For Immediate Release: Tuesday, January 26, 2010
County Councilmember George Leventhal’s Statement on OLO Report Comparing Montgomery and Fairfax Counties
ROCKVILLE, Md., January 26, 2010—Montgomery County Councilmember George Leventhal (D-at large) said that a report issued today by the County Council’s Office of Legislative Oversight (OLO) containing comparative data on Montgomery and Fairfax counties shows the reasons Montgomery is an outstanding place to live, but also highlights key decisions the County will face in the near future.
The report, “Comparative Data on Montgomery County and Fairfax County,” was requested by Councilmember Leventhal. Authors Craig Howard and Sarah Downie wrote, “Montgomery County and Fairfax County are cited frequently as regional peers and competitors. The two jurisdictions are often compared, contrasted and similarly touted as the ‘best’ place to live and work in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area.”
The complete report of the OLO report is available online at www.montgomerycountymd.gov/olo.
Councilmember Leventhal’s complete statement on the report:
“I requested this report because constituents often ask me how Montgomery County compares to Fairfax County on a wide range of issues. I wanted to know if the comparison to Fairfax, which has a different basic governance structure, is apt. The report confirms what we know – that Montgomery County is a great place to live and a wealthy and successful jurisdiction, as well as what we need to know – that there are areas in which we can do better if we are to remain economically competitive in the Washington Metropolitan area.
“This report does not draw conclusions from the statistics presented. It simply includes and compares data on subjects such as tax rates, economic development, transportation, public schools, public safety, housing and public health.
“This report is the second step in a three-phase analysis I have requested from the Office of Legislative Oversight. The first phase was an earlier OLO report release on February 3 of last year, “Department of Economic Development: A Review of Budget and Strategies. ” That report included comparisons of Montgomery County to other jurisdictions, and led to my request for the current report, a baseline statistical comparison to the county with which we are most often compared.
“The third leg of the three-phase project will be an in-depth analysis of the data in order to build upon the positive, and make changes where required.
“Several key factors that must grab our attention are the combination of economic factors that give an advantage to Fairfax, such as lower personal income tax rates, number of jobs available, median housing values and average travel time for commuters. If we want to expand our tax base by attracting new investment and more jobs, we must be very cautious about our tax rates, which are a key factor in business’ decisions on where to locate.
“Our decision to maintain an Agricultural Reserve and to preserve more open space and parkland than Fairfax affects many comparisons between the counties. We have committed to protecting 38 percent of our land from development compared to Fairfax’s decision to preserve only 15 percent of its land. Because Fairfax County has developed more of its land, it has more people, more housing, and more commercial space. Our preservation of Agricultural land, parkland and green space is just one of the reasons that so many of us choose to call Montgomery County home.
“According to Forbes.com , Fairfax County is the wealthiest county in the United States, measured by the median income of its residents. Montgomery County is the eighth wealthiest. We should not be surprised when the data confirm that the wealthiest of the 3,141 counties in America , is by definition, wealthier than other counties.
“Montgomery County has a healthy economy and a bright future, but we need to assess how we can improve our competitiveness with the rest of the region, the nation and the world. We should utilize the data to develop a long-range competitiveness strategy that will enhance the high quality of life that our residents demand.
“We should not be afraid to assess where we stand. We should recognize the cumulative effects of our policy decisions, including tax, spending, and land use decisions, on our overall competitiveness.
“Developing a long-range strategy to improve our economic competitiveness will create a better quality of life for everyone. We need to be cognizant of the data in this report and realize that we must keep moving forward or risk falling behind.”
http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/content/council/olo/reports/pdf/2009-8.pdf
http://www.forbes.com/2008/01/22/counties-rich-income-forbeslife-cx_mw_0122realestate.html
U.S. Geological Survey, http://www.usgs.gov/faq/faq.asp?id=785&category_id=31