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Sunday, May 06, 2018
Fascino opens at Westfield Montgomery Mall (Photos)
Fascino has opened at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. The Italian menswear store doesn't have a permanent sign installed yet, but got started with an opening party Saturday in the just-vacated Hoamgar space on Level 1, in the Nordstrom wing.
"The County's debt is so large, that if it were a department, it would be the third-largest department in the County government. We're in real trouble, folks."
That's an interesting analogy.
But at the federal level, under Trump, the national debt is $21.48 trillion, 5.25 times the entire 2018 federal budget of $4.094 trillion.
"Montgomery County has suffered a net loss of over 2100 retail jobs since 2000, according to an unsubstantiated oral comment from Maddy Voytek, spokesperson for the Maryland Retailers Association."
Mr. Dyer - what is your proposal to retain or increase the number of retail jobs in our County? "Vote for me, I'm not Hans Riemer" does not count as a response.
It seems the Council isn't making data driven policy decisions. They're arguing the data and reports from Dyer, the Washington Post, et al is fake news essentially.
At least one councilman is telling folks not to talk about our abysmal local economy. Out of sight, out of mind? This isn't the way an effective governing body works.
I was walking down Wisconsin Avenue at 3 AM this morning and I didn't see a single sign of any economic activity. Let's be clear: we are worse than moribund. We are worse than abysmal, folks.
8:46: I think your internet went out before you finished reading the website. You missed my proposals to repeal the 2010 energy tax hike, to build a new Potomac River crossing to Dulles required to attract large international firms to MoCo, complete our master plan highway system, build Express Lanes on I-270 and the Beltway, deregulate disruptive new technologies like Uber and airbnb to encourage innovation and competition, end the liquor monopoly to help retail and restaurant businesses, and recruit aerospace, defense and tech firms to locate their headquarters - and related research and manufacturing facilities - in Montgomery County.
9:01: We have a $208 million budget shortfall - the question is, with that ongoing structural deficit, what is the UPside of our CURRENT budget format again?
Zero-based budgeting would be a major improvement, and it would understandably be feared by the County political machine.
I like the idea of Express Lanes, but how will that be done on the Beltway? Seems like there's no room for expansion on the stretch from Bethesda to SIlver SPring -- there are lots of houses on both sides.
3:37: Everything I've posted is fact, and backed up by official government stats. People definitely trust my judgement over the County Council's. I told them not to rezone apartment buildings in Long Branch, as it would discourage maintenance of buildings by landlords eager to demolish and redevelop.
The Council went ahead and did it anyway.
In 2016, one of those buildings exploded - killing 7 people, and it was later found to have had over 1600 code violations.
I like how on the one hand you complain about the “moribund” county economy, and then immediately turn around and complain about the Council making policies that encourage development. It’s almost as if you’ll criticize them no matter what they do...
Anyway, if everything you posted is fact then why keep deleting comments to the contrary?
"People definitely trust my judgement over the County Council's."
Which people?
And how did you jump from "Fascino opens at Westfield Montgomery Mall", to the disaster in Long Branch? And why did you say "LOL" in the sentence after that?
Your humble Mall correspondent.
ReplyDeleteRobert roams the mall while Councilman Riemer is shaping policy for his 1,000,000 constituents.
ReplyDeleteNo comments allowed on the not-news article immediately above.
ReplyDelete"The County's debt is so large, that if it were a department, it would be the third-largest department in the County government. We're in real trouble, folks."
ReplyDeleteThat's an interesting analogy.
But at the federal level, under Trump, the national debt is $21.48 trillion, 5.25 times the entire 2018 federal budget of $4.094 trillion.
"Montgomery County has suffered a net loss of over 2100 retail jobs since 2000, according to an unsubstantiated oral comment from Maddy Voytek, spokesperson for the Maryland Retailers Association."
ReplyDeleteMr. Dyer - what is your proposal to retain or increase the number of retail jobs in our County? "Vote for me, I'm not Hans Riemer" does not count as a response.
ReplyDelete10:14 AM Statistics say MoCo had a net less of retail jobs, according to Dyer's reporting.
ReplyDeleteThere's no good way to spin that.
One single unsubstantiated oral quote from a lobbyist.
ReplyDeleteIt seems the Council isn't making data driven policy decisions. They're arguing the data and reports from Dyer, the Washington Post, et al is fake news essentially.
DeleteAt least one councilman is telling folks not to talk about our abysmal local economy. Out of sight, out of mind? This isn't the way an effective governing body works.
I was walking down Wisconsin Avenue at 3 AM this morning and I didn't see a single sign of any economic activity. Let's be clear: we are worse than moribund. We are worse than abysmal, folks.
ReplyDeleteOur local economy is in decline, Hans won't even admit we have a problem.
ReplyDeleteDyer has diagnosed the problem and has specific solutions.
TROLL: But, but what about Robert's ponytail?
10:22: Have you bothered to read my whole platform at RobertDyer.net?
ReplyDelete7:14: And your point is? We're talking about the massive debt the MoCo Council has run up, not the idiots in Congress.
OK, the entirety of your proposal seems to be:
ReplyDelete1) Roll back property taxes
2) "Propose a requirement that two regulations be struck from the books for each new regulation passed on business."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zero-based_budgeting#Disadvantages
ReplyDelete8:46: I think your internet went out before you finished reading the website. You missed my proposals to repeal the 2010 energy tax hike, to build a new Potomac River crossing to Dulles required to attract large international firms to MoCo, complete our master plan highway system, build Express Lanes on I-270 and the Beltway, deregulate disruptive new technologies like Uber and airbnb to encourage innovation and competition, end the liquor monopoly to help retail and restaurant businesses, and recruit aerospace, defense and tech firms to locate their headquarters - and related research and manufacturing facilities - in Montgomery County.
ReplyDeletehttp://robertdyer.net/issues
9:01: We have a $208 million budget shortfall - the question is, with that ongoing structural deficit, what is the UPside of our CURRENT budget format again?
ReplyDeleteZero-based budgeting would be a major improvement, and it would understandably be feared by the County political machine.
Fill your article with misstatements and fallacies AND don't allow comments to correct and tell the truth.
ReplyDeleteNot the kind of judgement one wants in a council member.
I like the idea of Express Lanes, but how will that be done on the Beltway? Seems like there's no room for expansion on the stretch from Bethesda to SIlver SPring -- there are lots of houses on both sides.
ReplyDelete5:11: It can be done. MDOT is looking at decking and flyovers as solutions where the width is tight.
ReplyDelete3:37: Everything I've posted is fact, and backed up by official government stats. People definitely trust my judgement over the County Council's. I told them not to rezone apartment buildings in Long Branch, as it would discourage maintenance of buildings by landlords eager to demolish and redevelop.
ReplyDeleteThe Council went ahead and did it anyway.
In 2016, one of those buildings exploded - killing 7 people, and it was later found to have had over 1600 code violations.
What was that about judgement, again? LOL
I like how on the one hand you complain about the “moribund” county economy, and then immediately turn around and complain about the Council making policies that encourage development. It’s almost as if you’ll criticize them no matter what they do...
ReplyDeleteAnyway, if everything you posted is fact then why keep deleting comments to the contrary?
"People definitely trust my judgement over the County Council's."
ReplyDeleteWhich people?
And how did you jump from "Fascino opens at Westfield Montgomery Mall", to the disaster in Long Branch? And why did you say "LOL" in the sentence after that?