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Dear Friends,
This week data centers were back in the news with an announcement from Governor Wes Moore. I want to thank him for raising some important issues with his new executive order.
Data centers present real economic opportunities, but they also raise serious questions about energy use, electric rates, water, the environment, infrastructure, and the benefits they actually provide to the communities where they are located.
Those questions need to be answered before we make decisions that could have consequences for decades.
I appreciate that Gov. Moore is looking at whether data centers will pay the costs associated with the enormous amount of electricity they require, along with the infrastructure to deliver it, whether they are creating good jobs and economic benefits, how they affect the environment and surrounding communities, and whether developers are being transparent about what they are proposing.
The public transparency in this order is particularly important. Communities should know who is developing these projects, how much power and water they expect to use, what commitments they have made, and whether they are actually meeting those commitments.
Here in Montgomery County, we made the decision earlier this year to temporarily pause new data center development while we examine many of these same issues.
I continue to believe that was the responsible decision.
We knew the State was also looking closely at data center policy, and the pause allows us to understand the impacts and put appropriate protections in place rather than trying to fix problems after projects have already been approved.
My staff and I are reviewing the Governor’s executive order. We want to understand how the State framework works with the issues we are examining locally.
I appreciate that the Governor recognizes the important role local governments and communities have in this process. Land use, water, infrastructure, and the impacts on surrounding communities are inherently local issues, and this framework acknowledges that.
Maryland Family and Medical Leave
Maryland Secretary of Labor Portia Wu joined me on my media briefing this week to promote “FAMLI”—Maryland’s Family and Medical Leave Insurance program.
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Back in 2015, I co-sponsored the bill that established sick and safe leave here in Montgomery County. The following year, I co-sponsored legislation to expand the qualifying events under that law to include the welcoming of a new child. And in 2022, I welcomed the passage of the Time to Care Act, legislation that is now being implemented as FAMLI.
The United States lags behind the rest of the world in guaranteeing paid leave to support family matters. Whether someone is caring for a newborn, supporting a family member through an illness, looking after an aging parent, or meeting some other family need, FAMLI will make a real difference for workers across the state.
It offers job security, a financial lifeline, and the time people need to care for the people they love.
Montgomery County is at the heart of the third-largest life science cluster in the entire country. We’re building an innovation economy around AI, quantum computing, and biotech that depends on attracting and retaining top talent. Benefits like FAMLI align with the workforce investments we’re making and the support we provide to small businesses through our Business Center.
FAMLI keeps Montgomery County regionally competitive at a time when most jurisdictions around us—Washington, Delaware, New Jersey, and Virginia—already have similar programs in place or are launching them soon.
The Secretary of Labor’s office is hosting webinars beginning on Sept. 30 to help employers with questions. Visit paidleave.maryland.gov to sign up and learn more.
Every employer, regardless of size or sector, is required to register to establish this benefit for employees. More than 7,000 business owners have already signed up, including about 2,500 in Montgomery County. I want our small business owners to know about FAMLI’s small-employer discount. This program is designed to help level the playing field so our small employers can compete for top talent, too. Withholdings will begin in January, with benefits taking effect in January 2028.
The Chimes Opens, Affordable Housing Hits Milestone
We celebrated the grand opening of The Chimes in North Bethesda last week, marking another milestone in our sustained efforts to produce and preserve transit-oriented affordable housing. We worked with the nonprofit Montgomery Housing Partnership on this seven-story community to deliver 163 high-quality affordable rental homes for households earning less than 80% of Area Median Income (AMI)
I toured the apartment complex, which is just a short walk from the North Bethesda Metro station. The Chimes provides a mix of studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments, including 17 deeply affordable units reserved for families earning 30% AMI or less.
Montgomery County committed $19.45 million in direct loan financing through our Housing Initiative Fund, supplemented by a By-Right Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) tax abatement estimated at $334,153 annually, state financing, and a $2.2 million grant from the Amazon Housing Equity Fund.
This is how we want North Bethesda to grow: by pairing housing investments with transit and economic development, including a multimodal transportation hub and more than 13 acres of mixed-use development anchored by the University of Maryland Institute for Health Computing.
The Chimes represents one part of a larger, systemic impact across Montgomery County. Between fiscal year 2019 and fiscal year 2026, we have done a great deal of good work:
- County loan agreements in the amount of $704.1 million.
- 126 projects have been produced or preserved.
- Total impact of 10,031 affordable housing units.
In fiscal year 2026 alone, our Department of Housing and Community Affairs:
- Closed financing or executed PILOT agreements on 18 projects.
