By Adam Pagnucco.
Here is today’s question.
Montgomery County is near the bottom of large jurisdictions in the region in terms of the number of private-sector jobs created since the Great Recession. Why do you think this is? What policies do you support to address this problem?
District 1
Drew Morrison (D)
Montgomery County has been too accepting of losing out on good jobs in growing industries. With Trump’s federal cuts, the impact of the County’s complacency has made reversing course more urgent than ever. Here’s how.
We can better highlight our talent to the world. Our message will be clear: If you have a vacancy, Montgomery County has the talent to fill it.
Many business leaders tell me “No one calls.” We need to invest in a business attraction and retention program that truly competes with our neighbors in Virginia.
We need to make our permitting process faster, friendlier, and more efficient so that our small businesses start out stronger.
We can lean on our strong biotech sector and growing energy and atmospheric science industries by investing in new companies in those spaces. And as a hub for leading hospitality companies – Marriott, Choice, Host – we should be home to the entrepreneurs innovating in the hospitality space.
I have created programs that provide family-supporting job opportunities that don’t require a college degree. On the Council, I will protect important workforce programs, like automotive tech in MCPS, and make sure we’re leveraging state programs so more students get the training they need.
Debbie Spielberg (D)
Montgomery County has a number of strengths, including a vibrant life sciences sector, a diverse population that is appealing to international companies, and a highly educated workforce. We also have a great talent pipeline from MCPS to Montgomery College to the Universities at Shady Grove, and now we have the Institute for Health Computing, housing graduate level health data research and providing informal collaborative spaces for public and private partners. We need to reform our tax structure, which puts a disproportionate share on residents: businesses pay higher taxes in Northern Virginia, but they get the infrastructure they need, especially transportation, which is not done here. (In fact, the Washington Business Partnership pointed out the need for a better bus system.) Virginia won its bid for the second Amazon headquarters not by offering more money (then-Gov Hogan offered more) but by offering high-level education and talent, infrastructure, and predictability and reliability. I will work to reform our approval process, including Planning, Permitting and WSSC. The duplication and unnecessary requirements are costly, unpredictable, and frustrating. I’d also work for better connection between our education system and the growing business sectors, including life sciences, clean energy, and the building trades.
Reardon “Sully” Sullivan (R)
Montgomery County has struggled with private-sector job growth in part because government policies have made it more difficult for businesses to operate and expand. Job creation is driven by the private sector, and government’s role should be to create a stable, predictable environment that encourages investment.
“The Government does not create jobs, the government creates bureaucracy. The private sector creates jobs.”
To address this, I support reducing unnecessary and duplicative regulations, modernizing processes, and providing greater certainty for businesses considering long-term investments in the County.
Specific policies I would pursue include:
- Leveraging AI and technology to streamline regulations and reduce administrative burdens, following successful models such as Virginia’s regulatory reform efforts which reduced regulations by over 26%.
- Reducing taxes and fees, while prioritizing spending discipline to ease the overall tax burden. Instead of automatically continuing to add additional fees and taxes to increase County revenue, we should first reduce spending, so the tax burden is less.
- Enacting clear, consistent policies that promote economic confidence and avoid creating uncertainty for business. When the County Council approves laws that ban gas heating and other social engineering measures, it suggests virtue signaling and uncertainty.
The other candidates in the District 1 race are government staffers that do not know how to survive in the business world or what motivates business. If they knew how to bring business to the County they, and/or their mentors, would have already done so.
Julie Yang (D)
Montgomery County has fallen behind because we have not made it a priority. There has been a lack of focus, planning, and investment. Worse yet, we’ve developed a reputation for not being business-friendly.
My approach is to make our county easier, faster, and more predictable. More importantly, let’s invest in economic development, so businesses can be successful from incubation to growth.
Our processes get in our own way. We need to streamline the permitting process and align rules and regulations to avoid unnecessary delays. We can do parallel reviews and deploy a “one-stop” model to speed up projects.
The Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation is the county’s one of the main economic engine to actively recruit and retain businesses, and yet, it is less than 0.1% of the budget. By funding and strengthening the MCEDC, we can see a return on investment by helping our start-ups through incubator and mentorship programs. We also need to explore financial incentives to help small businesses as 90% of our businesses are small businesses.
With a strong economic strategic plan, we need strong coordination from workforce development to industry, with clear, measurable milestones, not just goals, so we can track progress and deliver results.
District 2
Marilyn Balcombe (D-Incumbent)
Did not answer the questionnaire.
Arian Borghei (R-Write-in)
Montgomery County has lagged due to overregulation, high costs of doing business, and a slow, unpredictable permitting process. Businesses need certainty and a competitive environment. I support streamlining regulations, accelerating permitting timelines, and creating targeted incentives for small businesses and emerging industries. We should also invest in workforce development aligned with employer needs and partner with the private sector instead of treating it as an afterthought. Economic growth must be intentional and competitive with neighboring jurisdictions.
