Montgomery Co. Publishes Priorities For General Assembly Session

BETHESDA, MD — Montgomery County has published its list of priorities for the 2020 Maryland General Assembly session, which begins Wednesday, Jan. 8.

Here's the rundown:

Kirwan Commission

• Ensure that the new formulas provide Montgomery County with its fair share of State funding and adequately address the needs of its students.
• Carefully review new funding requirements placed on local jurisdictions and ensure that the new formulas provide needed flexibility to counties while also recognizing the significant investments Montgomery County has made to date for its students.

Public School Construction

• Support all efforts to increase statewide amounts available for public school construction.
• Request the Interagency Commission on School Construction to revisit the State Aid for School Construction Eligibility Criteria to allow for greater State participation in school construction projects.

I-495 / I-270 Traffic Mitigation

• Work with the Administration to ensure that the first segment of the I-270/I-495 Traffic Relief Plan include I-270, the American Legion Bridge, and the section of I-495 between these facilities.
• Secure a commitment from the Administration for an immediate, specific, and meaningful commitment to provide resources to affected Counties to meet local transportation needs as part of any P3 or tolling program.
• Reinstate the Corridor Cities Transitway in the Consolidated Transportation Plan as part of or in addition to the Traffic Relief Plan.
• Obtain a commitment from the Administration that fair consideration be given to the alternative of using the Intercounty Connector (ICC) rather than widening the Beltway between I-270 and I-95.

Local Decision-Making Authority, Avoiding Preemption

• Retain the County's broad Home Rule Authority and ensure that the County is not preempted from enacting or enforcing its own local laws (e.g., siting of small cell facilities, licensing of electricians, siting of large-scale solar farms).