LOSERS: The voters and homeowners in Council District 4 special elections of April 15 and May 13. County Executive Leggett who was unsuccssful in supporting Congressman Al Wynn in the recent Primary and losing candidates in the recent Gaithersburg City Elections is now trying to dictate a choice for county council that will agree with Leggett's decision to exceed the county charter property tax limit this year and the two years after that. Mark Fennel, of Citizens Against Government Waste, a candidate for the council seat, has vowed not to vote to exceed the charter property tax limit while in office.

Leggett will introduce a county budget in March that will exceed the county charter property tax limit, give us a great big property tax hike and seize our Pelosi rebate checks. He knows that the Board of Elections has certified our 2008 charter amendment ballot question that will require all 9 council votes to exceed the charter property tax limit. He does not want Fennel on the Council. He wants a nice safe, reliable vote, Don Praisner.

Praisner is not a fiscal conserative anymore than his wife was. His wife voted along with Leggett in the early 1990's to increase the county piggyback tax 20%--the largest tax increase in county history. In one year county income tax revenues went from $328 million to well over $600 million. Marilyn Praisner voted each year from FY03-05 to exceed the charter property tax limit. Leggett wants someone on the coucil from District 4 who will join him in exceeding the property tax limit. He bitterly opposes anybody who will not do that. What a shame there is an election first. April 15 and May 13. Vote Property Tax Relief. Vote for Mark Fennel!

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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The Klu Klux Klan is at it again. The Democratic hate squad that does not want an election in Council District 4 and wants to raise property taxes.

The Countess attended an event at Vanderbilt University this week, and somewhere along the line had dinner in the Gaylord Nashville complex. The assessment, A-Trocius. Marriott bad, times twenty nine. Coming to a National Harbor near you.....You've been warned.