Montgomery County Councilmember Andrew Friedson issued a statement on Friday opposing the County Executive’s proposed property tax increase, emphasizing the need to keep the county affordable as residents face rising costs and economic uncertainty. He argues that the county should fund essential services without increasing housing costs and reaffirms his commitment to rejecting tax hikes, as he has done in previous years. Full statement below:
“Throughout my time on the County Council, including last year as Council President, I’ve focused on making Montgomery County more affordable for families.
Right now, too many residents are struggling to keep up with rising costs. Our region and state face unprecedented fiscal instability, even before Elon Musk and the Trump administration’s newest assault on federal workers who make up such a large share of our local economy.
Over the last seven years, Montgomery County families have been regularly hit with higher tax bills and have seen their property tax assessments increase by approximately 29 to 40 percent. The County is already generating more revenue from County taxpayers — it’s our responsibility to fund schools, public safety, transportation, parks, and libraries, without adding additional housing costs on residents.
I’ve consistently voted against property tax increases — when the County Executive proposed them in the early days of COVID-19 and again in 2023, as well as multiple times in between. I will once again oppose raising the tax burden on Montgomery County families. I believe our future is brighter if we keep affordability for our families at the forefront of our decisions: by reducing housing costs, doubling down on economic growth to fund our community’s priorities, and by being more effective and efficient with the tax dollars we already have.”