Visit www.MAHCC.org

The Maryland Suburban and Northern Virginia Regions
of the
Mid-Atlantic Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

cordially invite you to attend a

"A Tale of Two Counties"
A lively discussion of economic issues on both sides of the Potomac organized by the
Montgomery County Taxpayer League

Featuring (in alphabetical order) Dr. Gerald Gordon, President & CEO of the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority and Mr. Steve Silverman, Director, Montgomery County Department of Economic Development.  Moderator:  Ms. Joan Fidler, President, Montgomery County Taxpayer League.

There are striking similarities and differences in both jurisdictions. We are expecting and encouraging the two distinguished economic development leaders to engage in a frank, uninhibited discussion of issues germane to both jurisdictions.  Topics of discussion are: business climate, local/state government attitude toward business, emphasis on innovation, workforce readiness, leading indicators of economic success, difference in structure and function of their respective economic agencies, support for small and minority businesses, mixed-use development; land use, outcome of programs supportive of emerging business communities, attraction and retention of Fortune 1000 companies, coordinated disaster planning and recovery, infrastructure readiness particularly in transportation, public education, libraries, public safety and recreation, etc. Equally important, does the vision of the past still remains the vision of the future for both jurisdictions?

When:  October 20, 2011  -  7:30 - 9:30 pm
Where:  First Floor Auditorium, Montgomery County Council Office Building, 100 Maryland Avenue, Rockville, MD 20854
Admission:  Free. However, you need to reserve your seat.  If you don't bring the admission ticket that was mailed to you when you registered online, you may be denied admission.
Free Parking:  Entrance to garage is on Fleet Street or on the corner of Maryland Avenue and East Jefferson Street.

Why is this conversation important to our region?  Montgomery and Fairfax Counties are the most diversified in terms of race and ethnicity and most educated jurisdictions in the region and also, the economic engines in their respective states. Yet, in the past 20 years Montgomery County's standing as the premier jurisdiction in Maryland and on par with Fairfax County in terms of national ratings, has continued to erode to the extent that neighboring Frederick, Howard and Anne Arundel Counties are challenging its leadership role in Maryland.  Regionally,  it has been outdistanced by Fairfax, Loudoun and Arlington Counties. On the other hand, despite decades-long string of successes that prompted Time Magazine to dub Fairfax County "one of the great economic success stories of our time" and for the MAHCC to name it in 2010 the "economic miracle on the Potomac," it faces significant challenges in terms of infrastructure, an oversupply of vacant commercial space, unmitigated sprawl and an expected swift transition from a suburban to an urban environment that is fraught with uncertainties.

The concern is so great that it prompted Montgomery County's foremost cheerleader, the Gazette Newspapers (a Washington Post publication), to declare belatedly in a recent editorial:

"The statistics are grim. Unemployment is up, median income is down, vacant office space is ample and residential construction has fallen off a cliff. This isn’t your parents’ Montgomery County," and call for Montgomery County to develop "an aggressive strategic plan, driven by clear and consistent messages from the County Council, the executive and the Economic Development Department. And, it’s needed now." (Clear plan needed for Montgomery’s economic recovery, Gazette, October 12, 2011)

Contrast the above with a recent article in the Fairfax Times Newspaper (also owned by the Washington Post): "The county is well-positioned to lead the nation as economic growth returns to the country. For those who live and work here, the benefits of a thriving and diversified business base are plain: a wealth of high-paying, rewarding job opportunities, and a strong tax base that allows the Board of Supervisors to fund high-quality public services that support the quality of life we enjoy in Fairfax County."  (Fairfax well-positioned to lead nation’s economic recovery, Fairfax Times, 19 August 2011).

Even the Washington Post that for too long has protected the status quo in Montgomery County,  sometimes at the expense of surrounding jurisdictions, last year fustigated the County's all-Democratic leadership with an editorial that highlighted the long-standing arrangements between elected officials and government unions that led to huge deficits ("A Tale of Two Counties, The Washington Post, May 30 2010) and an onerous tax burden on businesses, young adults, working families and the elderly. (Montgomery may raise property taxes to resolve $401 million budget deficit, Washington Examiner, 29 November 2007)

For more information please call Joan Fidler (Montgomery County Taxpayer League) at 310-320-5863 or Jorge Ribas (MAHCC) at 301-404-1946.