Candidate Julie Yang Aims To Bring BoE Experience To 1st District Seat

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MD — Ahead of the primary elections in June, Patch has invited candidates running to represent Montgomery County to complete a questionnaire touching on a variety of key issues.

Candidate responses will be published verbatim in the run-up to the primaries on Tuesday, June 23.

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Questionnaire responses for Julie Yang, who is running to serve as the 1st District councilmember, can be found below:

Name: Julie Yang

Age: Not provided

Hometown: Not provided

Political Affiliation: Democrat

Do you have any previous political experience? If so, please state and explain how that experience will influence your time in office if elected.

At a time when we face real threats from the federal level to public education, to immigrants, to working families, we don’t need theory. We don’t need talking points. We need leadership that has been tested. I currently serve on the Board of Education, elected by voters four years ago. This means that I have governed at scale.

I oversee a budget that is half of the county budget. I build coalitions. I deliver results. I have worked closely with many county agencies and non-profits. I have built a reputation for being responsive for constituent services. All these will enable me to bring experience, leadership and service to the residents.

What do you believe is the single-most important issue facing voters in the district you’re looking to represent? How do you intend to address those issues?

For too long, we have relied on federal jobs. We lost 18% of them last year. Since 2007, our private-sector job growth has been negative while the region has grown. If our children cannot find jobs here, they leave. If small businesses wait months for permits, they leave. If young families cannot afford housing, they leave. That is not the future Montgomery County needs.

My focus is clear.

First: Grow our economy. We need a county government that helps businesses prosper from incubator to expansion.

Second: Align education with job opportunity. We need a county government that not only educates but also helps to align talent with jobs.

Third: Protect the quality of life. We need a county government that delivers a high quality of life with affordable housing, safe communities, green spaces, and places for our seniors to age in place.

Government should make everyday life easier — not harder. That is my approach. Educate here. Work here. Live here.

How do you differ from other candidates running against you?

I’m the only candidate on this panel who has already won an election. That means I’ve been tested and delivered results. You’ll hear promises tonight. I bring a record.

Three additional things set me apart:

First, proven leadership and deep roots. I’ve lived, served, and raised my family in this district for decades, not months, like some of us. I’ve built relationships, trust, and a track record of listening and acting. I’m not afraid to make tough decisions. I was the only vote against the boundary and program proposal because I didn’t believe it was ready. I am THE candidate who can bring labor, business, and education together to get results.

Second, real expertise in education. I’ve done the work to make it better. We are the flagship school district in Maryland, and our schools remain a major reason families come here. You can’t fix something effectively if you have no expertise.

Third, lived experience. I came to this country with two suitcases and built a life here. I’ve worked multiple jobs. I’ve been a renter and a homeowner. I understand what families are facing—affordability and opportunity. And as an immigrant, I know what it feels like to live in fear.

I will be a local firewall for the safety of all our residents. That’s what distinguishes me: tested leadership, real results, and a clear vision forward.

How would your work experience benefit the goals/objectives you’ve outlined in your campaign and/or the office you’re seeking?

My work experience has prepared me to lead by combining governance, community engagement, and data-driven decision-making. For the past several years, I have served Montgomery County as a Board of Education member, including as Board President. In that role, I focused on listening to the community, building coalitions, and ensuring policies reflected the voices of residents — even when that meant taking difficult or independent positions, such as opposing the move of the Wootton cluster to Crown. I also helped lead efforts to address student mental health, strengthen accountability through a program evaluation policy grounded in return on investment, increase transparency through zero-based budgeting, and use objective tools like the Facility Condition Index to guide capital investments.

My leadership experience also extends beyond elected office. For more than 22 years, I have served on PTA and nonprofit boards, including The Arc Montgomery County and the Chinese Culture and Community Service Center, where I worked to expand access to services, health care, and opportunities for families, seniors, and vulnerable residents. These experiences gave me a deep understanding of how county policies affect people in their daily lives and the importance of responsive, community-centered government.

Most importantly, when I see unmet needs, I take action. After seeing immigrant families struggle to navigate special education services and access community resources, I founded the Chinese American Parent Association to help connect families to support and opportunities. That same approach — listening, problem-solving, and building practical solutions — is what I will bring to the County Council.

What is your opinion of the work being done by the current officeholder, and how will you improve on it?

Answer not provided.

How do you believe Montgomery County should address data centers?

Let's not rush into having large-scale data centers. Let's first set up boundaries and guidelines. They need to pay their fair share of energy use and bring clean energy with them. We need to make sure that clear zoning requirements to protect neighborhood, residents, and environment.

Do you believe there should be a data center moratorium or a temporary pause? Explain.

There should be a temporary pause while we study and figure out all the right guidelines and set up the right boundaries.

Do you believe there should be data center regulations put in place? Explain.

Yes, it needs to cover energy, environmental protection (noise, water usage, etc.), zoning (set back from residential neighborhoods).

What steps would you take to offset data center impacts to residents’ standard of living, such as rising energy prices?

They should be transparent on the demand on our grip, pay their fair share of cost, and bring their own clean energy.

How would you distinguish between a good vs. bad data center? Or do you believe no data centers should be in the county/district?

We already have small scaled data centers in the county. Technology is here to stay and we need data centers. We need to figure out a responsible way to make sure that residents and environment are protected and decide as a community under what conditions that data centers can be in the county.

Gov. Wes Moore signed bills banning agreements between local police and federal immigration officials in February. What is your opinion of the legislation?

