April 19, 2015 â Elephants in Ocean City
Transcription
April 19, 2015 â Elephants in Ocean City
Page 1 of 6 Having trouble viewing this email?Click here Sunday, April 19, 2015 Chairman's Message 2015 Membership By Michael Higgs Join/Renew your 2015 Republican Party Membership online. Elephants in Ocean City This weekend the Maryland Republican Party held its Spring Convention in Ocean City, and what an event it was! Our beloved Governor Hogan delivered a terrific keynote address outlining our accomplishments during the just completed legislative session. Governor Hogan reminded us all about how our hard work led to his resounding victory, and how more hard work on our parts will lead to more victories down the road. As always, Montgomery County threw the best party of the weekend, and a special thank you goes out to Dwight Patel for leading that effort. Dan Bongino was passionate about how Maryland is worth fighting for, and set the stage for the upcoming 2016 federal elections. One theme that was repeated often thoughout the speeches was that there are stark differences between the Republicans and Democrats, and we should be loud and proud in discussing them. Author Michael Zak and radio host Wayne Dupree discussed how the Republican Party was founded on the concept of freedom: freedom from slavery, freedom from government oppression, freedom of self determination. Republicans sponsored the Civil Rights Acts of 1957 and 1960 over the objections of Democrats, for instance. Be proud of our Republican heritage and share it with your friends and family! I am extremely pleased to announce that one of our own Montgomery County residents was honored as the Maryland Republican Youth of the Year. Matthew Foldi is an incredibly impressive young man with a very bright future ahead of him. He brings tremendous passion and dedication to his many efforts in support of the Republican Party. His tireless work in helping to elect Governor Hogan, and his support for so many of our local candidates was truly inspirational. Matthew was just elected President of the University of Chicago College Republicans as a Social Media Find MCGOP on social media! Please subscribe to MCGOP The Party Line! Upcoming Events FOR MORE EVENT DETAILS SEE: http://mcgop.com MONDAY APRIL 20 7:00pm Republican Club of Leisure World Meeting w/ Joe Gillin @ Clubhouse I, Leisure World on April 20, 2015 7:00 pm http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?ca=0aa1f783-ebf5-474a-8e32-416138aa8... 4/20/2015 Page 2 of 6 freshman; it clearly didn't take them long to realize what a treasure they have there. In closing, I would like to thank those of you who answered the call in our recent fundraising drive. Your generous support allows us to continue delivering timely and relevant news to you, to have a presence at community events where we spread the good news about our Party, and most importantly to help our candidates win elections. If you have not renewed your membership, please consider sending a check today so that we can get more of our outreach initiatives off the ground and END ONE PARTY RULE in Montgomery County! THURSDAY APRIL 30 7:00pm **** DISTRICT 19 and DISTRICT 17 **** **** COMBINED MONTHLY MEETING **** Speaker: Henry Marraffa @ Red, Hot & Blue Restaurant, Shady Grove on April 30, 2015 7:00 pm SATURDAY MAY 2 10am GOP PRECINCT VOLUNTEER TRAINING @ MCGOP Headquarters, Derwood on May 2, 2015 10:00 am SATURDAY MAY 2 10am-3pm KENTLANDS DAY - MCGOP Tent/Booth - PARADE @ Kentlands Shopping Center on May 2, 2015 10:00 am Larry Hogan Delivers on No New Taxes Promise In the final days that surround the end of the Maryland legislative session, the rhetoric gets heated. Reporters especially thrive on the conflict and drama of the run-up to the session's end. To read some news accounts, one would think the end of the world might be at hand just before the clock strikes midnight on the session's last day. Few media outlets can match the fevered pitch of political columnist Barry Rascovar, who wrote on Wednesday "In his stubbornly conservative and highly politicized approach to governing Annapolis over the past week, Republican Larry Hogan Jr. took a step that may seal his fate as a one-term governor." According to Rascovar, by alienating state workers, public school teachers, disability workers and Medicaid providers, Hogan is now "doomed" politically. Excuse me