Three of five Democratic candidates running for Montgomery County Executive stated their positions during a live broadcast of WAMU‘s Politics Hour with Kojo Nnamdi Friday at the Silver Spring Civic Center.
Councilmembers Andrew Friedson, Evan Glass and Will Jawando spoke before a packed crowd, hitting on such topics as housing, pedestrian safety, taxes, education and jobs during the candidate forum.
“Affordability, affordability, affordability,”Friedson said, is what his No. 1 one priority will be if elected.
Glass said his top priority will be working to keep housing costs down, noting it is “too expensive to live in Montgomery County.”
Jawando listed multiple priorities, including investing in education and childcare, building more housing and growing the economy.
All three candidates vowed to fight the Trump administration’s immigration policies, stances on food insecurity and position on federal workforce reduction.
Glass called for more investment in life sciences development and a streamlined process for obtaining small business permits. Jawando stressed strengthening the work force by investing in education, while Friedson cited the need to work regionally to create better conditions for all in the county, including the City of Rockville, Gaithersburg and Takoma Park, which have their own governments.
They all agreed that federal agents should not wear masks.
Jawando said he would increase taxes for the wealthy, while Friedson and Glass said they would strive to make tough choices and cut expenses rather than raise taxes.
“We can’t keep raising taxes,” Glass said.
Jawando called for a two-year moratorium on data centers in the county. “We don’t need to rush,” he said. Glass had previously stated that he wanted to establish a task force to investigate data center safety and sustainability issues more closely, but a council committee voted the idea down March 9. “We have to get this right,” he said.
All three candidates said any data center in Montgomery County must use 100% renewable, clean energy.
Prior to the debate, members of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network Fund rallied in front of the event venue to urge Montgomery County officials to “say no to a “dirty data center in Dickerson.”
To curb pedestrian and cyclist deaths, Glass called for the need to slow cars down and create better infrastructure where students walk to and from school. Friedson said there is a need to reengineer the way communities are built, especially by schools and parks.
Jawando also talked about safe routes to school, as well as a need for no right turn on red.
All three candidates are in favor of redistricting in Maryland, although they noted that it was pretty much a closed issue in Annapolis. The candidates also vowed to work collaboratively with the council if elected as executive.
“We have some big challenges, but we have everything we need right here,” Jawando said in his closing statement.
Glass finished by saying he would work to create a community in which everyone feels “welcome, safe and seen.”
Friedson’s final statement was on his goal to create more affordable housing and childcare, while working with reduced federal funds instead of raising taxes.
WAMU invited only Democratic candidates.
Also running for county executive on the Democratic ticket are Mithun Banerjee and Peter James, who were not present. Running on the Republican ticket are Shelly Skolnick and Esther Wells.
