Stop the Spend is an initiative to constrain the growth of county spending to the rate of inflation. We are currently collecting signatures to have our initiative appear on the November ballot.
A few weeks ago a group of us from Stop the Spend were out gathering signatures. One resident asked me, “Are you a Republican?” Another asked me, “¿Esta petición es para el presidente Trump?”
Folks, we’re all human. Many of us see the label on the box, not what’s in the box. Some of us put false labels on the box.
Let’s set the record straight regarding the non-partisan nature of Stop the Spend.
Stop the Spend was initiated by Reardon Sullivan, a native of Montgomery County and a longtime moderate Republican. I’ve had the honor of knowing Mr. Sullivan since 2020, and have come to appreciate his concern, sincerity, and empathy for the county’s residents, particularly the underserved.
Earlier this year Mr. Sullivan started focusing his time and energy to a run for the County Council District 1. Aware that I’m a longtime independent/unaffiliated voter, he asked me to assume chairmanship of Stop the Spend. He could have asked one of MoCo’s many capable and moderate Republicans, but emphasizing the initiative’s non-partisan nature is a priority.
I was active in the Nine Districts referendum, and more recently gave many presentations in support of ranked-choice voting. Like MoCo’s many unaffiliated voters, I focus on the issue, not the label.
Nevertheless, Stop the Spend is neither about me nor about Sullivan. It’s about all of us. That message has already started to crystallize.
While campaigning, I’ve had the opportunity to talk with residents about the county’s spending and our tax burden. One young resident told me, “I vote to the left of Blue, but I just got my property tax bill. Where do I sign your petition?”
A former employee from the Department of Education related how she and her staff spent hours identifying savings in expenditures, ensuring funded agencies meet their goals with less spending. She doesn’t see that happening in MoCo, so she signed our petition.
Stories like these happen every day here in Montgomery County.
While not giving us an endorsement, Council Member Andrew Friedson said it better than anyone else.
There is nothing more non-partisan than Mr. Friedson’s concern.
Montgomery County needs to keep its spending in line with what the population can afford. Join the ballot initiative to limit county spending and our property tax burden. Go to Stop the Spend and sign up to be a volunteer or contributor.
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