Why isn’t Bethesda a city?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would love to see MoCo broken up. It’s just too big.

Could Bethesda secede?

I think splitting in half makes the most sense. 1 million people is too big of a jurisdiction to govern appropriately.

Montgomery County is too big to govern for this group of elected officials. Fortunately county voters seem to be getting serious about having competent elected officials.

Let’s divide it along an east/west axis so the inner DC suburbs form one county and the exurbs/rural regions to the north form another.

I would support that. Or maybe divide it into four quadrants.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would love to see MoCo broken up. It’s just too big.

Could Bethesda secede?

I think splitting in half makes the most sense. 1 million people is too big of a jurisdiction to govern appropriately.

Montgomery County is too big to govern for this group of elected officials. Fortunately county voters seem to be getting serious about having competent elected officials.

Let’s divide it along an east/west axis so the inner DC suburbs form one county and the exurbs/rural regions to the north form another.

I would support that. Or maybe divide it into four quadrants.

Would need to be mindful of geographic area and population. The most sensible could generate equal populations and geographic coherence is probably 3 different counties: north/ag reserve, southwest and southeast.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would love to see MoCo broken up. It’s just too big.

Could Bethesda secede?

I think splitting in half makes the most sense. 1 million people is too big of a jurisdiction to govern appropriately.

Montgomery County is too big to govern for this group of elected officials. Fortunately county voters seem to be getting serious about having competent elected officials.

Let’s divide it along an east/west axis so the inner DC suburbs form one county and the exurbs/rural regions to the north form another.

I would support that. Or maybe divide it into four quadrants.

Would need to be mindful of geographic area and population. The most sensible could generate equal populations and geographic coherence is probably 3 different counties: north/ag reserve, southwest and southeast.

Southwest MoCo and southeast MoCo have a lot more in common. I’d keep them linked and put the exurbs and ag preserve together in the north.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would love to see MoCo broken up. It’s just too big.

Could Bethesda secede?

I think splitting in half makes the most sense. 1 million people is too big of a jurisdiction to govern appropriately.

Montgomery County is too big to govern for this group of elected officials. Fortunately county voters seem to be getting serious about having competent elected officials.

Let’s divide it along an east/west axis so the inner DC suburbs form one county and the exurbs/rural regions to the north form another.

I would support that. Or maybe divide it into four quadrants.

Would need to be mindful of geographic area and population. The most sensible could generate equal populations and geographic coherence is probably 3 different counties: north/ag reserve, southwest and southeast.

Southwest MoCo and southeast MoCo have a lot more in common. I’d keep them linked and put the exurbs and ag preserve together in the north.

Now you just need to convince the residents, the council and the senate and assembly. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Look at the disaster that is New Jersey - so many incorporated cities and tiny townships. It’s a massive layer of government and it’s what drives NJ’s sky high property taxes.

Bethesda residents get a good deal by remaining unincorporated. The county has much stronger leverage when it comes to costs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Look at the disaster that is New Jersey - so many incorporated cities and tiny townships. It’s a massive layer of government and it’s what drives NJ’s sky high property taxes.

Bethesda residents get a good deal by remaining unincorporated. The county has much stronger leverage when it comes to costs.

No they don’t. The council has literally passed legislation dictating that Bethesda is not prioritized for services, including sidewalk snow removal. The natural consequence is that Bethesda is ignored for all basic services “because their rich” which is the direct proximate cause of the death of the cyclist on Old Georgetown Rd. This “equity” attitude means that Bethesda is always last in line for public services.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Look at the disaster that is New Jersey - so many incorporated cities and tiny townships. It’s a massive layer of government and it’s what drives NJ’s sky high property taxes.

Bethesda residents get a good deal by remaining unincorporated. The county has much stronger leverage when it comes to costs.

