MoCo Fears Loss of Jobs to Pr.Geo.'s
Montgomery County Council members tried to draft Sen. Ben Cardin (D) yesterday to wade into a potential bi-county dispute over federal jobs.
During a luncheon chat with Cardin, council members said House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer is pressing to move some federal jobs from the Parklawn Building in Twinbrook to a location in Prince George's County when the General Services Administration's lease expires in 2010.
Council member Marc Elrich said it was not "good policy for us to cannibalize each other."
Cardin promised to look into it, smiling as he said, "That's what we senators do. We referee fights among our Congressional delegation."
In general, Cardin said he agrees that jobs should not be moved when space is available. But, he added that the delegation is also trying to help Prince George's develop land around its Metro stations.
Hoyer's press secretary Stephanie Lundberg said this morning that Prince George's offers lower cost office space and "it's important to consider the taxpayer dollars and the most cost-effective choice for federal office space."
By Ann Marimow |
June 10, 2008; 10:24 AM ET
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Ann Marimow
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Posted by: PG'er | June 10, 2008 12:15 PM
Montgomery County residents just got a 14% increase in property taxes, a 10% increase in energy taxes and up to a 52.63% increase in income taxes. Is the aforegoing going to make residents more likely or less likely to stay? Make those living elsewhere more likely or less likely to move here?
Posted by: Robin Ficker, Broker Robin Realty | June 10, 2008 2:10 PM
It's just going to add to our already horrible traffic. Residents of MoCo will never move to PG for a job...there's too much social stigma attached to living in "that" county.
Posted by: Liz | June 11, 2008 9:51 AM
Liz, Please stay in Montgomery County. We don't need stigmatists down here.
Posted by: PG'er | June 11, 2008 9:28 PM
Memo to Liz:
Ten years ago I sold my small home in Gaithersburg and moved to a larger one in Laurel. Do I regret it? Not a bit. Once you overcome your phobia's that all black people are not out to kill you, you can easily adjust. That is not to suggest PG is perfect, far from it, and I don't have kids, which allows me more flexibility, but hell, the 20 minute commute to Union Station is good.
Posted by: Count Bobulescu | June 12, 2008 2:35 AM
Montgomery (already a victim of its own growing success) already has more jobs than its infrastructure can handle. PG needs the jobs,and has more room to grow. Go for balance...MoCo - lets not forget what BRAC will be bringing...plus the fast growing FDA complex at White Oak.
Plenty to share.
Posted by: Donny | June 12, 2008 10:24 PM
I also moved out of Montgomery County 10 years ago and don't regret it!
Posted by: tanisha | June 13, 2008 12:07 PM
The comments to this entry are closed.
No reason for our Congressional delegation to continue punishing Prince George's County for electing Al Wynn.
Now that Edwards is there (next week), our stake in the federal government sweepstakes should be much better.
Horray for Donna!