Winter Weather Updates- Tuesday, January 7: Trash, Recycling, and Food Waste Collection Delayed until 10am/ No Childcare or WBL Practices
The City is expected to re-open on January 7, as of 8:30 am, unless an extended closure is required. Stay tuned for more Winter Weather Updates. Click "More Information" for the latest details on closures and weather impacts.
If asked to name one person who made a difference in your life, who would you name? Would it be your first grade teacher? Your scout leader? Or maybe a coach? What made this person stand out from the rest? How did they impact your life? How would your life be different if you never had an encounter with this person?
When I think back to the people that inspired me and changed my life for the better (other than my parents, of course), I think of the people who took time to get to know me and who spent time investing in me. I think of my Brownie Troop Leader, numerous recreation employees, Takoma Park police officers, teachers, educators, my wrestling coach, etc. These individuals went beyond their titles to impart knowledge, wisdom, guidance and support.
“Mentoring, at its core, guarantees young people that there is someone who cares about them, assures them they are not alone in dealing with day-to-day challenges, and makes them feel like they matter. Research confirms that quality mentoring relationships have powerful positive effects on young people in a variety of personal, academic, and professional situations. Ultimately, mentoring connects a young person to personal growth and development, and social and economic opportunity. Yet one in three young people will grow up without this critical asset” (Mentoring.org).
Being a consistent role model in someone’s life gives a mentor the opportunity to offer advice, share life experiences, help navigate challenges and encourage the mentee.
Youth who meet regularly with their mentors are: 46% less likely than their peers to start using illegal drugs and 27% less likely to start drinking. (Public/Private Ventures Study, Big Brothers Big Sisters)
Young adults who face an opportunity gap but have a mentor are: 81% more likely to participate regularly in sports or extracurricular activities than those who do not. (The Mentoring Effect, 2014)
Mentoring young people also teaches them and helps them with being able to express themselves and have healthy relationships with their parents and other adults. Mentoring is a shared opportunity for learning and growth. Good mentors take the time to get to know their mentees, to learn things that are important to them, and even the will to be changed by their relationship.
Summer is right around the corner, and young people everywhere will be out of school. This is the perfect opportunity to get out and get involved. Volunteer at a festival, coach a summer league, volunteer to teach a class with the Takoma Park Recreation Department or read stories at the Takoma Park Library. Whatever you choose to do will make a difference, so just do something. The future of our young people depends on it.
In the U.S., nearly 2.2 million adults were held in its prisons and jails at the end of 2016, according to a 2018 report from the Bureau of Justice Statistics. And of those incarcerated, African Americans and other minorities make up a disproportionate number.
One Takoma Park group is looking to change that by increasing awareness of the disparity and working with state legislatures for more equal treatment. “Criminal justice reform is about transforming the entire justice system and moving away from the overly punitive and racially biased approach to justice,” said Shayla Davis of Takoma Park Mobilization.
Started in 2016, Takoma Park Mobilization is a series of working groups that act on initiatives, including community meals, education, environmental health, immigration and Muslim solidarity, and mass incarceration.
Through outreach and organization, the Mass Incarceration Working Group of Takoma Park Mobilization works to lower the flow of young African Americans into prison. In April, the group held a public forum featuring speakers focused on different aspects of incarceration.
“The purpose was for folks to share their work,” Davis said. “We also had panelists come and talk about what they’ve been doing.”
Those panelists included Nikki Thompson of Job Opportunities Task Force (JOTF), who spoke on the 2019 legislative session and how people can get more involved in state politics; Dr. Stephanie McGencey with Women’s Equity Center and Action Network (WE CAN) discussing re-entry for former prisoners; and Marc Mauer, author of
The Meaning of Life: The Case for Abolishing Life Sentences, who talked about sentencing.
This year the group worked heavily during Maryland’s legislative session, emailing and calling Sen. Will Smith, who represents Takoma Park. “Going into this year, we focused a lot on the legislative session,” Davis said. “We worked with Job Opportunity Task Force to come up with some bills of our own.”
Though most action stalled during the session, it was still a valuable learning experience and showed that there’s still plenty more that can be done to get people to be able to participate in their own government.
