Friday, May 10, 2013
County Executive Ike Leggett helped plant a yellowwood tree at the Bethesda Library on Arbor Day, April 26, 2013.
To show support of Montgomery County's proposed Trees and Tree Canopy Conservation Law (Bill 35-12), County Executive Isiah Leggett stopped by the Bethesda Library at 7400 Arlington Rd. on Arbor Day (April 26, 2013) to help plant a yellowwood tree. In remarks before the tree planting, Leggett said, "Montgomery County has a lot of trees—and I would like to keep it that way." "Although trees cover over half of our county, our urban tree canopy is now being endangered by new development patterns that are redeveloping our older, urban areas. My Bill 35-12 proposes creation of a dedicated tree replacement fund to replace tree canopy that is significantly disturbed during development. This legislation is a balanced, commonsense approach to …
Sunday, March 10, 2013
The Montgomery County Executive wrote an op-ed for The Gazette, hoping to garner support for a bill to fund the replacement of trees lost to development.
Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett took to The Gazette last Wednesday, writing an op-ed seeking support for his proposed Tree Canopy Conservation bill. Leggett (D) wrote: The good news is that trees cover more than half of the county. So why do we need this bill? The reason is that our urban tree canopy is now being endangered by new development patterns. As the land available for new development in our county grows scarce, we increasingly redevelop our older, urban areas. While this revitalizes aging communities, provides new homes, creates infrastructure close to existing employment centers and transportation networks and creates jobs vital to the county’s economy, it also affects our tree canopy. We must act now to protect and …
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
The County Executive is expected to reflect on the county's accomplishments, challenges and opportunities in the speech Wednesday night.
Whether or not you gleaned a clear sense of where the nation is headed from President Barack Obama's State of the Union last week, County Executive Isiah Leggett is offering a chance to get up to speed on the road ahead for Montgomery County at his State of the County address this evening. All are invited to the Silver Spring Civic Building at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 20 for Leggett's speech, which will "reflect on the county's accomplishments and on challenges and opportunities ahead in the coming year and beyond," according to a statement from the executive's office. If you won't be in Silver Spring tonight, the address will be broadcast live to County Cable Montgomery, channel 6 for Comcast and RCN customers and channel 30 …
Sunday, January 20, 2013
Fiscal year 2014 budget would delay some planned projects in the 2013-2018 Capital Improvements Program.
Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett released his fiscal year 2014 capital budget this past week, and recommended that a number of planned projects in the six-year, $4.37 billion Capital Improvements Program be delayed. Leggett's proposal was released by the county's community relations department. Leggett spoke on the issue of the CIP, stating that "reducing CIP growth and debt service payments is an essential part of my ongoing strategy to ensure that our fiscal house is in order." Regarding the debt service, Leggett explained his recommendations as being limited to "previously established guidelines of $295 million a year in each of the six years in this CIP." Transportation-related projects that would be affected by the amended …
Monday, March 5, 2012
The bag tax could net up to $1.8 million in 2012, according to The Gazette.
Montgomery County’s hotly-contested bag tax netted $154,000 in its initial month, according to a report by The Gazette. Approximately 3.8 million bags were taxed, but County Executive Isiah Leggett (D) told The Gazette the county needs more data to understand whether the tax is meeting its goals. "We need more data beyond the first month, maybe a few months to a year," Leggett told The Gazette. "People are still getting adjusted to it." According to the report, January’s bag tax revenue sets the county on pace to receive $1.8 million in 2012 if the first month’s numbers are maintained. The bag tax was originally approved May 3, 2011, and the county expected to earn up to $1.5 million from the tax in the first year. This money will go to …
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Capital improvements needed to provide access for people with disabilities will put strain on an already tight budget over the next six years.
- GOVERNMENT
- Holly Nunn
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Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Montgomery County is the newest jurisdiction to enter into an agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to bring its facilities into compliance with Americans with Disabilities Act requirements, an undertaking with an uncertain, but hefty, price tag. County attorney Marc Hansen briefed Montgomery County Council members on the agreement, bringing up questions of funding and capital improvement priorities. The agreement with the Department of Justice is the result of a five-year process, beginning with a DOJ audit of how well the county is meeting accessibility requirements for its residents with disabilities. Since 2000, DOJ has entered into similar agreements with other 180 local governments. "Montgomery County has been a leader …
Sunday, September 18, 2011
As debate continues, we ought to think about what happens to kids who will be cited for these violations.
The Montgomery County Council will be holding work sessions in its Public Safety Committee on the new curfew legislation proposed by County Executive Isiah Leggett. This may doom any hopes for speedy action by the council, but it also allows more opportunity to examine the specifics of the legislation and how it fits into the bigger picture. The proposal itself seems to be gaining support as it moves forward, and will likely see some compromises to address concerns that have been expressed in recent weeks. The curfew would take effect from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. on weeknights and from midnight to five on weekends, and applies to youth 17 and under. Exceptions to the curfew appear to be expanding as residents have weighed in. Youth who are out …
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Council to continue the investigation, though executive thinks purchasing Pepco 'not feasible.'
- GOVERNMENT
- Holly Nunn
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Wednesday, September 14, 2011
County Executive Isiah Leggett dug in his heels Tuesday at a meeting with the Montgomery County Council, calling the idea to condemn Pepco and municipalize the utility "not feasible." The meeting comes just days after county attorney Marc Hansen told council members that to acquire the utility would mean going through the Maryland General Assembly and the Maryland Public Service Commission, as well as paying Pepco fair market value for its infrastructure. "It was appropriate to ask the question, but now we have the answer, an answer that I think in many ways suggests that this is not a viable option," Leggett (D) said. "Now and for the foreseeable future, they will still be the utility. So we need to find a way to fight them, push them, …
Andrews wants 'data-driven' approach.
- GOVERNMENT
- Holly Nunn
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Wednesday, September 14, 2011
County Executive Isiah Leggett said Tuesday that a decision to impose a curfew on teenagers is too complex to rely on studies conducted in other jurisdictions. "Any study you bring to me, I could debunk it," Leggett said, because variables like population density, income and geography vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. But a key opponent to the curfew, Councilmember Phil Andrews, called on a "data-driven, evidence-based" approach to fighting juvenile crime. Andrews (D-Dist. 3) chairs the Montgomery County Council's Public Safety Committee, which begins work on Leggett's curfew proposal this week. After a July gang fight in Silver Spring, Leggett proposed a curfew of 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and midnight Friday and Saturday. The…
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
The Bethesda location was one of three stops on Brown's tour after Hurricane Irene.
Pepco officials detailed their power restoration efforts in the wake of Hurricane Irene as Maryland Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown visited the Pepco Control Center in Bethesda Tuesday. Brown's visit was part of a planned multi-city tour that included Odenton and Greenbelt. Brown met with Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett, Pepco President Thomas Graham, Maryland Emergency Management Administration representative Mark Demski and dozens of other Pepco officials and employees. Hurricane Irene left approximately 220,000 Pepco customers without power in Maryland and Washington, D.C., including more than 100,000 in Prince George’s County alone. As of Tuesday afternoon, Pepco has been able to restore power to close to 210,000 customers. “I feel very…
Mark Risk
12:45 am on Monday, March 11, 2013
Payment into such a fund should be by DEVELOPERS only, not by private citizens who may fall victim to the aggressive MONTCO Tree Nazis and their permits. more ›