Voice Q & A :
from Takoma.com

The Voice sent candidates involved in the upcoming primary election (September 12, 2006) a survey to get their views on our readers' priority issues. Here is one such response:

Valerie Ervin

1. What do you think are the three most challenging issues facing Montgomery County and how do you propose dealing with it?

The most challenging issues facing Montgomery County are affordable housing, transportation (traffic congestion) and quality public education for all students.

Affordable Housing As the chief of staff for a County Council member, I have been present at the table to discuss affordable housing and have worked with council staff analysts and other housing experts on ways the county can develop more affordable housing. The majority of affordable housing units in Montgomery County are located in District 5. We must maintain the affordable units that we currently have and do all that we can to prevent more units from condo-conversion. Many of our friends and neighbors have had to make the decision to leave this community because they cannot afford to buy the units that they have lived in for many years. The waiting lists for affordable units managed by the Housing Opportunities Commission are very long, leaving few options for renters. I am interested in sponsoring legislation much like the bills passed in the District of Columbia that require sellers to give tenants notice of their intent to sell and gives tenants the right of first refusal when a building's owner decides to put the building up for sale. A majority of tenants must also approve a condominium conversion before it goes through. Tenants are also protected by rent control provisions limiting the amount of annual rent increases. The diversity that we enjoy in Montgomery County exists because of the ability to live among people of multiple income levels. Much of what must be done has to focus on the maintenance of affordable units and increasing the stock of new units. Montgomery County's Moderately Priced Dwelling Unit Program (MPDU) is the result of an effort by the County Council, county agencies and developers to develop a comprehensive policy and plan for directing the building of affordable units. However, I think that we must move beyond this model to begin implementing best practices we have seen in other jurisdictions that show that partnerships forged between unions, local governments, developers and the non-profit sector to construct affordable units has been very successful.

Transportation/traffic congestion. District 5 has undergone significant change through redevelopment in Wheaton and downtown Silver Spring. The Long Branch community will be the next community in our district to look at redevelopment. With these changes comes many challenges related to transportation and traffic congestion. Our district is surrounded by state roads that many people travel everyday. Rt. 29 (Colesville Rd.), Rt. 193 (University Blvd), and Rt. 97 (Georgia Ave) are some of the most congested roads in the County and they feed near many residential neighborhoods causing cut-through traffic as well. Redevelopment has brought with it more pedestrian traffic. As more people get out of their cars the need for more pedestrian friendly streets is important. We have to slow down the traffic on our busy thoroughfares and give people more time to cross the street. The modes of transportation that people use needs to change and their are indications that this is beginning to happen but we must do more. We must build the Purple Line for east-west access between Bethesda and College Park. We must also provide more access to Ride-on Bus by providing more service and faster service (every 8 to 10 minutes), we must provide dedicated bike lanes and provide bike racks in designated areas in front of businesses and public facilities, if we make access to public transportation more readily available more people will get out of their cars. As we look at further redevelopment in our district we must not allow more building to occur unless the infrastructure to support the development exists. Adequate police, fire, schools, recreation facilities and other public amenities must be supported with new development.

Education. The Montgomery County Public School system is among the best in the world and I have been a strong leader as an elected member of the Board of Education in bringing about real change to reduce the achievement gap and tackle other pressing educational issues confronting the county. I have a record of increasing the funding for magnet programs, highly gifted centers, whole school magnet programs at the middle school level and the high school level and most importantly have supported the school system's new approach to highlighting accelerated and enriched services that follow the child instead of labeling the child without the services. I also serve as the chair of the Board of Education's Research and Evaluation committee which recently sought to improve the current process for engaging the community in dialogue. The recommendations include a refined and focused set of activities that involve roundtable discussions with leaders of community groups and a public forum that is open and accessible to all interested members of the community. These recommendations also ensure that the results of the feedback from the community are collated, analyzed, and deployed as an essential tool for decision-making during the development of the Board's operating budget. I also worked to improve the language assistance services provided by MCPS to the school community, sponsored a resolution to keep Seven Locks Elementary School from being surplused, sponsored a discussion of building "Green Schools" using the LEED rating system, and worked with PTA leaders from the Downcounty Consortium on changing the rules on implementing extracurricular programs that are tailored to address the individual needs of students including those that do not currently meet academic eligibility requirements and that the recommendations also include identification of appropriate supports for ensuring the viability of the programs.