In the past, the group has held expungement events in which local ACLU and the JOTF help people get charges taken off their records after serving their sentences. “We had a person who came through and had their entire record cleared, which is huge,” Davis said.
For now, the group is looking for people who want to act on ending mass incarceration and help to reform the state and country’s justice systems. “We need leaders who come in and say, ‘I can take care of this’ and are motivated to be supportive,” Davis said. “A lot of people want to be seen doing things, and that’s fine, but a lot of hard work goes into you being able to take that picture in the first place.”
And Davis says the group is looking for all sorts of people to help. “If you volunteer your time, know that just because you don’t have expertise doesn’t mean that you’re any less valuable,” she said. “And if you don’t have free time, you can always donate. Money is how these things happen.”
“Change isn’t going to happen with meek asks and minor additions,” Davis continued. “Change requires strategy, planning and sweat. The time for standing on the sidelines is over.”
If you’re interested in joining Takoma Park Mobilization, visit tpmobilization.org.
You can also view April’s public forum by searching Takoma Park Mobilization on YouTube.
Last Friday night I was talking with a niece of mine who just completed her first year as an elementary school principal in Tucson, Arizona. She had a wonderful but challenging year, as it included her school’s participation in a special Harvard program that coaches race equity in education.
City Manager Suzanne Ludlow with her niece Andrea Steele near Tucson, December, 2018.
In speaking with her, she lamented the greatest challenge she and her staff face: the teaching of her students to “Be Kind” is being undercut to a greater degree than ever by what the students hear at home and through social media.
We discussed how adults also are impacted by biting listserv or social media posts before factual information is gathered, or the posting of information that is known to be wrong or exaggerated just to make a point. What is overlooked is that real people may be unfairly criticized and the thought of “Be Kind” is not modeled for the children and others in our community.
A Shout Out
Kind words and respect and civility generally don’t get as much attention. So, I’d like to give a shout out to a person who wrote to me and several Councilmembers this past week about her concerns about a film sponsored by the Arts and Humanities Commission. She made an inquiry, identified her concerns and communicated effectively and civilly about them. We were able to investigate the situation and look at the advertising materials. There was a determination that we should indeed clarify that the City is not necessarily endorsing the point of the film. Her communication is facilitating additional discussion about how films, lectures and artwork are chosen, presented and characterized, and we will be learning through the dialogue. That is the Takoma Park I truly appreciate.
I also want to give a shout out to the folks who first go to the City’s website when they have interest in or concerns about a project or a policy. I frequently get email comments from them about how much detailed financial or plan information they found on the website – to an extent that is much greater than other jurisdictions. Reporters, in particular, are astounded. Folks appreciate how the work is explicitly tied to Council goals, and project manager contact information is provided if there are additional questions. Often, suggestions for additional information are made and we are able to improve our project pages for other users. We also strive to find new and creative ways to effectively communicate about the work being done by staff and Council.
I know that City staff and I are not perfect. We make mistakes and we can always improve. I admit when we fall short. My staff and I try to address the immediate problem and find ways to minimize it happening again. I deeply appreciate when a resident contacts me or a Councilmember directly about a problem with a staff person or a project. I can follow up and determine if training, discipline, or a different approach would address the problem. Or, if there is more to the story, I can inform the resident of the larger context. Whether staff violated a policy or did not have a friendly tone in an interaction, I take complaints very seriously.
I, myself, have had to be reminded to “Be Kind.” Sometimes so much is going on that it takes a nudge to think about our own actions and demeanor. I have been working on that and I appreciate the person who called me on it.
Appreciation
One of the great joys of my job is to pass on compliments from residents about staff. I am fortunate to receive quite a few, sometimes about actions I had never heard about – like a staff person taking an extra minute to provide a hand to a resident when it was needed. Thank you to those residents who have taken the time to express appreciation and let us know about the good work!
