Marc Elrich

Marc Elrich (born November 2, 1949) is an American politician who serves as the county executive of Montgomery County, Maryland.[1] He was formerly an at-large member of the Montgomery County Council, first elected in 2006. Prior to that he served on the Takoma Park City Council for 19 years, representing Ward 5 which covers and incorporates the greater Long Branch / East Silver Spring area.

Marc Elrich
7th Montgomery County Executive
Assumed office
December 3, 2018
Preceded byIke Leggett
Member of the Montgomery County Council
In office
December 2006 – December 2018
Succeeded byWill Jawando, Evan Glass, Gabriel Albornoz
ConstituencyAt-Large
Member of the Takoma Park City Council
In office
December 1987 – November 2006
ConstituencyWard 5
Personal details
Born (1949-11-02) November 2, 1949
Washington, D.C., U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Children4
ResidenceTakoma Park, Maryland, U.S.
Alma mater
OccupationEducator, salesman, politician, public servant
Websitewww.montgomerycountymd.gov/exec/bio/marc_elrich.html

He became the Democratic nominee for Montgomery County Executive in the 2018 primary before winning the general election against the Republican nominee Robin Ficker and an independent challenger Nancy Floreen.

Early life and education

Marc Elrich was born in Washington, D.C., near Takoma Park. His father was a postal worker and his mother, a waitress.[2] When he was ten his family moved to Silver Spring. In 1963, when he was 14, he went to hear Martin Luther King Jr. at the March on Washington.[3] He attended Albert Einstein High School in Kensington and the University of Maryland. He was once arrested at an anti-apartheid rally.[2] An early job after graduating college was as a manager in the automotive department at Montgomery Ward where one of his responsibilities was helping to open new stores. He returned to school, getting a master's degree in teaching from Johns Hopkins University.[4]

Career

Education

Elrich taught 4th and 5th grade for 17 years at Rolling Terrace Elementary. He stated that his teaching showed him firsthand how poverty, poor living conditions and un-affordable housing can impact a child's ability to learn.[5] He stated that seeing low income students come to school without breakfast and never having been to a doctor was some of the things that drives his public service.[6]

County Council member-at-large

Elrich ran for the county council four times before getting elected in 2006.[7] Since that time, he has served three terms. He was elected with the most votes of any candidate in 2010 and 2014.[8]

The Washington Post endorsed his candidacy in 2010 and 2014, stating that he was viewed as somewhat anti-business, but advocated a business-beneficial transit system and had a strong focus on efficiency and the development and planning process.[9][10]

He worked to have environmental concerns addressed in the Clarksburg Master Plan and he spearheaded the effort to protect Ten Mile Creek.[11] The amendment that was passed requires development to supply environmental protections. He considered protecting the stream one of his highest environmental concerns at the time.[12] He supported one bill protecting the tree canopy and sponsored another protecting street trees. Both were voted into law.[13] He advocated for the elimination of cosmetic use of pesticides on private lawns because of their cancer-causing chemicals helping the county become the first locality in the country to do so and was considered a key co-sponsor of the legislation.[14] He advocated against the use of artificial playing turfs that contain lead and other cancer-causing ingredients[15] and sponsored a resolution banning crumb rubber turfs.[16] He voted for the Montgomery county five cent bag tax to fund environmental cleanup efforts.[17] He was lead sponsor of a bill to require large gas stations to be at least 500 feet from schools and parks.[18]

In 2013, Elrich was the lead sponsor of legislation to increase the county's minimum wage, which raised it to $11.50 per hour.[19] Elrich twice was the lead sponsor of legislation to increase the minimum wage to $15 per hour in Montgomery County. In January 2017, a bill passed in the Council and was vetoed by then County Executive Ike Legget.[20] In November 2017, a second bill passed and was signed into law, making Montgomery County the first county in Maryland with a $15 per hour minimum wage.[21] At the time of the bill's passage, the State of Maryland's minimum wage was $9.25 per hour.[22]

