Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich Outlines Positive Path for Montgomery County in Third ‘State of the County’ Address, Noting the Best Budget in Years and the Resiliency of the County Despite the Pandemic

For Immediate Release: Friday, April 15, 2022

Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich delivered his third “State of the County” address Thursday, April 14, the first in-person in more than two years, and told attendants at the Silver Spring Civic Building that the County now has the best budget it has seen in many years. Despite challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, he said the County is strong and robust, as well as resilient, innovative, and equitable.

“I like to view the pandemic through my grandchildren’s eyes,” said County Executive Elrich “This pandemic robbed them and their generation of years that are crucial to their growth and education. From little kids attending daycare to young adults in college or just starting their careers, for all our young people, including my grandchildren, this pandemic has been deeply significant. We can see their struggles, but we should also be in awe of how they continue to adapt, persevere, and demonstrate the best qualities among us. The State of the County in Montgomery County in 2022 very much reflects this – the challenges and obstacles of the past two years have not and will not stop our progress, our compassion for one another, and our hope for better tomorrows.”

In his address County Executive Elrich highlighted some of Montgomery County’s most pressing challenges such as: health and economic hardships from the pandemic, student learning loss, and concerns about public safety. He also provided updates on his administration’s progress in combatting climate change, creating more affordable housing opportunities, and on growing the local economy.

County Executive Elrich also announced two new and exciting affordable housing projects, one in Bethesda and another in the historically Black community of Emory Grove, as well as his administration’s efforts to create a biomanufacturing training facility in Silver Spring to continue to build on the life sciences sector in the County.

In his address County Executive Elrich highlighted:

• A record-level of spending on education to address students’ learning loss during the pandemic
• Achieving the highest COVID-19 vaccination rate in the nation in an equitable way and a death rate in Montgomery County two thirds the national average
• The County Climate Action Plan proposed last year, which is the most aggressive plan for a jurisdiction of its size anywhere
• The strength of the local economy and the robust life sciences sector
• The continued investment in community organizations, which have been essential in bringing services to their communities for so long, including during the pandemic
• Increasing salaries of police officers to fill vacancies and be more competitive, attracting top talent in the region
• The creation of an Office of Food System Resilience and enhanced grant funding for food assistance programs
• Creating real affordable housing with a three-pronged approach, Preserving, Protecting, and Producing
• affordable and deeply affordable housing
• An affordable housing project in Emory Grove as well as a redevelopment project in Bethesda with affordable and deeply affordable housing 
• The expansion of Bus Rapid Transit through the Flash program throughout the County

The growing diversity of the County was another highlight of County Executive Elrich’s speech where he stated, “Following the 2020 census, we officially went over 1 million residents for the first time. Only 43 percent of our residents are white, and 32 percent of residents today are foreign born. We are one of the most diverse counties in this country.”

Throughout his remarks, County Executive Elrich emphasized that the County is facing a bright future, despite the recent challenges and losses.

“The State of our County is measured by our compassion and humanity in how we are protecting the health and safety of our residents, providing support for the most vulnerable, educating our children, and protecting our environment,” said County Executive Elrich. “Our successes have made international news, achieved unprecedented accomplishments, set County records, and established clear goals for a better future.”

The video of the State of the County event can be viewed here. Visit this link to read the full prepared speech.

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Release ID: 22-229
Media Contact: Barry Hudson 240-300-734
Categories: Executive Office