I am grateful to have a wonderful staff to work with and a Council that cares about the community and about collaborative approaches to implementing the Priorities they have set. People often imagine that we are a large government, but the number of City staff is quite small for all of the work we do. In many cases, we have just one employee for a certain specialty (one civil engineer, one arborist, one communications specialist). Still, I appreciate that our staff consists of a mix of newer employees and experienced professionals from many different backgrounds. That mix allows for great discussions about best approaches to addressing problems or work projects. In particular, I love the interest in working with the community using the race equity lens the Council has endorsed.
The Councilmembers work hard, both individually and collectively, and receive little financial compensation for their long hours. It is clear they love Takoma Park and want to help make it better and keep it special. I particularly appreciate the commitment they have for sharing information and to spending time hearing from residents and business owners.
In the coming months, Council will be continuing discussion of the City’s major initiatives, budget processes, and the challenges we face. These issues affect every Takoma Park resident, so I hope you watch a Council meeting either live or online, check out the information on the City’s website, ask the questions you may have, and share your thoughts with the Council.
Please also feel free to reach out to me with your thoughts or invite me to your neighborhood meetings. Except for a vacation in August with my son (that I am really looking forward to!), I will be here for conversation and learning and continued appreciation of all that is Takoma Park.
I hope you have a wonderful and safe summer! Suzie Ludlow
“You see, idealism detached from action is just a dream. But idealism allied with pragmatism, with rolling up our sleeves and making the world bend a bit, is very exciting. It’s very real. It’s very strong.” – Bono
Mayor Kate Stewart
For the last six weeks the City Council, staff, and residents have rolled-up our sleeves and gotten to work on our FY2020 budget, which was adopted after a 6-1 vote at the May 15 Council meeting. The City’s budget is a quantitative expression of our values. It embodies in dollars and cents the goals and priorities we are working toward.
Thank you to everyone who helped make our City’s FY2020 budget a strong one that positions us to take advantage of the opportunities before us, prepares us for the challenges, and reflects our values.
The work on the budget is most intense every spring, but it starts much earlier in the year when the Council works with staff and residents to update and set priorities. The Council priorities are used as a tool to guide policy and budget decisions. We have improved the process this year thanks to residents’ input and staff work and I look forward to doing more next year.
Currently, we face both opportunities and challenges. As every year, we want to advance our priorities and continue to uphold our core values while holding down costs. The arrival of the Purple Line, increased growth in population in the region and the need to continue to provide affordable, quality housing – these are three of the evolving realities confronting us. So is the urgency to mitigate and adapt to climate change and the need to resist the harsh policies of the Trump administration.
The full proposed budget document is available on the City website here (though it’s very important to note that, based on recent Council discussions and decisions, expenditures – and the corresponding tax rate – will be less than what is included in this document). For a list of the services the City provides residents, please see hereand major projects we are working on over the next couple of years can be found here. For more background on the budget and some highlights of what is in the FY2020 budget, please continue reading.
Overall Approach to the Budget
As I have noted over the last few weeks, when we start getting into the budget it is easy to get lost in the details and to only see the trees and not the forest. Therefore, I have kept the following four things front and center in our discussions to make sure our overall budget does the following:
Takes advantage of opportunities: We want a budget that allows us to take advantage of good ideas and opportunities that may come our way as we did last year in protecting Dorothy’s Woods and adopting a single-use plastic straw ban. With the Purple Line moving forward, the City gaining ownership of the New Hampshire Recreation Center, and the moving of Washington Adventist Hospital, we have put an emphasis in this year’s budget on preparing for these events.
Address known needs: We know many people in our community find themselves on fixed incomes and impacted by changes at the federal level to tax deductions. We need to make sure our budget provides programs and resources for those in need in our community so that they can continue to call Takoma Park home. That means continuing and expanding tax rebates, continuing rent stabilization, keeping our recreation programs for seniors and young people free or available for a nominal fee, as well as continuing our long term work on building a strong and resilient community through our racial equity work and fighting climate change.
Prepared for unknown needs: We are a Sanctuary City and have recommitted over the last two years to being a welcoming community. Given the actions of the current federal administration, we have been and continue to be at the ready to provide assistance to those most impacted. In addition, we have had to deal with issues such as cell towers and other attacks on our authority to pass laws locally and have had to do more to fight preemption attempts at both the federal and state level.
