Paul Geller Announces His Candidacy for Newly Created District 7

Olney resident Paul Geller has announced today that he will be running for the newly created District 7 on the Montgomery County Council.

Geller ran unsuccessfully for an at-large seat of the Montgomery County Board of Education in 2020.  He previously served as Vice President of Programs, and later President of the Montgomery County Council of Parent-Teacher Associations.

Geller is a member of the Democratic Party.

Press Release from the campaign of Paul Geller for County Council, District 7:

OLNEY, MD – Paul Geller, a leading public schools and community advocate, announced his candidacy today to represent the newly created District 7 on the Montgomery County Council. He is running on a platform of making District 7, and the county as a whole, a better place to live, work, learn, and thrive in.

Paul has been a deeply caring and committed community volunteer, advocate, and leader since settling in Montgomery County in 1991. He has called Olney home for 14 years now. He is well known for reaching out to everyone in each community he serves in. His strength is not just listening but meeting folks where they are. He sees the bigger picture while not losing sight of the important details and builds unlikely coalitions to get results.

“The good folks of this district deserve a Councilmember who understands the needs of District 7 residents and businesses and has a proven track record of positive results for the community. For the last decade, as a community advocate and PTA leader, I have traveled throughout District 7 and the county, meeting with groups large and small, listening to their needs, and proactively advocating and working to get those needs met. With my leadership experience and advocacy success, I can hit the ground running from day one to ensure our District 7 community has a powerful voice,” said Geller.

“Countywide, we must attract new companies to locate here, grow existing businesses, and encourage entrepreneurs to start businesses here. Our world-class libraries and parks need to be well maintained. Our precious 93,000 acre Agriculture Reserve must be protected. We must recognize and support our growing senior population. When it comes to our MCPS students, I am all in to improve outcomes for all students from their academic success to holistic supports for them to thrive.

Unique among candidates both in District 7, and all Council candidates, is Paul’s deep knowledge of MCPS. The Council is about to lose considerable MCPS institutional knowledge with the departure of Education and Culture Committee Chair, Craig Rice, and Councilwoman Nancy Navarros’s former BOE service. Says Geller, “I possess that expertise and will fill what could be a disastrous gap in continuity that our children and our schools cannot afford to lose. My deep knowledge of MCPS, experience working with them successfully, and well-established, good working relationships are important beyond District 7. Half the county budget goes to MCPS. I already know its complexities without any learning curve and can invest our taxpayer dollars wisely.”

“I have always preferred to work behind the scenes. Getting the job done mattered more to me than taking personal credit. I believe in making positive changes in the community without fanfare. Meeting the needs of our neighbors, bringing great ideas to fruition, or dealing constructively with challenges or unmet needs are what take precedence for me. I look forward to tackling the next challenge whether large or small. Sometimes these successes happen quickly, as was the case with my advocacy to get Promethean Boards in every MCPS classroom. Others take years and are ongoing, like getting MCPS to install solar panels atop our schools; a move that will save us millions annually in operating budget costs, allow us to hire more teachers and school psychologists, and demonstrate our commitment to the environment.”

As a past President and Vice President of Programs of the 40,000+ member Montgomery County Council of PTAs, Geller was elected by countywide vote four times. He passionately advocated for his 160,000+ students, a volunteer job he took on full-time. During that time he built and led a nonprofit coalition for the successful advocacy for the unprecedented Education First Budget of 2016. That additional $89M infusion annually resulted in hiring more than 600 MCEA teachers, reducing class sizes, and providing clearly defined on-ramps to becoming teachers for SEIU Local 500 employees…something long requested from many within MCPS. To date, this initiative alone has brought more than $500M to MCPS in operating budget funds.

Hearing continual complaints from PTA members about overcrowded schools, broken HVAC systems, and other facility issues, Paul went to work to address the chronic shortfall in the MCPS capital budget (CIP). Through his work in Annapolis to create an extra funding mechanism for school systems experiencing rapid enrollment growth, he secured an additional $18M for MCPS annually since 2015 in State Capital budget funding. At the County level, his efforts on the 2016 Subdivision Staging Policy revision led to direct, dramatic shifts in revenue collected for MCPS construction projects. Simplifying and combining school impact taxes and fees significantly increased revenue and better aligned the amount developers had been paying with the true cost to construct a school seat. He also led a team that successfully updated fees for property transfers in excess of $500K; an adjustment that resulted in $67M more in MCPS CIP funding in 2016-2017 alone.

Paul is a lifelong Democrat who does not shy away from working with others to get the job done for his constituents. With a proven track record of success, Paul plans to deliver each and every day for his neighbors in District 7. You will see him frequently in your community year round…not just at election time.

“I look forward to meeting people where they are: at the store, in their neighborhood, at their local meeting, their house of worship, and at their nearby school. Wherever they are is where you will find me. I do not lead from afar or up on high. I am a dedicated servant leader who enjoys listening and doing whatever it takes to resolve the issue at hand.”

“I will provide everyone in District 7 with the outstanding constituent service and attention you deserve. I have been there for you before, am with you today, and will be there for you tomorrow. So, let’s get to work. Please join my campaign for making our community a better place to live, work, learn, and thrive in. ‘VOTE GELLER FOR DISTRICT 7’ this June in the Democratic Primary. Thank you.” – Paul Geller

Contact Paul Geller at [email protected] to ask questions. To learn more about him and his campaign, to make a contribution, or join the team, visit VoteGeller.com. Find him on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram @VoteGeller.

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