QUESTIONNAIRE: League of Women Voters

LWV Questionnaire: Candidate responses, limited to 500 characters, each question.

1. QUALIFICATIONS: How do your background and experience prepare you to be County Executive?

As a Maryland CPA with a Master’s in Taxation, I have the financial expertise and leadership experience to move Montgomery County forward. My career leading tax strategies for multi-national Corporations has generated multi-million-dollar savings. I will apply this rigorous private-sector discipline to balance costs with growth objectives, something Montgomery County needs. I plan to identify efficiencies, ensure fiscal discipline, accountability, transparency and oversight in our Government.

2. HOUSING: What initiatives will you support to increase an affordable housing supply countywide?

I will focus on streamlining the permitting process, reverse the recent 4.7% property tax rate hike, cut the annual cap on property assessment increases by 50% to align the county with surrounding jurisdictions, protect Single-Family Zoning, weaken rent control laws to stimulate new construction and grow the assessable base for property tax revenue. Housing becomes more affordable when Montgomery County Residents see their wages increase, and their taxes, fees and costs of living decrease.

3. BUDGET PRIORITIES: Which operating budget revenue and spending items will you seek to increase and decrease and why?

Living in Montgomery County is quickly becoming financially unsustainable for our middle class. I will decrease the personal income tax rate from 3.2% to the state-mandated minimum of 2.25%, phase-out the local Working Families Income Supplement, decrease the County Fuel Energy Tax by 75% to lower utility costs, eliminate vacant positions, scale back Blueprint for education mandates that lack proven results, increase investments in public safety and economic development to attract businesses.

4. SAFETY NET SERVICES: What initiatives will you support, if any, to ensure that residents across the county receive safety net services?

We have a moral obligation to ensure our safety net doesn’t foster long-term dependency. I will prioritize fiscal accountability, oversight and transparency of Taxpayers’ funds, audit current spending to eliminate waste and abuse, streamline services within County government, empower non-profit partners to deliver services more efficiently, promote economic growth, provide workforce development and financial counseling as requirements for receiving social services.

5. PUBLIC SAFETY: What policies will you support to ensure the safety of our large and diverse population?

I will prioritize fully staffing our police department to improve response times, improve officer morale through enhanced wellness resources, restore funding for School resource Officers (SROs) in MCPS to provide crisis support and safety during emergencies, strengthen juvenile justice laws to address repeat offenders, enhance coordination between police and residents to ensure every neighborhood feels safe and heard.