Ensure stability and fiscal responsibility: As discussed in more detail below, the Council has voted for a tax rate that is .5397. This rate is equal to the Constant Yield plus the Employee Cost Index (ECI). In other words, this tax rate provides the same level of revenue we collected in prior fiscal year plus the increase in compensation and benefits for city employees using the index published by the Bureau of Labor statistics. In 2015 and 2016, the City Council made a commitment to our employees by raising salaries of our lowest paid workers to market rate and having a policy that put in place a floor of $40,000 for any full-time worker for the City. We are committed to ensuring that our staff receive wages and benefits so that they can live and continue to work in this area. Therefore, if we look at continuing and maintaining the same services each year having a tax rate that increases by the ECI may be an appropriate approach. The Council will be having more discussions about having as a general standard the constant yield plus ECI for future budgets or some similar guideline.
What’s in the Budget
I want to highlight what is in the budget that will advance the top priorities in the City. This is only a select list. Please see the City website for the full proposed budget.
LIVABLE COMMUNITY FOR ALL: Ensuring we have a range of safe, quality, and stable housing options that are affordable for residents of varying incomes and all races and ethnicities
FY2020 Budget Highlights:
Contribution of $210,000 to the Housing Reserve Fund. The Council will be finalizing the Housing Strategic Plan in the upcoming months.
Resources allocated to continue work to ensure quality affordable housing for those who rent. When we look across the region at rents, Takoma Park continues to have the lowest rents in the area.
Rent stabilization and PILOTS (Payment in Lieu of Taxes) to support upgrades and improvements for buildings.
Frequent inspections and code enforcement: The budget includes $257,078 for rental inspections and enforcement so that the City can continue to have more frequent inspections than currently required by the county.
Technical review services for “Fair Return Rent Increase” petitions.
Assisting and advocating for renters: Increasing half-time Landlord-Tenant Mediator position to fulltime, which will greatly enhance our ability to advocate on behalf of renters and housing associations.
Assistance for residents moving to homeownership:
Funding of the Home Stretch Down Payment Assistance Program where in the last few years has helped three families become homeowners; in the last four years, over 140 prospective home buyers have attended our staff led first-time home buyer programs.
Assistance to residents in need of help with property taxes:
$174,500 for our Tax Rebate Program for nearly 150 low-income homeowners who qualify to receive assistance on paying their property taxes. The Council also included an additional $22,500 for new rebate programs for those eligible based on income and will be discussing next steps on these in July.
Assistance for residents in need: $55,000 for income based emergency assistance which provides families with assistance for things such as rent, health care costs, and other expenses in emergency situations.
Making sure we have programs and services available to residents of various income level. For example, continue scholarships for the Recreation Department’s many programs and keep the cost of programs for seniors and young people free or for a nominal fee.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FOR AN IMPROVED & EQUITABLE QUALITY OF LIFE: Planning and preparing for development in the City and region while maintaining the special character and diversity of Takoma Park.
FY2020 Budget Highlights:
New Economic Development division, which will enable us to have significantly more focused efforts on redevelopment projects such as Takoma Junction, the Recreation Center, the Washington Adventist Hospital property, and other properties; also more focused advocacy and work on the redevelopment of the New Hampshire
Addition of fulltime intern to support Economic Development Manager.
Support business associations: $73,500 in contracts for services with Old Town Business Association and Takoma Langley Crossroads Development Authority.
Develop and initiate implementation of a new Takoma Park Business Retention and Expansion project, including up to $50,000 in City funding for commercial district improvements.
Develop and host workforce development workshops and “Success Fairs.”
$75,000 for community engagement and planning associated with the New Hampshire Avenue Recreation Center.
Arts and Humanities program – implementation of the Takoma Park Cultural Plan, Film Screening Series, Lecture Series, We are Takoma performances, and other programs.
$20,000 for new public art installations.
ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY: Prioritizing actions, policies, innovations, and new opportunities that mitigate and adapt to the causes and effects of climate change.