Barry, but where do Maryland taxpayers figure in your analysis? Laslo Boyd, writing for the badly misnamed media outlet Center Maryland, claimed that that because Governor Hogan was unwilling to compromise with the General Assembly, "it's going to be a long four years, and definitely not eight years." Both writers dismiss the Hogan campaign's focused opposition to tax increases. In Boyd's words, it reflected a campaign "stunningly devoid of content." SATURDAY MAY 2 1pm-4pm North PG Republican Club Luncheon w/ Del. Pat McDonough @ Sir Walter Raleigh Inn, Berwyn Heights on May 2, 2015 1:00 pm MONDAY MAY 4 6:30pm Conservative Authors Series @ The Cuban Corner, Rockville History of Cuba by Joaquin Cabrejas Urtiaga - on May 4, 2015 6:30 pm THURSDAY MAY 14 7:00pm *** DISTRICT 18 - MONTHLY MEETING *** @ Savannah's, Kensington on May 14, 2015 7:00 pm WEDNESDAY MAY 20 6:00pm *** DISTRICT 20 - MONTHLY MEETING *** @ Mi Rancho, Silver Spring on May 20, 2015 6:00 pm SATURDAY MAY 23 2pm-8pm ROCKVILLE HOMETOWN HOLIDAYS - MCGOP Tent/Booth @ Rockville Town Center on May 23, 2015 2:00 pm http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?ca=0aa1f783-ebf5-474a-8e32-416138aa8... 4/20/2015 Page 3 of 6 By failing to appreciate the basic reason that Maryland voters elected Larry Hogan, both are at a complete loss for a meaningful yardstick to measure his performance now that he is in office. As Gov. Hogan observed, "We broke the streak after eight years of 40 consecutive tax hikes that took an additional $10 billion out of the pockets of struggling Maryland families and small businesses. There will be no tax increases in Maryland this year." Gov. Hogan has delivered on his campaign's central promise by reaching his 'no new taxes' milestone. It was never easy, or a foregone conclusion. In preparing the FY 2016 budget, the Hogan Administration faced a budget gap of $1.25 billion over two years -$423 million in FY 2015 and $802 million in FY 2016. Key sources of the budget gap were weaker than anticipated revenue growth in the current year, resulting in revenue revisions of $300 million and faster than anticipated growth in Medicaid enrollment requiring $200 million in additional funding. The Maryland economy has weakened as Federal government spending growth has tapered. Hogan's budget kept general funding spending growth to just 1.5%, well under the revenue growth rate of 3.5% in revenues. Governor Hogan's budget reduced the projected baseline budget that had been expected to grow at 5%. Even The Washington Post has taken notice, commenting that: "It's clear that his arrival in Annapolis has re-framed the debate over spending and taxes. In less than three months - touting a mandate from the voters who powered his underdog victory - Hogan has forced the long-dominant Democrats to swallow a dose of budget frugality The focus has shifted from potentially raising taxes to trying to trim them." The Post's point is worth underscoring. Historically Maryland Democrats have been the most likely to raise taxes during the first year of a governor's term. It did not happen this year. In fact, by the end of the legislative session, about 98% of the budget approved by the legislature is what Hogan submitted on January 22. At the margins, the Democratic alternative was to delay making $75 million in pension payments to enable more spending. In 2014, Maryland Republicans promised that ending "One Party Rule" would make a difference in the state. Although Governor Hogan was sworn in less than 3 months ago, based on the results of his first legislative session, he can point to a solid achievements and the fulfillment of a core promise to hold the line on taxes. Montgomery County Executive Should Look Toward Reforms, Not Tax Increases SUNDAY MAY 24 1:30pm MCGOP IS SPONSORING A GAME DAY GOP FAMILY EVENT Nat's Vs Phillies @ National's Park on May 24, 2015 1:35 pm SUNDAY MAY 24 2pm-8pm ROCKVILLE HOMETOWN HOLIDAYS - MCGOP Tent/Booth @ Rockville Town Center on May 24, 2015 2:00 pm Full Calendar MCGOP Central Committee Chairman Michael Higgs [email protected] 1st Vice Chair Katja Bullock [email protected] 2nd Vice Chair Dwight Patel [email protected] Treasurer Mark Uncapher [email protected] Secretary Joseph Gillin [email protected] General Counsel & Parliamentarian Vince DeCain [email protected] Organization Chair Greg Decker [email protected] Communications Chair Kat O'Connor [email protected] District 14 Members Sam Fenati [email protected] Rick Hansen [email protected] Anne Koutsoutis [email protected] Joe Gillin [email protected] http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?ca=0aa1f783-ebf5-474a-8e32-416138aa8... 