What is MoCo's political future?

[Anonymous]

Since everyone is playing the political future game. What say you about the county as a whole?

Do you think the pendulum will swing the other way in favor of more moderate to conservative elected officials? Or do you think we're continuing the leftward track influenced by progressive activists, disproportionately from Takoma Park and Silver Spring? Does the left train crash off a bridge, or lead us to some bright socialist utopia? Or do things mellow out once the council realizes we have to pay for things and can't scare off everyone whose tax dollars would do the paying-for?

My snarkery is exaggerated but I'm curious what the futurecasters have to say.

Also, Elrich is very very old.

[Anonymous]

Marc Elrich is 73. Even my teenagers don't think that's "very very old."

[Anonymous]

More to the left. People start fleeing high taxes, rising crime, and declining schools. Zero economic growth as usual as high taxes, insane amounts of red tape to start a business continue, and the hostile environment in MoCo towards business gets worse. The only solution MoCo pols will have for an eroding tax base and declining revenue will e to keep raising taxes, which will keep encouraging people to leave even faster and kick off an irreparable death spiral.

Basically, the Baltimoreification of MoCo has already been started and will never stop. Ironically, when things decline due to crap policies, the tendency is to get even more stubborn and triple down on the same failed strategies even harder. MoCo is doomed to a far left decimation of public safety, quality in schools, SFH owner's rights, and tax burden.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:More to the left. People start fleeing high taxes, rising crime, and declining schools. Zero economic growth as usual as high taxes, insane amounts of red tape to start a business continue, and the hostile environment in MoCo towards business gets worse. The only solution MoCo pols will have for an eroding tax base and declining revenue will e to keep raising taxes, which will keep encouraging people to leave even faster and kick off an irreparable death spiral.

Basically, the Baltimoreification of MoCo has already been started and will never stop. Ironically, when things decline due to crap policies, the tendency is to get even more stubborn and triple down on the same failed strategies even harder. MoCo is doomed to a far left decimation of public safety, quality in schools, SFH owner's rights, and tax burden.

And we all know what "the Baltimoreification of MoCo" means!!!!!

The more the people who wish it were still 1975 in Montgomery County move away from Montgomery County, the happier everyone will be.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:More to the left. People start fleeing high taxes, rising crime, and declining schools. Zero economic growth as usual as high taxes, insane amounts of red tape to start a business continue, and the hostile environment in MoCo towards business gets worse. The only solution MoCo pols will have for an eroding tax base and declining revenue will e to keep raising taxes, which will keep encouraging people to leave even faster and kick off an irreparable death spiral.

Basically, the Baltimoreification of MoCo has already been started and will never stop. Ironically, when things decline due to crap policies, the tendency is to get even more stubborn and triple down on the same failed strategies even harder. MoCo is doomed to a far left decimation of public safety, quality in schools, SFH owner's rights, and tax burden.

And we all know what "the Baltimoreification of MoCo" means!!!!!

The more the people who wish it were still 1975 in Montgomery County move away from Montgomery County, the happier everyone will be.

Yes, we know it means massive tax hikes, a huge number of fleeing businesses and population. Just like what happened in the Baltimore in the 90s. MoCo is copying Baltimore from the 90s to a T.

[Anonymous]

Due to self-sorting, with more centrists fleeing to Fairfax, Frederick and Howard, as well as the fact that way too many MoCoites are way too online and getting fed pretty extreme leftism, the future is going to look a lot like some combination of Portland and Baltimore. The rich areas stay rich but get smaller, the middle class and poor areas get poorer, but there’s microbrew and bike lanes!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:More to the left. People start fleeing high taxes, rising crime, and declining schools. Zero economic growth as usual as high taxes, insane amounts of red tape to start a business continue, and the hostile environment in MoCo towards business gets worse. The only solution MoCo pols will have for an eroding tax base and declining revenue will e to keep raising taxes, which will keep encouraging people to leave even faster and kick off an irreparable death spiral.

