July brings new changes into effect in Montgomery County.
The changes include minimum wage increases, a law to improve tenant protections, and a leaf blower ban.
Minimum Wage Increases
Starting July 1, the minimum wage rate will increase by 50 cents. The new rates will be:
- $17.65 per hour for businesses with 51 or more employees
- $16 per hour for businesses with 11-50 employees
- $15.50 per hour for businesses with 10 or fewer employees
According to the County’s human rights office, the minimum wage is adjusted on July 1 every year to keep up with inflation.
“Even $17.65 makes it hard for a person to be able to afford rent in Montgomery County,” County Executive Marc Elrich said during a media briefing Wednesday.
“These aren’t particularly high wages, but they’re better than the federal standard and better than almost every state,” he said.
Leaf Blower Ban
Also starting July 1, the use of gas-powered leaf blowers is banned in Montgomery County. The county’s ban on selling gas-powered leaf blowers already went into effect last year. But because the price of electric leaf blowers is high due to tariffs, County Councilmember Gabe Albornoz introduced a bill last week for a seasonal exemption for professional landscaping companies that would expire in three years. The exemption would go into effect from October through December, when leaf blowers would be most in use.
Elrich said Wednesday that he opposes the amendment.
Albornoz said he believes the amendment “is common sense.” Elrich said, “If anybody can afford to pay for an extra battery, it’s the large companies that do the landscaping.”
Landlord Consumer Protection Loophole Closed
Starting July 14, county council bill 6-25 states rental housing will no longer be exempt from the County’s Consumer Protection laws, expanding options for recourse if landlords fail to fix housing code violations.
“Tenants can now sue landlords who ignore serious maintenance problems like mold, pests, and broken air conditioning,” Elrich said.
