We are sick and tired in Montgomery County of county council politicians who tell special interests in private meetings that they can have every expensive thing they ask for, then they tell the public they are "fiscal conservatives," or "fiscal moderates," and then they vote to exceed the charter property tax limit and oppose efforts to make it more difficult to violate the charter property tax limit. And that is exactly what Don Praisner is doing.

The candidates mentioned above should immediately make public their written answers to questions one and three of the MCEA questionnaire. Will they support the union demands for a 30% three year pay increase and will they support tax increases to do so? Don Praisner is a wolf in sheep's clothing. He talks about "fiscal conservatism," in public meetings and then touts his endorsement by the Montgomery County Federation of Teachers twice in his new mailer, a special interest to which he has promised everything but the kitchen sink. Then he will vote as the entire council did for three years from FY03-05 to exceed the charter property tax limit.

Only Mark Fennel is running for County Council and Property
Tax Relief. Fennel has pledged not to vote to exceed the charter property tax limit. He supports our November ballot question to make it more difficult to exceed the charter property tax limit.

With a recession, 401k's tanking, $4 gas, and increases in sales, income, car, and corporate taxes with hikes in Metro, water and electricity fees, we can't afford double-talking Don Praisner.

Only Mark Fennel has been honest from square one about standing for property tax relief and against the biggest property tax increase in 20 years which has been proposed by the Leggett-Praisner tax-increasing, foreclosure-causing, out-of-the-housing-market-driving duo!

Marimow has a Democratic pen. I'm more concerned about what they are taking out of my pocketbook, than who is putting money into theirs.

Sensible people will google my name and find themselves at my campaign website.

Definitely read the campaign website, which is all of the campaign I can afford on $100 out of my own pocket. I can't afford to have Robin Ficker standing out at the curb waving signs at people driving to the candidate's debates. I can tell you where those debates will be. Tonight, at 7PM, at Paint Branch HS in Burtonsville!

The County Council is listening and they have proposed their own budget, via informal means. Ms Marimow writes -- in a story that you can't find from any page on the Post website without using the search engine -- about this rapid response to the clear concerns of the desperate voters in Montgomery.

Now, I recommend to everyone in District 4 that you run right out and pick up a paper copy of the _Gazette_ (Aspen Hill version) and read it cover to cover.

They are on a RAMPAGE against Mr Leggett's total disconnect from economic realities, the apparent ethical improprieties of Candidate and School Board President Nancy Navarro and Superintendent Jerry Weast having closed-doors meetings with union officials.

They are on the WARPATH against the proposed contracts for a 28 percent pay raise on a three-year contract for firefighters.

They are SCRUTINIZING expenditures and contract proposals for the Schools budget.

The Gazette wants everyone to make sure they don't have any leftover papers by the end of the day, and they're doing it by Taking A VERY HARD LOOK at why this County Council desperately needs CHANGE.

My name is Thomas Hardman, candidate for the District 4 seat, and I approved this message.

Now, I have to go write up the whole issue of the Gazette into one mammoth posting on by Blog, that will make it entirely impossible for any reasonable human being -- regardless of party affiliation -- to vote for anyone less intelligent, prepared, and clearly preferable than Thomas Hardman.

Expect the WRATH of some deity or another to descend into the blogosphere befoer my 3PM deadline.

Mark Fennel is the kind of hardworking, bright, young person the council needs to keep it focused on issues that matter to county residents. Being mindful of budgets under its watch, stemming the tide of property tax increases, and shepherding careful planning for appropriate growth, are among the expectations residents have for the council. Fennel, more than the candidates influenced by political action committees, can deliver what voters are seeking.

It's getting close to Primary Day, and as usual, there aren't many real choices out there:

Navarro has a well financed PR machine running at full steam now. Just look at all the mailing pieces and signs, and look at the design work that has gone into them. This is a local race. Without exception, every politician who has taken significant contributions and support from special interests has remained beholden to them. The last thing we need is another UNION YES puppet on the Council. Somebody has to pay for all that - and it's US. In terms of results, under Ms. Navarro, test scores have declined (she recommended lowering the criteria for minority students to offset this in a candidate forum prior to the last BOE election) and expenditures have spiraled upward by....wait....can't see the books! Yet, Special Education programs have been recommended for cuts, Paint Branch High School's fire alarm system failed due to age and the Fire Marshal had to order a round the clock staff fire watch so that classes could be held, and my kids still have classes in trailers. We've seen what Ms. Navarro has to offer, and beyond the pleasant smile and demeanor, it's a failed leadership record. In fact, I hope she does leave the Board of Education so that MCPS isn't lead into receivership and doesn't lose even more of its performance edge. Is this what you or I want from a Councilmember?