4/20/2015 Page 4 of 6 By Sigurd Neubauer Facing a $237 million shortfall for the 2016 budget, Montgomery County Chief Executive Isiah Leggett announced in January that he is considering raising property taxes to close the gap. Separately, Leggett outlined during his inaugural address in December that he intends to establish an independent transit authority for Montgomery as part of an ambitious effort to tackle countywide traffic congestion while arguing that the proposed agency would help boost the local economy. Unfortunately, between the existing budget shortfall and the fact that the agency would be funded by a new transit tax that would not be counted against the charter cap, which limits the amount of revenue the county can collect, Montgomery's hardworking families and businesses would be left picking up the tab. Although Leggett formally withdrew his transit authority proposal in late January, his staff continues to actively solicit feedback from residents and community stakeholders about his proposed initiative, suggesting that the transit authority remains a top priority for the three-term chief executive. Meanwhile, between Gov. Larry Hogan's pro-business agenda and the Augustine Report commissioned by Maryland Senate President Mike Miller and House Speaker Michael Busch, a bipartisan consensus is emerging in Annapolis that serious efforts must be made to improve Maryland's private-sector economy and that it cannot principally rely on federal spending. Leggett, for his part, has also outlined his own six-point economic plan for Montgomery, which include "to better nurture our entrepreneurial culture" while ushering in an environment that says "yes to business," among other things. Unfortunately, despite Leggett's positive assurances on his intentions to improve the county's business climate as outlined in his inaugural remarks, the County Council's top-down approach to business suggests otherwise. Between having passed legislation requiring businesses to pay some of the highest energy taxes in the country to supporting increased minimum wage legislation to the so-called "ban the box" law, it has the business community fearing that once the pending mandatory paid sick-leave legislation is passed, rent control could be the next item on the County Council's progressive agenda. While Leggett deserves praise for having successfully closed nearly $3 billion dollars in budget gaps and maintained the county's AAA bond rating, he has not vetoed anti-business legislation, raising fears in the business community that a compromise on rent control could be next.There are a number of progressive lawmakers on the County Council who actively champion rent control; should it pass, it would place the economic burden on the business community, with small businesses expected to take a particularly hard hit. Kat O'Connor [email protected] District 15 Members Dan Cuda [email protected] Ed Edmundson [email protected] Nathan Hauser [email protected] Dick Jurgena [email protected] Bill Richbourg [email protected] District 16 Members Marcus Alzona [email protected] Larry Lesser [email protected] Ann Guthrie Hingston [email protected] Bob Carter [email protected] Allyson McMahon [email protected] District 17 Members Michael Higgs [email protected] Deborah Lambert [email protected] Liga Michailovs [email protected] David Roseman [email protected] Adol Owen-Williams [email protected] District 18 Members Katja Bullock [email protected] Vincent F. DeCain [email protected] Q.T. McCord [email protected] John Midlen [email protected] Jean Alexandra Tuttle [email protected] District 19 Members Don Irvine [email protected] http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?ca=0aa1f783-ebf5-474a-8e32-416138aa8... 