Basically, the Baltimoreification of MoCo has already been started and will never stop. Ironically, when things decline due to crap policies, the tendency is to get even more stubborn and triple down on the same failed strategies even harder. MoCo is doomed to a far left decimation of public safety, quality in schools, SFH owner's rights, and tax burden.

And we all know what "the Baltimoreification of MoCo" means!!!!!

The more the people who wish it were still 1975 in Montgomery County move away from Montgomery County, the happier everyone will be.

Yes, we know it means massive tax hikes, a huge number of fleeing businesses and population. Just like what happened in the Baltimore in the 90s. MoCo is copying Baltimore from the 90s to a T.

What "massive tax hikes" in Baltimore in the 1990s?

Baltimore started losing businesses and population after 1950, thanks to federal policies that subsidized suburbanization for white people - plus block-busting, of course.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Due to self-sorting, with more centrists fleeing to Fairfax, Frederick and Howard, as well as the fact that way too many MoCoites are way too online and getting fed pretty extreme leftism, the future is going to look a lot like some combination of Portland and Baltimore. The rich areas stay rich but get smaller, the middle class and poor areas get poorer, but there’s microbrew and bike lanes!

Posted by a person who thinks Portland is what you see on Portlandia, and Baltimore is what you see on The Wire.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:More to the left. People start fleeing high taxes, rising crime, and declining schools. Zero economic growth as usual as high taxes, insane amounts of red tape to start a business continue, and the hostile environment in MoCo towards business gets worse. The only solution MoCo pols will have for an eroding tax base and declining revenue will e to keep raising taxes, which will keep encouraging people to leave even faster and kick off an irreparable death spiral.

Basically, the Baltimoreification of MoCo has already been started and will never stop. Ironically, when things decline due to crap policies, the tendency is to get even more stubborn and triple down on the same failed strategies even harder. MoCo is doomed to a far left decimation of public safety, quality in schools, SFH owner's rights, and tax burden.

And we all know what "the Baltimoreification of MoCo" means!!!!!

The more the people who wish it were still 1975 in Montgomery County move away from Montgomery County, the happier everyone will be.

Well, I guess that accusing someone of racism rather than counter any specific points is a kind of argument.

The poster's points still stand. I moved to MOCO in the past ten years to raise a family. We stretched financially and a bought a small SFH in a quiet neighborhood with low crime and a good local school system. In 2023, the crime is worse, the schools are worse, and now there are certain parties that are determined to corrupt the zoning laws in ways that will disrupt neighborhoods, including the one we live in. Ten years later we also aren't stretching financially, so when the time comes to move on, why on Earth would we remain in MOCO? Luckily, switching the kids to private schools makes us that much more mobile. You are right, though, we will all be happier. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Due to self-sorting, with more centrists fleeing to Fairfax, Frederick and Howard, as well as the fact that way too many MoCoites are way too online and getting fed pretty extreme leftism, the future is going to look a lot like some combination of Portland and Baltimore. The rich areas stay rich but get smaller, the middle class and poor areas get poorer, but there’s microbrew and bike lanes!

Posted by a person who thinks Portland is what you see on Portlandia, and Baltimore is what you see on The Wire.

I love the angry arrogance. How much time have you spent in Portland? How well do you know the city?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:More to the left. People start fleeing high taxes, rising crime, and declining schools. Zero economic growth as usual as high taxes, insane amounts of red tape to start a business continue, and the hostile environment in MoCo towards business gets worse. The only solution MoCo pols will have for an eroding tax base and declining revenue will e to keep raising taxes, which will keep encouraging people to leave even faster and kick off an irreparable death spiral.

Basically, the Baltimoreification of MoCo has already been started and will never stop. Ironically, when things decline due to crap policies, the tendency is to get even more stubborn and triple down on the same failed strategies even harder. MoCo is doomed to a far left decimation of public safety, quality in schools, SFH owner's rights, and tax burden.

