THREE INFLUENTIAL MoCo GROUPS SUPPORT LOCALIZED REPRESENTATION

Contact: Kimblyn Persaud October 16, 2020 240-242-5640 for Immediate Release

Nine Districts for MoCo, a county-wide grassroots effort that put Question D on the election ballot, announced today more support by county organizations urging local residents to vote yes for equal representation for all. These organizations join the huge base of local residents and organizations that are urging local residents to demand that every resident of the county have an equal voice on the County Council, no one gets more and no one gets less.

Endorsers supporting Question D and opposing C represent tens of thousands of MoCo residents are:

• Montgomery County Civic Federation - A county-wide, nonprofit umbrella group representing dozens of local organizations and associations, since 1925.
• Greater Olney Civic Association – A nonprofit, umbrella organization representing more than 35 civic and homeowner associations
• Montgomery County Green Party – The Green Party joins Democrats, Republicans, and Independents throughout the county in supporting Question D.

“These organizations are urging their supporters to vote YES for the Question D ballot initiative that was launched by 16,000 local residents,” said Kimblyn Persaud, a Wheaton Democrat who is leading the demand for equality in the County. “A few years ago, we stood up against the political machine and supported term limits to help reform local government. We passed that, and now this is the next step in returning power to the people instead of keeping it in the hands of a few powerful individuals.”

When the nine districts idea was initially raised, former Councilmembers Neal Potter and Phil Andrews had argued that “candidates for the at-large seats are unable to become personally known to a significant fraction of the nearly 1,000,000 people they seek to represent” and that council members elected from smaller districts would be “more responsive to their views rather than to those of wealthy contributors.” Indeed, the predictions have been proven, as seen by the schools that have been ignored, loss of jobs, and endless gridlock in the parts of Montgomery County not represented by a local council member living in the neighborhood.

Added Persaud, “Members of the County Council wanting to protect their own political seats are trying to steamroll democracy in Montgomery County. Instead of really fighting for equality and change, they launched a last minute gimmick initiative that would expand the county council with a $3.4 million price tag to pay for more council staff, construct new offices, and buy new furniture. Vote NO to their initiative, Question C.”

Authority of Nine Districts for MoCo; Mark Lautman, Treasurer