FY2020 Budget Highlights:
Resources to update the City’s Sustainable Energy Action Plan with more aggressive strategies to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions and add resiliency to planning goals.
Programs to assist low income residents, businesses and multi-family properties with energy improvements: business rebates ($20,000), low and moderate income efficiency rebates ($45,000), funding for multi-family efficiency projects ($75,000) and residential rebates ($5,000). Additionally there are funds included to develop new sustainability initiatives ($15,000).
Flower Avenue Green Street project: The project has started! The city has been able to leverage $1.2 million of City Funds to receive $5.1million in other funding. This project is remarkably complex, involving federal transportation funds, utility upgrades, County funds and other grant funds. The resulting “green street” will meet environmental and transit goals as well as provide an attractive gateway into Takoma Park. Sidewalks on both sides of the street will be a major improvement, and the low-impact stormwater facilities will be a major environmental improvement in a location built with almost no stormwater infrastructure. The project has received statewide and Chesapeake Bay watershed-wide attention already and will be a project for which I expect national attention once completed.
$25,000 for Public Land Management planning and implementation, which will have implications for open space, stormwater management, and tree canopy.
Pesticide and herbicide free vegetation management program.
Design and construction of stormwater treatment facilities to capture street run-off and filtering prior to entering the stormwater system: the first phase of the Takoma Branch Stream Restoration project which, when completed, will provide a significant pollution reduction for the City ($110,000 for design in FY20, with construction expected in FY21); construction of bioretention facilities at Grant and Holly Avenue ($30,000) and at the rear of the Parkview Apartments in the City right of way behind Sheridan Avenue ($55,000); water drainage project at Manor Circle and Carroll Avenue ($35,000).
In addition, the work of racial equity runs through all the work we do in the City and in our budget this year we have included $10,000 for continued training for members of Council appointed boards and committees, $6,000 for staff to participate in an upcoming regional racial equity cohort training, and $1,500 for continued membership dues for the Government Alliance on Race and Equity.
The Process: How We Get a Budget
Every year in early April, the City Manager submits a recommended budget to the City Councilfor the upcoming fiscal year beginning July 1. The Proposed Budget is considered by the City Council through a public process of hearings, Council work sessions, open houses, and final adoption in late May. The Adopted Budget officially sets the tax rates and guides the expenditure of funds by the City throughout the fiscal year, July 1 through June 30.
The foundation for our budget discussions began back in January when the Council established the 2019 Priorities. The Priorities document also provides a listing of major projects, initiatives, and ongoing activities that the Council and City staff will continue to work on and establishes a framework for the Council as it looks at the budget.
Setting the Tax Rate
During our many discussions about the budget, we debated trade-offs and considered the best ways to address residents’ needs and priorities given the resources available. In addition, given increases in property taxes at the county level and changes regarding deductions people can make on their federal taxes, we also discussed how we can best help those who may be struggling to stay in their home and pay their property taxes.
All of us on the Council understand that while we are setting the budget for the City, individuals and families are doing the same for their own households. Therefore, it was central to our discussions to ensure fiscal responsibility while delivering on the services residents rely on and have come to expect, and at the same time address the needs and priorities for the future. This year we have set aside additional money for tax rebates for those in need in our community. We will be deciding on the criteria for these rebates this summer.
The City’s main source of revenue is property taxes. And this year, after much deliberation, the Council voted 6-1 to set the rate at .5397 cents (per $100 of assessed value). This rate reflects constant yield, which is the tax rate that would provide the same revenue as last fiscal year, plus the Employment Cost Index (ECI). The ECI is published by the Bureau of Labor Statics and show the compensation cost for state and local government workers including health care benefits.
To put this into context, for a home assessed at $500,000, if there’s no change in the assessment, the new rate of .5397 would mean an increase in the local property tax from $2,646 to $2,698. Of course, what individuals actually pay will depend on both the value of their homes and how their assessments have changed. Some residents saw a decrease in their assessment while others saw an increase.
Thank you very much for taking the time for reading this recap of the budget. I am happy to answer any questions and look forward to continue improving our budget process even further next year.
MDOT SHA will host two different workshops in June for the community to help shape the vision for transportation at Takoma Junction.
