Washington Post Spews a One-Sided Article
By Silver Springer • Dec 1st, 2006 • Category: Uncategorized
A well written article will show the two sides of every story, especially one from a large newspaper like the Washington Post, who should refrain from being bias. But it is all too clear to them that there is consensus in the county on what should be done about development, contrary to numerous blogs that have a different point of view. The Washington Post is well aware of what vocal blogs have stated, but staff writers of the article, Miranda S. Spivack and Tim Craig cherry pick to the tune of the “slow-growth” mantra. What about the concerns of ALL county residents?
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The problem with your argument is that we had an election on November 7 with the slow-growth candidates as the big winners on the Council. Ike Leggett ran on the slow-growth platform and kicked Silverman’s behind in the primary. Montgomery County voted for this change…the majority voted for this change.
Yes, I think all sides should have their issues addressed in public forums and the media. The reporters were under a tight deadline and they didn’t take the time to get quotes from pro-growth advocates.
I don’t think you should be concerned about the redevelopment of DTSS. That will continue regardless who is the County Executive. Housing development will be curtailed in outer suburban regions of Montgomery County. As for economic development, it’s too early to judge whether Leggett will make a difference.
Reporters being under a tight deadline is no excuse…the press has lost a lot of credibility in my eyes due to multiple examples of sheer sloppiness.
I am concerned about the future of Silver Spring and Wheaton. I’ve been concerned that Leggett expresses the concerns of upcounty homeowners who are worried about congestion and the construction of additional homes that will hurt their property values. As a renter who lives steps from DC, my concerns are completely different. This is a diverse county but right now I’m not sure Leggett understands that.
All these “slow-growthers” are the true yuppies when you look at what they are really saying, all rhetoric aside. I don’t hear the less financially well off people in my high-rise crying out for slow growth… hmmmm…. So i hate yuppies too.
slow growthers, fast growthers, it doesn’t matter…
all politicians are crooks (after a few years on the job) and market forces will determine what gets built in Silver Spring…
What is biased about pointing out that developers have had access to decision makers that ordinary residents haven’t had and that development rules have been bent or broken as a result? Whatever the rules are, regardless of whether they foster fast growth or slow growth, should apply equally to all and no one should be able to get favored treatment.
What is biased about pointing out that developers have had access to decision makers that ordinary residents haven’t had and that development rules have been bent or broken as a result? Whatever the rules are, regardless of whether they foster fast growth or slow growth, should apply equally to all and no one should be able to get favored treatment.
ihateyuppies said…
“
The problem with your argument is that we had an election on November 7 with the slow-growth candidates as the big winners on the Council. Ike Leggett ran on the slow-growth platform and kicked Silverman’s behind in the primary. Montgomery County voted for this change…the majority voted for this change.”
The way WaPo spins it is like there is a 100% agreement agmonst county residents, they could have said SOME residents want slow growth or quoted someone with a different point of view but it’s obvious what side they are on. Did they take a poll of the entire county where 100% of residents said no to development?
Also, every time I here someone complaining about development, the statements they make are often ilinformed with a side of ignorance. It’s like they don’t realize the implications beyond their own front steps let alone their backyard.
Depends on how you define “development”. I think most MontCo residents would be FOR economic development. More businesses means greater tax collection for the county and the state. More businesses mean closer commutes, more shopping choices, more dining options etc.
However, if you discuss home-ownership development…weeeeell, you get a different reaction. More residential developments means housing values could decline. More residential development could lead to higher traffic gridlock and strains on our infrastructure. Not to mention higher taxes to pay for more schools and transportation upgrades.
In summary, Montgomery County voters welcome business development far more than residential development.
ihateyuppies said…
“Depends on how you define “development”. I think most MontCo residents would be FOR economic development. More businesses means greater tax collection for the county and the state. More businesses mean closer commutes, more shopping choices, more dining options etc.
However, if you discuss home-ownership development…weeeeell, you get a different reaction. More residential developments means housing values could decline. More residential development could lead to higher traffic gridlock and strains on our infrastructure. Not to mention higher taxes to pay for more schools and transportation upgrades.
In summary, Montgomery County voters welcome business development far more than residential development.”
12/04/2006 01:29:49 PM
Well…If that is the case then please say it!
