Montgomery County Council At-Large

A: Montgomery County has to reduce its overreliance on federal employment and contracting. We should be supporting displaced workers while also investing in growing our private-sector economy—especially in life sciences, technology, healthcare, and small businesses. That means making it easier to start and grow a business here, cutting unnecessary barriers, and creating real pathways for economic mobility. A more diverse economy will make us more resilient and better able to weather federal changes.

A: I believe in fully funding our schools, especially as we face cuts from the federal government. This is particularly critical for special education. As a special education attorney, I’ve seen firsthand how essential these services are and how deeply students and families rely on them.

We have a responsibility to ensure our schools are properly resourced—this includes supporting educators, maintaining safe facilities, and meeting the growing needs of our students. I do not support balancing the budget by cutting jobs or failing to honor commitments we’ve made to our educators and staff. Stability in our workforce is essential to student success. At the same time, we should expect transparency and accountability in how funds are used. That means prioritizing classroom instruction, special education services, and student mental health, while reviewing inefficiencies and ensuring resources are aligned with outcomes. Our focus should be clear: protect our students, support our educators, and invest in a school system that works for every child.

A: Rent stabilization has helped prevent sudden rent spikes, but it is not a complete solution. We need to ensure it protects tenants without discouraging new housing development. Addressing affordability requires a broader strategy.

A: Increased development can help address our housing crisis, but only if it is done strategically and responsibly. We need more housing near transit, jobs, and essential services, with a clear focus on affordability—not just market-rate units.

This means partnering with nonprofit and mission-driven developers who are committed to building and preserving affordable housing for working families, seniors, and vulnerable residents. We should also use public land, incentives, and smart zoning policies to expand housing options, including workforce and family-sized units. At the same time, we must invest in infrastructure so we are not only building around existing transit, but expanding access to it. That includes improving bus service, road connectivity, pedestrian safety, and bringing amenities like grocery stores and community spaces into underserved areas. Growth must be aligned with infrastructure and community needs—schools, transportation, green space, and public safety—so development strengthens communities rather than straining them. With a balanced approach, we can create housing solutions that are both affordable and sustainable for Montgomery County.

A: We should take a careful, measured approach. Data centers may bring revenue, but we must fully evaluate their impacts on energy demand, land use, and surrounding communities before moving forward. I support Councilmember Will Jawando’s call for a temporary moratorium so we can get this right.

These facilities also raise serious environmental concerns. Data centers consume enormous amounts of electricity, which can drive up emissions if not powered by clean energy, and they require significant water for cooling. They can contribute to heat, noise, and strain on our grid and natural resources. Our energy costs are already rising, and we need to ensure that any development does not place additional burdens on residents. If data centers move forward, it must be because they clearly benefit the county—not harm our environment, strain infrastructure, or increase costs for working families.

A: The Dickerson incinerator should be shut down, but we must do so responsibly. We cannot simply shift the burden to lower-income or marginalized communities. If it is not safe for residents in Dickerson, it will not be safe for others either.

The county needs a thoughtful transition plan that reduces waste, expands recycling and composting, and identifies sustainable, equitable alternatives. Environmental justice must be central to any decision—we should not solve one problem by creating another elsewhere.

A: The county should ensure all residents feel safe accessing services and engaging with their community. I support policies that focus local resources on public safety while protecting immigrant families from unnecessary fear and instability.

As an immigration attorney, I have seen firsthand the harm caused by inhumane federal policies—especially during the Trump administration. Family separation, detention, and aggressive enforcement have left lasting trauma on parents and children. These impacts do not stop with immigrant families—they affect classmates, friends, and neighbors, creating fear and instability across entire communities. We must lead with policies that prioritize dignity, safety, and stability. When people are afraid to report crimes, go to school, or seek medical care, it makes all of us less safe. Montgomery County should continue to be a place where families can live, work, and contribute without fear.

A: I bring over 20 years of experience as an attorney and a strong record of service in our community and county government. I’ve worked both at the County Council and within the County Executive’s office, including experience developing and managing a budget and defending it before the Council. I understand how decisions are made and how to deliver results.

As an immigration and special education attorney, I bring a lens that is not currently represented on the Council but is critically needed—one grounded in advocating for families, protecting our most vulnerable residents, and navigating complex systems to get real outcomes. Montgomery County is my home. I’ve lived here longer than anywhere else, and I care deeply about its future. I’m not running for a seat—I’m running to serve. I’m focused on working for working families, making sure our children receive a strong education, ensuring families can afford to live here, and that our communities are safe, healthy, and economically strong. I will bring practical, thoughtful leadership rooted in service, with a clear goal: to help Montgomery County be the best it can be for everyone.

A: Federal layoffs exposed a structural risk—we’ve relied too heavily on one economic engine. My plan focuses on rapid stabilization and long-term diversification.

First, deploy a fast-track workforce transition program—connect displaced workers to new jobs within weeks through reskilling, credential transfer, and employer partnerships. Second, unlock private-sector growth by cutting permitting delays and launching fast-track approvals for job-creating businesses. Third, invest in small businesses with access to capital and fair procurement. Finally, track results publicly—jobs created, businesses retained, wages increased—so residents see real outcomes, not promises. We don’t just recover—we build a stronger, more resilient economy.

A: Throwing more money at the problem without reform won’t solve it—we need smarter, accountable investment.

First, align funding with enrollment realities by right-sizing underutilized facilities while reinvesting savings into classrooms. Second, prioritize teacher retention—competitive pay, reduced administrative burden, and targeted support. Third, cut central office inefficiencies and redirect funds to direct student services. Fourth, expand partnerships with community colleges and workforce programs to share resources and reduce duplication. Finally, implement transparent budgeting with clear metrics—every dollar tied to student outcomes. This is how we protect education quality while ensuring taxpayers see real results.

A: Rent stabilization provides short-term relief, but it hasn’t solved the affordability crisis because it doesn’t increase supply.

We need a balanced approach. I support stabilization to prevent displacement, but we must pair it with aggressive housing production—faster approvals, zoning reform, and incentives for mixed-income development. We also need stronger tenant protections and real landlord accountability. Most importantly, I will track outcomes—units built, rents stabilized, displacement reduced—and adjust policy based on results. Relief alone isn’t enough. We must build more housing and ensure the system works for both renters and long-term sustainability.

A: Yes—but only if it’s done strategically and with accountability. More development increases supply, which is essential to lowering costs, but not all development delivers affordability.

My approach is targeted: fast-track approvals for mixed-income and workforce housing, require meaningful affordability set-asides, and prioritize building near transit and job centers. We’ll also tie incentives to outcomes—developers must deliver units residents can actually afford. At the same time, we protect existing residents with anti-displacement measures. This isn’t growth for growth’s sake—it’s disciplined development that expands supply, lowers costs, and ensures affordability is real, not theoretical.

A: Data centers can expand our tax base, but without guardrails they strain energy, water, and communities.

My approach is disciplined and conditional: approve projects only where infrastructure can support them—away from neighborhoods, near industrial zones—with strict limits on noise, land use, and environmental impact. Require developers to fund necessary grid, water, and road upgrades—not taxpayers—and prioritize renewable energy commitments. Create a transparent review process with community input and clear impact metrics. If a project doesn’t meet these standards, it doesn’t move forward. Growth must benefit residents—not burden them.

A: The Dickerson incinerator is aging, costly, and raises real environmental and public health concerns—we need a transition plan, not a sudden shutdown.

My approach is phased and accountable: reduce reliance by expanding recycling, composting, and waste diversion immediately, while investing in modern, cleaner alternatives like anaerobic digestion and regional partnerships. Require clear benchmarks—waste reduced, emissions lowered, costs stabilized—reported publicly. At the same time, protect workers with retraining and job placement. We don’t choose between environment and reliability—we plan, invest, and transition responsibly.

A: The county’s role is to protect the safety, rights, and dignity of every resident—regardless of immigration status—while staying within the law.

I support policies like the County Values Act that require judicial warrants and limit ICE activity on county property, because they reinforce constitutional rights and build trust so families can safely report crimes and access services. But policy alone isn’t enough. We need clear implementation—staff training, legal support, community outreach, and real accountability. My approach is balanced: protect residents, uphold the law, and ensure public safety—without fear, confusion, or political posturing.

A: Voters should elect me because I don’t just propose ideas—I deliver results.

While others talk about new programs, I focus on how to implement them: cutting delays, aligning resources, and holding government accountable for outcomes. My blueprint is clear—lower costs, expand housing, strengthen schools, support small businesses, and protect every resident—and every priority comes with a plan, timeline, and measurable results. I bring real experience managing complex systems and turning strategy into action. If you want leadership that is transparent, accountable, and focused on getting things done for every resident, I’m ready to serve as your next County Council At-Large member.

A: The county must diversify its economic base and reduce dependence on federal employment, which is a strategy I’ve been building as County Executive. I’ve grown our life sciences cluster to the 3rd largest in the country, attracted light manufacturing (which we must do more of), partnered with UMD to bring graduate programs to Montgomery County at the Institute of Health for AI-assisted drug discovery. We should support displaced workers through job training and placement, protect our social safety net, and adopt a business licensing tax — a revenue tool that Fairfax County uses to raise $200 million a year that Montgomery County has no comparable source of revenue. Additionally, as I’ve pointed out frequently, the

District ot Columbia and the counties in NOVA, tax commercial real estate at a higher rate than residential property and they raise tens of millions of dollars that enable them to build infrastructure and we have no equivalent to that. These steps will help fill the gaps left by federal cuts and put us on a stronger long-term footing. It will help us address the school question below.