Elrich voted against the White Flint Mall II sector plan because Elrich stated that the plan would have created 6,000 residential units located too far from a Metro station.[23] He voted against the Bethesda Master Plan because it failed to consider the effect the increased density would have on roads and schools.[24] He voted against the Lyttonsville Sector Plan because he stated that it would increase housing costs and force residents to move out,[25] as well as the Chevy Chase Lake Sector Plan.[26] He opposed a proposal to sell land adjacent to the White Oak Food and Drug Administration campus because local roads and infrastructure were not equipped to handle additional traffic and students.[27] In 1995, he joined with community members and fought against a proposed mega mall in downtown Silver Spring.[5]

County executive

In 2017, Elrich declared his candidacy for county executive. He participated in public financing. The largest allowed contribution is $150. He did not accept money from developers or land use attorneys.[28]

He received criticism when he described the council's plan to rezone neighborhoods around the proposed 16-mile purple line train as "ethnic cleansing". He said he was sorry if his language was offensive, but he defended his comment saying that this is not just a Montgomery County problem but a nationwide problem and a "well-known fact" of what happens when rail lines take over communities.[29]

Elrich supports policies such as $15 minimum wage and affordable housing that stabilize and support low-income families.[30]

On July 22, Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich signed an executive order prohibiting county officials from asking residents about their immigration status or cooperating with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.[31]

In November 2019, Elrich banned Montgomery County police stations from displaying Thin Blue Line flags. Acknowledging that the flag was a symbol of "support" to some and a symbol of "divisiveness" to others, he drew criticism from Governor Larry Hogan for the policy.[32]

Personal life

Elrich has four children. Two were foster children, including a son who has Down Syndrome. He has lived in Takoma Park for most of his life.[4] He is Jewish. [5]

2018 elections

Primary election results

Primary election was held on June 26, 2018.[33]

Democratic primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Marc Elrich 37,532 29.0
Democratic David Blair 37,455 29.0
Democratic Rose Krasnow 19,644 15.2
Democratic Roger Berliner 16,710 12.9
Democratic George L. Levanthal 13,318 10.3
Democratic Bill Frick 4,687 3.6
Majority 77 0.06
Total votes 129,346 100.00

General election results

General election was held on November 6, 2018.[34]

Montgomery County Executive election, 2018
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Marc Elrich 225,900 64.3%
Independent Nancy Floreen 67,402 19.2%
Republican Robin Ficker 57,489 16.4%
Write-ins 356 0.1%
Majority 158,498 45.1%
Total votes 351,150 100.0%

See also
  • List of Democratic Socialists of America who have held office in the United States