Each workshop will have its own agenda with different activities and objectives. Please plan on attending both workshops. You must register for each workshop individually.
Part I – Crafting a Vision Statement Tuesday, June 4 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm
Part II – Bringing the Vision to Life Monday, June 10 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm
The Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) is conducting a vision study to collaboratively develop and document a range of potential future improvements to address pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicular mobility at Takoma Junction.
Do you want an opportunity to have your voice heard? You should take the Online Survey provided by SHA Vision Study.
The “Jarboe Battalion,” an unofficial group of Takoma Park firefighters that has existed for more than 50 years and was once seven men strong, is now down to a lone member. But that member is a Chief, and he has no intention of letting the legacy end anytime soon.
“Once a Chief, always a Chief,” said Jimmy Jarboe, 80, as he led a reporter on a tour of the Takoma Park Fire Station on a recent Sunday morning.
He explained that although he retired as a professional firefighter in 1988, because of health issues, he served as volunteer chief for 12 years (he retired in 2008), and he is still referred to as Chief. He is not the only Jarboe to earn that moniker, but he is the last to hold it.
Jimmy Jarboe’s brother, Teddy, was also known as Chief, having served as a Career Fire Chief in Kensington and as a Deputy Fire Chief in Montgomery County, passed away suddenly in February (read his obituary in the April 2019 newsletter), leaving Jimmy as the last of a family that has served as firefighters in Takoma Park and Montgomery County since 1956. (Read the article on the “Family Tradition” in the November 2019 newsletter.)
It was Teddy who was the first Jarboe to join, volunteering at age 16 in 1956. Jimmy followed soon after, and they were quickly joined by three more brothers, their father and their uncle.
But it was Teddy who was the leader, and his sudden death hit Jimmy hard. “It was a shock,” said Jimmy. “He was my number one input and influence.”
Teddy’s background as a longtime firefighter and fire safety educator profoundly shaped Jimmy’s work as a community fire safety advocate, a role he has embraced as a volunteer since his retirement as a professional firefighter. In this role, he attends community events and festivals, speaks at schools and generally takes every opportunity he can to educate the community about fire safety.
It is an important role, and one that only adds to an impressive legacy, said Darrell Hout, Montgomery County Fire Rescue Service Captain, Station Commander, assigned to the Takoma Park station. “He has been doing education and outreach for decades,” Hout said of Jimmy Jarboe. He was one of the originators of the smoke detector program here in Takoma Park.
“His heart has always been in it,” Hout said. And it still is.
On that recent Sunday morning, Jimmy eagerly cornered Hout to propose a new idea for reaching out to the community. And, of course, Jimmy volunteered to be the person to implement it. Which begs the question, “Does he see a time when he will give up volunteering?”
“My wife just asked me if I’ll ever stop,” he said, chuckling. “I’ve been around the firehouse a long time. I rode the trucks for 50 years, and now I really like working with the community and educating the public about fire safety.
“Plus, it’s helping people, it’s saving lives, and being around the station and the people is fun.”
In other words, the Jarboe legacy seems destined to live on. For that, we in the Takoma Park community can all be thankful.
The City of Takoma Park has a 30-year commitment to protecting its widely diverse community as a Sanctuary City.
Mayor, Kate Stewart
The dedication to our immigrant residents continues today. In Takoma Park, we stand strong against hate and vitriol that spreads ignorance and misinformation. And once again we reiterate our Takoma Park values:
We are a City with residents and staff from all over the world and we celebrate and cherish our diversity.
We are a City that welcomes those who are victims of terrorism, violence, or economic upheaval regardless of their national origins.
We refuse to demonize individuals based on their place of birth, religion, or race.
We are a City that upholds the right of ALL people to live their lives with dignity and respect.
Today, in the face of hateful, dehumanizing, and blatant lies being espoused by the current occupant of the White House, we remind the world that in Takoma Park we believe in building strong, inclusive, and healthy communities by ensuring that the rights of all are upheld — immigrants, people of different faiths, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals, people of color.
We believe our immigration system should prioritize keeping families together and not tearing them apart.
