(301) 738-0015
Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce
  • About Us
    • Leadership >
      • Board of Directors
      • GovConNet Council
      • Advisory Board
    • Our Team
    • Testimonials
    • Partnerships >
      • Mobilize Montgomery
      • Business Coalition
      • Community Partners
  • Membership
    • Join MCCC
    • Member Directory
    • Benefits
    • Refer A Member
  • Events
    • Calendar
    • Public Safety Awards 2025
    • Annual Dinner
    • Business Awards
    • 2025 Legislative Reception
    • U.S. Department of Commerce Industry Day
    • Sponsoring Events >
      • Morning Mixer Sponsorship
  • Advocacy
    • 2025 Legislative Reception
    • Advocacy Wins
    • Policy Positions >
      • Federal Advocacy >
        • 2019-2022 Federal Legislation
      • State Advocacy >
        • 2024 State Legislation
        • 2023 State Legislation
        • 2022 State Legislation
        • 2021 State Legislation
        • 2020 State Legislation
        • 2019 State Legislation
      • County Advocacy >
        • 2018-2022 Montgomery County Legislation Archive
    • Action Alert
  • GovConNet
    • About GovConNet
    • Council
    • Department of Commerce Small Business Industry Day
  • Foundation
    • Board of Directors
    • Veteran Institute for Procurement
    • Public Safety Scholarship Fund
    • VIP Golf Tournament
  • News
    • MCCC In the News
    • Guest Speakers
    • Blog
    • Chamber Testimony
  • Contact Us
    • Directions & Parking
    • Inclement Weather
  • Board of Directors
  • About Us
    • Leadership >
      • Board of Directors
      • GovConNet Council
      • Advisory Board
    • Our Team
    • Testimonials
    • Partnerships >
      • Mobilize Montgomery
      • Business Coalition
      • Community Partners
  • Membership
    • Join MCCC
    • Member Directory
    • Benefits
    • Refer A Member
  • Events
    • Calendar
    • Public Safety Awards 2025
    • Annual Dinner
    • Business Awards
    • 2025 Legislative Reception
    • U.S. Department of Commerce Industry Day
    • Sponsoring Events >
      • Morning Mixer Sponsorship
  • Advocacy
    • 2025 Legislative Reception
    • Advocacy Wins
    • Policy Positions >
      • Federal Advocacy >
        • 2019-2022 Federal Legislation
      • State Advocacy >
        • 2024 State Legislation
        • 2023 State Legislation
        • 2022 State Legislation
        • 2021 State Legislation
        • 2020 State Legislation
        • 2019 State Legislation
      • County Advocacy >
        • 2018-2022 Montgomery County Legislation Archive
    • Action Alert
  • GovConNet
    • About GovConNet
    • Council
    • Department of Commerce Small Business Industry Day
  • Foundation
    • Board of Directors
    • Veteran Institute for Procurement
    • Public Safety Scholarship Fund
    • VIP Golf Tournament
  • News
    • MCCC In the News
    • Guest Speakers
    • Blog
    • Chamber Testimony
  • Contact Us
    • Directions & Parking
    • Inclement Weather
  • Board of Directors

Advocacy

Current County Policy Positions

The Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce advocates to ensure that your business has the best chance to grow, and that policies have a positive impact on our community. ​
Government policy has the ability to impact your business drastically. New laws can either put up barriers for growth, or open new roads to success. With our voice, we advocate on behalf of the Metro Maryland business community. 

To learn more about our advocacy priorities, click here. 
Picture

2024 Montgomery County Legislation

​County Executive Marc Elrich and the 20th Montgomery County Council was sworn in on Monday, December 5, 2022.
Jump To:
  • FY25 Operating Budget
  • Economic Development
  • Housing
  • Impact Taxes
  • Minimum Wage
  • Planning Board
  • Property Taxes​
  • Proposed New Business Regulations​
  • Public Safety
  • Transportation
  • Utilities
  • Veterans

FY25 Operating Budget
Watch MCCC's FY25 Operating Budget Testimony
Read MCCC's FY25 Budget Priorities
​FY24 Property Tax Increase Proposal
MCCC Position: Oppose
  • Read the joint letter from a coalition of Montgomery County business leaders

