By Adam Pagnucco. In the wake of a potentially huge increase in school impact taxes, the county council has passed a recordation tax hike for the first time in seven…
Adam Pagnucco
Should There Be a People’s Counsel?
By Adam Pagnucco. One of the issues simmering underneath the county’s current budget debate is whether to bring back the People’s Counsel, an office that remains in law but has…
Council Hunts for Savings in Elrich’s Budget
By Adam Pagnucco. Battered by tax-shocked residents, county employee unions and the legions of people who regularly demand funding for their favored spending, the county council is trying to navigate…
School Impact Taxes Set to Skyrocket
By Adam Pagnucco. The first of multiple tax hikes that will likely be implemented in coming weeks is now on deck. But this one did not originate with either the…
Unions Blast Effort to Reduce Tax Hike
By Adam Pagnucco. The Montgomery County Education Association (MCEA) and Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 500 have issued a press release blasting measures taken by the county council’s Education…
By Adam Pagnucco. In the wake of a request by Council Members Natali Fani-Gonzalez and Gabe Albornoz to fund council-directed media ads, Council Member Kristin Mink now has a spending…
By Adam Pagnucco. County Executive Marc Elrich has responded to Council President Evan Glass’s memo asking him to quantify potential savings from leaving vacant positions unfunded. His response: he does…
By Adam Pagnucco. With a $223 million property tax hike looming, the hunt is on inside the council building to save money and reduce the tax increase. And a council…
It’s the Economy, Stupid: Average Wages
By Adam Pagnucco. Last time, we looked at wage and salary employment growth and found that we lagged most of the region over the last decade and the last twenty…
“I Can’t Explain That to a Resident”
By Adam Pagnucco. Of all the elected officials I have met, Council Member Andrew Friedson is one of the best at explaining complicated matters in terms that anyone can understand. …