Tuesday, July 24, 2018

Moribund MoCo economy continues to tank in 2018

New regional statistics indicate Montgomery County's moribund economy is continuing its steep decline, even as boom times continue across the river in Northern Virginia. The Stephen S. Fuller Institute at George Mason University noted in its June summary of area economic indicators that in 2018, the suburban Maryland jurisdictions of the D.C. area have only accounted for 5% of regional job growth. In contrast, Northern Virginia has accounted for a whopping 78% of job growth in our region so far this year, a devastating comparison.

Virginia currently enjoys a 3.2% unemployment rate, compared to 4.3% in Maryland. According to Aaron Gregg of the Washington Post, job growth in suburban Maryland counties has "softened" further. He quotes Fuller as noting Montgomery County doesn't have the private sector federal contractors that could benefit from the Trump administration's massive boost in defense spending.
Only one candidate can get Montgomery County's
moribund economy moving again.
CHANGE YOUR VOTE - CHANGE THE COUNTY
Andy Bauer, a regional economist with the Richmond Federal Reserve, reports to the Post that "we're not seeing much job growth at all" in the suburban Maryland counties. "Northern Virginia just hasn't seen the weakness we've seen on the Maryland side."

Montgomery County has notoriously failed to attract defense and aerospace contractors - and any major corporate headquarters at all - over the last two decades. And the County Council has made aggressive moves in recent years to urge existing aerospace firm Lockheed Martin to leave the County, moves that even earned them a rebuke from their Democratic peers at the state level. "We don't need the Lockheed headquarters," Councilmember Nancy Floreen infamously told residents at the Aspen Hill Library in 2010. The Council removed a second Potomac River crossing to the Dulles area - an essential piece of infrastructure to compete with Northern Virginia for government contractors and international business firms - from the County's master plan. And it failed to win the Northrop headquarters, which ended up in - where else? - Northern Virginia.

In the Fuller Institute's June report, the authors wistfully recall the greater regional balance of decades past, when Montgomery County used to be a major player in the region, and Northern Virginia usually only accounted for 50% of regional job growth - not today's whopping 80%. To underline the stakes in the regional competition for the supposed 50,000 jobs of Amazon's HQ2, that job number is only 1500 less than the number of jobs created in the whole region between June 2017 and June 2018.
Montgomery County Council lead economic
advisor Vladimir Lenin
Unmentioned in either report are the County Council's record 2016 property tax and recordation tax hikes, 2010 energy tax hike, $15 minimum wage, and a barrage of other anti-business taxes, fees, restrictions and regulations passed since 2010 alone. While Virginia builds mile after mile of Express Lanes and steals our jobs, our Council is fighting Gov. Larry Hogan's Express Lanes plan for I-270 and the Beltway at every turn. The Council's economic development trips abroad have been only to Communist and socialist nations including China, Cuba, and El Salvador under the rule of President Salvador Sanchez Ceren, who was a commander in the Communist FMLN during the country's civil war. The County even boasted that it had brought in Communist Chinese officials as advisors on the Council's $10 billion Bus Rapid Transit boondoggle.

With fellow travelers like these, is it any wonder Montgomery County's economy is circling the drain?

38 comments:

Anonymous said...

Massive growth =/= increased quality of life. Just ask NoVa w/their traffic and concrete canyons. Let them sprawl out into Loudoun; we're dodging a bullet, as far as I'm concerned.

Anonymous said...

"Virginia currently enjoys a 3.2% unemployment rate, compared to 4.3% in Maryland."

Maybe that's because Virginia's governor is a Democrat, whereas Maryland's is a Republican?

Anonymous said...

"Virginia currently enjoys a 3.2% unemployment rate"

You highlight this as a positive, yet MoCo's EXACT same unemployment rate of 3.2% (which you conveniently forget to mention) is somehow "moribund?"

Anonymous said...

That’s a really good point.

If 3.2% is good, are you saying MoCo is also doing well?

What’s the relevant NoVa vs MoCo unemployment rate vs the entirety of the states?

Anonymous said...

*sigh* You could write a 10-chapter book on the number of lies and contradictions Dyer has posted on this blog.

How ANYONE with a IQ over 20 could vote for Dyer, whether Democrat, Republican, liberal, conservative, young, old, black, white, brown, purple, is a mystery. At some point he has insulted or mocked everyone.

Well he's sure to lock up the vote of the #MAGA Trumpnut contingent.

Anna said...

“People who fail to regard the truth seriously in small matters, cannot be trusted in matters that are great.” — Albert Einstein

Anonymous said...

"The County even boasted that it had brought in Communist Chinese officials as advisors on the Council's $10 billion Bus Rapid Transit boondoggle."

I'd say we could learn a lot more from the world's second-largest and fastest-growing economy, in spite of the scary "communist" nomenclature, than from some lone middle-aged dude who has never held a job and has lived in the same house with his parents all his life.

Anonymous said...

"Albert Einstein was no Einstein."

-Robert Dyer

Anonymous said...

10:08am Robert Dyer was the leading vote getter in his field during the primary.

So, you're insulting many residents with your attack. Maybe you have a future on the planning board and council?

Woodmont said...