- Committed over $146 million in direct cash and annual tax abatement value.
- Helped secure 1,983 affordable units.
You can read more about the totality of our work since fiscal year 2019 here or by visiting montgomerycountymd.gov/news and using the drop-down menus to select Department of Housing and Community Affairs.
Our strategy relies on deploying flexible funding streams—including the Capital Improvements Program, the Nonprofit Preservation Fund, the Housing Initiative Fund, and federal CDBG and HOME grants—alongside key policy tools. We are leveraging new authorityto assign our Right of First Refusal to qualified partners, preserving affordability in high-cost areas like Bethesda and Rockville.
This pipeline continues to build momentum across the County—from the 268-unit NoBE II development in North Bethesda, to Bracken Square in Silver Spring, 1910 University Senior Apartments in Wheaton, and senior housing preservation at Bethany House in Rockville. You can read more about our work moving forward in the latest Affordable Housing Pipeline Report.
Through these investments, the County has produced thousands of new, affordable housing units for individuals and families, including housing specifically designed for older adults and people with special needs. We’ve created new opportunities near transit. And we’ve protected and preserved affordable housing in areas experiencing significant new development, so that lower-income households are not displaced from their neighborhoods.
When public sector funding, nonprofit partners like Montgomery Housing Partnership, and private developers unite around shared goals, we prove that Montgomery County can expand opportunity and build inclusive communities for everyone.
A New Threat to NIH Grant Funding
Every year, Montgomery County residents pay more than $13 billion in federal taxes. That money doesn’t just disappear; a vital portion comes right back home to power the services our community relies on every single day.
In fiscal year 2025 alone, Montgomery County managed $232.6 million in federal funding across more than 200 programs. From public safety and road infrastructure to public health clinics, emergency preparedness, housing stability, and social services, federal grants touch nearly every aspect of local life.
Recently, news from the federal government regarding how these grants could be managed in the future raised serious concerns among local officials, medical researchers, and community advocates. In typical White House fashion, plans to produce an executive order to take control over the grant process have stalled.
This idea surfaced a few months after the federal Office of Management and Budget proposed over 400 pages of sweeping revisions to Title 2 of the Code of Federal Regulations—known as the Uniform Guidance—earlier this year. It would rewrite how federal grants are awarded and audited. I joined local leaders and nearly 500,000 people in submitting my public comments, which, among other things, flagged several major risks in these changes:
- Compressed Implementation Timeline: Grantees would face an unrealistically tight window to update software, administrative procedures, and staff training.
- Funding Uncertainty: Broader discretionary powers could allow ongoing grants to be abruptly paused or terminated.
- Heavy Administrative Burdens: Excessive reporting requirements would divert time and resources away from direct public services.
- Stagnation in Medical Innovation: Chilling effects from these changes could severely slow down the pipeline of new biomedical technologies and pharmaceutical developments.
We all fear that public funding could be subjected to political interference, as we have seen with the changes at USAID and within NIH since Trump regained the White House. Particularly troubling with these new suggestions are efforts to establish political committees with veto power over NIH. Politicizing or suddenly disrupting grant rules puts medical research, educational innovation, and essential community safety nets in jeopardy.
Why is this so important for Montgomery County? Because federal grant dollars are tax dollars our residents have already paid, returning to fund programs Congress has deemed essential. If our County had to replace that $232.6 million entirely with local funds, County analysis shows it would require the equivalent of roughly a 9% property tax increase or a one-percentage-point increase in the County income tax. Abrupt federal rule changes don’t reduce local needs—they shift financial burdens directly onto local taxpayers.
In addition to supporting public safety, transportation upgrades, and health programs, federal funds complement vital local initiatives such as the County’s Short-term Housing and Resolution Program (SHaRP). SHaRP has been a big help in getting families out of homelessness into permanent housing—ensuring a stronger safety net for everyone. According to the most recent Point-in-Time Count, we saw an overall 26% decrease in the number of people experiencing homelessness in 2026 compared to 2025, largely due to SHaRP efforts. The federal government has been actively trying to limit funding to permanent housing programs that have been successful in reducing homelessness for no good reason.
Data collected through scientific research is the kind of information used to develop regulations and protect consumers. Without the data, how would we be able to find definitive links between things that poison us and the companies that put our health at risk? The truth is that current federal leaders don’t want those answers; they don’t want regulations standing in the way of corporate profits; and they don’t want to see that research used as evidence in lawsuits against these corporate powers.
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Montgomery County will continue to advocate for clear rules, reasonable timelines, and the protection of the services that keep our community thriving.
