No good options for MoCo?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks to everyone for an informative discussion. Not OP but have also been struggling with this decision. I’m wavering between Friedson and Glass and may end up at Friedson after this.

Glass is very gimmicky and for businesses that can mean death by a thousand cuts. But I would vote for him if I thought he would beat Jawando. I don't think he will. I think Friedson is more likely to beat Jawando so that is who I am voting for and I also dislike him the least of the three.

[Anonymous]

I am going with Jawando. He listens to residents more than either of the other two candidates. He has some ideological tunnel vision on policing that I don’t like, but he’s mostly in step with a majority of the council so there won’t be changes on policing. Based on how Jawando has handled subsidies, land use, and the budget this year, he seems to be considerably smarter and more willing to consider differing views than the other candidates.

It says something to me that Jawando was endorsed by most of the Somerset elected officials even though Friedson is their district rep. Glass has also done a good job working with municipal officials, and he’s my second choice. I would choose Peter James over Friedson because I’d rather give autonomous vehicles a chance than watch Friedson waive all the taxes developers pay.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am going with Jawando. He listens to residents more than either of the other two candidates. He has some ideological tunnel vision on policing that I don’t like, but he’s mostly in step with a majority of the council so there won’t be changes on policing. Based on how Jawando has handled subsidies, land use, and the budget this year, he seems to be considerably smarter and more willing to consider differing views than the other candidates.

It says something to me that Jawando was endorsed by most of the Somerset elected officials even though Friedson is their district rep. Glass has also done a good job working with municipal officials, and he’s my second choice. I would choose Peter James over Friedson because I’d rather give autonomous vehicles a chance than watch Friedson waive all the taxes developers pay.

Jawando is the most likely to raise taxes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am going with Jawando. He listens to residents more than either of the other two candidates. He has some ideological tunnel vision on policing that I don’t like, but he’s mostly in step with a majority of the council so there won’t be changes on policing. Based on how Jawando has handled subsidies, land use, and the budget this year, he seems to be considerably smarter and more willing to consider differing views than the other candidates.

It says something to me that Jawando was endorsed by most of the Somerset elected officials even though Friedson is their district rep. Glass has also done a good job working with municipal officials, and he’s my second choice. I would choose Peter James over Friedson because I’d rather give autonomous vehicles a chance than watch Friedson waive all the taxes developers pay.

Jawando is the most likely to raise taxes.

+1. That's for sure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think you have to pick the least bad.

Friedson is definitely in bed with developers, who fund him. But, he might be good for business, which the county desperately needs (and to get big businesses here, as in large company headquarters, MCPS has to improve, traffic has to improve and housing costs need to improve)

Jawando talks a good game about MCPS, but he can't fix the funding problem (there isn't enough and we can't seem to get more big businesses here)

Glass seems more talk/politician than any actual action to me. Adding a Council person to oversee MCPS for example was tried, when they sent over Essie Maguire. How'd that work out? And that he's from the eastern part of the county is a turnoff for me - that area only cares about that area, and the CE needs to think about how policies affect the entire county

I don't think Friedson being in bed with developers means he will be good for business.

Jawando will increase taxes and put in more regulations to hinder businesses.

At least Glass is trying to come up with something to rein in MCPS spending. I don't hear the others talking about that. They just seem to want to give MCPS carte blanche. Also, let's be real.. most people only care about their own part of the county, but he now lives in SS. If Glass become CE, he would think about the entire county.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think you have to pick the least bad.

Friedson is definitely in bed with developers, who fund him. But, he might be good for business, which the county desperately needs (and to get big businesses here, as in large company headquarters, MCPS has to improve, traffic has to improve and housing costs need to improve)

Jawando talks a good game about MCPS, but he can't fix the funding problem (there isn't enough and we can't seem to get more big businesses here)

Glass seems more talk/politician than any actual action to me. Adding a Council person to oversee MCPS for example was tried, when they sent over Essie Maguire. How'd that work out? And that he's from the eastern part of the county is a turnoff for me - that area only cares about that area, and the CE needs to think about how policies affect the entire county

I don't think Friedson being in bed with developers means he will be good for business.

Jawando will increase taxes and put in more regulations to hinder businesses.

At least Glass is trying to come up with something to rein in MCPS spending. I don't hear the others talking about that. They just seem to want to give MCPS carte blanche. Also, let's be real.. most people only care about their own part of the county, but he now lives in SS. If Glass become CE, he would think about the entire county.

+1. Friedson will be good for the businesses that donated to him. He’s proven that. Those are predominantly real estate developers and others attached to real estate industry like land use law firms. They don’t create a lot of permanent high-paying jobs.

I don’t think it’s a foregone conclusion that Jawando will raise taxes and increase regulation. His ambition could work for us because if he doesn’t have good outcomes he won’t win a higher office. He wants to win higher offices. Jawando will definitely seek to reform taxes so they’re more progressive. I think that’s badly needed and he already has talked about some ideas of what he would do. He was the only council member to propose keeping the ITOC and holding property tax rates steady during the last budget.

