County Councilmember Duchy Trachtenberg was the featured speaker at the Kiwanis Club’s Charter Day Celebration at Leisure World. Her remarks from the luncheon event follow.
When I raised my hand back in December of 2006 to take the oath of office, I understood the obligation I had to the residents of Montgomery County. For me, it was a continuation of my life’s work. During these last four years, I have strived to put people first and I have been hard-working and deliberate in my legislative actions, always willing to speak truth to power.
My priorities have been centered around children-their supports in school and out of school; public safety; public transportation; healthy and sustainable development; and the vulnerable, our most needy residents.
An example of this is the role I played in spearheading the Montgomery County Family Justice Center project into a reality. This is a clearinghouse facility that consolidates services for domestic violence victims and their children. In its first year of operation, over 1400 victims from over 100 countries have been served.
I helped lead the effort to reform our disability retirement system. I helped ensure that our procedures are based on a sound, public health foundation; that this important retirement benefit is preserved for those that are eligible; and that all employees have equitable access to the best medical practices.
As the Chair of the Council’s Management & Fiscal Policy Committee, I have worked with colleagues and the Executive branch to define over 2 billion dollars in savings during the first three budget cycles and presently I am playing an important role in defining our long-term fiscal plan in these most challenging times.
When I came to the Council building, I didn’t just want to fill an empty chair, I came to change lives. I believe I have done just that and I know each and every one of you are committed to that principle as well. We understand the virtue of the a well-known teaching from the Torah: “If you save one life, you save the world."
So the question today is “How do we make that commitment in this fiscal climate and complex world?”
We are at a fiscal moment where we can no longer maintain a perfect world, but a decent one where the needs of our residents come first. This will require hard choices but it also provides us with an opportunity-an opportunity to change the political conversation and consequently political will. This is one of those rare political moments when we get to define a new community order.
It’s important to note that everyone can have a voice in that, in small ways and in big ways. We can bring our voice to community organizations; we can participate in our spiritual house activities and provide influence; we can engage with our elected leaders on every level; we can contribute in meaningful activities that give back to our communities; and we can exercise our most precious right-the right to vote in every election. The power to change the world is in all of our hands, not just in mine.
On the Council level, we are struggling with a very difficult financial reality-a billion dollar deficit. We are experiencing a fiscal meltdown resulting from a number of factors. Here in Montgomery County, our tax revenue continues to shrink because of many national trends. In this year alone, our income tax revenue has declined by 21%.
Having less money to spend forces us to reduce county programming. This means our county government will surely look different in the coming years. It does mean less library hours, reduced transit hours, less social service programming for the needy. It will finally force political forces to address the unsustainable nature of the compensation and benefits we have promised to our public employees.
This all sounds challenging but here is the good news: The Executive and Legislative branches have identified three core priorities in this fiscal climate: education; public safety; and the vulnerable. This allows us to truly put people first, understanding that our investments in the people we serve and our commitment to the future in prioritizing our children’s education are of paramount importance.
This moment of crisis also helps us identify leadership we can count on. In the years of the Great Depression, we found FDR. In the turmoil of the 60’s we located JFK. And in 2008, we looked at President Obama for his inspirational and poised leadership. And in 2010, here in Montgomery County, we will need to look at our local leadership and see who has risen to meet the moment; who has seized the opportunity to change that community order; and who has the wisdom to understand that the best policy choices come from both the brain and the heart.
Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage. Let’s have faith in one another and extend our hand in friendship to all of those in our community. Let’s work together because together, we will accomplish extraordinary things.