A: We have a responsibility to fully fund our public schools. I’ve pushed to increase the bond cap for school construction and have made addressing MCPS’s $385 million HVAC backlog a priority. The county has limited its bonding capacity to what it was 20 years ago, and less than what it was when I was on the council. So not only can’t we do transportation projects, the schools have been forced to choose between addressing capacity needs or funding repairs and while we were growing capacity won. The lower enrollment is allowing us to shift focus to repairs, but there’s still not adequate revenue. The good news is that they’ll be able to reduce class size without hiring more teachers and they’re anticipating closing some schools which will save operating costs - but none of that is at a scale that it alone can deal with the maintenance backlog. At some point you have to get real about addressing the demonstrated needs, and I feel there’s finally some transparency about the budget. I’d partner with the schools for every way to save money that we can find, but I expect that some revenues are going to be needed.

A: As the architect of Takoma Park’s rent stabilization law, I know what strong policy looks like and Montgomery County’s current law has real gaps. Takoma Park is the only place in the county where people of any income could find a place to live. It works. The 3%+CPI cap is too high and the exemption for 23 years leaves too many units exempt. I would lower the cap and reduce new construction exemptions. But, I’d also strengthen the language that guarantees a fair rate of return on necessary investments, particularly large capital investments. This is a big issue for landlords, particularly those who hold their property for a long time who fear that capital improvements will not be sufficiently covered. Rent stabilization is one of our most direct tools to prevent displacement and the current version isn’t strong enough.

If you don’t have rent stabilization, how do we get affordability and how do we prevent displacement? There are tens of thousands of people who make too little for our MPDU program, unless the county massively subsidizes them and we simply don’t have the resources for that level of subsidy at the scale we would need it.

A: Development alone won’t solve the affordable housing crisis because density without affordability requirements is not a housing policy for the people who actually need help. There are large projects being built, smaller lots with townhouses and the prices are above a million dollars. As long as there’s a market, that’s where building will go. A study that P&P did in Silver Spring found that duplexes and triplexes replacing an existing single family house would be more expensive than that house. Affordable housing happens when you require it - otherwise the market decides. I support denser development near transit, but only with real affordability requirements: raising the MPDU requirement from 15% to 30% and a no-net-loss policy for existing affordable units. Yet another development has been announced in Bethesda where an older, smaller apartment will be replaced by a bigger one with multiples of the existing number of units, and there will be fewer affordable units in the new one than exist today.

A: On data centers: I have serious concerns. These facilities consume enormous amounts of water and energy, and offer relatively few local jobs. We need a full assessment of cumulative impacts on water and energy supply, infrastructure, and surrounding communities before approving major projects. I support requirements to bring their own clean energy, either on site, or put into the PJM grid.

A: I support closing it. Incineration isn’t a sustainable or equitable solution since it generates pollution that disproportionately affects nearby communities. Closing it has to be paired with real investment in recycling, composting, and waste reduction so we’re not just shifting the problem somewhere else. This has been a priority of mine and I’m committed to following through.

A: The county has a responsibility to protect all of its residents, regardless of immigration status. One of my first acts as County Executive was an executive order protecting immigrant communities from cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. We support the LIghthouse program, CASA and other immigrant services organizations, and have built outreach through trusted community groups and ethnic media. The Council recently codified those protections in law. We will not be complicit in the targeting of our neighbors. We can provide support for families when members are removed and our services, like health care, remain available.

We will have no part of ICE roundups or the targeting of our immigrant community. I signed executive orders early in my term establishing these protections and strongly supported the Council’s legislation putting them into law. Protecting our immigrant residents isn’t just a legal obligation, it’s a moral one. I’ll Continue to stand against federal enforcement actions that tear families apart.

A: I’ve been fighting for working families, affordable housing, quality education, environmental protection, and economic opportunity for decades and I have a real record to show for it. As County Executive, I’ve preserved and created over 9,000 affordable housing units, created the county’s first TIF district to fund transportation infrastructure and utilities, grown our life sciences economy, and taken strong action to protect our immigrant community. I know the county government inside-and-out, and I know how to get things done. With federal support being cut and challenges mounting, this is not the time for on-the-job learning.

A: I feel the best way to fight this issue is to create a local New Deal type program that will allow people who are struggling to gain stability. My idea is to increase the rate and scope of conversion with respect to government buildings going solar. I believe this will do two things. First, it will be an employment avenue for those workers who have been misplaced due to the decrease in construction/building projects, and secondly, it will save us money by going solar and decrease our dependency on the national grid. Next, I would explore partnerships with local restaurants to cater food service to our public schools; this would be an opportunity for us to buy local and invest in our communities. Also, I would create a county department that would encourage businesses that deal in imports and exports from our various communities to their native countries.

A: I believe we must, as a community, take a real hard and deep look at what we are getting for our money. As a former educator, I know the importance of keeping our educational system running smoothly, but it is evident that our educational spending takes a significant amount of money. We must find ways to cut cost while maintaining the integrity of our schools. Thus, I feel we must embrace things like cooperative purchasing which will allow us to save money by acquiring goods for multiple government agencies.

A: I do not think this policy has been a true success, and while, for some, it has capped rent hikes at 6%, it has done nothing to stop the rise in rental cost. New developments are exempt and their rents continue to soar.

A: I have to state this clearly; WE CANNOT BUILD OUR WAY OUT OF THIS HOUSING CRISIS!!! Excuse the emphatic nature of my reply, but I wonder what are we, as the residents of Montgomery County, trying to create? Residents must understand that we are fifth in area and first in population; additionally, we have developed 85% of the land in our county, and we are 800 people per square mile away from having a high-density county. We are at a pivotal point and must decide if we want a crowed county or not. I think the best option for us as a county is to make our young so employable, through education, that they will be in high demand nationally and our population will reduce that way naturally.

A: I believe we should not have anything to do with them until they have methods to cool down the water they use and purify to a degree that does not harm various ecosystems. I am really worried about the long ter, ecological effects.

A: I do not see any morally correct plan that does not include our county either kicking the trash can down the road, pun was awful excuse me, or spending hundreds of millions to refit the incinerator with better scrubbing capabilities. I am inclined to believe we should be responsible for our own trash and need to find the money to make it burn cleaner.

A: I am a firm believer in the humanity of all people, and I feel it is a human right to be treated with dignity. I do not support inhumane treatment of anyone, but I do believe it is a federal responsibility to maintain the integrity of our borders. I think the role of the county should be ensuring that people are treated with respect and dignity, but I do not think they have the right to change federal policy.

A: I believe people should vote for me because this has been the home of my family for generations, and I have a desire to make this county stronger because of our differences. I will work each and every day to earn the trust and respect of every resident of this county. I have run all my campaigns without begging to be recognized by the county movers and shakers because I want to be responsible to the voters only. I am committed to bringing government to each district. I will come to every district every 90 days to find out what my fellow residents feel about that which matters to them. Finally, I know what it feels like to be lost in the middle of a crowd, and I want to be that safe harbor in whom the residents can rely.

A: We have to get serious about job creation and put people in places where decisions are being made to accomplish the vibrant economy that we all deserve. A few policy tweaks won’t do the trick. Without elected and appointed people who have real world business experience and will act with urgency and aggressiveness to grow the economy, the people who need good paying jobs won’t be able to find them here. We can’t afford to sit back and hope things turn around so we will take the initiative to build a resilient economy, no matter what happens on Capitol Hill. Montgomery County has to reverse the script from being hostile to business, to being a trusted partner in the success of every single entrepreneur.

A: Record funding for our schools is something we should be doing as long as we’re expecting and accomplishing record results. As a substitute teacher, I see firsthand what’s working in our classrooms and what isn’t. As the parent of more kids in MCPS right now than all of the other At-Large Council candidates combined, this is personal. We need a budget approach that protects instruction, supports educators, and directs resources to the places where they actually improve student outcomes. That means tightening up spending that doesn’t move the needle, investing in the basics that every school needs to function well, and holding the system accountable for measurable progress. I am committed to making sure every dollar spent in our schools is used to strengthen teaching and learning in Montgomery County, not bureaucracy, not distractions, but the core work that helps students thrive.

A: The rent stabilization law passed in 2023 has delivered some meaningful protections, but we’re also seeing unintended consequences. The law stopped rent gouging, so tenants are no longer facing massive year‑over‑year increases, and properties with outstanding code violations cannot raise rents until those issues are fixed. These are reasonable safeguards that protect residents. At the same time, the county has sent a message that operating or building housing here is increasingly difficult and isn’t going to get any easier. New building permits have dropped sharply, and major funders are pulling back from investing in Montgomery County, which ultimately limits the number of homes available. If we don’t keep units active and available, we shrink the pipeline of homes and drive prices up. A balanced approach means protecting renters from unreasonable increases, holding bad actors accountable, and making sure our housing stock is used as intended, to give people a place to live. That balance is essential to protecting renters today while ensuring we can build the housing we need for tomorrow because the market-rate housing that we’re not building today won’t be the naturally occuring affordable housing 50 years from now.

A: Increased housing supply is absolutely the solution to calming housing costs in Montgomery County. When we add more homes, we stabilize prices, that’s a basic economic reality. This can be done in an intelligent way where we balance the effects of infrastructure, traffic, school capacity, amenities like parks, and environmental upgrades with new construction. If we align housing production with real community needs and smart planning, we can expand affordability while protecting the quality of life that makes Montgomery County such a great place to live.