We believe that every individual has an inherent right to be treated with fairness and justice, not with hatred and bigotry.
We are a City dedicated to forging stronger relationships and creating out of our myriad of differences and experiences one community that stands together.
So our message to President Trump – We Will Take Them.
At last night’s City Council meeting, I presented the Fiscal Year 2020 Recommended Budget for consideration by the Council. Below are my introductory comments followed by links to budget
City Manager Suzanne Ludlow
documents and to information on how you can share your thoughts with the City Council as they determine the appropriate balance of services and costs for the City of Takoma Park for the fiscal year that begins July 1, 2019.
Public participation in the budget process is essential. And, for a budget as tight as this one is, it is very important to share your views on which programs and services should not be cut. People tend to not make comments on elements that they see in a budget that they support – they assume if the programs they like are in a proposed budget, they will stay in the budget. This year, I am proposing to raise the tax rate 2.69 cents just to keep a “maintenance of effort” budget. That means, if there is a desire to have a smaller tax rate, there will need to be cuts in programs, services and, likely, City staff positions. Communicating your thoughts to the City Council now through the April 24 Budget Public Hearing is important so the Council will have the benefit of your views when they do budget reconciliation on April 29.
My opening comments from last night:
I come before you today to speak of responsibility – and the power we have as a team of caring people, caring professionals, to address the work that is before us, and to make the decisions that need to be made.
What is before us? We have a convergence of pressures, projects and opportunities. They are here – all at once. What is before us?
The Purple Line – 20 years ago, I attended a Maryland Department of Transportation open house with my then 4 year old son, and it was clear that there would be a light rail line coming past Takoma Park with positive and negative impacts someday – today the construction is underway.
Washington Adventist Hospital – 12 years ago, it was announced that the hospital would be moving to another location, taking away the City’s largest employer and health facility – and the acute care patients are moving to a new hospital in White Oak this August.
Flower Avenue Green Street – 10 years ago, Public Works Director Daryl Braithwaite, after learning of the “green street” concept and tired of dealing with lack of attention to Flower Avenue by the State of Maryland and Montgomery County said, “Flower Avenue should be a “green street” – and construction is starting this month.
Library Expansion and Renovation – 5 years ago, a study of what a 21st Century library should be was done and plans were begun to renovate the Takoma Park Library so that it would remain a community living room with books and wonderful programs – and, detailed design work is now underway.
What else is happening?
Jurisdictions on every side of Takoma Park are redeveloping, and new businesses are moving into Takoma Park into some commercial spaces that weren’t as vibrant before.
Many new families are moving into homes that hadn’t had children in them for years, and schools in the Takoma Park area are bursting at the seams.
I have known for many years that one day we would be at this place. I just didn’t know it would be this year and I didn’t know we would have such a limited pool of resources with which to address these pressures.
Despite our best efforts, tax duplication remains a major issue. And, this year, as I will discuss, there is the surprise in the large number of properties in Takoma Park that lost value in the most recent State property assessment. While the cost of providing City services is increasing, the citywide net assessed value only increased 0.6 percent for FY20. If the City’s tax rate were to stay the same, we would only gain about $75,500 – the equivalent of installing just 600 linear feet of new sidewalk.
We also have challenges in increased risk from climate change, due to longer duration snow or rain storms. And, there are always surprises – for example, possible changes in federal law regarding cell towers or Sanctuary Cities.
We can address these challenges, though. We have the talented staff, we have the commitment to serve, and we have the excitement of creation, of possibility, of collaborative improvement.
However, we cannot address all of these challenges with a budget that does not increase. So, back to where I began this presentation: I come to you today to speak of responsibility and the power we have as a team to make the decisions that need to be made.
Budget Documents
FY20 Proposed Budget – note that you can skip to any section via links in the Table of Contents
Excel spreadsheets of Proposed Budget: Per the note included in the first tab: “The spreadsheets in the three tabs herein contain raw information pulled from the City’s enterprise financial system, which is used to develop the budget. The columns contain both budgeted and actual activity figures beginning in FY 2017 for each of the line items in the City’s budget. The column titled “Defined Budget” is the current fiscal year budget. The column titled “2019-2020” contains the dollar figures included in the proposed budget. Some line items contain descriptions for how the budget funds are broken down for that particular line. “2018-2019 CERT” represents the current fiscal year budget, while “2019-2020 Prelim” represents the proposed budget.”
