Montgomery County Council Race: District Candidates, Issues

BETHESDA, MD — With the Nov. 6 general election around the corner, local voters will elect Montgomery County council members. The nine-person council is comprised of four at-large members — who are elected countywide — and five additional council members — who represent each of the five districts.

This article only lists the district candidates. To learn more about the at-large candidates, click here.

You can vote for up to one candidate for each district. On the ballot are one Republican and one Democrat in district 1; one Republican, one Democrat, and one write-in candidate from the Green Party in district 2; one candidate, a Democrat, in district 3; one Democrat and one write-in candidate from the Green Party in district 4; and one candidate, a Democrat, in district 5.

Montgomery County voters have already turned up in droves to the polls. For more information, check out Patch's local voting guide. Also, if you haven't done so already, brush up on local and state policy issues before heading to the polls.

The League of Women Voters of Maryland, an organization that works to encourage civic engagement and active government participation, has published a comprehensive guide for Montgomery County voters. The guide provides important voting information and details about candidates and open seats. For more information on candidates in races, see the League of Women Voters website.

The League of Women Voters asked each at-large candidate specific policy questions. Below, you'll find information about the positions, questions asked by the League, and answers given by candidates.

CHECK OUT: Montgomery County Council Race: At-Large Candidates, Issues

SEE ALSO: 3-Way Race For Montgomery County Executive: Candidates, Issues

Note: Patch did not include every question asked by the League of Women Voters. To see all the questions, you can click here. This is part of a series.

Montgomery County Council

Duties: The Council is the legislative branch of County Government. Members of the County Council pass legislation, appropriate money to fund the capital and operating budgets, set county property and other local taxes, and make planning, zoning, and subdivision decisions. The Council makes appointments to the offices, committees, and commissions that report to the Council. It also exercises oversight over County programs.

How Elected: The Council has nine members, all elected at the same time, to four-year terms. Four at-large council members are elected countywide, represent the residents of the entire county, and may live anywhere in the county. The county is divided into five council districts. Each of the five additional council members is elected by and represents one of the five council districts. Each voter may vote for four at-large candidates and for one candidate from his or her district.

Term: Four years. Limited to three (3) consecutive terms.

Salary: $128,519 per year.

Website: montgomerycountymd.gov/council/

The Issues

QUALIFICATIONS: How does your experience prepare you for the duties of this position? Give some examples.

DEVELOPMENT: How would you manage the county's growth while protecting the environment?

BUDGET: With regard to the county's budget, should programs be added, decreased, increased or cut? Give some specific examples of measures you would take to address the county's projected budget deficit.

TRANSPORTATION: What is your plan to address the county's top transportation needs?

DIVERSITY: As an elected official, what can you do to make sure that county government is engaging with and responsive to the diverse populations who live here?

HOUSING: What action, if any, should county government take to increase the supply of affordable housing?

District 1 Candidate

Richard Banach, Republican Party

Campaign Facebook: http://https:/www.facebook.com... .

Campaign Email: richardbanach@go.rmc.edu

Here are Banach's responses to questions from the League of Women Voters:

QUALIFICATIONS: I do not have experience within government. What I would provide is a different method on how to fix problems within our county. For example, I do not adhere to an overarching ideology that hinders my decision making. I am someone who will look at a problem and find the most efficient way to solve it. Whether that solution is “right” or “left” wing makes no difference to me.

DEVELOPMENT: The biggest environmental concern of mine is traffic congestion. Bumper to bumper traffic causes cars to burn fuel at a faster pace. It also creates a higher density of hydrocarbons by exhaust fumes, which increase our carbon footprint and can worsen or cause health risks. By increasing the performance of our traffic system we can ease the burden that growth puts on the environment.

BUDGET: Due to a ballot question in 2008 the county council cannot increase property taxes over the chartered limit without a unanimous vote. I intend to be that vote, unless it would drastically harm public services. I will look to find ways to reduce expenditures by increasing government efficiency rather than cutting programs.