A: Hyperscale data centers have been around for nearly twenty years, and counties across the country have long since updated their zoning and safety standards to keep pace. Even though the Council is considering a zoning text amendment now, this is work that should have been done years ago to protect residents, our infrastructure, and our long‑term planning needs. When an industry grows faster than our rules, communities are left exposed, which is why we need strong guardrails and clear expectations. Since we cannot legally ban data centers outright, we should impose firm, responsible restrictions: requiring them to acquire or generate their own power so residential ratepayers aren’t forced to absorb additional costs; mandating closed‑loop cooling systems to protect the Potomac River; ensuring substantial buffers from residential neighborhoods; and making them pay the full cost of any infrastructure upgrades they trigger. With roughly $50 million a year in personal property tax revenue expected from these facilities, dedicated portions should go directly back into the communities where data centers are located and toward the school system. This approach ensures data centers operate responsibly, protect our environment, and deliver real benefits to Montgomery County residents.

A: The Resource Recovery Facility, which is the formal name of the trash incinerator in Dickerson, should be put on a responsible yet prompt path toward closure. We’ve known for years that this facility is aging, expensive to maintain, and environmentally harmful, and it’s time to move toward a better long‑term solution. But to do this in a way that’s actually sustainable, we have to reduce the amount of trash we produce. Simply shutting the incinerator down and shipping our waste to other communities is not equitable, ethical or an environmentally sound plan. A real transition means cutting waste at the source, expanding composting and recycling, and building a system that doesn’t rely on burning or exporting our garbage. That’s how we protect our environment, our residents, and our regional partners while moving Montgomery County toward a cleaner future.

A: Montgomery County has a responsibility to protect the safety and dignity of all our residents, whether they’ve been here 1 day or 100 years, because we are a community of immigrants. When federal agencies operate in ways that create fear, disrupt families, or bypass basic standards of due process, local governments have an obligation to step in and defend the people who live and work here. Disrupting harmful ICE activities is part of that responsibility and fits within the balance of power in our federal, state, and local systems. So long as ICE continues detaining residents indiscriminately, hassling working people, bypassing judicial warrants, and acting aggressively in our neighborhoods, the county must put community protection first. That’s why I would have supported the TRUST Act, the Unmask ICE Act, and the ICE OUT Act, all pieces of legislation designed to set clear boundaries, reinforce due process, and ensure that local resources are used to keep our communities safe rather than facilitate federal overreach. Our role is to strengthen trust, protect families, and ensure every resident feels safe participating fully in community life.

A: Voters deserve a Councilmember who is ready on minute 1 of day 1.

If you care about jobs and wages, I started a small business from a laptop and an idea, to having 20 employees. If you care about public education, I’m a substitute teacher with more kids attending MCPS right now than the rest of the At Large candidates, combined. If you want a lawmaker who will fight back against Trump, I’m an attorney who fights for underdogs in the courtroom. If you want a guy who works with others to get stuff done, I’m a husband and dad who serves on the Montgomery Parks Foundation, YMCA of Silver Spring Board, Workforce Development Board and was Chair of the Montgomery County Democratic Party. If you vote for Scott Goldberg, I will never, ever let you down.

A: The county will need to be vigilant in assessing government operations to ensure efficiency and eliminate redundancy. As necessary, the county may need to limit new hiring and expansion of government programs until revenues stabilize.

A: The success and stature of our county school system directly relates to our overall quality of life, property values and community prosperity. It will be critical to prioritize MCPS funding to maintain programming and academic success.

A: Yes. As a leading proponent of this legislation and program, I have seen its direct benefits and the debunking of the opposition myths promulgated by the landlord/developer industry intended to undermine public confidence in renter protections. I do not, however, believe that the current legislation is strong enough as it exempts too many properties leaving tens of thousands of renters, many them seniors and our most vulnerable residents, subjecting to rent and fee gouging. I support a landlord or developer’s right to make or maintain a profit margin and to keep up with legitimate overhead expenses provided that policy is balance with housing quality and stability. We can do more in this area.

A: Not necessarily. Without massive public investment, which seem unlikely for the foreseeable future, housing development will likely only include high end rental to meet a high demand market. It is a dubious assumption to believe that the developer industry will flood the market with housing that goes beyond market demand and forces a level a competition that will lower rents or housing costs. While I do not in any way oppose development, I do not see it as a serious substitute for renter protections or increased affordability without policies that require it.

A: I support reaonable delay and study. I recognize that modernization will bring sudden opportunities that move quickly. However, it is important that we understand unintended consequences including health, economic, energy and transportation infrastructure, noise impacts (if any), along with potential benefits.

A: I believe the county should review possible alternative to any and all of its operations that are harmful to our environment. At this time, I do not see an easy fix or alternative as we live in a massive throw away society, but I am open to any and all alternative suggestions that will work.

A: As long as we endure a lawless and reckless administration in the White House, I have little confidence in federal immigration operations, and thus support limiting cooperation with ICE to only that which is required by law. The county, in general, owes all of its residents government services that support health, welfare and general security.

A: I am well-known as a fearless fighter for working families, renters’ rights and effective and efficient government services. My approach to county policy and operations avoids extremes with a reliance on facts, evidence and reason and I am not afraid to address opposition points of view simply even if they may be popular from time to time. I am a vigorous opponent of antisemitism and bigotry in all its forms and I have proven experience in getting things done.

A: Montgomery County has always had a complicated relationship with the federal government — we benefit enormously from proximity to it, and we’re disproportionately exposed when it contracts. The answer isn’t to wait for Washington to stabilize. It’s to accelerate what we should have been doing all along: diversifying our economic base. I went to school in Scranton, PA—deep in coal country. I’ve seen firsthand what happens to a local economy when the only game in town dries up. We can’t allow that to happen here.

That means making Montgomery County the easiest place in the region to start, grow, and keep a business. That requires overhauling our permitting system so make it faster and more affordable to get to market. I also support developing a Business Navigator model through MCEDC — a single point of contact that walks businesses through permitting, zoning, and utilities instead of leaving them to navigate a bureaucratic maze alone. And by expanding our support of small businesses and entrepreneurs—providing easier access to capital and coaching—we can help workers caught up in recent layoffs to create their own opportunities.

A: MCPS is facing a structural problem that requires structural honesty. Enrollment has declined significantly, but our cost structure hasn’t adjusted proportionally. Before we ask taxpayers for more, we owe them a rigorous accounting of whether every dollar is being spent effectively.

I support a triage approach: fund what demonstrably improves student outcomes first, scrutinize administrative overhead and central office spending, and ensure that the desperately needed physical plant improvements are prioritized to keep our students, teachers and staff safe. The County also needs to get serious about coordination between MCPS and county government. Right now we have two separate bureaucracies, two capital budgets, and insufficient integration. Better coordination means better outcomes for kids and better stewardship of public dollars.

A: No. The data is unambiguous: since Montgomery County enacted rent stabilization, multifamily building permit applications have collapsed by approximately 96%. That is not a coincidence. The affordable housing crisis in Montgomery County is fundamentally a supply crisis. We don’t have enough units to meet demand, which drives up prices across the board. Rent stabilization doesn’t create a single new unit. In fact, it actively discourages the creation of new units. I believe we need to be honest about that tradeoff and refocus our energy on strategies that actually expand supply.

The proof is in the numbers. Average rents in the County have increased close to their historical average since the law passed, while Gaithersburg and Rockville—which do not have rent control, and where new homes are still being constructed—actually saw average rents decline year over year. We can protect renters from price gouging without the heavy-handed price caps that are driving away future investment. We’ve done it in Gaithersburg, and by revising our County policy we can reopen our housing pipeline and keep prices low for everyone.

A: Yes — increased housing availability is the only thing that works at scale. Every serious economic study of housing markets reaches the same conclusion: when supply increases, prices moderate. Montgomery County is not exempt from basic economics.

I’ve been consistent on this throughout my campaign. We need more units at every price point — market rate, workforce, and deeply affordable. Market-rate construction matters because it creates vacancies in existing housing stock, allowing lower-income families to access units that open up. Workforce housing matters because the teachers, nurses, firefighters, and small business employees who power this county can’t afford to live here. That’s why I’ve proposed a $40 million Workforce Housing Downpayment Assistance Fund to help 1,000 working families realize their dream of homeownership. We have a similar program in Gaithersburg and I want to expand that success countywide. But these programs only work if we’re also building new homes. That means streamlining permitting, supporting infill and transit-oriented development, and not letting procedural delays add months or years — and hundreds of thousands of dollars — to the cost of every project.

A: We need to learn from Loudoun County—both the good and the bad—when it comes to data centers. Data centers represent real economic opportunity—significant capital investment, property tax revenue, and construction jobs. But they also carry real costs: enormous energy demand, water consumption for cooling, and relatively few permanent jobs relative to their footprint.

Because we get our energy from a 13-state regional transmission organization (PJM), a data center built anywhere in that regional grid will impact our energy bills. If they’re built outside of Montgomery County, we don’t get any of the desperately needed revenue it can generate but still get stuck with higher costs. We need to be intentional with regard to data centers, and only consider them in limited, appropriate locations like industrial-zoned areas away from residential neighborhoods with serious conditions. That means negotiating community benefit agreements that capture a portion of the economic upside for the county. It means working with utilities and the state to assess grid capacity before approvals, not after. It means protecting our environment against water, soil and noise pollution. And it means ensuring local hiring and workforce training commitments are contractual, not aspirational.

