By Lori Jaffe

It’s Your Money – Take Action Now!

Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich is driving us taxpayers over a fiscal cliff. We need to take his foot off the accelerator and put on the brakes. You can help the Committee for Better Government limit him to two terms but you must act soon. Ten thousand valid signatures must be gathered by August 2024. (See below).

During his March 14, 2024, FY25 Operating Budget Press Event, Elrich said that he feels “really good” (0:27) about the FY2025 Budget. This is his 18^th budget. His 6^th as county executive and 12^th as council member. Yes, he’s been in power for a very long time.

He continued (3:34): “We could have taken a $25 million cut in this budget to stay within our MOE guidelines. We didn’t do that because that would have meant pulling teachers out of classrooms and doing things that would have been disruptive to schools. So, we are at, you know, $132M over last year.” Yes, that’s 132,000,000 taxpayer dollars.

(4:22) He congratulates Montgomery College: “You get points for reality-based budgeting.” He says, “…when you understand what your resources are and build a budget understanding the resources. Not everybody does that.” Yes, not even Marc Elrich does that.

Report from Montgomery Country

By Peter Huessy

California Dreamin’

Victor Davis Hanson is America’s premier military historian of ancient Greece and Rome but also has a  daily podcast or essay on current events. He lives in California on a farm where he was born and where his family have lived for multiple generations. This link is to his comments this week about what he sees on a daily basis on and around his farm.

West Coast, Messed Coast™: Minimum Wage Rises, Thousands Lose Their Jobs, Democrat Elites Laugh by Victoria Taft, PJ Media, April 6^th, 2024

California increased its minimum wage for fast food business to $20. Leading up to when the increase went into effect, (April 1), Pizza Hut and Roundtable Pizza laid off 1,500 drivers up and down the state. Those restaurants joined Auntie Anne’s and Cinnabon in pre-announcing staff cutbacks. In Redding, California 18 Subway sandwich shops, family-owned, closed overnight. “This is just a harbinger of things that will come,” said one business owner. That was echoed by a Los Angeles restauranteur who warned America that, "This man [Gavin Newsom] is destroying California."

By Lori Jaffe

If Marc Elrich gets his way, soon you will no longer be able to choose the type of vehicle you will drive in Montgomery County.

But most Americans want freedom, and they don’t want electric vehicles. Although the cost of charging an EV remains low, range anxiety, long charging times and vehicle cost make buying and owning an EV problematic. And because most Americans don’t want electric vehicles, car companies are reducing production. Automakers Delay Electric Vehicle Spending as Demand Slows: “Growth is brisk but slower than expected, causing automakers to question their multibillion-dollar investments in new factories and raising doubts about the effectiveness of federal incentives.”

Tuesday, April 16 Wheaton

By Sandy Tuttle

The Back the Blue (BTB) group effort is back for its 5th season, supporting our men and women in blue, who put their lives on the line for us every day.  Please consider joining us!   Over the next few months, members from the Chevy Chase Women’s Republican Club, The Potomac Women’s  Republican Club, Rural Women's Republican Club, Upper Montgomery Republican Women’s Club, the Montgomery County Federation of Republican Women and the Montgomery County GOP will visit all 6 of our Montgomery County Police Districts, the 911 Dispatchers and the Montgomery County Park Police.  

The officers truly appreciate the support we bring to them.  In addition, we provide lunch and drinks and many in attendance will bring other snacks for our officers’ enjoyment.   We leave a large sign, which everyone in attendance is asked to sign to show their support.  We are always heartened to notice that several stations have kept the signs over the years and have them out on display. 

It is a major concern when members of our County Council prefer to push legislation which further undermines what our officers do to protect our communities.  We don’t need to ‘reimagine policing’ or defund the police as some County Council members seek to do.  In our county, which is experiencing an increase in crime, our men and women in blue are finding it increasingly difficult to do their job in protecting the citizenry.   Now is the time to come together and offer, not only words, but actions of support of our men and women in blue! 

We hope you will join us for the first of eight events on Tuesday April 16th at 1:30 at Police District 4, located at 2300 Randolph Road in Wheaton.   We usually do not stay too long, because we don’t want to interfere with their work.  Be on the lookout for our fliers.  Or feel free to reach out to any of the BTB co-chairs: Sandy Tuttle ([email protected]) ; Martha Hale; Rita Beck; Patsy Dillingham.

Want to understand how to keep yourself and your family safe during these uncertain times?  Want to learn how MCPD and city police departments work together?  Find out during the next free 15-week Citizen Academy class on Tuesday nights from 7 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. from April 30th - August 6th offered by the Montgomery County Police Department at the MCPD training facility at 8751 Snouffer School Road in Gaithersburg (zip 20879). 

APPLY HERE

Participants must be 18 years or older and either reside or work in Montgomery County.  Applicants are subject to a background check.

You will get to meet and hear from Chief Marcus Jones and officers explain their area of expertise, from crime law, domestic violence, homicide, fraud, DUI, gangs and drugs, SWAT negotiations, police involvement in MCPS schools, as well as what to do in an active shooter situation and more.  

You’ll learn how routine traffic stops (for brake lights out, impaired driving, etc.) protect the community through the capture of illegal guns and drugs.  You’ll get to practice using a LIDAR (speed device) from 100 yards and see a K-9 demo.  Separate opportunities to become certified in CPR and AED and ride along with an officer are available. 

(Classes are offered in Spanish on Wednesdays from 7 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.  To apply for the class in Spanish, go to https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/pol/jobs/hispanic-community-academy.html.)

For more information and the link to apply, go to 

https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/pol/jobs/citizen-academy.html

Democrats, Independents and Republicans think we're going in the wrong direction. While our elected officials tout "next year" we watch crime, kids' education, quality of life, affordable housing, and so much more perform below par.

We need to tackle these problems. Montgomery County and Maryland used to lead the way in prosperity and quality of life. Now we slip farther behind. We need to do better. Our elected leaders tout the California model, the West Coast dream. Whether it's voting, taxes, economy, energy, housing, DEI, you name it they want us to be like the Left coast.

• Read Peter Huessy's column on the California Dream below.
• Come to our MCGOP convention this month. Talk to the candidates. Listen to the speakers. Get to know the solutions proposed.
• Read Lori Jaffe's piece about the lack of choice in personal transportation.
• Reach out to help us get out the vote, help count the ballots, communicate with our fellow citizens and make a change for the better in November.

Our way of life, our democracy, our kids' futures depend on it.

Dennis Melby

MCGOP Chairman

Share your thoughts with me at [email protected]