10:53am is lousy at debate. Just go to the untrue elementary school insults when the facts aren't on your side.

Wonder if Reamer will call Dyer a "retard" in a public debate this cycle?

Anonymous said...

@ 11:17 - You forgot to sign your comment as "Woodmont".

Anna said...

Former quarterback Joe Theismann:
"Nobody in the game of football should be called a genius. A genius is somebody like Norman Einstein."

Anonymous said...

The disdain and hostility that county leaders have for residents isn't normal.

Let's not normalize the behavior of this council and planning board.

Anna said...

Wow, "Woodmont" your blatant misspelling of another candidate's name sure makes you sound childish.

The Avenue called, they want their name back.

Anonymous said...

Dyer is certainly correct to attack Elrich and his communist policies.

Maloney Concrete said...

11:56m Elrich doesn't appear in the article.

Weird that the council favors communist regimes for their economic development trips.

Robert Dyer said...

10:53: So you figure the slave labor, tortures and executions, massive number of political prisoners, and denial of equal rights to LGBTQ citizens in China are a viable way to a booming economy?

Should we be surprised you typed your comment from a Montgomery County Council office?

Anonymous said...

When did Republicans suddenly become concerned about "denial of equal rights to LGBTQ citizens"?

Anonymous said...

Did they really type that from a county council office or are you making that up?

Anonymous said...

He’s making it up. He assumes anyone who disagrees with him is being paid by the Council or Bethesda Magazine.

Robert Dyer said...

2:41: Considering the vast majority of councilmembers are Democratic Socialists, yes, the comment supporting the Chinese dictatorship likely came from a staff member of the Council. Do you know many normal people who support the Communist Chinese dictatorship?

Anna said...

Suddenly you took this from 10:53's "I'd say we could learn a lot more from the world's second-largest and fastest-growing economy," all the way to your "Do you know many normal people who support the Communist Chinese dictatorship?"

Distractions, distortions and irrelevancies.

Anonymous said...

However running as a Republican in 2018 does equal "supporting the Russian dictatorship".

Anonymous said...

What's the estimated value of "Suburban News Network"?

Has it ever received any endorsements, other than in comments on its own pages by anonymous commenters?

Anonymous said...

6:40am Dyer is sourced by other news outlets and blogs all the time.

And if you'd get out more and actually talk to folks around town, you'd know Dyer's readership is wide and deep.

Anonymous said...

"if you'd get out more and actually talk to folks around town, you'd know Dyer's readership is wide and deep."

Instead of having anonymous commenters give hearsay anecdotes, why doesn't Dyer just post his actual readership statistics?

Anonymous said...

The great counter clockwise rotation: Eastern MoCo becomes like PG County; Western MoCo moves to Fairfax; Southern PG County becomes like Southern Fairfax

Boyce Bowles said...

8:33am what on Earth are you talking about?

Anonymous said...

re·tard (verb)
past tense: retarded; past participle: retarded
riˈtärd
delay or hold back in terms of progress, development, or accomplishment.
"his progress was retarded by his being a retard"
synonyms: delay, slow down, slow up, hold back, hold up, set back, postpone, put back, detain, decelerate; hinder, hamper, obstruct, inhibit, impede, check, restrain, restrict, trammel...

Anonymous said...

That's odd, there were 46 comments here less than an hour ago.

Anonymous said...

"MUST CRUSH CAPITALISM"

So, tell us, Dyer - what is your actual experience in the capitalist economy?

Robert Dyer said...

10:53: I've actually run a business, and managed, hired and fired employees. I've sold products as part of that business. I have real-world business experience, unlike the Democratic Socialists I'm running against for the County Council. The sad economic numbers for Montgomery County indicate we desperately need leaders who have the kind of capitalist experience and 2018 business knowledge I have on the Council.

Anna said...

I'm going to have to reject your claim of having more "2018 business knowledge"
What is that supposed to mean anyway?

You've dipped your toe into a few areas of "business." Maybe you've had an employee or two, maybe you've had independent contractors, maybe you've sold a few things. But as far as running a major business, hundreds of employees, managing executives who are responsible for managing managers who are responsible for managing others...well no, you do not have that experience.

Anonymous said...

Which business and how did it do? What was your revenue?

Anonymous said...

From "About Robert" on his campaign website:

"Robert Dyer is a lifelong resident of Montgomery County. Robert is the founder and publisher of Suburban News Network, a hyperlocal news network of sites covering Montgomery County. He is also a professional musician, producer and recording artist. Robert has been a community activist on transportation, development and disability access issues in the County for more than a decade."

So his "business experience" is posting videos on YouTube.

Anna said...

I'd have to wonder why someone touting their business acumen holds no Trademark for his Suburban News Network.

Anonymous said...

12:15

You are correct. I wonder why not..Elrich is the most communist of any members of the county council easily. I know Dyer has sparred with and chastised him many times in the past, particularly over his controversial approval of Westbard. If Elrich is county executive be prepared for a lurch to the left of Cuba.

Anonymous said...

Anna, what I don't understand is that Dyer makes no mention of his business acumen on his campaign site, or in the "About Us [sic]" pages of "Suburban Network News".

He only mentions it in comments on articles on "Suburban Network News" that are already several days old.