A: There are three issues with Dickerson, and each needs to be addressed for a solution to work:

First is protecting the health and safety of our residents. That must be paramount. The failure to operate the plant safely and provide proper maintenance and oversight has added urgency to the situation. If the plant cannot guarantee the safety of its neighbors, then it has to be shut down even sooner than proposed. Closing the plant, however, creates a domino effect across the county. For starters, closing the incinerator requires an immediate solution for our existing trash. The proposal suggested in the County Executive’s budget would put hundreds of additional trucks on the roads in and around the Derwood Transfer Station near Rockville’s King Farm neighborhood and on our already crowded highways. A better alternative—which may or may not be more expensive—would be to use the existing rail lines and infrastructure at both sites and expand efforts to reduce the amount of trash we generate. However we decide to dispose of the garbage, we also need to determine how to replace the energy being generated by the existing waste-to-energy plant at the incinerator site. We already import 40% of our electricity.

A: Montgomery County is home to one of the most diverse immigrant communities in the nation, and that diversity is a source of economic strength, cultural richness, and civic vitality — not a problem to be managed. Immigrant residents pay taxes, run businesses, work in our hospitals and schools, and are our neighbors. They deserve to live without fear.

I support policies that prevent the county from using its own resources to carry out federal immigration enforcement. Local police and county employees should be focused on local public safety and services — not acting as an extension of federal immigration agencies. That’s a sound principle regardless of the political moment, and it’s consistent with how effective community policing works. When immigrant residents fear contact with local authorities, they don’t report crimes, they don’t cooperate with investigations, and communities are less safe as a result. In Gaithersburg I’ve seen firsthand the anxiety the current federal environment is generating in immigrant communities. The county’s job is to provide services and maintain public safety for all residents — and that requires trust. I support the council’s efforts to protect that trust.

A: My experience in local government on the Gaithersburg City Council—navigating zoning, land use, budgets, and economic development—means I’m ready to hit the ground running on Day One. Plus, I bring countywide experience that’s needed from our At-Large Council Members: I’m the only challenger from the Upcounty, having lived in Germantown, Rockville and Gaithersburg. I’ve worked in Silver Spring and Bethesda, my kids have attended schools in Kensington and Olney, and I’ve coached youth sports in Boyds and Germantown. So I know the issues each of our diverse communities face, and can represent the whole County.

I’m also putting forward concrete plans, not just platitudes: A Workforce Housing Downpayment Assistance Fund; Permitting reform with real timelines; Infrastructure financing through tools like Green Bank and Tax Increment Financing. Voters can see exactly what I’ll fight for—not vague acknowledgements of the challenges ahead.

A: The county is facing serious economic strain due to federal layoffs and budget cuts, and we can’t afford to stand still. We must take proactive steps to rebuild a stronger, more resilient local economy. First, we need to make the county more competitive by cutting unnecessary red tape and making it easier for businesses to start, grow, and stay here. That includes streamlining permitting, improving customer service in government, and actively attracting new industries that diversify our economy beyond federal employment.

Second, we must invest in our small businesses—the backbone of our local economy. That means expanding access to capital, technical assistance, and contracting opportunities, especially for minority- and women-owned businesses that have historically been left out. Finally, we need to strengthen workforce development by aligning training programs with high-demand industries like technology, healthcare, and green energy. When residents have access to good-paying jobs, our entire community benefits. By supporting businesses, investing in our workforce, and building a more diverse economy, we can recover from federal changes and create long-term economic stability and opportunity for all residents.

A: A strong starting point is accountability. We should conduct a comprehensive, line-by-line review of the budget to ensure every program is delivering real results for students and meaningfully supporting our educators. When programs are duplicative or not effective, those resources should be redirected to areas with a proven impact. At the same time, we must keep our focus on the classroom. Investing in teacher recruitment and retention, offering competitive salaries, and ensuring students have the tools they need to succeed must remain top priorities. Strong outcomes begin with strong educators.

We also need to pursue long-term efficiencies by modernizing facilities to reduce maintenance costs, better aligning school capacity with enrollment trends, and using data to guide smarter resource allocation. Equity should guide every decision. Schools serving higher-need communities must receive the support necessary to close opportunity gaps and ensure every student has access to a high-quality education. By focusing on accountability, smart investments, efficiency, and equity, we can meet growing budget challenges while improving outcomes for all students.

A: Rent stabilization is a major issue that, while well-intentioned, has been handled poorly. The goal of protecting tenants from rising costs is important, but the long-term effects have constrained the development of new housing and, in some cases, reduced the overall supply of affordable units.

I would support changing the rent stabilization laws to encourage the building of more truly affordable apartment units. I would have taken a more balanced approach—one that protects current residents from displacement while also incentivizing the construction of new affordable housing. That means updating our rent stabilization policies to encourage developers to build more units, expanding housing supply, and ensuring affordability is sustained over the long term. We cannot solve the affordability crisis without increasing the number of homes available.

A: Yes, I believe increased development can play an important role in addressing the affordable housing crisis, but it must be done thoughtfully and with clear goals. Smart growth means focusing new housing near transit corridors so residents can live closer to jobs, reduce commuting costs, and have better access to opportunities. It also means ensuring that new development includes housing that is truly affordable for working families, not just units labeled as affordable but still out of reach.

Transparency and collaboration are essential to making this work. The county must bring together community leaders, neighborhood associations, and the development community to ensure that projects reflect local needs while moving forward efficiently. When people feel heard and included, it builds trust and leads to better outcomes. At the same time, we cannot ignore the need to preserve the affordable housing that already exists. Protecting current residents from displacement and supporting first time homebuyers and renters is critical. Ultimately, the county needs more housing that people can actually afford. By increasing supply, setting clear affordability standards, and working together, we can create stable, inclusive communities where families are able to live and thrive.

A: Montgomery County must be proactive—not reactive—when it comes to data center development. Before moving forward, the county needs to fully evaluate the long-term impacts on our environment, energy grid, infrastructure, and surrounding communities. A temporary pause or moratorium provides the time necessary to put thoughtful safeguards in place, ensure transparency, and engage residents in the decision-making process.

A: The county is at a crossroads when it comes to the Dickerson trash incinerator. While it has helped manage our waste for years, its environmental and public health impacts make clear that we need to move in a different direction. I believe we should begin the process of transitioning away from the facility, but it must be done responsibly. Closing it without a clear plan in place could lead to higher costs for residents or force us to send our waste to out of state landfills, which simply shifts the burden onto other communities. That is not a fair or sustainable solution.

Instead, the county should develop a comprehensive and equitable waste strategy. This includes investing in waste reduction efforts, expanding recycling and composting programs, and exploring cleaner and more modern technologies for waste management. The goal should be to reduce our reliance on incineration while protecting taxpayers and ensuring that no community is disproportionately impacted. By planning carefully and acting with urgency, we can move toward a cleaner, more sustainable system that better serves all residents.

A: Immigration enforcement is the responsibility of the federal government, not Montgomery County. Our role at the local level is to focus on public safety, community trust, and making sure county resources are used effectively. I would ensure that our local law enforcement can focus on their core mission—keeping our communities safe—while maintaining strong relationships with all residents, regardless of immigration status. When people feel safe reporting crimes and cooperating with law enforcement, our entire community is safer. Yes, I support the current legislation passed and proposed by the current council.

A: I understand the needs of our residents and how both the private and public sectors operate. I have served my community as a neighborhood association president, started and operated a successful small business, and worked in the Maryland General Assembly. In the General Assembly, I worked closely with advocates, stakeholders, and legislators to help draft, pass, and implement legislation that breaks down systemic barriers, protects women and children, fights hate crimes, and improves access to services for all Marylanders.

On day one, I will be ready to lead and ensure that county government is responsive to the everyday needs of residents—from fixing potholes and picking up trash to delivering strong, reliable local government services. I will go the extra mile to make sure constituents are heard and satisfied with the services they receive.

A: Montgomery County is facing significant economic challenges due to federal layoffs, federal budget cuts, and states shifting costs to the local government. To ensure a robust recovery, we must implement long-term solutions rather than settle for short-term relief. I am determined to diversify our local economy, reducing our reliance on federal employment and accelerating growth in sectors such as biotechnology, healthcare, artificial intelligence, and advanced manufacturing, where we have clear advantages.

Nonetheless, we are supporting displaced federal workers by establishing streamlined pathways to private-sector jobs, startups, targeted reskilling programs, and accelerating hiring for local government positions. I also recognize that small businesses need immediate support, as reduced household incomes are impacting local demand, so I have advocated for temporary tax relief, grants, and access to bridge financing to stabilize key commercial corridors. To counteract declining federal funds, I would continue pursuing innovative revenue strategies, including public-private partnerships and the adaptive reuse of vacant office spaces. Expanding affordable housing and rental assistance will be critical in preventing displacement and ensuring workforce stability. Finally, I will work closely with regional partners to coordinate our efforts, strengthen our shared economy, and build long-term resilience for our County.

A: As a former substitute teacher with nearly four years of experience addressing challenges in school funding, I understand the urgency and focus required in this area. With rising costs and changing enrollment patterns, our top priority must remain protecting classroom instruction, including teacher pay, special education, and student mental health services.

At the same time, we need to evaluate how resources are being utilized thoroughly. I support a comprehensive review of school facilities and capital spending. In areas where enrollment has declined, we should assess the utilization of buildings and consider consolidation when appropriate. We can then reinvest those savings into modernizing the schools that have the greatest needs. Additionally, I will work to strengthen partnerships with the state and seek out additional funding sources, such as grants and public-private partnerships, to help cover infrastructure costs. Transparency is essential. Families and taxpayers deserve clear information about how funds are allocated and the outcomes those funds support. Finally, we need a long-term strategy that aligns enrollment trends with staffing and infrastructure decisions. This approach will ensure we make smart, student-centered investments while maintaining a strong and sustainable school system, even amid ongoing financial pressures.

A: I believe that rent stabilization has provided crucial short-term relief for many residents dealing with rapidly rising housing costs. It has helped prevent drastic rent increases and has given tenants more predictability, especially during times of economic uncertainty.