TRANSPORTATION: I like how the current council is committed to making public transit more efficient and affordable. To think all Montgomery County residents are going to get out of their Mercedes and BMW's to start taking the train is wishful thinking. We need someone on the council committed to a cascade lighting system, expanding roads, and more trails for bikers.

DIVERSITY: If elected I would represent the most underrepresented group, young people. The majority of our council members are in their early 50’s or late 60’s. I believe this is part of the reason a lot of issues within the education system regarding technology are overlooked. I'm also a Republican, another underrepresented group who has not had a member on the council in over a decade.

HOUSING: Maybe it should not keep increasing property and regressive taxes that increase the cost of living? Other than that our council mandates a certain percentage of new development to have affordable housing. I’d make a decision to increase or decrease that mandate depending on what experts in the field prescribe.

District 1 Candidate

Andrew Friedson, Democratic Party

Campaign Website: http://www.andrewfriedson.com

Campaign Facebook: http://facebook.com/andrewfrie...

Campaign Twitter: twitter.com/amfriedson

Campaign Instagram: @amfriedson

Campaign Email: info@andrewfriedson.com

Campaign Phone: (240) 353-1655

Here are Friedson's responses to questions from the League of Women Voters:

QUALIFICATIONS: I’ve focused my career in public service on bringing people together to solve problems and improve how government works, scrutinizing billions in public contracts to ensure transparency and accountability, restructuring Maryland’s $6B 529 College Savings Plans, providing programming for the County's at-risk youth, and helping launch new statewide savings accounts for Marylanders with disabilities.

DEVELOPMENT: We must promote smart growth that prioritizes transit-oriented, mixed-use development and preserves our precious open spaces, creating the livable, walkable, accessible communities that young families and businesses increasingly desire. It must be combined with investment in transit, pedestrian and bike access, and affordable housing to sufficiently protect our environment and our quality of life.

BUDGET: We can't just cut or tax our way to prosperity. We must grow the economic pie. We also need to modernize county government so it actually works when residents and small businesses need it, institute zero-based budgeting to promote innovation, employ a top-to-bottom review of county spending, and include the effect of county legislation on small businesses in every county fiscal impact statement.

TRANSPORTATION: Metro is the backbone of our regional economy, which is why I was proud to testify in strong support of the first-ever dedicated funding source in Annapolis earlier this year. I've been a strong and consistent supporter of the Purple Line and Bus Rapid Transit, and see both as crucial components of our near and long-term transportation needs, supporting economic development and mitigating traffic.

DIVERSITY: Diversity is our strength – socially, culturally, and economically. It's an opportunity to better prepare our students and better position our local businesses to compete and succeed in an increasingly global and interconnected economy. It does require proactive communication which is what I've always focused on while running organizations and large public agencies and serving diverse populations.

HOUSING: Given the magnitude of our affordable housing crisis, we need a comprehensive, allin approach which must include both below market-rate and market-rate options: including greater investments and prioritization to increase funding to the Housing Initiatives Fund, establishing a countywide MPDU standard of 15% for all new construction, and an overall increase in housing supply to hold down costs.

District 2 Candidate

Ed Amatetti, Republican Party

Campaign Website: http://www.edamatetti.com

Campaign Facebook: http://Ed Amatetti 4 County Council

Campaign Email: ed4countycouncil@comcast.net

Campaign Phone: (301) 728-6505

Here are Amatetti's responses to questions from the League of Women Voters:

QUALIFICATIONS: I have an MBA in Finance, and a decade consulting experience helping local governments improve operations. In education, I am a former teacher and been involved in education reform for more than two decades. As board member of MC Taxpayers League and working with MC Civics Fed, I have advocated for responsible gov’t, and have become very familiar with the our county operations and budget.

DEVELOPMENT: People want to live here. We have to manage growth effectively. I will: 1) give communities a "heads-up" and greater participation in proposed development and sector plan updates; 2) revisit policies that don’t properly consider market preferences or ability to provide infrastructure and; and 3) audit storm water and water quality efforts that run in the billions to improve cost-effectiveness.