District 3
Jud Ashman (D)
Our County has extraordinary assets – an educated workforce, proximity to the federal government, and globally recognized institutions – but for too long we’ve relied too heavily on those advantages rather than competing aggressively for private-sector growth. At the same time, we’ve developed a reputation for being slow, complex, and sometimes unpredictable when it comes to approvals, permitting, and the overall cost of doing business – all of which makes it hard for us to compete with nearby jurisdictions.
To turn this around, we need to focus on three things:
We have to improve the speed and predictability of our housing approval processes. We need to treat applicants like customers.
We should be more strategic and proactive in business recruitment and retention, particularly in sectors where we have a competitive advantage like life sciences, biotech, and emerging technologies.
We need to ensure our tax and regulatory environment is navigable and reasonable, while making smart, targeted infrastructure investments – especially around transit and key growth corridors – that support job creation.
If we want to fund great schools, strong public safety, and a robust safety net, we have to grow – and that means making Montgomery County a place where businesses can start, scale, and succeed.
Allison Eriksen (D)
Did not answer the questionnaire.
Ricky Fai Mui (R)
The Private Sector has a fiduciary responsibility to its stakeholders to generate profits, cut costs, and to stay viable in the marketplace. When profit margins are slimmed down due to cost of doing business (e.g., time costs or permitting delays, inspection and certification delays, increased tax rates, reduction of a local employee talent pool, or lack of growth potential), the private sector limits risk, and thus, future investments.
The local barrier we can mitigate is to improve the local talent pool; our students. We are currently expending greater than 50% of our County’s Operating Budget on 156,000 students and 14,000 teachers. And yet, despite many $billions invested, our MCPS performance continues to decline. Inversely, the size of the MCPS administrative overhead has dramatically expanded; from eleven to hundreds of payrolls exceeding $185,000 annually. I propose audits of MCPS expenditures to ensure 85% of MCPS budgeted funding directly supports classroom learning. By prioritizing MCPS expenditures, we can reduce our dependency on increasing property taxes, income taxes, and other fee schedules.
The private sector (health-care, pharma, biotech, defense, and federal agency support) will naturally gravitate toward business-friendly policies and a consistent supply of an able workforce.
Izola Shaw (D)
Montgomery County is one of just a few major DC-area counties that still haven’t exceeded its pre-recession level of private-sector jobs. This slow growth is tied to several factors: a heavy reliance on federal employment, a challenging business climate and high costs, and recent population declines as workers move elsewhere.
To address this, I support a multipronged approach, including expanding the Job Creation Fund and other incentive programs to attract and retain businesses, especially in high-growth sectors; streamlining permitting and reducing regulatory barriers for startups and small businesses; and investing in workforce development to match local talent with emerging private-sector opportunities. Additionally, building more public-private partnerships can help leverage the county’s strengths, including its highly educated workforce and proximity to Washington, D.C.
District 4
Paula Bienenfeld (D)
I think we are near the bottom because the focus of the county economic structure is on creating county jobs, including MCPS jobs, instead of focusing on attracting high-target companies that would bring high-paying private sector jobs to the county and increase our private sector tax base. We have a strong basis in biotech and hospitality; a highly-educated population; a good school system; and are near top-rated universities, as well as being adjacent to the U.S. Capitol. We need to focus on the rapidly growing AI field, creating related jobs, for example, and actively attract companies and start-ups that can bring creators to the county. The adage that talent goes to where talent is applies to our county as well.
Kate Stewart (D-Incumbent)
Making the County more competitive and business-friendly will require legislative measures and setting a different tone about how we talk about business.
We have an opportunity with a new Executive Director of the Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation to develop a strategy that aligns key stakeholders, and establishes specific outcomes, benchmarks, and goals.
We must also ensure we invest in the growth and maintenance of our County’s public infrastructure, and push forward policies to create more housing for a diverse workforce. Better public transit, a flourishing public park system, a local housing market that offers affordable choices, and a thriving public school system are all significant attractions for businesses to invest in Montgomery County.
And, we have to do that while keeping our county’s fiscal house in order. Our credit rating is one of our greatest public assets, and maintaining that while we invest in our business growth strategy to increase our tax base must be a top priority.
We must also have a “yes we can” attitude and approach in everything we do. It is possible for us to re-establish Montgomery County as a place where businesses see us as a smart investment.
Peter “Rocky” Whitesell (D)
Generally speaking, we are pretty restrictive of building anywhere in the county, whether that be residential or commercial. That in my view is likely the largest roadblock to business expansion. It is also true that we have a lot of regulations, though I would push back on the notion that those in themselves are the issue because many people, myself included, were attracted here in the first place because of our generally high standards.
I think the key idea is finding ways to make our regulations less burdensome without removing the core protections. On permitting for example, one thing I really want to push is moving all the veto points in the process as far forward as possible, and giving stronger guarantees once projects are at a point where the end result is clear. I believe that builders are not dissuaded so much by high costs as by high risk and uncertainty, and that is an artifact of our particular processes, not inevitable.
