The featured guests on this week’s En Sintonía con el Concejo del Condado de Montgomery (In Tune with the Montgomery County Council) will include Montgomery County Councilmember Natali Fani-González, who serves as the chair of the Council's Economic Development (ECON) Committee; Michael Coveyou, director at the Montgomery County Department of Finance; Ana Arriaza, manager of partnership and engagement at the Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection (DEP); Jorge Gutierrez, chief executive officer at SERVPRO Rockville-Olney; and Rodrigo Landaverde, manager at SERVPRO Rockville-Olney. The show will air today at 2 p.m. on Radio America (WILC 900AM) and is streamed on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music. 

This week’s show will begin with special guest Councilmember Fani-González who, in honor of Earth month, will highlight the County's efforts to transition to an energy efficiency model. Fani-González will also discuss Bill 18-22, Noise Control – Leaf Removal Equipment, which would prohibit the sale and use of combustion engine-powered leaf blowers and leaf vacuums. It would also authorize a grant program to partially offset the cost of replacing a combustion engine powered leaf blower or leaf vacuum with an electric one. 

Don't lose your $692 tax credit! The next part of the show will focus on the Homestead Tax Credit. Montgomery County's Income Tax Offset Credit (IOTC) program grants County residents who live in a property they own a $692 credit. Maryland requires all homeowners to submit a one-time application to establish eligibility for the Homestead Tax Credit. Mr. Coveyou will discuss the May 1 filling deadline and the consequences of not complying with the recently enacted state law. 

Montgomery County is celebrating Earth Month with special events promoting sustainability, conservation and eco-friendliness. The third segment of the show will highlight the two-day GreenFest event in Wheaton at Brookside Gardens on Saturday, April 22 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and on Sunday, April 23 from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Marian Fryer Town Plaza in Wheaton. 

The show will conclude highlighting SERVPRO Rockville-Olney, a company that serves and gives back to our community by contributing and supporting local sport leagues as well as victims of domestic violence. SERVPRO Rockville-Olney is a Latino-owned business recognized as the 2021 Small Business of the Year by the Rockville Chamber of Commerce. 

The Council and Radio America have entered a partnership that provides the Latino community with key information on issues and programs. The partnership also provides a forum for residents to express their views and ask questions. The partnership includes the weekly one-hour show each Friday on the Washington metropolitan area’s most popular Spanish language station. 

Each week, the show features host Marcela Rodriguez, Council program manager and public information officer, and guests talking about important issues before the Council and provides information about programs offered by the County to help residents.