BUDGET: Solutions involve controlling costs and revenue generation. Too many programs have costs that exceed benefits or do not meet stated goals. I will call for regular audits. Large savings can be found in school construction, storm water abatement, affordable housing, and planned BRT routes. On the revenue side, we need to be more business-friendly to grow the commercial tax base.

TRANSPORTATION: Make objective analysis the basis for decisions, not political agendas. Priorities: 1) Widen I-270; 2) Build M-83 highway from Clarksburg; 3) Real-time adaptive traffic signals for roads; 4) Study potential for light rail network, with MARC train ext. to maximize reach. 5) Further study of a Corridor Cities Transitway; 6) Regional Transportation Plan for Montgomery-PG-Frederick-NOVA region.

DIVERSITY: All residents benefit from a county that is more affordable, with reduced taxes. Recent immigrants, especially, benefit from a business-friendly climate that creates jobs and rewards entrepreneurs. I would work for education alternatives and school choice to close the achievement gap, expand programs for high-performing students, and meet the individual needs of a diverse student population.

HOUSING: Current policies are not working - 34,000 are on the waiting list for housing vouchers. I want to review policies in place that reduce the stock of affordable housing. Seniors, police, fire fighters, and the middle class can't afford to live here. I want to reduce costs and streamline the process for developing properties to make homes more affordable for everyone.

District 2 Candidate

Craig L. Rice, Democratic Party

Campaign Website: http://www.craigrice.org

Campaign Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ricepo...

Campaign Twitter: twitter.com/Ricepolitics

Campaign Email: ricepolitics@gmail.com

Campaign Phone: (240) 476-5067

Here are Rice's responses to questions from the League of Women Voters:

QUALIFICATIONS: As a former member of the MD General Assembly and two-term member of
the County Council, these experiences have allowed me to develop a great understanding of
the inner workings of Government and develop relationships with Government, non-profit and
private sector groups. This understanding and the relationships will help me to continue to be
successful in addressing our most difficult challenges.

DEVELOPMENT: Protecting our Ag reserve is a top priority as my District encompasses a large portion of it. We must promote infill development in areas close to Metro and other transit hubs to accommodate growth while ensuring stormwater management and other measures are strong enough to help protect our environment. Promoting clean energy in those areas of growth will also help balance the increased housing.

BUDGET: The budget is a complicated mix of priorities and values. Reducing items result in needs growing in other areas. Increases in areas mean more resources, i.e. taxes are required to pay for them. It is a delicate balance that each year reflects the needs of the community and the values of its residents. I believe each budget has been an accurate reflection of what our County residents needed.

TRANSPORTATION: The way to fix our transportation woes is via a multi-tiered approach. We must continue to expand transit options for those that don't have access to Metro. This means a BRT route along 355 and in other needed areas of the County. We have to fix I-270 and the American Legion bridge and build road projects that will undo traffic bottlenecks throughout the County.

DIVERSITY: Montgomery County is a leader because of our fabric of cultures. People of all nationalities call this region home and virtually every language is spoken here. We celebrate the cultural diversity that flows in our communities and need to support them through inclusionary practices on all fronts. Our new resolution promoting an equity lens for all legislation/policies also supports that vision.

HOUSING: We need to continue to devote money to our Housing Initiative Fund that can incentivize developers to build more affordable housing units. In addition we must allocate more money to our rental assistance program. In our planning of future developments, we must insist on higher percentages of affordable units to ensure those that work in the County can live in the County.

District 2 Candidate

Woody Caceres, Write-in, Green Party

No response received by Voters’ Guide Expanded Edition deadline.

District 3 Candidate

Sidney A. Katz, Democratic Party

Campaign Website: http://sidneykatz.com

Campaign Facebook: http://KatzForCouncil

Campaign Twitter: twitter.com/KatzForCouncil

Campaign Email: info@sidneykatz.com

Here are Katz's responses to questions from the League of Women Voters:

QUALIFICATIONS: I’m a lifelong Montgomery County resident and a former small business
owner. I previously served on the Gaithersburg Planning Commission, City Council, and as the
Mayor of Gaithersburg. During my first term on the County Council, I passed legislation on
mental health courts and a senior tax deferral. I’m also the only candidate in the District 3 race
participating in public financing.