I encourage residents, local nonprofits, and business owners to stay engaged and let our Maryland delegation know how crucial stable federal grant funding is for our health, safety, and local economy.
To learn more about federal grant advocacy and local programs, visit montgomerycountymd.gov/grants.
MLK Child Care Center Groundbreaking
One focus of my administration as County Executive has been to help expand early education options for families in our County, regardless of their ability to pay. That’s why I am pleased to see us moving forward and breaking ground on a new child care facility at Martin Luther King Jr. Recreational Park.
Back in 2020, we did a survey of the existing child care facility on this site and found that the building is in poor physical condition. When we replace something, we should replace it with something better.
The new facility will be larger. It will have controlled access points and updated security systems, so parents know their kids are safe from the moment they drop them off. The playground is getting a complete upgrade, too, with modern, interactive equipment.
Here’s what I keep coming back to: child care isn’t a luxury. For working families in this County, it is a necessity. The demand for affordable, quality child care here is high, and we don’t have enough of it. By creating a safe, modern, well-run facility, we serve our community. It allows parents to return to the workforce and have some peace of mind about their children’s future.
And consider this: we’re breaking ground on a child care center in a public park, surrounded by green space, near a school and a swim center. That’s a community asset built on community land, serving community families. That’s what public investment should look like.
I want to thank a few people who helped make this happen. Director David Dise and the Department of General Services team managed this project and got us to this point. Lori Garibay Aquino and the Children, Youth, and Family Services team at our Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). It is their team that will one day run this facility, and I know it’s in good hands. Also, Montgomery Parks Director Miti Figueredo and the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission provided this land and opportunity.
As construction begins, the existing facility will remain open and operational. Only after the new building is ready will the old one come down.
The State created a network that helps parents choose their own child care from a list of licensed providers. You can find that here. If you’d like information about local services and support, you can find it on our DHHS website.
Investing in early childhood is investing in our future. Children who have access to high- quality, early learning environments enter kindergarten better prepared, and that advantage follows them. We’re paying for a facility and building a platform for more young minds to thrive and succeed in our school system and life.
Montgomery County Department of Transportation Director, Chris Conklin, Honored by the Transportation Association of Maryland
I want to congratulate Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) Director Chris Conklin for being named the 2026 Outstanding Leader by the Transportation Association of Maryland (TAM). TAM is a statewide membership association of transportation professionals dedicated to improving the mobility of all Maryland citizens. This award reflects the excellence demonstrated by the entire MCDOT group in public transportation.
Here are some examples of what MCDOT employees said on behalf of Chris for consideration:
- He dramatically expanded MCDOT’s funding portfolio. Through strategic partnerships with federal and state agencies, Conklin established Montgomery County’s direct federal transit funding program and helped grow transportation grant revenue to approximately $750 million over five years.
- Chris leads by example through a rare combination of humility and strategic vision. He takes the time to work alongside employees, personally test new bus routes, and experience transportation services from the perspective of both staff and the community we serve.
- Chris pairs his technical knowledge with proven management expertise, effectively guiding teams, aligning resources, and fostering a culture of accountability that consistently delivers complex, high-quality projects on schedule.
- He has a level-headedness and calm demeanor that helps ground us. He drives success by investing in people, trusting them to lead, and strategically leveraging their unique strengths. He sets clear expectations and has a steady focus that anchors us.
I was pleased in 2019 to appoint Chris to lead one of our largest departments. I’m glad to know that I am not the only one who notices the difference he makes. Chris joined Rep. Jamie Raskin for a Local Hero video series interview earlier this year, following the opening of a new, second County microgrid at the Gaithersburg bus depot to help us transition from a diesel-based bus system to a zero-emission fleet. Under Chris’ direction, MCDOT has been aggressively pursuing grant funding for the benefit of our residents. Congratulations, Chris.
Flu Season Underway, Get Your Shot
This week, I and others in the County Executive’s office received our annual flu shots.
Getting vaccinated gives everyone the best chance of staying healthy as the weather cools and flu becomes more prevalent.
Health officials recommend going to a local pharmacy or primary care physician to obtain a flu shot. Finding a flu shot is not hard, and the circulating flu strains are a good match for those included in this year’s vaccine. Pregnant women should receive the flu shot to reduce the high risk of getting the flu.
Respiratory illnesses are just ramping up. Remember, if you feel sick, stay home. And don’t return to work or send kids back to school until a fever has disappeared for 24 hours. It remains important to stop the spread of germs by sneezing or coughing into your sleeve.
As always, my appreciation for all of you,
County Executive
Read the original article at mcgov