However, I do not see rent stabilization as a comprehensive solution to our affordable housing crisis. By itself, it does not create new housing supply, which is essential for addressing long-term affordability. We must be careful to balance tenant protections with policies that promote new construction and investment. Moving forward, I believe that rent stabilization should be part of a broader housing strategy. This strategy should include increasing the supply of affordable and workforce housing, streamlining the development process, and incentivizing the construction of new units at various price points. We should also expand rental assistance and support pathways to homeownership. In summary, while rent stabilization is a valuable tool for ensuring stability, it must be combined with policies that tackle the root cause of the crisis, which is the shortage of housing.

A: I believe increasing housing development is essential to addressing Montgomery County’s affordable housing crisis, but it must be done thoughtfully and paired with strong tenant protections and smart public investment. We have a housing shortage. If we do not build more homes for all income levels, housing will remain unaffordable.

My record reflects a commitment to expanding supply and accelerating production. I introduced and successfully advanced the O.P.E.N. Zoning Text Amendment (ZTA 23-02), which created an expedited approval process for qualifying affordable housing projects and significantly reduced development timelines. This reform helps address one of the biggest barriers to building housing in our county: the delay and cost in the approval process. I have advocated for zoning and housing reforms that promote mixed-income development, increase appropriate density, and expedite reviews for affordable housing projects. Additionally, I support investments in the Housing Initiative Fund and other programs to preserve affordable housing and encourage new construction. No single tool will solve this crisis. We need a balanced approach that builds more housing, protects tenants to prevent displacement while increasing housing supply, and ensures growth translates into real affordability for working families.

A: Montgomery County must take a proactive approach to data center development to protect our infrastructure, public health, and climate goals.

My recent Zoning Text Amendment, which I am co-leading with the Council President and Vice President, establishes a structured conditional-use process for data centers, ensuring proposals undergo thorough review so we can fully assess their impacts on surrounding communities. Under this framework, data centers must meet strict standards for energy use, water consumption, noise, and siting. They should be located only in appropriate industrial areas and designed to minimize impacts on nearby neighborhoods, schools, parks, and public utilities. We also have to be clear about the potential unintended consequences. Data centers can place significant strain on the electric grid, increase emissions if not properly managed, and consume large amounts of water. That is why I support requiring strong clean energy commitments and robust environmental safeguards as part of any approval process. I support economic development and innovation, but it must be responsible and aligned with our long-term sustainability and quality of life. If data centers are built in Montgomery County, they should deliver clear public benefits while meeting or exceeding our environmental and community standards.

A: Montgomery County must stop relying on the aging Dickerson waste-to-energy facility as a long-term solution. While transitioning away from it, planning must be deliberate and responsible to ensure the continuity of essential waste services.

The facility is not only outdated and expensive but also poses significant environmental and public health risks. It is crucial to recognize that current disposal capacity cannot be replaced instantly without a clear and effective alternative in place. I have advocated for the County to issue a formal request for proposals (RFP) to explore clean, innovative, and sustainable waste disposal solutions utilized in other countries and leading jurisdictions. Globally, regions are advancing toward next-generation technologies that cut emissions, boost diversion rates, and lower long-term costs. A competitive RFP process will enable comparison of global best practices and identification of the most viable solutions for our region. In the interim, safe operation of the current system must continue while rigorously planning a structured transition. My commitment is to drive a phased shift toward a modern, sustainable waste management system that prioritizes environmental health, innovation, and long-term resilience for Montgomery County.

A: As the daughter of Jamaican immigrants, this issue is deeply personal to me. I believe Montgomery County has a responsibility to ensure that immigrant families can live, work, and access services without fear, and that local government does not become an extension of federal civil immigration enforcement.

I have consistently supported and cosponsored the Council’s immigrant protection legislation, including the Trust Act, which limits the use of County resources for civil immigration enforcement and ensures residents can safely access services. I also supported the County Values Act, which restricts ICE access to non-public areas of County facilities without a judicial warrant. Additionally, I cosponsored the Unmask ICE Act, which promotes transparency by prohibiting law enforcement, including ICE, from wearing face coverings while operating in the County. I have also supported broader efforts such as the ICE Out legislation, which limits local involvement in immigration detention and enforcement activities. Together, these policies reflect a clear principle: Montgomery County prioritizes community trust, public safety, and due process, not civil immigration enforcement. Our role is to protect vulnerable communities, access to County services, due process, and maintain clear boundaries between local government functions and federal immigration enforcement.

A: I am running for reelection to continue serving Montgomery County during a time of significant uncertainty. I believe that trusted and experienced leadership is essential as we navigate these challenges.

As the Chair of the Health and Human Services Committee, a member of the Economic Development Committee, and the only incumbent At-Large Councilmember, I have focused on the issues that directly impact families, including housing affordability, rising costs, public health, and workforce challenges. I have also built strong partnerships across county, state, and federal levels to secure resources and advance practical solutions. With several open seats in this election, our Council stands to benefit from fresh perspectives and new ideas that will strengthen our democracy and public service. At the same time, effective transitions require institutional knowledge and experience to ensure continuity in the operation of county government during difficult times. My goal is to provide stability while new members adjust, especially as ongoing federal instability affects our local economy and service delivery. If re-elected, I will continue to work collaboratively, listen closely to residents, and focus on S.M.A.R.T., results-driven solutions that will strengthen our county’s long-term resilience and prepare us for any challenges ahead.

A: We have long fallen short in supporting private-sector growth and creating opportunities that fully tap into the talent, diversity, and work ethic of our residents. Now many of our former federal workers, some of the most talented among us, are struggling to find work that would allow them to stay here. The Maryland Economic Development Association has found that every $1 of local investment in businesses returns $9 in tax revenue. We can pair this investment in mentorship, grants, and loan programs with faster, less bureaucratic permitting. We must broaden our tax base, instead of squeezing our residents with more taxes to make up for our lack of revenue.

We must have stronger pipelines for high-demand careers in biotech, cybersecurity, and early childhood education. Doing so would create good-paying opportunities for young workers and career changers alike, while making Montgomery County even more attractive to employers.Restrictive housing policies have also driven prices higher and made it harder for workers, especially younger residents, to live here. Our long-term economic success depends on motivated people choosing to build their future in this county, which means we must rapidly increase housing supply and create more affordable options for them.

A: As a County Councilmember, I would be deeply engaged with MCPS and focused on student outcomes. Our schools need real investment: aging buildings, achievement gaps, and the need for highly trained staff in critical areas like special education. While our per-pupil spending is comparable to other high-cost states like New Jersey, Massachusetts, and New York, we are not providing the quality families expect for those dollars.

Lower enrollment reflects families leaving for private schools that they perceive as higher quality and young parents choosing not to move here because of limited jobs and high housing costs. The best long-term support for our schools is to remove barriers to economic growth, create more jobs, expand affordable housing, and grow the tax base that funds education. We must also modernize how we deliver education.I attended MCPS from kindergarten through high school, and my son starts this year. As a STEM graduate, I will be the strongest advocate for targeted support for students and families who need it most, while also ensuring we challenge students ready to excel through stronger dual-enrollment opportunities, advanced coursework, and entrepreneurship programs.

A: Rent stabilization can help promote housing stability, but I do not believe it is the solution to our affordable housing crisis. National research is mixed, and in some communities, rent stabilization has reduced new housing supply and worsened long-term availability. The only sustainable way to lower housing costs is to significantly increase the supply of smaller, more attainable homes to meet current demand.

My position is to keep rent stabilization in place while making a serious push to encourage new housing development. That means reducing financial risk for builders, streamlining regulations, and fast-tracking permitting to four months or less. We must also proactively enforce rent stabilization laws to protect housing stability and prevent exploitation of renters. At the same time, we should work collaboratively with developers to create more opportunities to build the homes our residents need. We can do this while protecting our environment and continuing to advance our climate goals.

A: Yes, because Montgomery County faces a major shortage of affordable housing, and the only lasting way to increase supply is to build more homes. According to the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, we need roughly 25,000 additional units in less than four years just to keep pace with long-standing demand. In high-cost communities like ours, prices may remain elevated when new development first begins, but as supply continues to grow, prices are expected to level off and eventually decline.

Austin, Texas offers a strong example. After several years of sustained housing growth from 2021-2024, rents and home prices began to fall as supply caught up with demand. As housing costs come down, our county can have an even greater impact by partnering with nonprofit developers and investing in deeply affordable housing for our most vulnerable residents.More affordable housing also strengthens our economy. When families can afford to live here, more people choose Montgomery County and bring their talent, diversity, and work ethic with them. That attracts more employers, creates more jobs, and improves the financial well-being of working families across our community.

A: The benefits of a hyperscale data center must be weighed against the costs. Once built, these facilities often create 50 or fewer permanent jobs, raise energy prices, and risk harming local waterways. While property taxes may generate about $50 million annually, that is small compared with the billions these corporations can earn from the same site.

The proposed Dickerson data center would also carry major energy and climate impacts. A 360 MW facility could generate emissions comparable to 150,000 gasoline-powered cars each year, undermining our Climate Action Plan. Across the region, aging coal plants are being kept online to meet rising data center demand. Experts also warn that rapid expansion could increase household electric bills by roughly $70 a month over the next four years. Montgomery County families should not be subsidizing corporate profits through higher utility costs.We need growth done responsibly. Any hyperscale data center approved in Montgomery County must use 100% renewable energy, use closed-loop cooling systems that protect the Potomac River, and fully fund needed infrastructure upgrades so residents are not left paying the bill.