DEVELOPMENT: Under my leadership, Gaithersburg pursued smart growth strategies. I was involved in planning the neo-traditional, transit-oriented developments of Kentlands, Lakelands, and Crown Farm. I’ll continue use the knowledge I’ve developed through 40 years of experience serving in local government to pursue smart growth strategies that balance our growth needs with a concern for the environment.

BUDGET: I am very concerned about the amount debt that Montgomery County government has taken on. We need to have the right formula to change this trajectory, and I worked on this recently as the Council took up its annual spending affordability guidelines. Each department as well as the County as a whole must look at their respective programs and evaluate the success and necessity of their programming.

TRANSPORTATION: We need to have a multi-modal approach to transportation solutions. I voted in support of Delegate Korman’s dedicated funding bill. The Council needs to continue to work with Metro to improve its governance and to ensure Metro provides a reliable service that riders want to use. We need more MARC service, and we must continue to implement BRT. I also supported the new Ride On Extra bus.

DIVERSITY: As an elected official, I’ve worked with the various populations across District 3. I host regular town hall meetings and senior forums to meet with and hear directly from my constituents. It’s important to me that my staff at the County Council be able to communicate with and be responsive to all of the diverse populations in Montgomery County.

HOUSING: We need to increase the percentage of affordable housing in new construction. I support changing the MPDU law to require a minimum of 15% in all new residential construction developments, and I have been advocating to see what we can do to incentivize some new developments have 25% affordable housing. We also need a renewed focus on workforce housing.

District 4 Candidate

Nancy Navarro, Democratic Party

Campaign Website: http://www.nancynavarro.org

Campaign Facebook: http://NavarroForD4

Campaign Twitter: twitter.com/nancy_navarro

Campaign Email: Info@nancynavarro.org

Here are Navarro's responses to questions from the League of Women Voters:

QUALIFICATIONS: It has been a great honor to serve the residents of the County in various ways. I was Member and President of the Montgomery County Board of Education, from 2004 to 2009. I have served as Member, and President of the Montgomery County Council, (2009 to present). Currently, I am Vice-President, Chair the Government Operations and Fiscal Policy Committee, and serve on the Education committee.

DEVELOPMENT: I have always voted to protect our environment because we have one planet, and we are here temporarily. I am a staunch proponent of smart growth development policies and principles, and have continually championed environmentally innovative approaches to development, as well as non-auto transportation options for County transportation projects.

BUDGET: I believe in programs/initiatives that are evaluated for outcomes, are high quality, sustainable, and scaleable. I also believe in leveraging our dollars as much as possible. This means that we must evaluate what is working and eliminate programs and initiatives that are high-cost and low-return. We will need to consolidate or re-purpose wherever necessary, in order to achieve the best outcomes.

TRANSPORTATION: My priority for alleviating congestion in the County is expanding transit and other non-auto modes of transportation. I have supported expansion of bike infrastructure, BRT, the Purple Line and extended Ride-On service I am a big supporter of BRT. Where possible, I favor dedicated lanes for buses. I do favor rededicating lanes of auto traffic to BRT.

DIVERSITY: As the first Latina and immigrant ever to be elected to the Montgomery County Council, I take this issue very seriously. We also know that 4 of the top 10 most diverse cities in the Country are in Montgomery County. It is all about expanding access to opportunities on every level, and addressing the existing disparities.

HOUSING: I have led and supported every effort that can move us towards providing more affordable housing units. We have our MPDU program and our HIF as staples of this effort. In addition, we have required that every public facility proposed for construction, must be evaluated for possible housing co-location and already several projects have that housing component.

District 4 Candidate

Howard Zuses, Write-in, Green Party

Campaign Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/HZuses

Campaign Email: howard.zuses@gmail.com

Campaign Phone: (301) 476-0632

Here are Zuses' responses to questions from the League of Women Voters:

QUALIFICATIONS: I have lived & worked in the county for 40 years. Over that time I have
owned & operated small retail businesses, farmed blueberries in Ashton & been the Business
Manager of two independent schools. My work life has required numerous interactions with
the Montgomery County government. I know we can do better. Our government needs to
prioritize services while prizing efficiency and sustainability.