2. How do you define progressive politics and how do your definition and your record distinguish you from your opponents?

The root of the word "progressive" means to make progress. Throughout the 20th century, progressives have led our country forward through the suffragist movement, the civil rights movement, the women's rights movement, the anti-war movement and many other movements that have expanded citizen participation and voting rights. Progressive politics is about action and expansion. We must continue to expand job opportunities, worker rights, public education, public health, access to capital, housing opportunities and the right to freedom all over the world. I have a 20-year record of community activism through my PTA work, my work on education equity issues, my union organizing background, my public policy experience and my election to the Board of Education. My roots in the community as well as my record as a local advocate speaks to the difference between me and my opponent.

3. How should rebates be structured for municipalities in Montgomery County? Is the current structure fair?

The current structure for rebates paid to municipalities is inherently unfair. Municipalities have no power in the negotiations between the city and the county about what an appropriate rebate should be. There is no arbitration and no legal recourse for disputes. The system is inequitable and I believe that local municipalities should have control over local resources. Takoma Park provides high service levels and serves a less affluent population than other municipalities in the county. Maryland law authorizes the county's return to the city of taxes the county received from city residents for duplicated services, either as a rebate paid to the city or as a tax differential that lowers the county tax rate for the city's taxpayers. State law is silent about how much of a rebate the county must pay to the municipalities. The County Council must work with Montgomery County's delegation to Annapolis and lobby at the state level for changes to the current law. The current system needs reform and I will work closely with the city of Takoma Park and our elected representatives to Annapolis to call for reform at the state and at the county.

4. Silver Spring has experienced a great revitalization in recent years, but some small businesses feel that they have been left out. How will you promote small businesses in Silver Spring and Takoma Park that are not located on the Ellsworth Drive block?

The revitalization of Silver Spring has been a boon for not just Silver Spring, but for the entire county. An area that experienced deteriorating conditions has been supplanted with dynamic retail and entertainment offerings and a thriving tax base. For years, what held downtown Silver Spring was individually owned and operated small businesses. I would like to expand and promote small business in downtown Silver Spring. The core of the downtown area of Silver Spring which is anchored by Discovery and AFI and other well-known national chain restaurants and retail establishments were strategically placed to bring customers back to the area. I think that we can establish local small business in the areas surrounding the core as Silver Spring is built out. The county needs to respond and identify areas in and around downtown Silver Spring and other areas poised for revitalization, and work with representative entities to build equally thriving commercial and residential areas. In doing so invite innovation that meets the needs of the neighborhoods and its residents.

5. How do you feel about the County taking a more active role in promoting Montgomery County and Maryland agriculture? Would you lead on legislation to support and make better use of our farm resources?

I am committed to sustain and promote local agriculture in Montgomery County. One of Montgomery County's greatest achievements is our 93,000 Agricultural Reserve. This 93,000 gem is to be preserved in perpetuity and just celebrated its 25th anniversary. We must continue to work closely with organizations such as the Montgomery Countryside Alliance, which promotes rural sustainability and appreciation. We need to promote access to local growers through additional farmer markets, and think creatively on how we can encourage individuals and businesses and markets to buy directly from Montgomery County farms.

6. At the Congressional and state level, there is great concern about campaign finance. What is your position on campaign finance reform in Montgomery County? Would you support public financing?

I strongly support public financing of campaigns. This year I provided testimony to the Black Caucus in Annapolis in favor of public financing of campaigns. The only way to level the playing field is to limit all special interest money from political campaigns. The current system promotes candidates who have access to money or to people or organizations with access to money. I will continue to advocate for this position.

7. Last year, Takoma Park voted in favor of using Instant Runoff Voting in its future elections. Will you support bringing IRV to all of Montgomery County?

I support the concept of IRV because it has been a vehicle for ensuring that candidates are elected with majority support rather than just a plurality. I am in favor of how IRV could be implemented specifically for Montgomery County. My primary concern is whether we have the computer technology necessary to accommodate this process.

8. Takoma Park and Silver Spring will be adversely affected by Washington Adventist Hospital's planned relocation. What will you do to ensure that the area's health-care service needs are met?