Budget Schedule:
All meetings are at 7:30 pm in the Takoma Park Community Center Auditorium, 7500 Maple Avenue, unless otherwise indicated.
April 3 Presentation of Proposed Budget
April 8 Budget Open House – Takoma Park Community Center Hydrangea Room, 6:00-7:15 pm
April 8 Budget Work Session on Proposed Budget
April 10 First Budget Public Hearing
April 15 Budget Open House – Takoma Park Recreation Center,7315 New Hampshire Avenue, 6:00-7:15 pm
April 15 Budget Work Session on Options for Service and
Program Reductions – Takoma Park Recreation Center, 7315 New Hampshire Avenue, 7:30 pm.
April 24 Second Budget Public Hearing and Constant Yield Tax Rate Public Hearing
April 29 Budget Reconciliation – This is the meeting where the key decisions on the budget and tax rates are made by Council
May 8 First Reading Ordinances Adopting the FY20 Budget and Tax Rates
May 15 Second Reading Ordinances Adopting the FY20 Budget and Tax Rates
To share your thoughts on the budget, please go to Council Public Comment Form and/or testify at one of the two public hearings on the budget.
The City of Takoma Park joins other communities across the US and the world to declare that we are now in a climate related emergency that threatens our community and way of life.
The City of Takoma Park recognizes that the current rate of climate change of just one degree Celsius warming globally has triggered cataclysmic changes to our planet. In 2018, Takoma Park and the entire Washington DC region experienced the wettest year on record, with record rainfall, flooding and resulting stormwater issues. Trends for the region indicate that we can expect more severe weather events more often, continued increases in annual rainfall, and more frequent and prolonged stretches of extreme heat. These changes inflict substantial and often catastrophic damage to our physical, social, and economic well-being. Maryland is especially vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Across our region, our nation and our planet, communities are facing the impacts, which most strongly affect the most vulnerable among us.
Why did the City Council decide to declare a Climate Emergency at the local level, to address such a global issue?
Because it mobilizes action and builds public awareness that we are in an emergency state with devastating consequences for inaction.
It also serves as a public statement that our City will pursue necessary local steps to address this global challenge as soon as possible.
It signals that we are willing to do our part.
The City can serve as a leader and inspire others to do the same.
The Montgomery County Development Review Committee (DRC) held a meeting this morning with Neighborhood Development Company (NDC) representatives to discuss County and other agency staff comments on the proposed site plan and preliminary plan for the Takoma Junction development project. The meeting allowed NDC to follow up on DRC staff comments such as Fire Department access points and other technical clarifications.
Two major points from the meeting:
The County’s Department of Transportation and the Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA) stated the review of the transportation elements of the project will be delayed until after the SHA’s Vision project of the Junction intersection is completed this fall, thus delaying the project and the consideration of the project by the Planning Board. NDC will be following up with SHA about this.
Questions remain about the position of the Historic Preservation Commission regarding the plans. The staff person for the HPC provided written comments that seemed to conflict with Master Plan provisions and traditional historic preservation principles. Few existing commercial properties in the Takoma Park Historic District would meet the criteria identified by the staff person, so clarification is needed. NDC has been meeting with the HPC staff person and then will be meeting with the Commission to learn the position of the Commission concerning the proposal.
NDC will present a project update at the Takoma Park City Council meeting tomorrow night, Wednesday, March 20 at approximately 8:15 pm. For more information about the project, go to: Takoma Junction Project.
who cares about them, assures them they are not alone in dealing with day-to-day challenges, and makes them feel like they matter. Research confirms that quality mentoring relationships have powerful positive effects on young people in a variety of personal, academic, and professional situations. Ultimately, mentoring connects a young person to personal growth and development, and social and economic opportunity. Yet one in three young people will grow up without this critical asset” (Mentoring.org).