Although I doubt that being the case given that the job growth in the County Growth Policy was scaled back in favor of residential if I’m correct, because of residents complaining.
I’ve never read an article where a slow growther\NIMBY proclaims that he\she would prefer job growth over housing growth or let’s focus on that because it is lacking in the county. It’s always, “stop growth” which is a really broad statement and when I read that I will assume you want to stop ALL growth.
I’m not sure what direction Montgomery is trying to take at this point. They should be focused on job growth because at this point the job is not done in that category. But it’s never uttered loud and clear from the County Goevernment.
It is loud and clear from Anne Arundel and Prince George’s counties, they are focused on Commercial office development but not in Montgomery.
Do they think their job is done?
It depends on how you define the word “define.”
Virginia is kicking Maryland in the ass when it comes to business investment and job growth. This always has been the case. When you have lower taxes, lower environmental regulations, lower worker safety regulations, right-to-work rules, your state will receive more interest from big business. Virginia has a more business-friendly environment than Maryland.
I don’t think workers rights and the environment should suffer for the sake of business investment though.
If you look at Virginia…who would want to live and work there? The unchecked sprawl have made Northern Virginia a frustrating places for businesses and residents alike. Maryland has more college graduates and better planned infrastructure than Virginia. Just imagine if the Purple Line becomes reality. THAT should be an incentive for business to invest in MD. Tax abatements and strangling labor laws is not the best choice for economic development.
ihateyuppies said…
Virginia is kicking Maryland in the ass when it comes to business investment and job growth. This always has been the case. When you have lower taxes, lower environmental regulations, lower worker safety regulations, right-to-work rules, your state will receive more interest from big business. Virginia has a more business-friendly environment than Maryland.
I don’t think workers rights and the environment should suffer for the sake of business investment though.
If you look at Virginia…who would want to live and work there? The unchecked sprawl have made Northern Virginia a frustrating places for businesses and residents alike. Maryland has more college graduates and better planned infrastructure than Virginia. Just imagine if the Purple Line becomes reality. THAT should be an incentive for business to invest in MD. Tax abatements and strangling labor laws is not the best choice for economic development.
12/04/2006 04:48:43 PM
Your first statement contridicts your complete post. Your saying that you would rather Maryland lose high tewch business and increase unemployment for the sake of the Maryland hating tree hugging left wing extremist special interest groups that complain about false enviromental polution. You know good and well you believe that Virginia is a better place to live and work. You bougie Maryland hating Virginia yuppies would not dare to step foot into Maryland to shop and spend money. Virginians were the main people that faught to bring a Baseball Team to DC because they hated to travel to Maryland just to see a Baseball game and the samething with SW Airlines because they were tired of going to Maryland to spend their money on reasonable air flight prices.
Whether you people want to openly admit it or not; anyone that complains and tries to prevent Growth in Montgomery County or other parts of Maryland are doing so because they are threaten by Maryland out doing Virginia and possibly NC and GA when it comes to economic/business/revenue growth.
ihateyuppies said…
“Virginia is kicking Maryland in the ass when it comes to business investment and job growth. This always has been the case. When you have lower taxes, lower environmental regulations, lower worker safety regulations, right-to-work rules, your state will receive more interest from big business. Virginia has a more business-friendly environment than Maryland.”
12/04/2006 04:48:43 PM
Virginia has a car tax and a higher sales tax. Asking rents are higher for office space, the incubator network there is almost non-existent. Land prices there are over inflated as evidenced by their price declines. I’m probably correct when saying Maryland gives more incentives, they lack mass transit and I think they have a lower quality of life as well. This should all offset any “advantage†Va may have. Most of all Northern Va. is heavily dependent on federal contracts which most of their business, with over 60% (especially defense) going to Va firms. On the other hand Maryland has far more diverse economy and a strong biotech corridor with more biotech companies in Montgomery than all of Virginia. It would seem the real spirit of entrepreneurship is here with some major firms from across many industries like MedImmune, Lockheed Martin, Marriott, and Discovery.