References
  1. Barrios, Jennifer (December 3, 2018). "Elrich promises change, 'more just society,' as he becomes Montgomery executive". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 3, 2018.
  2. Hendrix, Steve (October 12, 2010). "Marc Elrich's pragmatism belies his radical reputation". The Washington Post. Retrieved March 30, 2018.
  3. Kohn, Greg. "PROFILE: Marc Elrich and BRT: a political outsider scores a surprising success - Takoma Voice". takomavoice.com. Retrieved March 27, 2018.
  4. Peck, Louis. "The Contrarian of the County Council". Bethesda Magazine. Retrieved March 27, 2018.
  5. Schere, Dan. "Three Jews vie for MoCo executive job". washingtonjewishweek.com. Retrieved March 27, 2018.
  6. Gilbert. "Awww, We're Gonna Miss the Big Lug! - Takoma Voice". takomavoice.com. Retrieved March 27, 2018.
  7. "Montgomery County, Maryland - Election Returns". msa.maryland.gov. Retrieved March 27, 2018.
  8. Metcalf, Andrew. "Marc Elrich Formally Launches County Executive Campaign". Bethesda Magazine. Retrieved March 27, 2018.
  9. "Spending, taxes are focus of Montgomery primaries". The Washington Post. July 10, 2010. Retrieved March 27, 2018.
  10. Board, Editorial (May 26, 2014). "Democratic endorsements for the Montgomery County Council". Washington Post. Retrieved March 27, 2018.
  11. O'Rourke, Kevin. "Germantown Pulse News for Germantown Md". Germantown Pulse News for Germantown Md. Retrieved March 27, 2018.
  12. "Ten Mile Creek Reaction". mymcmedia. Retrieved March 27, 2018.
  13. Reed, Dan. "Montgomery looks to strengthen urban tree canopy". Greater Greater Washington. Retrieved March 27, 2018.
  14. Turque, Bill (October 7, 2015). "Five things to know about Montgomery County's cosmetic pesticides ban". Washington Post. Retrieved March 27, 2018.
  15. Ryan, Kate (March 22, 2016). "Is there lead in Montgomery County's artificial turf fields?". WTOP. Retrieved March 27, 2018.
  16. "Resolution to Support Use of Plant-Derived Materials for Infill in Artificial Turf" (PDF). Montgomery County Council. Retrieved March 27, 2018.
  17. Laris, Michael (May 3, 2011). "Montgomery County Council passes 5-cent bag tax". Washington Post. Retrieved March 27, 2018.
  18. Shay, Kevin James. "Residents seek 500-foot buffer from large gas stations". www.gazette.net. Retrieved March 27, 2018.
  19. Turque, Bill (November 26, 2013). "Montgomery Council votes to increase minimum wage". The Washington Post. Retrieved March 26, 2018.
  20. Turque, Bill (January 23, 2017). "Leggett vetoes $15 minimum wage in Montgomery County". The Washington Post. Retrieved March 26, 2018.
  21. Siegel, Rachel (November 7, 2017). "Montgomery County Council unanimously approves $15 minimum-wage". The Washington Post. Retrieved March 26, 2018.
  22. Baltimore City Office of Civil Rights (August 14, 2015). "Wage Commission: Wages". CivilRights.BaltimoreCity.gov. Retrieved September 3, 2019.
  23. Earley, Neal. "Council hopes to spur growth south of Rockville". Montgomery County Sentinel. Retrieved March 26, 2018.
  24. Earley, Neal. "County approves new Bethesda sector plan". Montgomery County Sentinel. Retrieved March 26, 2018.
  25. Rodgers, Bethany (February 7, 2017). "County Council Approves Lyttonsville Development Plan". Bethesda Magazine. Bethesda, Md. Retrieved September 3, 2019.
  26. Kraut, Aaron (July 30, 2013). "Council Finalizes Chevy Chase Lake Sector Plan". Bethesda Magazine. Bethesda, Md. Retrieved September 3, 2019.
  27. Turque, Bill (February 14, 2017). "Montgomery Council approves revised White Oak science center plan". The Washington Post. Retrieved March 26, 2018.
  28. Turque, Bill (March 28, 2017). "Montgomery council member Marc Elrich enters 2018 race for county executive". Washington Post. Retrieved March 27, 2018.
  29. Tallman, Douglas (November 16, 2017). "Councilmember Under Fire for "Ethnic Cleansing" Comment". Montgomery Community Media. Retrieved March 27, 2018.
  30. "Tangle in Takoma: Elrich and Leventhal vie for County Executive seat". Takoma Voice. Retrieved March 27, 2018.
  31. Exec. Order No. 135-19 (July 22, 2019; in English). Retrieved on September 3, 2019.
  32. "Maryland governor criticizes ban of 'thin blue line' flag". Associated Press News. Associated Press. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
  33. "Montgomery County, Maryland - Primary Election Returns 2018". Maryland State Archives. December 21, 2018.
  34. "Montgomery County, Maryland - General Election Returns 2018". Maryland State Archives. December 21, 2018.
Political offices
Preceded by
Ike Leggett		 Montgomery County, Maryland County Executive
2018–present		 Succeeded by
Incumbent
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