I support this. As an immigrant, I understand the fear that one wrong interaction can rip everything apart. Local law enforcement should focus on public safety in our local jurisdiction.

What steps would you take to support or readjust that initiative?

Answer not provided.

What is your stance on the establishment of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention centers in the county and/or your district?

Montgomery County should not build ICE detention centers.

What actionable plans would you undertake to address illegal immigration?

This is not a local government function.

Education: What is the biggest issue facing Montgomery County Public Schools? How would you address it?

There are many challenges and opportunities. Due to limited space, I will focus on facility issues. This hits especially close to my heart. Based on my three years serving on the BOE, I believe the biggest issue in the facility space is overdue maintenance.

Pre-pandemic, the school system was chasing capacity because of population growth. So, for 15 years, we have been kicking the maintenance can down the road. Here we are, at the end of the road.

Let me give you an example. HVAC. We have over $700 million backlog in HVAC alone. It is a huge number, but just remember that replacing one high school HVAC system alone costs about $30- $35 million. What should we do?

Strongly advocate for our state tax dollars to fund school maintenance. They had funding for capacity, but now that it has ended, they need to reallocate funds for maintenance.

Better project management to save money. The use of a holding school, which we now have, can speed up high school projects to be completed in six months, instead of stretching over three to four summers.

Make decisions based on facts and prioritize the facility condition index, which I, together with colleagues, adopted in the school system last year. That alone has made us more accountable.

I have deep internal expertise regarding our schools, which account for 50% of the county's operating budget and 25% of the capital. As a councilmember, I will ask the right questions and be smart about accountability and efficiency.

A student brings a gun/weapon to campus without setting off any red flags. What security measures would you advocate for to prevent such an incident?

Technology can be part of the solution. There are AI technology that can recognize gun shape and set off red flags. We need to explore effective new tools.

Do you believe schools need stricter security measures? Metal detectors? Move away from CEOs and revert to SROs? Explain.

I believe School Resource Officers (SRO) can be part of a comprehensive, layered school safety strategy. Currently, we use a Community Engagement Office (CEO) system in which CEOs are assigned to schools; they can only access a station in the school building and cannot move around the building to interact with students.

It is challenging to get to know students for prevention and relationship building. Safety is the foundation for learning.

In February, we saw a shooting at Thomas S. Wootton High School. What started as an argument escalated in seconds. One student injured is one too many, and we have a responsibility to act.

A strong school culture matters. “See something, say something” saves lives. But culture alone is not enough. We need a layered approach: secure entrances, working cameras, trained security staff, and collaboration with consistent, professional law enforcement.

When done right, SROs are about safety and relationships. They can build trust with students, deter escalation, and respond immediately when needed. At the same time, this must be done thoughtfully. Clear roles, proper training, and accountability are essential to maintain community trust. They are not there for behavior management and discipline. This is not about one solution. It’s about using every tool responsibly to keep our students safe.

What will you do to encourage affordable/public housing in the county?

We need to build more homes in areas zoned for them and streamline the permitting process to reduce delays and costs. We should continue investing in MPDU units, redevelop outdated strip malls into mixed-use communities, and make better use of underutilized public land.

At Stone Street near the Rockville Metro, I’ve worked to relocate outdated school-system warehouses to modern facilities in an industrial park, freeing up public land for housing. That’s a win-win.

Every project must be transparent, with infrastructure planned upfront and development that fits the neighborhood scale.

How will you address crime in Montgomery County/your district?

Public safety comes down to presence, prevention, and partnership. Building a trusting relationship among neighbors and with the law enforcement is the first step.

I am glad to see officers come to community events and meetings to get to know the neighbors. Second, increase police patrol to prevent crime. Third, use camera in public garages and other technology to enhance safety.

What is your stance on the "Save Wootton" initiative by community members?

Wootton is a community school. I am the lone "no" vote for its relocation. I believe that it is important for us as a county to grow our economy and generate funds to rebuild Wootton, so that we can have the community return.

A 6% property tax increase was proposed for the fiscal 2027 budget to raise funds for schools. Homeowners are reluctant to pay more.

What is your position?

I do not support the property tax increase. We have 10,000 residents who lost their federal jobs, and residents are dealing with rising costs. I think about neighbors like JoAnn in Bannockburn, who bought her home 50 years ago. She’s not speculating — she’s trying to stay. But rising assessments and repeated rate increases are making that harder every year.

What other options would you consider to raise money that does not include raising taxes?

In the short term, we need to find efficiency. In the long term, we need to grow our economy to generate revenue to fund our social services. My goal is a Montgomery County that is financially responsible, economically strong, and full of opportunity.

Build a sustainable budget. Our county budget has spun out of control. I will advocate for requiring every major program to show results or be restructured or ended. We’ve watched government and spending grow without evaluation. That must stop.

On the Board of Education, I supported funding for our schools because they serve our students and families, but I have also pushed for stronger accountability and clearer results. We need both: responsible funding and real oversight.

Strengthen our workforce pipeline. We need qualified workers in this county to attract jobs and grow our economy. I will work to make that happen by linking our schools, Montgomery College, the Universities at Shady Grove, and apprenticeship programs directly to the jobs we are trying to grow here. We should be training residents for those jobs now and inviting businesses to partner with us in that effort.

Open Montgomery County for business. We need to make this county a partner to business, not a drag on opportunity. I will streamline permitting through a “one-stop” system with parallel reviews and dedicated support, with incubators and other resources that help grow our economy.