By no means am I saying that Maryland should mimic the Virginia style of growth, it is chaotic and now they find them selves tearing down and starting afresh. But it doesn’t help when residents and officials scream the devil every time a developer walks into the room, granted some are better than others but some have really made a significant difference. The quality of life this county enjoys is because (above all) of the economy and more precisely commercial development. The school system doesn’t maintain it’s self and Montgomery doesn’t maintain its affluence because of 100% residential places like Montgomery Village.
There is just a negative vibe sent when that is creating a negative business climate because officials and residents want to work against developers instead of working with them to get what they want. Officials don’t have a strong decisive plan to encourage more job growth and illogical zoning laws don’t help either.
dude, ihateyuppies sounds like a total yuppie…
I agree with you that Maryland has many positives. I was arguing from a simple business person’s perspective that when it comes down to the bottom line, Virginia saves me more money.
However, I think you are over-simplying MontCo residents who want curbs on development. Again, people are NOT hostile to new commercial and corporate investment in the county. Residents are reluctant to grant real estate developer carte blanche approvals with residential projects. Most of the opposition exists in the semi-rural sections of Montgomery County.
I would love to see more business investment in MontCo. What I don’t want to see is a flood of condos and townhouses that cater to the wealthiest 10-15 percent of the DC metro region.
Anonymous said…
dude, ihateyuppies sounds like a total yuppie…
12/05/2006 11:51:45 AM
RE: Correction: He/She is a Maryland hating Virginia loving yuppie.
I’m a little puzzled . . . what “two sides” of this story are not represented in this article? Granted, it includes nothing from “ALL county residents,” just county honchos and developers. But come on, it’s not an article specifically about development in the county, it’s an article about how the political shift on the county council as a result of the November election could impact development in the county.
Also, by my count, it cites directly or indirectly several people with a “different point of view,” including Royce Hanson (Planning Board chairman), Doug Duncan (County Executive), & Steve Silverman (Council Member).
ihateyuppies said…
I agree with you that Maryland has many positives. I was arguing from a simple business person’s perspective that when it comes down to the bottom line, Virginia saves me more money.
However, I think you are over-simplying MontCo residents who want curbs on development. Again, people are NOT hostile to new commercial and corporate investment in the county. Residents are reluctant to grant real estate developer carte blanche approvals with residential projects. Most of the opposition exists in the semi-rural sections of Montgomery County.
12/05/2006 02:22:36 PM
The biggest firms in the D.C. area are in Maryland — and they are doing fine. When you take all variables into account like quality of life, the “cost advantage” that Va is trumpeting is B.S. Maryland is especially good for small biz hi-tech firms.
With land values — building an office building in Va will cost more to do than in Maryland. Reston\Herndon office vacancy rates are through the roof, while Silver Spring has the lowest in the region, go figure!
When Marc Elrich says “I’m always skeptical about how many jobs we bring into the county” and he gets a seat on the county council then what do you say to that? I think the problem is that officials and a lot of residents form an opposition to it instead of working to get what they need. Many people don’t know whats going on outside their backyard let alone their front steps. Many people are just uninformed.
SilverSpringer:
You don’t know what Elrich meant by that comment. Maybe Elrich was trying to say because of our piss-poor transportation infrastructure or lack of tax incentives, businesses might be reluctant to invest in MontCo.
Buildings may cost more in Fairfax County but why do IT companies, consulting firms, and contractors continue to relocate to Northern Virginia? One explanation is the clustering effect. Software and IT networking companies prefer to cluster in one location as opposed to scattering their firms in three different states in this region.
Also, military/homeland security contractors tend to be clustered in Virginia as well because of the location of the Pentagon. Plus, military guys prefer to live in more conservative locales and Virginia fits the environment.
Look at bio-tech and life science firms. Why do bio-tech firms locate or start-up in Montgomery County? Because of NIH and the clustering effect.
“Anonymous said…
I’m a little puzzled . . . what “two sides” of this story are not represented in this article? Granted, it includes nothing from “ALL county residents,” just county honchos and developers. But come on, it’s not an article specifically about development in the county, it’s an article about how the political shift on the county council as a result of the November election could impact development in the county.
Also, by my count, it cites directly or indirectly several people with a “different point of view,” including Royce Hanson (Planning Board chairman), Doug Duncan (County Executive), & Steve Silverman (Council Member).