A: We should take real steps toward closing the incinerator. Right now, 70% of our trash is burned there, releasing harmful toxins into the air, while the ash is transported to Virginia and buried. That practice is neither sustainable nor consistent with our values.

Over the coming years, we need a clear phaseout plan with concrete milestones. That should include expanding composting and recycling programs. We must address organic food scraps, which make up a large share of our waste stream, as well as construction materials, which are likely to increase as housing development grows.As we transition away from incineration, the remaining waste will still require landfill capacity. Any decisions about landfill use must reflect our commitment to equity and environmental justice, ensuring that already vulnerable communities are not asked to bear an unfair share of the burden.

A: I am the son of immigrants, and Montgomery County is a community of immigrants, with nearly 40% of our residents born outside the United States. Today, both documented and undocumented immigrants, including American citizens, have seen their human rights and due process violated. The fear and anxiety our children experience as families are torn apart is one of the major reasons I decided to run for office.

I support the steps our county has taken to limit cooperation with ICE at county offices, protect non-public spaces, and prevent private detention facilities from operating here. I personally testified in support of the Trust Act.I also propose creating a County Legal Defense Office to serve as a safety net for immigrant families, connecting them with nonprofit legal services when available and providing direct legal representation when necessary.Beyond policy, we must strengthen the bonds between all communities in Montgomery County. I will draw on my experience working around the world, in the emergency room, and in the U.S. military to build trust, foster unity, and ensure Montgomery County remains a place where every family is respected, protected, and welcomed.

A: I am not running for office for name recognition, influence or because I believe I deserve a title. I am running for one reason: to serve my community in the most meaningful and impactful way possible.As an emergency room physician, I have cared for families in Rockville, Germantown, and around the world during some of the hardest moments of their lives. I understand the impact that unstable housing, drug addiction, lack of access to healthcare, and the cruel actions against immigrant families can have on a community. Those experiences have given me a deep connection to the human being behind each of these struggles.In my humanitarian work, I serve communities around the world devastated by disaster. Working alongside nonprofits, community leaders, and governments, I get things done when the stakes could not be higher. Across languages, cultures, political views, and economic backgrounds, I have learned that we have far more in common than what divides us. With the right leadership, we can thrive together as one strong community. That is not idealism—I have lived it and done it, even during some of the darkest times.

A: Montgomery County’s private-sector job growth has lagged the region for years, driven by slow execution, high costs, and limited ready-to-build space. We also face stronger competition from Northern Virginia, where the state has taken a more coordinated, business-friendly approach. At the same time, we have been overly reliant on federal jobs and contractors, limiting diversification into faster-growing industries.

Permitting is too slow and unpredictable, creating risk and driving investment elsewhere. Our cost structure—including taxes, regulatory complexity, and the high cost of housing—makes it harder for businesses and workers to choose Montgomery County. To compete, we need to act with urgency and fix what is within our control. I would set firm permitting timelines with public reporting, elevate the work of the Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation, invest in site readiness for industries like life sciences, and align workforce pipelines with employer demand. For too long, we’ve talked about competitiveness without fixing the basics. We need faster execution, real diversification, and a clear signal that Montgomery County is open for business and ready to compete.

A: Montgomery County’s long-term fiscal health depends on responsible growth that keeps the county affordable so families can live, stay, and thrive here. Strong public schools are central to that. We need to build more housing near jobs and transit, support local businesses, and strengthen the economic base that funds our schools—without relying solely on higher taxes or service cuts.

Inside MCPS, we need to be disciplined and focused. With rising costs and declining enrollment, we have to align staffing, programs, and resources with where students are today—not where they were five years ago. We must ensure a strong return on investment, especially in literacy, math, and critical thinking. I have elevated program evaluation in MCPS because we need to know what is working, what is not, and where resources should be adjusted. We also need to reassess programs launched with temporary pandemic funding and ensure they are sustainable and effective. I’ve worked inside this system and understand how decisions get made. We need to direct resources where they will have the greatest impact for students and families.

A: Rent stabilization has helped protect tenants from excessive rent increases, but it is not a complete solution to our housing challenges.

We need to be clear about what this policy can and cannot do. It does not create housing, and without increased supply, affordability will remain out of reach for many residents. My goal is to protect tenants while also ensuring we build more housing. I am open to adjusting the law if needed to achieve both. We should improve how the law functions. Many housing providers are not aware they can apply for exemptions to vacancy control provisions, and the process should be clearer and more predictable. If the policy is perceived as overly burdensome or uncertain, it can discourage the investment we need. We must send a clear signal that Montgomery County supports strong tenant protections and the housing production needed to meet demand.

A: Yes—increased development can be effective, but only if we do it right.

Montgomery County faces a significant housing shortage. When supply does not keep up with demand, prices rise. Increasing housing—especially near transit and job centers—is essential to improving affordability. But development alone is not enough. We need a disciplined approach: increasing overall supply, including a range of housing options—from apartments and townhomes to accessory apartments like in-law suites and basement units; requiring affordability in new development; preserving existing affordable housing; and moving projects through the permitting process more efficiently. We also need to invest in infrastructure so growth is well-planned and supports communities. This is about making smart choices. Supporting more housing also means being willing to make decisions about where and how we grow. Done right, increased development can play a major role in addressing our housing challenges and making Montgomery County more affordable.

A: Data centers are a growing industry with potential economic benefits, but they also bring real challenges—especially around energy use, water consumption, and land use.

Montgomery County is still at an early stage compared to Northern Virginia, but we are part of a shared regional energy system. Rising demand is already driving up costs for residents, even as much of the revenue is generated elsewhere. The county should take a clear, disciplined approach. I would set strong, enforceable standards on energy use, water consumption, emissions, and siting, with clear expectations up front so projects are predictable and accountable. Any proposal should demonstrate a net benefit to the county—through revenue, jobs, or infrastructure investment—so residents are not paying more without seeing a return. We should not move forward with projects that do not meet those standards. This has to be a balanced, data-driven approach that protects residents, controls costs, and ensures we are making smart decisions about where—and whether—data centers make sense.

A: I believe the incinerator should close—but the key question is how we do it responsibly.

Right now, the Montgomery County Resource Recovery Facility handles the majority of our waste. We can’t ignore that reality. But we also have longstanding environmental and public health concerns, and it is not fair for the western part of the county to continue bearing that burden indefinitely. We cannot simply promise closure without a plan to replace that capacity. In the short term, we need to reduce risk by upgrading emissions controls, increasing transparency, and strengthening oversight. We also need to reduce the waste stream through expanded recycling, composting, and cutting single-use plastics. Long-term, we must build the capacity for alternatives before closure and put forward a clear, data-driven transition plan. This is a leadership moment. We can protect public health and move away from incineration—but only if we are honest about the tradeoffs and plan accordingly. Closing the facility cannot mean shifting the burden to another community. It has to be a solution that is both responsible and fair.

A: As an immigrant whose family fled political persecution in Guatemala, I take this issue personally. I know what it means to come to this country seeking safety and stability.

I strongly oppose law enforcement officers concealing their identities while exercising public power, except in limited circumstances such as undercover operations. Transparency and accountability are essential in a democracy. At the same time, we need to be honest about what the County Council can and cannot do. Wanting something and having the legal authority to impose it are different. We need solutions grounded in what the county can actually do. That does not mean we are powerless. The county should pursue every lawful avenue to increase transparency, limit unnecessary cooperation, and strengthen protections for immigrant communities—including clear local policies on coordination, stronger transparency requirements, and support for legal and community-based services. I will always stand for the dignity, safety, and civil rights of all residents.

A: Voters should elect me because I bring countywide experience, a record of pragmatic governing—making tough, responsible decisions—and a focus on results.

As an At-Large member and former president of the Board of Education, I represent residents across Montgomery County and have helped oversee a $3.6 billion budget serving more than 155,000 students. I have made difficult, public decisions and understand how county policies affect families—from schools and housing to affordability and workforce opportunity. I also bring hands-on executive experience. At Montgomery College, I connect residents to education and career pathways. In County Executive Ike Leggett’s administration, I worked directly with communities to expand access to services and build trust in government. This is not an entry-level role. It requires the ability to manage complex systems, balance competing priorities, and deliver results. That is the work I’ve been doing. I’m ready to bring that same disciplined, accountable leadership to the Council.

A: We need to continue to support our federal workers and keep them here in Montgomery County. This can be done by bringing in more businesses, and cutting the red tape on inspections and permitting and making it easier for businesses to start and grow in Montgomery County. We have committed to federal workers by giving them opportunities at County government jobs and by expanding Worksource Montgomery.

A: Repairs and renovations on schools have been overlooked and pushed back for too many years. That is why we have a backlog of HVAC and mold repairs and plans for numerous holding schools while others are being fixed. The CIP budget request is hundreds of millions more than ever before. There is no easy answer, but difficult decisions have to be made. The only way to keep pace with our budget increase is by growing our economy and expanding our tax base.

A: No it has not. Housing in Montgomery County is too expensive for a vast majority of people. We need to build more housing, more of it has to be affordable, and we need to focus it near transit centers and corridors.

A: If it’s done the right way. We have a housing supply shortage. But developers will only build in places that are easy to work with and profitable for them. That’s not always the case in Montgomery County, which is why they are often choosing to build elsewhere.

A: We need specific rules and regulations for data center development. We need energy and environmental standards to be clearly understood. Requiring buffer zones near schools, parks, etc. Developers need to help with the infrastructure costs that come with data center development.

A: For now, yes because there is no other alternative. Where else will we put our thousands of tons of trash? We don’t need to pay more to ship it out of the county. While Dickerson is still open, we need to keep up on repairs so it doesn’t fall further into disrepair. Having said that, we need to seek more environmentally friendly options for the future of our waste disposal.