Mr. Ficker has placed so many Fennel yard signs, many along with his own signs, throughout the district that one must wonder whether the $1500 or so financing the Fennel campaign could have paid for them all. Maybe Ficker is helping out just as much with behind the scenes financing as he is with coaching Fennel at the candidate forums? Does he plan to be there mouthing words for Fennel during Council sessions? Is this what you or I want from a Councilmember?

This is embarrassing, and it makes the "East County" look like a bunch of ignorant fools who will believe anything.

Leggett wants still another person on the council who supports his proposed largest property tax increase in 20 years--Don Praisner.

The reason Mark Fennel has his Fennel for County Council and Property Tax Relief signs on the yards of more private homes than the other candidates put together, is that more homeowners want Fennel for County Council and Property Tax Relief. Praisner and Navarro have promised to vote to exceed the charter property tax limit and will do so asap and next year and the year after that citing "deficits." They have deficits in their own creative thinking. Mark Fennel has been schooled in waste, mismanagement, and inefficiency for years at the Nation's premiere waste- finding organization, the Citizens Against Government Waste, and is a certified expert in finding all three.

I have not contributed any money to the Fennel campaign at all, although it might not be a bad idea because I want Property Tax Relief and have been pushing that idea since l974 with numerous ballot initiatives.

And Mark Fennel can speak for himself. Just ask any of the women who went to school with him at Vassar College.

Ficker writes:

"The reason Mark Fennel has his Fennel for County Council and Property Tax Relief signs on the yards of more private homes than the other candidates put together, is that more homeowners want Fennel for County Council and Property Tax Relief."

How does the one-issue candiate do that on a $1500 budget? If so many people want Fennel then why won't people contribute their money to his campaign? Those signs are that cheap. Who paid for all those signs ????

"And Mark Fennel can speak for himself. Just ask any of the women who went to school with him at Vassar College."

If he is so good at speaking for himself, why is Robin Ficker doing all his talking for him? Why does Fennel need Ficker at candidate forums coaching him like an elementary school teacher coaching a first grade play? If Ficker wants to be front and center, let him run on his own...oh yeah...tried that and was rejected outright by the community.

An indication of insanity is repeatedly trying the same thing that fails over and over. Some folks have been doing that since 1974.

Hardman, McKinnis, Kanstroom, and Praisner have all taken the high road. None of them needs a mouthpiece to get their messages out.

Who is running for office? Fennel or Ficker??? If Fennel was smart enough to graduate from Vassar, one would think he'd tell his own puppet-master campaign liability, Ficker, to step back and get off the stage.

Hey, Nancy, SAVE A TREE! I'm tired of getting all of your campaign postcards in my mailbox! Overkill... of trees. Oh, but wait, they're coming down with development and construction anyway, right??? Not with my vote!

All of the above mentioners or mentionees are invited to lunch with Councilman Fennel on May 14!

According to the campaign finance report, Candidate Navarro's husband even kicked in $5000. Sort of like buying a lottery ticket for a $90,000 lottery jackpot.

Navarro, Nancy Friends Of Reginald Laurent
47 Shaw Ave ,
Silver Spring, MD, $5,000.00 08/07/2006 Individual
Remarks: Candidate's Spouse

So VERY glad that the Dem voters of District 4 had the good sense to reject Nancy Navarro. She got just what she deserved for her miserable performance on the BOE and for ignoring her constituents for four years. She blew us off so many times and now she knows what it feels like. She still has two years left on the BOE and hopefully her politics of division (not possibilities) won't gain any more traction than it already has. Way to go voters of District 4!!!

Oh, and way to go MCEA. Your leaders (Gerson and Cullison) have developed quite a skill for picking losers.