FOR$IMMEDIATE$RELEASE$

December'4,'2017'
$
CONTACT$
Zach'Wolf'
(240)'72077958'
zach@billfrick.com'
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Montgomery$County$Budget$Shortfall$Shows$Need$for$New$Leadership$
County'faces'$120M'deficit'despite'large'tax'increases'
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BETHESDA,'MD''Responding'to'a'recent'announcement'of'a'major'budget'shortfall,'House'
Majority'Leader'Bill'Frick,'a'candidate'for'Montgomery'County'Executive,'called'the'budget'
news'a'ringing'alarm'that'calls'for'new'leadership.'''
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In'a'November'30th'memorandum,'Montgomery'County'Chief'Administrative'Officer'Tim'
Firestine'alerted'county'agencies'of'a'budget'shortfall'of'$120'million'for'the'current'fiscal'year.'
The'shortfall'is'driven'by'a'decline'in'income'tax'collections,'which'came'in'$64'million'below'
projections.''Firestine'directed'County'Executive'Branch'Departments'to'immediately'cut'2%'
from'the'current'fiscal'year'budgets'and'warned'that'future'cuts'would'be'necessary.'''
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House'Majority'Leader'Bill'Frick,'a'Democratic'candidate'for'County'Executive,'said:'
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It'is'time'for'new'leadership'in'Rockville.''Our'councilmembers'ignored'warnings'from'County'
Executive'Leggett'to'restrain'spending.''Despite'an'increase'in'the'recordation'tax,'and'a'nearly'
9%'increase'in'property'taxes,'we'find'ourselves'without'sufficient'revenues'to'pay'for'these'
councilmembers'pet'projects,'and,'as'a'result,'public'services'are'being'cut.''Our'county'
deserves'better.''Frick'pledged'that'his'administration'would'embrace'reforms'and'
technological'improvements'to'deliver'services'more'economically'and'efficiently,'and'to'better'
align'spending'with'constituent'priorities'like'schools,'transportation'and'public'safety.'
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Frick'also'reiterated'his'commitment'to'growing'our'private'sector.''Between'2001'and'2016,'
Montgomery'County'employment'growth'ranked'20th'out'of'24'local'jurisdictions.'
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For'too'long,'we'have'ignored'or'even'impeded'our'private'economy,'and'our'council'has'
imposed'new'taxes'and'red'tape'that'hurt'our'ability'to'attract'businesses.''No'jobs,'no'income.'
No'income,'no'income'taxes.''We'need'to'change'our'attitude'and'our'policies'to'create'more'
opportunities'for'all.'
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Bill'Frick'is'the'House'Majority'Leader'in'Marylands'House'of'Delegates.''He'has'represented'
Montgomery'County'as'a'Delegate'for'District'16'since'2007.''He'and'his'wife'Bethany'live'in'
Bethesda'with'their'2'children.'
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ATTACHED:'Memorandum'from'Montgomery'County'Chief'Administrative'Officer'