Glass has voted for all the developer subsidies that Friedson has put forward. This is why the developers can live with him. They’d rather have Friedson because Friedson will be more aggressive proposing subsidies and will end rent stabilization, but with Glass they know he’ll go with whatever the council passes. Finally, Glass spends a lot of time complaining about MCPS budget transparency but apparently he missed the website where you can click on every budget item. I missed him proposing anything to rein in spending.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am going with Jawando. He listens to residents more than either of the other two candidates. He has some ideological tunnel vision on policing that I don’t like, but he’s mostly in step with a majority of the council so there won’t be changes on policing. Based on how Jawando has handled subsidies, land use, and the budget this year, he seems to be considerably smarter and more willing to consider differing views than the other candidates.

It says something to me that Jawando was endorsed by most of the Somerset elected officials even though Friedson is their district rep. Glass has also done a good job working with municipal officials, and he’s my second choice. I would choose Peter James over Friedson because I’d rather give autonomous vehicles a chance than watch Friedson waive all the taxes developers pay.

Jawando is the most likely to raise taxes.

The only council member who proposed keeping tax rates the same and keeping the ITOC is the one most likely to raise taxes? OK.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am going with Jawando. He listens to residents more than either of the other two candidates. He has some ideological tunnel vision on policing that I don’t like, but he’s mostly in step with a majority of the council so there won’t be changes on policing. Based on how Jawando has handled subsidies, land use, and the budget this year, he seems to be considerably smarter and more willing to consider differing views than the other candidates.

It says something to me that Jawando was endorsed by most of the Somerset elected officials even though Friedson is their district rep. Glass has also done a good job working with municipal officials, and he’s my second choice. I would choose Peter James over Friedson because I’d rather give autonomous vehicles a chance than watch Friedson waive all the taxes developers pay.

Jawando will destroy police. I promise you that. The good ones are waiting to see who wins and there will be a mass exodus if it's him. Leaving us with union-protected problem officers that are difficult to fire. I will bookmark this post because I can almost assure you crime will go up if he wins.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am going with Jawando. He listens to residents more than either of the other two candidates. He has some ideological tunnel vision on policing that I don’t like, but he’s mostly in step with a majority of the council so there won’t be changes on policing. Based on how Jawando has handled subsidies, land use, and the budget this year, he seems to be considerably smarter and more willing to consider differing views than the other candidates.

It says something to me that Jawando was endorsed by most of the Somerset elected officials even though Friedson is their district rep. Glass has also done a good job working with municipal officials, and he’s my second choice. I would choose Peter James over Friedson because I’d rather give autonomous vehicles a chance than watch Friedson waive all the taxes developers pay.

Jawando will destroy police. I promise you that. The good ones are waiting to see who wins and there will be a mass exodus if it's him. Leaving us with union-protected problem officers that are difficult to fire. I will bookmark this post because I can almost assure you crime will go up if he wins.

OK please keep us updated. Everyone was supposed to quit because the post-George Floyd reforms (which Friedson voted for by the way) and it didn’t happen. Crime is down, by the way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am going with Jawando. He listens to residents more than either of the other two candidates. He has some ideological tunnel vision on policing that I don’t like, but he’s mostly in step with a majority of the council so there won’t be changes on policing. Based on how Jawando has handled subsidies, land use, and the budget this year, he seems to be considerably smarter and more willing to consider differing views than the other candidates.

It says something to me that Jawando was endorsed by most of the Somerset elected officials even though Friedson is their district rep. Glass has also done a good job working with municipal officials, and he’s my second choice. I would choose Peter James over Friedson because I’d rather give autonomous vehicles a chance than watch Friedson waive all the taxes developers pay.

Jawando will destroy police. I promise you that. The good ones are waiting to see who wins and there will be a mass exodus if it's him. Leaving us with union-protected problem officers that are difficult to fire. I will bookmark this post because I can almost assure you crime will go up if he wins.

OK please keep us updated. Everyone was supposed to quit because the post-George Floyd reforms (which Friedson voted for by the way) and it didn’t happen. Crime is down, by the way.

They did quit. And those who stayed were afraid to engage. That is part of the reason crime went up. As we have distanced ourselves from George Floyd's murder and the backlash against police, police have reengaged and have been more active. And that is why, in part, crime has gone down. It's not the only reason but it is a meaningful contributor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am going with Jawando. He listens to residents more than either of the other two candidates. He has some ideological tunnel vision on policing that I don’t like, but he’s mostly in step with a majority of the council so there won’t be changes on policing. Based on how Jawando has handled subsidies, land use, and the budget this year, he seems to be considerably smarter and more willing to consider differing views than the other candidates.