No they don’t. The council has literally passed legislation dictating that Bethesda is not prioritized for services, including sidewalk snow removal. The natural consequence is that Bethesda is ignored for all basic services “because their rich” which is the direct proximate cause of the death of the cyclist on Old Georgetown Rd. This “equity” attitude means that Bethesda is always last in line for public services.

The “equity” is benefitting the upcounty population disproportionately

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Look at the disaster that is New Jersey - so many incorporated cities and tiny townships. It’s a massive layer of government and it’s what drives NJ’s sky high property taxes.

Bethesda residents get a good deal by remaining unincorporated. The county has much stronger leverage when it comes to costs.

No they don’t. The council has literally passed legislation dictating that Bethesda is not prioritized for services, including sidewalk snow removal. The natural consequence is that Bethesda is ignored for all basic services “because their rich” which is the direct proximate cause of the death of the cyclist on Old Georgetown Rd. This “equity” attitude means that Bethesda is always last in line for public services.

The “equity” is benefitting the upcounty population disproportionately

Actually no. The “equity” benefits Silver Spring and Takoma Park disproportionately.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Look at the disaster that is New Jersey - so many incorporated cities and tiny townships. It’s a massive layer of government and it’s what drives NJ’s sky high property taxes.

Bethesda residents get a good deal by remaining unincorporated. The county has much stronger leverage when it comes to costs.

No they don’t. The council has literally passed legislation dictating that Bethesda is not prioritized for services, including sidewalk snow removal. The natural consequence is that Bethesda is ignored for all basic services “because their rich” which is the direct proximate cause of the death of the cyclist on Old Georgetown Rd. This “equity” attitude means that Bethesda is always last in line for public services.

The “equity” is benefitting the upcounty population disproportionately

Actually no. The “equity” benefits Silver Spring and Takoma Park disproportionately.

Prove it. Less dense, rural areas have always been dependent on fiscal transfers from dense urban areas to fund their local services and infrastructure. Why would up-county buck this trend?

I really don't believe it.

[Anonymous]

it would be another layer of bureaucracy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Look at the disaster that is New Jersey - so many incorporated cities and tiny townships. It’s a massive layer of government and it’s what drives NJ’s sky high property taxes.

Bethesda residents get a good deal by remaining unincorporated. The county has much stronger leverage when it comes to costs.

No they don’t. The council has literally passed legislation dictating that Bethesda is not prioritized for services, including sidewalk snow removal. The natural consequence is that Bethesda is ignored for all basic services “because their rich” which is the direct proximate cause of the death of the cyclist on Old Georgetown Rd. This “equity” attitude means that Bethesda is always last in line for public services.

The “equity” is benefitting the upcounty population disproportionately

Actually no. The “equity” benefits Silver Spring and Takoma Park disproportionately.

Prove it. Less dense, rural areas have always been dependent on fiscal transfers from dense urban areas to fund their local services and infrastructure. Why would up-county buck this trend?

I really don't believe it.

I think you have the burden of proof wrong. You clearly know very little about Montgomery County, MD.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Look at the disaster that is New Jersey - so many incorporated cities and tiny townships. It’s a massive layer of government and it’s what drives NJ’s sky high property taxes.

Bethesda residents get a good deal by remaining unincorporated. The county has much stronger leverage when it comes to costs.

No they don’t. The council has literally passed legislation dictating that Bethesda is not prioritized for services, including sidewalk snow removal. The natural consequence is that Bethesda is ignored for all basic services “because their rich” which is the direct proximate cause of the death of the cyclist on Old Georgetown Rd. This “equity” attitude means that Bethesda is always last in line for public services.

Somehow MCPS missed that memo. Go over to Eastern Middle School and walk around, then get back to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Look at the disaster that is New Jersey - so many incorporated cities and tiny townships. It’s a massive layer of government and it’s what drives NJ’s sky high property taxes.

Bethesda residents get a good deal by remaining unincorporated. The county has much stronger leverage when it comes to costs.