And we all know what "the Baltimoreification of MoCo" means!!!!!

The more the people who wish it were still 1975 in Montgomery County move away from Montgomery County, the happier everyone will be.

Well, I guess that accusing someone of racism rather than counter any specific points is a kind of argument.

The poster's points still stand. I moved to MOCO in the past ten years to raise a family. We stretched financially and a bought a small SFH in a quiet neighborhood with low crime and a good local school system. In 2023, the crime is worse, the schools are worse, and now there are certain parties that are determined to corrupt the zoning laws in ways that will disrupt neighborhoods, including the one we live in. Ten years later we also aren't stretching financially, so when the time comes to move on, why on Earth would we remain in MOCO? Luckily, switching the kids to private schools makes us that much more mobile. You are right, though, we will all be happier. Good luck!

Why not now?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Due to self-sorting, with more centrists fleeing to Fairfax, Frederick and Howard, as well as the fact that way too many MoCoites are way too online and getting fed pretty extreme leftism, the future is going to look a lot like some combination of Portland and Baltimore. The rich areas stay rich but get smaller, the middle class and poor areas get poorer, but there’s microbrew and bike lanes!

Posted by a person who thinks Portland is what you see on Portlandia, and Baltimore is what you see on The Wire.

I love the angry arrogance. How much time have you spent in Portland? How well do you know the city?

PP here. I'm not angry. Mildly annoyed, maybe. I wish the MoCo Complainers would find some new ways to express their same old complaints.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Due to self-sorting, with more centrists fleeing to Fairfax, Frederick and Howard, as well as the fact that way too many MoCoites are way too online and getting fed pretty extreme leftism, the future is going to look a lot like some combination of Portland and Baltimore. The rich areas stay rich but get smaller, the middle class and poor areas get poorer, but there’s microbrew and bike lanes!

Posted by a person who thinks Portland is what you see on Portlandia, and Baltimore is what you see on The Wire.

I love the angry arrogance. How much time have you spent in Portland? How well do you know the city?

PP here. I'm not angry. Mildly annoyed, maybe. I wish the MoCo Complainers would find some new ways to express their same old complaints.

Don’t you know that this whole sub forum is a Montgomery County Hate board?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Due to self-sorting, with more centrists fleeing to Fairfax, Frederick and Howard, as well as the fact that way too many MoCoites are way too online and getting fed pretty extreme leftism, the future is going to look a lot like some combination of Portland and Baltimore. The rich areas stay rich but get smaller, the middle class and poor areas get poorer, but there’s microbrew and bike lanes!

Posted by a person who thinks Portland is what you see on Portlandia, and Baltimore is what you see on The Wire.

When people talk about the Wire in any context about about Baltimore it’s always a sure sign they don’t know sh*t about the city.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Due to self-sorting, with more centrists fleeing to Fairfax, Frederick and Howard, as well as the fact that way too many MoCoites are way too online and getting fed pretty extreme leftism, the future is going to look a lot like some combination of Portland and Baltimore. The rich areas stay rich but get smaller, the middle class and poor areas get poorer, but there’s microbrew and bike lanes!

Posted by a person who thinks Portland is what you see on Portlandia, and Baltimore is what you see on The Wire.

I love the angry arrogance. How much time have you spent in Portland? How well do you know the city?

PP here. I'm not angry. Mildly annoyed, maybe. I wish the MoCo Complainers would find some new ways to express their same old complaints.

DP. You’re angry — why bother posting on threads that anger you? Go in with your day — you will be a much happier person than someone who bickers on the internet.

Anyways OP, I agree with the previous posts. Grew up in CC and family owned rentals in MoCo. Since 2021, we’ve been selling and moving on. A lot of my old classmates and friends have done the same. High taxes and a lack of business friendliness is a death spiral, as others have said. MoCo has literally hired consultants and written reports about why jobs are declining in the country, so I’m not sure why this is controversial that this is happening.