12/06/2006 09:27:56 AM”
The spin is that development is “out of control” in the county. Some that you mentioned were cited did not give a different point of view, at least to the same degree as opponents.
I really wish the WaPo would do an extensive article on development in this region over last few years. Many would be really surprised.
ihateyuppies said…
“SilverSpringer:
You don’t know what Elrich meant by that comment. Maybe Elrich was trying to say because of our piss-poor transportation infrastructure or lack of tax incentives, businesses might be reluctant to invest in MontCo.
Buildings may cost more in Fairfax County but why do IT companies, consulting firms, and contractors continue to relocate to Northern Virginia? One explanation is the clustering effect. Software and IT networking companies prefer to cluster in one location as opposed to scattering their firms in three different states in this region.
Also, military/homeland security contractors tend to be clustered in Virginia as well because of the location of the Pentagon. Plus, military guys prefer to live in more conservative locales and Virginia fits the environment.
Look at bio-tech and life science firms. Why do bio-tech firms locate or start-up in Montgomery County? Because of NIH and the clustering effect.
12/07/2006 10:25:47 AM”
I know exactly what Elrich meant, and if it was up to him Silver Spring would still be at the same level it was in the 80’s. Also, the state and county give PLENTY of tax incentives and other forms like enterprise zones and incubators that offset the corporate tax.
Business Personal Property is $4.57 per $100 of assessed in Fairfax County compared to $1.56 in Montgomery. Real Property taxes are $0.624 in Montgomery compared to $0.89 in Fairfax.
I think a lot of this comes down to more than costs. Lockheed Martin, headquartered in Bethesda, is the largest firm and defense contractor in D.C. region but outside that Maryland defense firms are passed over.
Demographics plays a part too in a way that says “I don’t want to associate with “those” people in Maryland”. There is a herd mentality that gravitates toward Va for several unspoken reasons.
It’s silly that developers see Maryland good enough for condos but not good enough for office development when vacancy rates tell a different story.
If one took a look at the number of federal contracts issued the majority would be Va firms but why is that? There is a bias there and I’m hoping the democrats take a good look at the system so it is shared equally. Prince George’s is especially an untapped wealth that is left in the dark.
I also think the counties in Maryland could work together a lot better with the focus\goal of creating more job growth. Prince George’s, Frederick and Montgomery need to form a strong alliance along with Baltimore area instead “going it alone” all the time. Instead they act inconspicuous especially Montgomery now.
Silver Springer said…
I know exactly what Elrich meant, and if it was up to him Silver Spring would still be at the same level it was in the 80’s. Also, the state and county give PLENTY of tax incentives and other forms like enterprise zones and incubators that offset the corporate tax.
Business Personal Property is $4.57 per $100 of assessed in Fairfax County compared to $1.56 in Montgomery. Real Property taxes are $0.624 in Montgomery compared to $0.89 in Fairfax.
I think a lot of this comes down to more than costs. Lockheed Martin, headquartered in Bethesda, is the largest firm and defense contractor in D.C. region but outside that Maryland defense firms are passed over.
Demographics plays a part too in a way that says “I don’t want to associate with “those” people in Maryland”. There is a herd mentality that gravitates toward Va for several unspoken reasons.
It’s silly that developers see Maryland good enough for condos but not good enough for office development when vacancy rates tell a different story.
If one took a look at the number of federal contracts issued the majority would be Va firms but why is that? There is a bias there and I’m hoping the democrats take a good look at the system so it is shared equally. Prince George’s is especially an untapped wealth that is left in the dark.
I also think the counties in Maryland could work together a lot better with the focus\goal of creating more job growth. Prince George’s, Frederick and Montgomery need to form a strong alliance along with Baltimore area instead “going it alone” all the time. Instead they act inconspicuous especially Montgomery now.
12/08/2006 11:42:41 AM
RE: The only problem is that you are putting too much faith into the Democrat Party that has not provided much competition against Virginia when it comes to Jobs, Upscale Retail, Updated Highways, and Mass Transportation. All they can do ios provide broken promises or work against almost everything that you support. If the Democrats in Maryland had their best interest in the state then Montgomery and PG County would be able to compete with Northern Virginia and Baltimore would have been able to keep up with Atlanta, Houston, Miami, and Boston.