Why isn’t Bethesda a city?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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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.

You keep saying that. Prove it.

An anecdote about portable classrooms in Clarksburg is not proof. An anecdote about bumpy roads is not proof.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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

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.

Which town? Are there others with this deal? What is stopping the county or state from passing legislation affecting development and land use rights as has been done in other parts of the Northeast?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

You keep saying that. Prove it.

An anecdote about portable classrooms in Clarksburg is not proof. An anecdote about bumpy roads is not proof.

Proof is not proof? Okay friend.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

You keep saying that. Prove it.

An anecdote about portable classrooms in Clarksburg is not proof. An anecdote about bumpy roads is not proof.

Proof is not proof? Okay friend.

An anecdote about portable classrooms is not proof that upcounty is subsidizing downcounty, no. That's absurd. Is this your first debate with someone? Yikes. There are many explanations for what you have observed, none of which include upcounty's tax dollars being transferred to downcounty.

There are some pretty crappy roads and portable classrooms in SE DC. Clearly, SE DC is subsidizing NW DC! That's how ridiculous you sound.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

You keep saying that. Prove it.

An anecdote about portable classrooms in Clarksburg is not proof. An anecdote about bumpy roads is not proof.

Proof is not proof? Okay friend.

An anecdote about portable classrooms is not proof that upcounty is subsidizing downcounty, no. That's absurd. Is this your first debate with someone? Yikes. There are many explanations for what you have observed, none of which include upcounty's tax dollars being transferred to downcounty.

There are some pretty crappy roads and portable classrooms in SE DC. Clearly, SE DC is subsidizing NW DC! That's how ridiculous you sound.

I would start by pointed out that you have nothing to say about the well documented Poolesville services desert. But I am not sure it’s worthwhile because you have just exposed yourself as having zero clue how school impact fees work and how they are assessed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

You keep saying that. Prove it.

An anecdote about portable classrooms in Clarksburg is not proof. An anecdote about bumpy roads is not proof.

Proof is not proof? Okay friend.

An anecdote about portable classrooms is not proof that upcounty is subsidizing downcounty, no. That's absurd. Is this your first debate with someone? Yikes. There are many explanations for what you have observed, none of which include upcounty's tax dollars being transferred to downcounty.

There are some pretty crappy roads and portable classrooms in SE DC. Clearly, SE DC is subsidizing NW DC! That's how ridiculous you sound.

I would start by pointed out that you have nothing to say about the well documented Poolesville services desert. But I am not sure it’s worthwhile because you have just exposed yourself as having zero clue how school impact fees work and how they are assessed.

No, you should start out by demonstrating that upcounty is subsidizing downcounty, as you've claimed multiple times on this thread. Anything else is shifting the goalposts.

I'll wait.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

You keep saying that. Prove it.

An anecdote about portable classrooms in Clarksburg is not proof. An anecdote about bumpy roads is not proof.

Proof is not proof? Okay friend.

An anecdote about portable classrooms is not proof that upcounty is subsidizing downcounty, no. That's absurd. Is this your first debate with someone? Yikes. There are many explanations for what you have observed, none of which include upcounty's tax dollars being transferred to downcounty.

There are some pretty crappy roads and portable classrooms in SE DC. Clearly, SE DC is subsidizing NW DC! That's how ridiculous you sound.

I would start by pointed out that you have nothing to say about the well documented Poolesville services desert. But I am not sure it’s worthwhile because you have just exposed yourself as having zero clue how school impact fees work and how they are assessed.

No, you should start out by demonstrating that upcounty is subsidizing downcounty, as you've claimed multiple times on this thread. Anything else is shifting the goalposts.

I'll wait.

DO YOU KNOW HOW IMPACT FEES WORK?

[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.

Well, if we had stayed in NJ, we would not have had to pay private school tuition for two kids. NJ schools, like those in Mass., are far above what we settle for in MoCo. Also, there is support for police, and they respond.

[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.

Could you please name that legislation or link to it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why is it technically an unincorporated area of MoCo? Help me understand

As someone who lived in Montgomery Co on and off since 1988 and came from Chicago where there are many city incorporated under Lake and Cook counties I've asked myself this question. And the answer is simple:
Most people think Montgomery County does a good job of satisfying their needs. If they didn't, they would incorporate.

When I've called in a ticket to fill a pothole, it gets done quick.
Their softball fields are some of the best I've seen in any city in the United States.

Other than Montgomery County government actually acting like a bigger city than DC, what is not to like by a huge majority of its citizens?