4/20/2015 Page 5 of 6 Despite Montgomery's highly educated and talented population, the council's top-down approach to business has often led corporations to establish themselves in neighboring counties, with a particular preference for Fairfax County. It is also worrisome that a number of businesses located here have left, with Marriott being the latest to threaten to do so. These conditions help explain why it is going to be a formidable challenge for Leggett to close the $237 million gap for the 2016 budget, since the county's tax base is not expanding, despite its historic wealth and impressive workforce. For Montgomery County to afford the high-quality services its residents have and deserve, concrete steps must be taken to expand the tax base. Instead of levying an additional tax increase for an independent transit authority, even if one is merited, Leggett must support a responsible budget that address shortfalls by tackling the structural deficit, systemic pension reform and general spending restraints. A first step must be to begin negotiations with the county's powerful public sector unions; it is unacceptable for the taxpayer alone to be expected to yet again pick up the tab for the shortfall in question, let alone have to shoulder additional expenditures. While Leggett also deserves praise for his smart-growth initiatives, he must also pay attention to the less economically developed areas of the county, including the Takoma Park/Langley area, Montgomery Hills and Silver Spring's Four Corners neighborhoods. By offering tax incentives for large scale regional and national corporations to establish themselves in such areas, Leggett could help establish a corporate anchor, which in turn could rejuvenate local economies, similar to the positive impact Discovery Communications has had on downtown Silver Spring. While Leggett has successfully shepherded the county out of the last recession, he has a unique opportunity to preserve Montgomery's wealth by beginning to address shortfalls, tackling the structural deficit, undertaking systemic pension reform and showing spending restraint. Between taking on these necessary reforms coupled with offering tax incentives to businesses, he would be able to expand the county's tax base and protect its wealth while maintaining programs to help protect our most vulnerable residents. Failure to implement public sector reform coupled with additional tax increases would not only deter businesses from coming to our region, but would over time deplete Montgomery's historic wealth. Between proposed tax increases and a shrinking tax base, failure to carry out public sector reform will become an inevitable burden for the Jewish community as it will become harder for families with children at Jewish day schools to meet their daily expenses. Frederick Seelman [email protected] Sheldon Sacks [email protected] Martha Schaerr [email protected] Jeff Brown [email protected] District 20 Members Deanna Stewart [email protected] Corey Golladay [email protected] Jennifer Pasenelli [email protected] VACANT VACANT District 39 Members Gregory Decker [email protected] Candice Clough [email protected] Al Phillips [email protected] Alirio Martinez, Jr. [email protected] Nancy McMahan Farrar [email protected] At Large Members Tommy Rodriguez [email protected] Gus Alzona [email protected] Patricia Fenati [email protected] Dwight Patel [email protected] Michael Belan [email protected] Tanzi Strafford [email protected] Lorraine Kuchmy [email protected] Mark Uncapher [email protected] MCGOP District Chairs District Chairman for LD-14 Sharon Begosh [email protected] http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?ca=0aa1f783-ebf5-474a-8e32-416138aa8... 4/20/2015 Page 6 of 6 Sigurd Neubauer lives in Silver Spring, is married to a smallbusiness owner and has children in a Jewish private school. District Chairman for LD-15 David Drake [email protected] District Chairman for LD-16 Ann Guthrie Hingston [email protected] District Chairman for LD-17 Kathy Ganley [email protected] District Chairman for LD-18 Joan Pleiman [email protected] District Chairman for LD-19 Martha Schaerr, [email protected] District Chairman for LD-20 Deanna Stewart [email protected] District Chairman for LD-39 Nancy Farrar [email protected] Montgomery County Republican Party Tel.: (301) 417-9256 by authority Mark Uncapher, Treasurer Forward this email This email was sent to [email protected], by [email protected] Update Profile/Email Address | Instant removal with SafeUnsubscribeTM | Privacy Policy. Montgomery County Republican Party, (by authority of) | 15833 Crabbs Branch Way | Rockville | MD | 20855 http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?ca=0aa1f783-ebf5-474a-8e32-416138aa8... 4/20/2015