A: The county’s role is protecting all our residents and establishing community trust. We passed legislation in the Trust Act and Values Act that restricted cooperation in civil ICE cases.

A: I am a lifelong resident of Montgomery County who has spent several years volunteering for civic, community, and nonprofit organizations. I am pragmatic, a quick learner, and easy to get along with. My priority is growing our economy so that we have more money for the many programs and resources that make Montgomery County great – our schools, libraries, parks, rec centers, senior programs, and infrastructure.

A: Montgomery County’s recovery from federal layoffs and funding cuts requires urgent, coordinated action on three fronts.

First, stand up a Federal Workforce Recovery Team. These are world-class professionals — scientists, engineers, analysts, program managers — and we cannot afford to lose them to other regions. I will push to establish a dedicated team that connects displaced federal workers with county employers, startups, and emerging industries, while providing a streamlined access point for unemployment, healthcare, and housing support. Keeping this talent here is how we protect families and preserve our economic edge.Second, use that talent to attract and grow key industries. Our workforce is one of the most educated in the nation, and we should actively market it to recruit biotech, cybersecurity, AI, and advanced manufacturing employers. I will champion a “Business Express” single-portal for permitting, competitive incentive tiers for employers creating 100+ jobs, and public-private lab space investment along the I-270 corridor — strengthening our tax base and creating durable jobs that stay in Montgomery County.Third, lean on nonprofits as delivery partners. They have the community trust and infrastructure to reach residents faster than government alone. I will establish rapid-response bridge funding and multi-year contracts to sustain their work.

A: MCPS’s $3.6 billion budget is under real pressure, and the answer is not to simply cut services or raise taxes without a plan. Having led a school through the pandemic and managed $190M operations at Comcast, I know budget strain demands disciplined priorities, not across-the-board austerity.

Protect the classroom first. Teachers, counselors, special education staff, and mental health services are where student outcomes are determined. I will push to prioritize direct instruction and student wellness in every budget cycle, and reduce administrative overhead before cutting services that reach kids.Right-size facilities without hurting equity. Declining enrollment means we must take an honest look at building utilization, maintenance costs, and consolidation opportunities, but any changes must be transparent, community-driven, and protect access for our most vulnerable students.Retain our teachers. Experienced educators are leaving because they cannot afford to live here. I will champion county-backed workforce housing priority access and loan assistance for MCPS staff, which saves money long-term by reducing turnover and training costs.Grow the tax base. Ultimately, sustainable school funding depends on a stronger county economy. Attracting employers and keeping federal talent here expands revenue without raising the burden on working families.

A: Rent stabilization has delivered meaningful short-term protection for vulnerable renters — particularly seniors, low-income families, and communities of color — while raising serious concerns about long-term housing supply. The honest answer is: it’s working for who it’s helping, but not for the county as a whole.

What’s working: The county’s first annual report shows the Office of Rent Stabilization has secured over $90,000 in refunds for tenants, reduced proposed rent increases by an average of 56%, and driven a 69% drop in units in “Troubled” properties. For renters on fixed incomes, that stability matters.What’s not working: Multifamily housing permits have collapsed. The county issued only 54 multifamily permits between October 2024 and August 2025, while neighboring jurisdictions issued hundreds or thousands. Montgomery Planning’s own Development Pipeline Analysis cites rent stabilization as the most frequently named barrier to new construction. We cannot solve an affordability crisis by shrinking supply.My approach: Keep the tenant protections that are delivering results, but fix the provisions that are deterring construction — particularly the vacancy control rules and lack of clear new-construction exemptions that are redlining our county to investors. Tenant stability and housing supply must work together.

A: Yes — increased development is essential to solving our affordable housing crisis. You cannot fix a supply problem without building more supply.

Montgomery County has a structural shortage. A household now needs roughly $270,000 in combined income to afford a median-priced home, while the median couple earns around $131,000. Teachers, firefighters, nurses, and federal workers are being priced out. At the same time, multifamily permits have collapsed while neighboring jurisdictions are building thousands of units. That gap is not sustainable.Development must be done right. I support building more housing of every type — duplexes, triplexes, townhomes, and apartments — particularly within a half-mile of transit and job centers where we’ve already invested in infrastructure like the Purple Line and BRT corridors. Higher density near transit is both smart growth and climate policy.Development alone is not enough. We also need expanded inclusionary zoning so affordable units are built alongside market-rate projects, faster permitting through a consolidated portal with mandated timelines, and anti-displacement protections for existing residents.Market-rate and subsidized housing work together: when we build more of both, we ease pressure across the income spectrum. Right now we’re producing too little of either — and families are paying the price.

A: Data centers are critical to the digital economy and can generate significant tax revenue, but the proposed Dickerson campus and others have raised legitimate concerns about energy demand, water usage, air pollution from diesel generators, noise, and impacts on ratepayers and the Agricultural Reserve. The county must act deliberately, not reactively.

First, finish the guardrails before approving more. I support completing ZTA 26-01 with strong clean-energy, water-use, setback, and noise standards before any new approvals. A 100% clean-energy requirement, verified water-use plans, Tier 4 generator standards, and restriction to industrial zones are reasonable minimums — not barriers to business.Second, protect ratepayers and the grid. Residents should not subsidize infrastructure upgrades that benefit hyperscale operators. I support “Bring Your Own Generation” requirements, peak-demand curtailment, and on-site battery storage so data centers strengthen the grid rather than strain it.Third, demand transparency and community input. Every large proposal should go through a public hearing with full environmental and fiscal impact analysis — including effects on the Potomac watershed, WSSC water supply, and neighboring communities.Done right, data centers can be an economic asset. Done wrong, they become a long-term liability. My job is to ensure we do it right.

A: The Dickerson incinerator should be closed, but responsibly, with a concrete plan in place before we shut it down. For 30 years, this facility has burned about 1,800 tons of waste daily, emitted dioxins, and sent toxic ash to a low-income community in Virginia. That is an environmental justice failure. At the same time, closing without a viable alternative would leave the county scrambling, raise costs for residents, and risk simply shifting the burden to another community.

My path forward is three-pronged:First, reduce what we generate. Expand composting to every neighborhood, scale up food scrap diversion from restaurants and grocery stores, improve construction and demolition waste recycling — which accounts for 256,000 tons annually, and implement pay-as-you-throw pricing. Montgomery County already diverts about 60%; we can get higher.Second, transition to landfilling as an interim bridge, with strict environmental-justice criteria on where waste goes and clear timelines, not open-ended contract extensions.Third, invest in modern processing technology for what remains, rather than committing another generation to burning.Closing the incinerator is the right goal. But we owe residents a real implementation plan, with costs, timelines, and accountability, not another decade of delay.

A: Immigrants are our neighbors, colleagues, and essential contributors to Montgomery County’s economy and culture — roughly one in three residents was born outside the U.S. The county’s role is to protect the rights, safety, and dignity of every resident, regardless of immigration status, using every legal and policy tool available.

I support the immigration legislation the Council has passed this year.The Trust Act rightly ends participation in the federal 287(g) program and limits local law enforcement cooperation with ICE.The County Values Act appropriately requires judicial warrants before ICE can enter non-public county buildings and prohibits use of county property as staging areas.The ICE Out Act is a smart, legally durable approach — using the county’s unambiguous authority over permitting to block private detention facilities.Beyond those laws, I will push further: ensure undocumented residents can access county services without fear, invest in “Know Your Rights” education and legal defense funds through trusted nonprofit partners, and protect schools, hospitals, and places of worship as safe spaces.I am firmly opposed to ICE overreach in our communities. Due process is not optional, and Montgomery County must remain a place where every family can live without fear.

A: Montgomery County is in trouble, and it’s critical that the Council include someone with my combination of skills — operational leadership, fiscal discipline, and real-world crisis management.

I’ve commanded soldiers in combat and brought every one of them home, earning the Bronze Star. I’ve managed $190 million budgets and 475 employees as a VP at Comcast. I’ve led a school through the COVID pandemic as Head of School, raised $7 million for a capital project, and delivered it on time and under budget. Few candidates in this race have done any of those things — and none have done all three.Housing is unaffordable. Federal workers are losing their jobs. Employers are leaving for Virginia. MCPS is under budget pressure. Residents deserve a Councilmember who can read a balance sheet, build a coalition, and actually execute — not one who only knows how to pass resolutions.My priorities are clear: economic growth that expands the tax base, affordable housing for essential workers, strong public schools, fiscal discipline, and protection for our most vulnerable neighbors.I’m asking to join this Council team to deliver what the people of Montgomery County need to get through this moment — and come out stronger.

A: Identify the talent that has been released. Assist those laid off with finding a temporary job as a first step (for survival), then a permanent job in one of their areas of specialty and/or opening a small business that they are qualified to run. Critical to assure that job seekers have the full range of support: knowledge/skill/personality assessment to match to a job and work environment; training in job search technique with ongoing job clubs and group work space; financial support through safety net programs; emotional support. Re-training is a longer-term solution.

A: Focus on providing workforce-ready high school graduates. Hire more high-performing teachers instead upgrading physical plants. Eliminate specialty classes (e.g., language immersion) that can be taught at Montgomery College and privately paid for or subsidized per student financial need. Rent out unused space to other agencies or private sector entities. Renovate existing space instead of tearing down and building new. (Private sector does not discard serviceable physical plants like government does. Need more decision-makers who have to deal with kitchen-table issues.)