It says something to me that Jawando was endorsed by most of the Somerset elected officials even though Friedson is their district rep. Glass has also done a good job working with municipal officials, and he’s my second choice. I would choose Peter James over Friedson because I’d rather give autonomous vehicles a chance than watch Friedson waive all the taxes developers pay.

Jawando will destroy police. I promise you that. The good ones are waiting to see who wins and there will be a mass exodus if it's him. Leaving us with union-protected problem officers that are difficult to fire. I will bookmark this post because I can almost assure you crime will go up if he wins.

OK please keep us updated. Everyone was supposed to quit because the post-George Floyd reforms (which Friedson voted for by the way) and it didn’t happen. Crime is down, by the way.

They did quit. And those who stayed were afraid to engage. That is part of the reason crime went up. As we have distanced ourselves from George Floyd's murder and the backlash against police, police have reengaged and have been more active. And that is why, in part, crime has gone down. It's not the only reason but it is a meaningful contributor.

No, crime went up because we let all the criminals out of jail because of Covid and because vacant cities are great places for crime.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am going with Jawando. He listens to residents more than either of the other two candidates. He has some ideological tunnel vision on policing that I don’t like, but he’s mostly in step with a majority of the council so there won’t be changes on policing. Based on how Jawando has handled subsidies, land use, and the budget this year, he seems to be considerably smarter and more willing to consider differing views than the other candidates.

It says something to me that Jawando was endorsed by most of the Somerset elected officials even though Friedson is their district rep. Glass has also done a good job working with municipal officials, and he’s my second choice. I would choose Peter James over Friedson because I’d rather give autonomous vehicles a chance than watch Friedson waive all the taxes developers pay.

Jawando will destroy police. I promise you that. The good ones are waiting to see who wins and there will be a mass exodus if it's him. Leaving us with union-protected problem officers that are difficult to fire. I will bookmark this post because I can almost assure you crime will go up if he wins.

OK please keep us updated. Everyone was supposed to quit because the post-George Floyd reforms (which Friedson voted for by the way) and it didn’t happen. Crime is down, by the way.

They did quit. And those who stayed were afraid to engage. That is part of the reason crime went up. As we have distanced ourselves from George Floyd's murder and the backlash against police, police have reengaged and have been more active. And that is why, in part, crime has gone down. It's not the only reason but it is a meaningful contributor.

No, crime went up because we let all the criminals out of jail because of Covid and because vacant cities are great places for crime.

lol no.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am going with Jawando. He listens to residents more than either of the other two candidates. He has some ideological tunnel vision on policing that I don’t like, but he’s mostly in step with a majority of the council so there won’t be changes on policing. Based on how Jawando has handled subsidies, land use, and the budget this year, he seems to be considerably smarter and more willing to consider differing views than the other candidates.

It says something to me that Jawando was endorsed by most of the Somerset elected officials even though Friedson is their district rep. Glass has also done a good job working with municipal officials, and he’s my second choice. I would choose Peter James over Friedson because I’d rather give autonomous vehicles a chance than watch Friedson waive all the taxes developers pay.

Jawando will destroy police. I promise you that. The good ones are waiting to see who wins and there will be a mass exodus if it's him. Leaving us with union-protected problem officers that are difficult to fire. I will bookmark this post because I can almost assure you crime will go up if he wins.

OK please keep us updated. Everyone was supposed to quit because the post-George Floyd reforms (which Friedson voted for by the way) and it didn’t happen. Crime is down, by the way.

Crime stats don’t mean squat if we aren’t talking about murder stats, which are hard to fudge for political gains. Look no further than the MPD crime stat fraud debacle to know that I’m not lying.

Anecdotally, there has been a dramatic uptick in panhandlers, people sleeping at bus stops, and a general degradation of the overall feeling of safety and quality of life in the county over the past 10
-15 years. People weren’t getting regularly killed in parking lots in Silver Spring in 2010 and sleeping in every other bus shelter along Georgia Ave back then.

I want less societal decay, more business and middle and upper income condo / apartment development, more businesses (which will bring more UMC young people to live in these condos / apartments), and more public infrastructure being built on time and on budget. Those are my priorities and Friedson is in the only person I can see even halfway meeting them.

[Anonymous]

And there was a 20% uptick in murders last year, up to 24 in 2025 from 20 in 2024.

Fairfax had 12 murders in 2025 and a 15% decrease since 2024.

DC had 127 murders in 2025 and a
32% since 2024.

Arlington had 1 - yes 1 - homicide in 2025.

So please forgive me if I call BS on claims that crime is down.

[Anonymous]

Fixed

Anonymous wrote:And there was a 20% uptick in murders last year, up to 24 in 2025 from 20 in 2024.

Fairfax had 12 murders in 2025 and a 15% decrease since 2024.

DC had 127 murders in 2025 and a
32% decrease since 2024.

Arlington had 1 - yes 1 - homicide in 2025.

So please forgive me if I call BS on claims that crime is down.