Economic Development
​Bill 11-24 - Finance - Economic Development Fund - Make Office Vacancy Extinct (MOVE) Program - Established
Lead Sponsor: Glass
MCCC Position: Support
​Summary: The bill replaces the existing make office vacancy extinct (MOVE) pilot grant program by establishing and codifying a new business incentive grant program under the Economic Development Fund.​
  • Read MCCC's testimony.​

Housing
​Rent Control Legislation:
Bill 15-23 - Anti Rent Gouging Protections
  • Lead Sponsor: Fani-Gonzalez
Bill 16-23 - Rent Stabilization - The HOME Act
  • Lead Sponsor: Jawando
MCCC Position: Oppose
​
Summary: Bill 16-23 proposes a draconian form of rent control, and the Chamber strongly opposes its passage. The other proposal, Bill 15-23, is also opposed by MCCC, but we commend the efforts of the sponsor and co-sponsors to offer a solution that seeks to address unacceptable rental price gouging in a thoughtful way that acknowledges the County’s housing supply scarcity and affordability challenges.
  • Read the letter.​

Impact Taxes
​Bill 22-24E - Taxation - Collection of Development Impact Taxes
Lead Sponsor: Glass
MCCC Position: Support
​
Summary: This bill requires the collection of development impact taxes at final inspection of a building. Current law mandates that the applicant for a building permit pay the development impact taxes at six or 12 months, depending on the type of construction, after the building permit is issued, or the final inspection of the building by the Department of Permitting Services, whichever is earlier.
  • Read MCCC's testimony.
Watch MCCC's Testimony on this Bill

Minimum Wage
​Bill 34-23 - Establishing a Wage Commission
  • Lead Sponsor: Jawando
​​Bill 35-23 - Tipped Employees
  • Lead Sponsors: Jawando and Mink
MCCC Position: Oppose
​
​
Summary: Bill 34-23 would (1) establish an advisory wage commission to make recommendations to the County Executive and the County Council regarding minimum wages and working conditions by industry in the County; (2) specify the membership and duties of the wage commission; and (3) generally amend the law regarding the establishment of a wage commission and regarding minimum wages and labor relations in the County. While the bill calls for examination of wages and working conditions in one industry, MCCC questions what the commission would examine next. It seems likely in such cases that other business sectors will get drawn in to this unelected commission’s crosshairs in the future. When businesses look to locate or grow, they seek out a regulatory environment that is fair and competitive. Bill 34-23 would make Montgomery County’s regulatory environment uncompetitive, especially when compared to nearby jurisdictions that do not have a similar commission. Businesses need certainty, and this cannot exist in Montgomery County with a continually shifting and uncertain environment where an unelected commission has the power to examine any industry.
  • Read MCCC's testimony on this bill.
Bill 35-23 proposes the elimination of the tipped wage in Montgomery County for restaurant servers. With the elimination of the tipped wage, most restaurants would be forced to raise menu prices and impose a service charge on customer checks to cover substantially higher labor costs.
  • Read MCCC's testimony on this bill.​

Planning Board
February 2023 Planning Board Recommendations
MCCC Position: Recommend James Hedrick, David Winstead, and Mitra Pedoeem to the Planning Board
​
Summary: The County Council received 27 applications for the first three of five vacancies on the Montgomery Planning Board.
  • The first interviews took place on January 31.
  • The County Council will pick three applicants by the end of February to fill seats currently held by temporary Planning Board members Amy Presley, David Hill, and Cherri Branson.
  • The remaining two seats, now held by Chair Jeff Zyontz and Roberto Piñero, will be filled by the end of June.
  • On Friday, February 24, MCCC interviewed Planning Board candidates.
  • Read MCCC's recommendation letter sent to the County.

Property Taxes
​Proposed Property Tax Increase
County Executive's FY24 Operating Budget

MCCC Position: Oppose
​
Summary: Currently, Montgomery County’s property tax is roughly 99 cents per $100 of assessed value. The County Executive’s budget proposal is asking local businesses and homeowners to shoulder a 10 cent increase per $100 of assessed value.
  • Read the letter.​

​Bill 45-23 - Property Tax Credit - Individuals 65 and Above, Retired Military Service Members, and Disabled Military Services Members
Lead Sponsor: Friedson
MCCC Position: Support
​
Summary: The bill would allow individuals to qualify for the credit if the assessed value of their home is $899,900 or less for the 2023 tax year, and this amount would be increased annually based on inflation. 