I recently met with the president of Washington Adventist Hospital regarding the proposed plans to move the hospital out of Takoma Park. The hospital is committed to its mission to provide care to the residents of the surrounding area. It is likely that some vital services will remain. In order to provide the best care possible in the event of a relocation the hospital has proposed a new physicians office building that would include an urgent care facility and ambulatory care. The proposed location for this facility is in the Long Branch neighborhood. The hospital is working to ensure that if it moves there will be adequate care for the residents of the surrounding neighborhood. The hospital has been working to build relationships in the community by increasing the community members on its board of directors. I plan to work closely with WAH to find workable solutions to providing adequate health care to our neighborhood while at the same time helping the hospital secure land to fulfill its mission to provide the best healthcare to all of the residents of our community.

9. Our schools are overcrowded and we are having significant trouble closing the achievement gap. What is the role of the County Council regarding these problems?

As a current member of the Board of Education I have been a strong leader in bringing about real change to reduce the achievement gap and tackle other pressing education issues. I am fully aware of how funding from the Council can sustain and enhance such successful efforts. I think that the County Council's role is to engage in ongoing dialogue with the Board and the Superintendent on the achievement gap and overcrowded schools. Its role is to ask questions and get answers. More than 50% of the operating budget goes to the school system. The Board of Education should be accountable to the body that writes the checks. The achievement gap is an issue that most school systems around the country are grappling with. Here in Montgomery County we are beginning to have the "courageous" conversations regarding race and class in the public school system and how they impact learning. All children have the capacity to learn and it is our job to find out why the gap is so persistent among poor children, children of color and immigrant children.

10. How do you propose balancing the county's need for affordable housing against concerns about overdevelopment?

Housing is a basic human need. We can no longer sit on the fence on the issue of affordable housing because the need for housing has outpaced the number of units available. We have long waiting lists for units at the Housing Opportunities Commission, many apartment buildings are converting to condominiums, there are not enough MPDU's being built, the numbers of rental houses in the county are woefully inadequate and more and more residents are moving out of the county to find affordable units. Many of our teachers, nurses, firefighters, police officers and other county employees who must live outside of Montgomery County and commute to jobs that are essential to our quality of life need policy makers to work toward viable solutions that do not create overdevelopment but help to sustain our communities. We can do this by passing legislation that protect tenants from escalating rents and condo conversions, working with builders to explore options for partnerships with unions and non-profit organizations, and by working with the council to provide the funding that is necessary for the deep subsidies needed for financing for new homeownership.

11. Have you seen An Inconvenient Truth? If you agree with Al Gore that global warming is humanity's greatest challenge, how will you lead to significantly reduce Montgomery County's carbon emissions?

Montgomery County has been designated as a severe nonattainment area by the Environmental Protection Agency because of the ground level ozone emissions present in the air. Nitrogen Oxide and Carbon Dioxide are dangerous emissions and are especially dangerous for people with asthma and heart conditions and it can create these conditions in some people. These emissions can also be tied to global warming. In our area we also contend with power plant emissions from the Dickerson Power Plant and power plants from as far away as Ohio. I will lead the council by working with the legislature to pass legislation that will reduce power plant emissions and I will lead the way in finding and promoting options for people to get out of their cars. We need to begin by limiting urban sprawl and facilitating transit use. I will continue to promote infill redevelopment, advocate for pedestrian and bicycle improvements, replace diesel buses with alternative fuel vehicles, promote commuter choice options where employers pay transit benefits to employees, and look at options for paying employees cash in lieu of parking at work. These are some ways that we can begin to shift our dependence on cars and clean up our air by reducing carbon emissions.

12. Automobile traffic continues to frustrate Montgomery County drivers. How will you lead on this issue? What are your transit and road priorities and how will you fund them? How do your transportation goals address environmental issues?

already answered in question 1 and question 11.

13. Assuming that you support the Purple Line, what specific actions will you take to get it on track? How can we fund it? What else needs to be done?

The Purple Line must be built to help ease traffic congestion and to create an east-west transit route in Montgomery and Prince Georges county. This plan must make sense for neighborhoods. The newly elected governor and state delegates and senators will play a role in securing the funding that is needed to make the Purple Line a reality. I will work closely with the state delegation, the Coalition to Build the Purple Line, the County Council, and the residents of Silver Spring and Bethesda to make the Purple Line a reality.