DEVELOPMENT: We all value quality of life. Growth has been an issue for generations. As we
continue to build, the major impact is not only on the environment. Enforce the existing rules
for storm water, forest preservation & conservation easements - then our concern should be
roads, parks, libraries & schools. Our growing population challenges these resources. The Green
Party needs a voice in these decisions.

BUDGET: The budget should reflect our values as citizens and members of a diverse community. As a member of the council I will work tirelessly to see that our tax money is spent as wisely as our own household budgets. We must provide the services that allow all of our citizens to manage their lives in safety and security. We need to be open to change and innovative ideas.

TRANSPORTATION: I live in the northeast corner of the county. Years ago I would not hesitate to hop in the car and go anywhere I needed within the county, but not any more. Getting from place to place has become a major challenge, whether by private or public transit. We must reevaluate our current transportation strategies and planning, and recognize that coordination across the region is essential.

DIVERSITY: It’s about listening & hearing! We need to know who lives here - what they need to thrive. It’s not about checking boxes but asking questions. No one has had the experiences of others so we can’t talk for them; we need to invite residents of all social identifiers (race, religion, sexual orientation, gender, etc) into conversation, & work with them to best meet the needs of all communities.

HOUSING: Affordable housing is critical to our communities. We must do all we can to maintain and expand it. The number of units available for rent to anyone of limited income does not meet the demand, so our children and elders have to live at a distance. There is a role for local government in creating incentives & solutions. Much of what builds the fabric of our communities depends on it.

District 5 Candidate

Tom Hucker, Democratic Party

Campaign Website: http://www.tomhucker.com

Campaign Facebook: http://facebook.com/friendsoft...

Campaign Twitter: twitter.com/tomhucker

Campaign Email: tom@tomhucker.comCampaign

Phone: (240) 481-4825

Here are Hucker's responses to questions from the League of Women Voters:

QUALIFICATIONS: I have 30 years of experience as a community organizer, nonprofit executive, State lawmaker & Councilmember. Since I joined the Council, we shrank class sizes, improved our transportation system, and strengthened our environment. This election will bring a large class of new elected leaders. I bring the experienced leadership that is vital to build on past successes for the next four year term.

DEVELOPMENT: As a long-term environmental advocate and the Council’s Lead for the Environment, protecting the environment is my priority. My approach to land use insists on transit-oriented development to avoid sprawl. I have worked with the LWV for years to advance the Purple Line & Bus Rapid Transit to reduce carbon emissions and allow well-regulated growth near transit.

BUDGET: Budget priorities speak to our values. So I prioritize education and safety net programs. I have passed new revenue measures such as the tax on e-cigarettes. I have also advocated for in-sourcing, for example tree maintenance, when it reduces costs. I promote transparency, encourage whistleblowers, and insist on strong oversight of waste, excess and abuse to ensure county funds are well-spent.

TRANSPORTATION: Greatly improve transit. Expand affordable housing so people can live near work. And encourage telecommuting. I’m elated WMATA will have dedicated funding to improve service & safety. I have worked with the LWV for years as a vocal champion of the Purple Line. And I support expansion of the countywide BRT network, the CCT, MARC service, RideOn Express, and free buses for seniors and students.

DIVERSITY: Montgomery County has distinguished itself for decades as a community where people of all backgrounds can feel safe and build a family. By doing so, we have built the third most racially and ethnically diverse community in America. I expect county government to embody the values of inclusion, compassion, tolerance, opportunity and sacrifice for others.

HOUSING: Too many residents struggle to locate affordable housing. The County needs to continue to aggressively invest in this. This term we raised the transfer and recordation tax which allowed us to increase the funding to the Housing Initiative Fund by approximately 60% in both FY17 and FY18. We also must maintain existing affordable units, which are often lost before the County government intervenes.

Image via Shutterstock

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