Speech and Testimony
County Executive Leggett's Remarks at the Press Conference on Legislative Accomplishments
As prepared
Good morning.
We had a very productive session of the legislature, for Montgomery County and for the state.
I would like to thank Senate President Miller and House Speaker Busch for their support of a number of items important to our County.
I would like to thank as well our delegation, which as always worked hard to achieve a successful agenda on behalf of our residents.
We appreciate additional money for school construction, as our school population is exploding. The legislature added funds targeted to schools with high use of portable classrooms and with high enrollments. We have many of those.
While this is a statewide program, Montgomery County could gain about $12 million to help us alleviate overcrowding.
In the area of higher education, we will be able to make substantial progress with a new building for the Universities at Shady Grove, an institution of which we are very proud.
Montgomery County is financing a new parking garage, and the $37 million from the state this year will help get a good start on a new fourth classroom building.
We will be able to help our transportation network by getting the Watkins Mill interchange with Interstate 270 back on track.
That will help our transportation and bring new economic development.
Our legislature also passed a bill that will allow us to spread out our payments resulting from the Wynne case on out of state taxes.
As a result, I was able to ask the County Council to cut in half my request for a property tax increase.
Finally, it is very tragic that it took the death of a Montgomery County Police officer, Noah Leotta, to finally persuade the legislature that tougher laws are needed to curb drunk driving.
The legislation has a tortuous path before its final approval, but we are glad that there are now tough standards for the use of ignition interlocks.
We could not have achieved this without the dedication of Officer Leotta’s parents, of the work of Police Chief Tom Manger and of our delegation.
This bill will save lives. It is long overdue, but the result is worthwhile.
Thank you.
Monday, April 11, 2016; 9:30 a.m.