A: Rent stabilization alone cannot address the local affordable housing crisis. We cannot build our way out of it, particularly if we continue to focus on rentals. The better long-term investment for the County and its residents is affordable homeownership with a range of multi-generatioinal housing options that creates positive outcomes like affordable daycare, after-school care, eldercare, wealth legacy, etc. The existing housing inventory, particularly in multi-family dwellings (including condominiums) should be evaluated for renovation. For example, individual condominium units can be purchased at short sales and foreclosures, renovated, and turned into revenue-producing homes that can financially save entire communities that are on the verge of bankruptcy.

A: Increased development is given credit for being the primary solution to the crisis. Most development today is marketed as “luxury” -- not what is needed by the public, but a much better ROI for developers. Most of the development in the “affordable” category is code for “rental,” which does not bode well in the long term for renters who do not, and will not, have enough resources for a down payment given today’s economy. What we need is basic rental housing and basic owned housing. Affordable housing needs to include “owned” homes. After World War II, we found solutions to the housing crisis. It is time to do what they successfully did then: basics first.

A: Potential unintended consequences need to be quantified before the County moves headlong into approving data center development. Communities that will be impacted by their development need to be told the entire truth -- warts and all -- and let them decide. The County Council seems to believe that our citizens are ignorant, so they will make the better decision. The Council can certainly set standards, but it needs to stop over-reaching and over-regulating. The ultimate build-out of a data center should be the decision of those who will live with the consequences every day.

A: The misleading industry goal of “Zero Waste” by the County’s Department of Environmental Protection is off-putting to the normal citizen because no modern, industrialized society has reached that goal; the best diversion rate is 80% to 90%. Also, DEP’s timeline for transitioning to an advanced materials processing facility requires a huge investment in a very short time period. The County is not flush with funds and needs to start making some choices as to how far and how fast we can realistically move on important issues like waste disposal. There is an alternate path forward -- but it is expensive. We need to take a measured approach to closing the Dickerson trash incinerator. First remove the 25% food waste in the waste stream and compost it as near to the area as possible to reduce the cost and pollution associated with long-haul transfers. Also find a market for the final compost product. Continue to extract as many other materials as possible from the waste stream and invest marginally in the Dickerson trash incinerator, thereby making reduced use of the incinerator until we are able to transition to an advanced materials processing facility which might take until 2031.

A: This County’s economy is fueled in large part by the contributions of the immigrant community. They are our co-workers, our neighbors, our friends. And they are human beings like the rest of us. ICE does not belong in this community. There is a huge distinction today between “the law” and “justice”. While voters cried out that violent immigrants should be targeted, no one anticipated that immigrants who have paid their way and will not reap the benefits of those payments should be removed and families torn apart. The American people must demand that a long overdue “path to citizenship”. The legislators and the law have not kept pace with justice; that must be rectified as a top priority.

A: I have a track record of success in for-profit and non-profit entities, so know how to produce positive bottom lines in both. I have been a consumer of County services as an individual and as a community manager, so understand from a “boots on the ground” perspective how policies and programs work (and do not work). I am the only candidate who has the knowledge, experience and accomplishments to address the most affordable homeownership (i.e., multi-family units) that is key to long-term housing solutions. I also have a commitment to and compassion for finding win-win solutions for all stakeholders.

A: If elected to the Montgomery County Council at-large, I would take a proactive, results-driven approach to help the county recover from federal layoffs and budget cuts by immediately expanding rapid re-employment programs for displaced federal workers, strengthening partnerships with local employers, and fast-tracking job placement into high demand sectors like healthcare, cybersecurity, education, and infrastructure. I would prioritize paid training and apprenticeship pipelines through community colleges and workforce boards so residents can transition directly into stable careers without financial hardship. At the same time, I would push to diversify the county’s economy by attracting new private-sector employers, supporting small business growth, and reducing barriers for local entrepreneurship. I would also work to strengthen short-term safety nets such as rental assistance, food security programs, and mental health services to protect families during transition periods. My focus would be on building a more resilient, skills-based local economy that reduces over reliance on federal employment and ensures long-term opportunity for all residents of Montgomery County.

A: The best approach is a balanced strategy that protects classroom instruction while tackling inefficiencies and expanding long-term funding stability. The county should start by conducting a full audit of school spending to identify administrative overhead, duplication of services, and non-essential costs that can be streamlined without impacting students. At the same time, it should prioritize funding for core needs like teachers, special education, and student support services, especially as enrollment shifts. To address rising maintenance costs, the county can invest in preventative maintenance plans and energy-efficient upgrades that reduce long-term facility expenses. On the revenue side, I would advocate for stronger state advocacy for education funding, targeted use of existing county revenue streams, and exploring public-private partnerships to support programs and infrastructure. Finally, aligning school budgets more closely with workforce and community needs ensures resources are invested where they have the greatest impact on student success and long-term economic mobility.

A: Rent stabilization policies in Montgomery County have had a mixed impact. On one hand, they provide important short-term protection for tenants by limiting sudden rent increases and helping families remain in their homes during a period of rising housing costs. This stability can reduce displacement and give residents more predictability in their budgets. However, rent stabilization alone does not fully solve the affordable housing crisis. It can also have unintended effects, such as discouraging some new housing development or limiting investment in property maintenance if not carefully structured. Because of this, its effectiveness depends heavily on how it is designed and paired with other policies. On its own, it is not enough but when combined with increased housing supply, streamlined permitting, incentives for affordable housing development, and stronger rental assistance programs, it becomes one useful part of a broader, more comprehensive affordability strategy.

A: Yes, I think increased development is one of the most effective long-term tools for addressing the affordable housing crisis, but only if it is done strategically. When a county increases the supply of housing especially a mix of market-rate, workforce, and deeply affordable units it helps reduce pressure on prices and creates more options for residents across income levels. However, development alone is not automatically affordable. If new housing is concentrated only in luxury construction, it can actually deepen inequality and displacement pressures.

The most effective approach is “smart development”: speeding up approvals, reducing unnecessary zoning barriers, and encouraging higher-density housing near transit and job centers while requiring or incentivizing affordable units within new projects. Pairing development with protections for existing residents, rental assistance, and investment in infrastructure ensures growth benefits the whole community. In short, increasing housing supply is essential but it must be balanced, inclusive, and tied to affordability goals to truly solve the crisis.

A: The county should approach data center development with a balanced, conditions-based framework that weighs economic benefits against long-term community impacts before approvals are granted. Data centers can bring tax revenue, infrastructure investment, and construction jobs, but they also raise concerns around energy demand, water usage, noise, land use, and limited permanent employment. To manage this, the county should require full environmental and utility impact assessments upfront, including detailed projections on grid demand, water consumption, and sustainability measures. Approvals should be tied to strict standards for energy efficiency, renewable energy use, and responsible siting away from residential areas, schools, and sensitive land. The county should also negotiate community benefit agreements so that if projects move forward, residents see tangible returns such as infrastructure upgrades, workforce training funds, or local investment commitments. Finally, public transparency and community input should be central throughout the process to ensure growth aligns with long-term livability, environmental responsibility, and equitable economic benefit rather than short-term gain.

A: The county should treat the Dickerson incinerator decision as a transition planning issue rather than a simple “open or close” choice. While the facility currently plays a role in managing waste and reducing landfill dependence, it also raises long-term concerns around emissions, environmental justice, and aging infrastructure. A responsible path forward would be a phased strategy: begin planning for gradual reduction of reliance on incineration while investing in modern, more sustainable alternatives.

Those alternatives should include expanding recycling and composting capacity, investing in advanced waste sorting and waste-to-energy innovations with lower emissions, and strengthening regional partnerships for waste management to reduce local burden. At the same time, the county should ensure any transition is gradual enough to avoid service disruptions or cost spikes for residents. If the incinerator continues operating in the short term, it should be held to the highest environmental standards with strict monitoring and upgrades where possible. Ultimately, the goal should be to move toward a cleaner, more sustainable waste system over time while maintaining reliability and affordability for the community.

A: The county has an important responsibility to ensure that all residents regardless of immigration status feel safe, are treated with dignity, and can access public services without fear. This means focusing on community trust, public safety, and fairness, not turning local agencies into extensions of federal immigration enforcement. I support the county’s approach of limiting unnecessary cooperation with ICE in civil immigration matters while still maintaining cooperation in cases involving serious criminal activity, because that balance helps protect public safety while also strengthening trust between immigrant communities and local law enforcement. Policies like restricting warrantless cooperation and ensuring county resources are not used for civil immigration enforcement are designed to keep families together, encourage people to report crimes, and allow residents to fully engage with schools, healthcare, and public services without fear. At the same time, the county must remain clear that it is not obstructing federal law, but rather prioritizing local governance and community safety. In my view, this balanced approach strengthens the entire community by making it safer, more inclusive, and more stable for everyone.

A: Voters should elect me to the Montgomery County Council because I bring a combination of community-based experience, youth development leadership, and a practical understanding of how policy impacts everyday families. Through my work with the International Sports Organization, I have directly served thousands of young people by connecting sports, education, and mentorship to real outcomes like academic success and college readiness. I understand the challenges families are facing whether it’s housing affordability, school funding pressures, job displacement, or access to opportunity because I’ve worked with those communities directly in churches, mosques, schools, and neighborhood spaces across the county. My approach to leadership is not theoretical, it is grounded in service and results. I focus on creating solutions that are realistic, collaborative, and centered on people expanding workforce pathways, strengthening schools, supporting small businesses, and building a more resilient local economy. I also believe in transparency, accountability, and ensuring that residents have a real voice in decisions that affect their lives. I am running to bring fresh energy, lived community experience, and a strong commitment to opportunity for all residents—so Montgomery County remains not only prosperous, but also inclusive and accessible for every family.