No they don’t. The council has literally passed legislation dictating that Bethesda is not prioritized for services, including sidewalk snow removal. The natural consequence is that Bethesda is ignored for all basic services “because their rich” which is the direct proximate cause of the death of the cyclist on Old Georgetown Rd. This “equity” attitude means that Bethesda is always last in line for public services.

The “equity” is benefitting the upcounty population disproportionately

Actually no. The “equity” benefits Silver Spring and Takoma Park disproportionately.

Prove it. Less dense, rural areas have always been dependent on fiscal transfers from dense urban areas to fund their local services and infrastructure. Why would up-county buck this trend?

I really don't believe it.

I think you have the burden of proof wrong. You clearly know very little about Montgomery County, MD.

Tell me what I'm missing. I don't think taxes from up-county is funding services for poor kids in Silver Spring. Frankly, its Bethesda and Silver Spring tax dollars funding Silver Spring services.

Clarksburg is not over-contributing to the tax base - no friggin way. Though, I'm sure they've also bought into the "maker/taker" narrative.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Look at the disaster that is New Jersey - so many incorporated cities and tiny townships. It’s a massive layer of government and it’s what drives NJ’s sky high property taxes.

Bethesda residents get a good deal by remaining unincorporated. The county has much stronger leverage when it comes to costs.

No they don’t. The council has literally passed legislation dictating that Bethesda is not prioritized for services, including sidewalk snow removal. The natural consequence is that Bethesda is ignored for all basic services “because their rich” which is the direct proximate cause of the death of the cyclist on Old Georgetown Rd. This “equity” attitude means that Bethesda is always last in line for public services.

The “equity” is benefitting the upcounty population disproportionately

Actually no. The “equity” benefits Silver Spring and Takoma Park disproportionately.

Prove it. Less dense, rural areas have always been dependent on fiscal transfers from dense urban areas to fund their local services and infrastructure. Why would up-county buck this trend?

I really don't believe it.

I think you have the burden of proof wrong. You clearly know very little about Montgomery County, MD.

Tell me what I'm missing. I don't think taxes from up-county is funding services for poor kids in Silver Spring. Frankly, its Bethesda and Silver Spring tax dollars funding Silver Spring services.

Clarksburg is not over-contributing to the tax base - no friggin way. Though, I'm sure they've also bought into the "maker/taker" narrative.

Upcounty subsidizes other parts of the county. The county is not even keeping the revenues generated upcounty to support upcounty residents services. You are not aware of the Poolesville “services desert” or that fact that despite every new housing unit in Clarksburg paying the highest school impact fees in the county, that elementary schools in Clarksburg have more than 20 portable classrooms. Those impact fees are going towards subsidizing infrastructure down county where the county has eliminated impact fees and provided a generous 15-year property tax giveaway to developers. Also, just go drive around Ag Reserve. The roads are crumbling. The divestment is obvious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because then we'd have to pay more taxes.

100%. Maryland is step up to have strong counties and weak cities. There is no significant advantage to incorporating because it does not confer any power over anything of substantive importance, aside from allowing the municipality to form its own police force. So no jurisdiction over parks (unless you create your own), land use/zoning (unless the assembly grants it to you), or schools. It would, however, create another layer of government and more taxes.

In the long run, if more communities in Montgomery County incorporated, there would be political pressure to reduce county taxes (and services). But the immediate hit would be politically untenable.

It would also be someone politically untenable, because an effort to incorporate Bethesda would certainly by accused of being racist by the usual clowns.

I'm part of a small town gov't body in MoCo. We have total control over parks and trails within town limits. We have total control over land use and zoning, and have used it so that our small town isn't over ran with developers and high density housing. We have town trash/recycling, snow removal, and lighting, all of which I find to be more efficient than when I lived in an unincorporated area of MoCo. Our gov't officials are not paid, it's completely a volunteer, elected body, and it creates less corruption and more of a community feel. You will need man power and a really involved, active community, but it can absolutely be worthwhile.

OMG! High density housing! The horror!