MCCC supports incentives that seek to keep retirees here in Montgomery County, and in particular retired military veterans and disabled military service members. Supporting military and service disabled veterans has been a longtime MCCC priority, most notably through efforts of the Montgomery County Chamber Community Foundation’s (MCCCF) Veteran Institute for Procurement (VIP) program.
  • Read MCCC's testimony.

Proposed New Business Regulations
​Bill 42-23 - Menstrual Products in Public Restrooms
Lead Sponsor: Jawando
MCCC Position: Oppose
​Summary: Bill 42-23 would:
  • (1) require places of public accommodation to provide menstrual products in certain public restrooms at no charge to users; and
  • (2) generally amend the law regarding the provision of necessary health and sanitary products.
In a letter signed by MCCC, the Gaithersburg-Germantown, Greater Bethesda, and Greater Silver Spring Chambers of Commerce, these organizations noted that we would be supportive of an amendment that requires only County-owned buildings, including but not limited to libraries, recreation centers, and regional service centers, to provide menstrual products in its bathrooms. This effort could be combined with an educational campaign that encourages members of the community to, if they have not done so already, provide free menstrual products voluntarily.
  • Read the joint letter.​

Public Safety
​Bill 32-23 - Policy Advisory Commission
Lead Sponsor: Luedtke
MCCC Position: Support
​Summary: Bill 32-23 proposes to rename the existing Policing Advisory Commission to be the Community Advisory Commission on Public Safety and amend the law regarding appointment of members and scope of the Commission. One of the specific changes proposed by Bill 33-23 is to require increased representation on the Commission from a broader stakeholder group, including business owners. MCCC supports this change and asks the County Council to approve this provision while maintaining efforts to represent the County’s diversity.
  • Read MCCC's testimony.​

​Bill 43-23 - Crisis Intervention Team - Established
Lead Sponsor: Luedtke
MCCC Position: Support
​Summary: Bill 43-23, which seeks to establishes a crisis intervention team as a joint program of the Montgomery County Police Department and the County Department of Health and Human Services, would increase the quality of public safety on behalf of all Montgomery County residents and businesses.
MCCC contends that public safety is one of the most important factors for creating a positive business environment and encouraging economic growth. For this reason, MCCC has a strong partnership with Montgomery County’s public safety community, going back nearly 50 years.
  • Read MCCC's testimony.​

Transportation
​North Bethesda Metro
Request for State Funding for a Second North Bethesda Metro Station Entrance

MCCC Position: Support
​
Summary: The proposed northern entrance to the metro station is crucial to the continued revitalization of the Pike District in North Bethesda (formerly the White Flint area) and is highlighted as a key project in both White Flint sector plans.  However, the project is stalled due to a lack of committed funding despite being prioritized as a CIP project within the sector plans. 
  • Read the letter.

Utilities
Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) Revenue Increase
MCCC Position: Support
​
Summary: The Chamber supports WSSC’s request for a revenue increase for Fiscal Year 2025 that helps meet their important role in the regional economy and supports their financial needs. MCCC contends that WSSC Water’s mission in Metro Maryland is vital to the region’s business climate by providing services important for our health and quality of life.​
  • Read the letter.

Veterans
​Bill 6-24 - Property Tax Credit - Disabled Veterans
Lead Sponsor: Fani-Gonzalez
MCCC Position: Support
​
Summary:  The bill proposes to establish a property tax credit for military veterans who are at least 50 percent disabled and whose federal adjusted gross income does not exceed $100K. This proposed change would enhance the already existing County property tax credit to seniors over 65 and retired veterans.

MCCC supports incentives that bolster the ability to keep retirees here in Montgomery County, and in particular retired military veterans and disabled military service members. Supporting military and service disabled veterans has been a longtime MCCC priority, most notably through efforts of the Montgomery County Chamber Community Foundation’s (MCCCF) Veteran Institute for Procurement (VIP) program.
  • Read MCCC's testimony.
Elected Officials
Picture
County Executive Marc Elrich
Picture
Montgomery County Council
Picture

Join MCCC

Join Today!
Picture

Register for Events

Register Now!
Picture

Member Directory

Search Now!
Picture
51 Monroe Street, Suite 1800, Rockville, MD 20850
P 301-738-0015   /   F 301-738-8792
​
Chamber: 501(c)6 
Foundation: 501(c)3
​
​© 2024 Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce

Who We Are  /  Membership  /  Events  /  Advocacy  /  GovConNet  /  Foundation  /  Contact Us / Privacy Policy