive’s proposed tax increase down to 4.7%. We especially want to recognize Council Vice President Andrew Friedson and Councilmembers Gabe Albornoz, Marilyn Balcombe and Dawn Luedtke for their fiscal stewardship on behalf of Montgomery County residents.
“Unfortunately, the decisions that were made about next year’s budget create an immediate projected operating deficit of $145 million for FY ‘25. We hope our elected leaders remember the difficulties residents continue to face as they approach next year’s budget deliberations.
“Although the budget has been passed, the conversation regarding our county’s economic growth and proper oversight of where and how our tax dollars are spent is not over. We all must work together to boost our local economy and foster a government better prepared to respond to the growing, shifting needs of our residents. GCAAR will continue to advocate for increasing housing affordability to break down the barriers for prospective and current homeowners in our community.”
About GCAAR
The Greater Capital Area Association of REALTORS®, one of the largest local REALTOR® associations in the U.S., is the voice for REALTORS® in Washington, D.C. and Montgomery County, Maryland. Representing more than 12,000 real estate professionals in the greater capital area, GCAAR provides services vital to its members’ daily business needs and works with lawmakers to ensure public policy that encourages homeownership and supports the real estate industry. For more information, visit www.GCAAR.com.