District 5
Charles Kirchman (D)
The perception of the county is that it is expensive to do business here and a lot of bureaucratic hurdles to open a business. We need to get the county budget under control and not constantly increase taxes and fees. The county also needs to work with businesses to improve the process for permitting.
Kristin Mink (D-Incumbent)
Did not answer the questionnaire.
Josephine Salazar (R)
The private sector is not interested in moving to Montgomery County less invest in the County due to high taxes. Incentives are key to encouraging investors to our county. Too many regulations and bureaucratic red tape also discourage investment. We need jobs for our students and young adults to enter the jobs market. Develop programs that encourage learning trades. We can partner with companies if they are willing to accept entry level workers to learn a trade. Also, security is an important issue that should be addressed to ensure investors will be protected.
District 6
Natali Fani-González (D-Incumbent)
Did not answer the questionnaire.
Sonia Garcia (D)
Montgomery County’s lagging job creation stems from a structural over-reliance on federal and government-adjacent employment, combined with a regulatory environment that has made us less competitive than neighboring jurisdictions like Northern Virginia. When federal jobs decline, as we are seeing now with significant workforce reductions, our economy lacks the private-sector depth to absorb that shock. I experienced this firsthand as one of the many federal workers laid off in our region.
Addressing this requires a more intentional approach to economic development. That starts with streamlining permitting and reducing unnecessary regulatory barriers so small businesses and entrepreneurs can start, grow, and stay in Montgomery County. A predictable, efficient business environment is essential to attracting and retaining private investment.
We must also better leverage our proximity to world-class research institutions like NIH. Montgomery County has an exceptional concentration of life sciences talent, yet we have not fully translated that strength into a broad, resilient private-sector ecosystem. As someone who comes from the field and understands its complexity, I know that science is deeply diverse. Economic development plans that center on a narrow slice of research leave enormous potential untapped. I support building partnerships that cultivate a wide range of biohealth companies across multiple disciplines, not just a few highly specific areas of focus.
Finally, we must align workforce development with high-growth industries and evaluate policies that may be pushing businesses to neighboring regions. A stronger, diversified economy will expand our tax base and create opportunity for the communities that call Montgomery County home.
Louella Tham (R)
Did not answer the questionnaire.
District 7
Van Free (D)
Montgomery County’s slow private sector job growth is the result of several factors: a challenging regulatory environment, high costs compared to neighboring jurisdictions, and a reputation for being difficult to do business in. While we have strong assets, an educated workforce, and proximity to federal agencies, we haven’t translated those into consistent job creation.
To address this, I support streamlining the permitting and approval process to reduce delays and uncertainty. Time is money for businesses, and we need to respect that. I also support targeted tax and regulatory relief for small and mid-sized businesses, which are the backbone of our local economy.
We should strengthen partnerships with our biotech, healthcare, and innovation sectors while also supporting trades and service industries that provide stable, well-paying jobs. Finally, workforce development, especially tied to our schools and community colleges, must align with real job opportunities.
Economic growth doesn’t happen by accident. It requires a county government that is responsive, predictable, and committed to being a partner; not a barrier.
Sharif Hidayat (D)
Did not answer the questionnaire.
Dawn Luedtke (D-Incumbent)
I support targeted economic incentives, streamlining development review processes, and enabling more housing so employers know employees will have more affordable places to live in Montgomery County. I have supported bills, zoning amendments, and budget priorities to allow and implement all three of these strategies. I will continue fighting to protect our terrific workforce development pathways in MCPS – like the automotive technology program at Damascus High School and expanding existing programs to give more students the opportunity for career-tech education. I will also continue fighting to realign delivery of the dual enrollment program (early college program) within MCPS so that more of our students can take advantage of it and complete high school with an associate’s degree. These programs not only set up County residents for success, but they also build a pipeline of talented employees in a range of competitive industries that potential employers notice.
We must also say “No” to trendy policy ideas that make it more costly and less likely for private-sector organizations to invest here while also doing the detailed and arduous work of reforming our permitting laws and processes. I have shepherded real permitting reform through the Council already and will continue my work.
Harold Maldonado (R)
Montgomery County’s failure to generate private-sector jobs is not an accident — it is the direct result of years of policy choices that have made the County less competitive than its neighbors. While jurisdictions like Fairfax and Loudoun have aggressively attracted businesses and expanded their private economies, Montgomery County has relied too heavily on government growth, higher taxes, and an increasingly burdensome regulatory environment.
Businesses today face too many barriers: slow permitting, complex regulations, and rising costs that make it easier to invest elsewhere. At the same time, County leadership has prioritized expanding programs and spending rather than focusing on measurable economic outcomes.
The result is predictable — fewer businesses, fewer jobs, and a shrinking competitive position in the region.
This can be reversed, but it requires a shift in priorities. We need to streamline regulations, reduce unnecessary costs, and create a business climate that attracts investment instead of driving it away. We must also bring discipline and accountability to the budget, ensuring taxpayer dollars are used effectively to support real job creation. MoCo has the talent, location, and resources to lead the region again — but only if we adopt policies that support growth, not hinder it.