Silver Spring, MD - Mark D. Fennel has
announced his candidacy to run for
Montgomery County Council in District 4
in the up-coming special election. A
life-long resident of Montgomery County,
Mark Fennel lives in Silver Spring with
his wife Estela, who immigrated to the
United States from Honduras, and their
6th month old son Caleb, who was born at
Washington Adventist Hospital in Takoma
Park. Mark Fennel graduated from Walter
Johnson High School in 1984 and holds a
B.A. in political science from Vassar
College.
A writer and marketing
analyst, Mark Fennel is the long-time
Director of Membership for Citizens
Against Government Waste, a nationally
known, non-profit organization that
exposed the infamous, "Bridge to
Nowhere," and other notorious earmarks.
Previously, Mark Fennel worked for four
years in the development department of
The Heritage Foundation following a
stint in the private sector.
When Mark Fennel launched his
previous campaign for County Council in
District 4, he was quoted in The Gazette
as saying, "This year [FY06] the budget
has ballooned to an incredible $3.5
billion, and there is talk of a $4
billion budget. . .For the future
prosperity of Montgomery County and its
residents, it's critical that an
austerity program be put in place to
curtail this vicious pattern of
unrestrained and unsustainable spending"
("GOP newcomer making bid for County
Council," Dec. 14, 2005).
On Oct. 9, 2006 shortly before the
election, Montgomery Community
Television videotaped Mark Fennel
saying, "Tragically, Montgomery County
is facing a financial crisis. During the
first eight months of 2006, we've seen a
$300 million falloff in transfer and
recordation taxes; a new federal law
requires $200 million to pre-fund some
county employee benefits; the county
employees' retirement system is $674
million in deficit; and, we're facing a
$67 million shortfall in facility
maintenance. All the while, the council
irresponsibly went on an election year
spending spree."
Today, Montgomery County is facing a
$300 million budget deficit and the
threat of higher property taxes is
looming on the horizon. Having just
received increases in Maryland state
computer, sales, income, car, and
corporate taxes, it appears the County
Council is preparing to override the
county's charter property tax limit
which will cause hundreds more
foreclosures especially for minority
families, and price thousands more out
of the county housing market. Under this
dire background, according to the
February 14, 2008 edition of the
Montgomery County Sentinel, Council
President Mike Knapp inexplicably said,
"Right now we're looking back to see how
committees were structured 15 or 20
years ago and seeing if we even need an
Management and Fiscal Policy committee."
Mark Fennel has pledged not to
support an override of the county's
Charter Amendment, because the Charter
Amendment was put in place to protect
families from unfair tax increases.
According to Mark Fennel, "The solution
to this budget crisis, is to go through
Montgomery County's budget with a fine
tooth comb and root out waste,
mismanagement and inefficiency while
slowing the rate of growth of Montgomery
County's budget." This is a task Mark
Fennel is well prepared to handle,
because he's been working on this issue
for many years at Citizens Against
Government Waste. Mark Fennel went on to
say, "an integral part of reigning in
over-the-top spending and the associated
high level of taxation to support it, is
to end the decades old symbiotic
relationship between special interests
and the County Council, where the County
Council and special interests win, and
Montgomery County families lose."
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Posted by:
VoteFennelforCountyCouncil | February 28,
2008 08:54 PM
A writer and marketing analyst, Mark Fennel is the long-time Director of Membership for Citizens Against Government Waste, a nationally known, non-profit organization that exposed the infamous, "Bridge to Nowhere," and other notorious earmarks. Previously, Mark Fennel worked for four years in the development department of The Heritage Foundation following a stint in the private sector.
When Mark Fennel launched his previous campaign for County Council in District 4, he was quoted in The Gazette as saying, "This year [FY06] the budget has ballooned to an incredible $3.5 billion, and there is talk of a $4 billion budget. . .For the future prosperity of Montgomery County and its residents, it's critical that an austerity program be put in place to curtail this vicious pattern of unrestrained and unsustainable spending" ("GOP newcomer making bid for County Council," Dec. 14, 2005).
On Oct. 9, 2006 shortly before the election, Montgomery Community Television videotaped Mark Fennel saying, "Tragically, Montgomery County is facing a financial crisis. During the first eight months of 2006, we've seen a $300 million falloff in transfer and recordation taxes; a new federal law requires $200 million to pre-fund some county employee benefits; the county employees' retirement system is $674 million in deficit; and, we're facing a $67 million shortfall in facility maintenance. All the while, the council irresponsibly went on an election year spending spree."
Today, Montgomery County is facing a $300 million budget deficit and the threat of higher property taxes is looming on the horizon. Having just received increases in Maryland state computer, sales, income, car, and corporate taxes, it appears the County Council is preparing to override the county's charter property tax limit which will cause hundreds more foreclosures especially for minority families, and price thousands more out of the county housing market. Under this dire background, according to the February 14, 2008 edition of the Montgomery County Sentinel, Council President Mike Knapp inexplicably said, "Right now we're looking back to see how committees were structured 15 or 20 years ago and seeing if we even need an Management and Fiscal Policy committee."
Mark Fennel has pledged not to support an override of the county's Charter Amendment, because the Charter Amendment was put in place to protect families from unfair tax increases. According to Mark Fennel, "The solution to this budget crisis, is to go through Montgomery County's budget with a fine tooth comb and root out waste, mismanagement and inefficiency while slowing the rate of growth of Montgomery County's budget." This is a task Mark Fennel is well prepared to handle, because he's been working on this issue for many years at Citizens Against Government Waste. Mark Fennel went on to say, "an integral part of reigning in over-the-top spending and the associated high level of taxation to support it, is to end the decades old symbiotic relationship between special interests and the County Council, where the County Council and special interests win, and Montgomery County families lose."
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