By Adam Pagnucco.
In Part One, I summarized how I asked my sources to help me construct a list of important events in county history since the 1960s. Part Two listed honorable mentions. Today we list significant events, which are those in our fourth grouping (events 16-20). Here they are in chronological order.
County buys Georgetown Branch right of way for future Purple Line (1988)
AP: This was the predicate event for the project that eventually turned into the Purple Line after decades of twists, turns and conflict. Without this segment, there might not even be a Purple Line of any kind.
Source: What could go wrong has gone wrong (frivolous and costly lawsuits), and what shouldn’t go wrong has gone wrong (project mismanagement). If known at the time, the $9 billion price tag, extremely lengthy construction disruption, and much lower Metro ridership since Covid would have killed the project. This experience could doom any future light-rail project in the region.
Passage of charter amendment limiting property tax increases (1990)
Source: The impact of the charter limit is not as simple as limiting property tax rates – it has pushed elected officials to find other ways to raise revenue that can undercut the county’s ability to build housing and attract jobs. For example, the charter limit has led the county to rely on impact taxes to fund schools and transportation projects.
Source: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” Margaret Mead. And so out of the over taxation angst of one such committed citizen the charter limit was born, which kept taxes in check for more than 30 years until the fateful year a tone-deaf council raised property taxes by an outrageous 8.7%. And thus term limits were born.
AP: This was the first time that MoCo voters said clearly and loudly that they would like to limit tax increases. County politicians have often failed to pay heed – occasionally at their peril.
MCPS enrollment becomes majority minority (2000) and Montgomery County becomes majority minority (2010)
AP: These two events are closely linked and reflect the county’s continuing demographic shift. Our politics are still catching up but they’re getting there. The current 11-member county council has one Asian female, one Latino female, one Latino male, one Black male and one Black female. Also, the county government has a robust racial equity policy that is here to stay.
Completion of Intercounty Connector (2011-14)
Source: Much more effect on elections than on relieving congestion (which is how it was sold to the public), but significantly reduces time traveling along its corridor and to BWI. It has some economic benefit for the Upcounty, and unlike the Purple Line, was a well-managed project that stayed within or reasonably close to budget. Proponents didn’t tell folks it would be a toll road, and Hogan was wise to reduce them.
AP: Support or opposition to the ICC was a political litmus test for decades as the council swung back and forth. It was perhaps the biggest single factor in the hard-fought 2002 End Gridlock election. Due to rising infrastructure costs, limited resources and limited land, the ICC may be the last new highway in MoCo during our lifetimes.
Coming next: five very important events!