The Trachtenberg Office Attends County Executive’s Budget Forum at Leisure World

Naomi Bloch represented the Trachtenberg office last evening at the County Executive’s Budget Forum that was hosted by the Mid-County Citizens’ Advisory Board at Leisure World in Silver Spring. This was the third in a series of five budget forums that County Executive Ike Leggett has been conducting throughout out the County during the month of January.

After a presentation of the budget by Beryl Feinberg of the Executive’s office of Management and Budget, Mr. Leggett took questions from the audience. There were questions about the critical need not to cut the libraries budgets any further as use of the libraries is on the rise in these tough economic times; questions about the ambulance fees and concerns about the elimination of some bus routes in Olney, are just a few of the key questions the audience had for Mr. Leggett. The turn out was good and several in the audience expressed their appreciation to Mr. Leggett for holding these budget forums.

After the budget discussion ended the Mid-County Citizens’ Advisory Board conducted a brief Board meeting. After brief remarks from Sharon Dooley concerning bus Route 52 and Route 53 in Olney being slated for elimination, the Board voted to testify in support of those two bus routes at the Public Hearing to be held on Monday, February 1st in the cafeteria of the Executive Office Building. The Board also voted to have the Traffic Committee study the five other routes under threat and then present their findings to the full board at the next meeting.

Ride On to Hold Public Forum about Proposed Service Cuts

Montgomery County invites residents to attend an upcoming public forum and provide comment on proposed changes to Ride On’s bus service. Montgomery County is faced with a projected budget shortfall of $600 million for Fiscal Year 2011. To help close the gap, the County is proposing to reduce and/or eliminate Ride On routes that have the fewest riders or those where other alternative service is available. All comments will be considered before any route changes are finalized.
The forum will be held on Monday, February 1, starting at 6:30 p.m., at the Executive Office Building Cafeteria, Terrace Level, located at 101 Monroe Street, Rockville, Maryland. In case of inclement weather, the public forum will be held on Tuesday, February 2 at the same location.

Proposed route changes include discontinuing weekday routes 3, 21, 30, 33, 36, 52, 53 and 81; discontinuing Saturday routes 14, 23, 29, 43, 45, 83, 98, L8, T2, Z2; discontinuing Sunday routes 29, 38, 83, L8, T2; discontinuing weekday route segments on Route 7: west of Georgia Avenue and reverse of rush hour east of Georgia Avenue, Route 22: Elton Road extension, Route 32: Woodrock extension and Route 43: Fallsgrove branch; and weekday rush hour trip reductions to Routes 22, 43 and 93.

By close of business on January 25, individuals and representatives of organizations who wish to speak at the public forum should provide, in writing, their name, home address, telephone number, e-mail address and organization to the Division of Transit Services, Ride On Public Forum, 101 Monroe Street, 5th Floor, Rockville, Maryland 20850. Those who have signed up to speak must bring two printed copies of their testimony for the record. Sign language interpreter services will be provided only upon request with notice as far in advance as possible, but no later than January 27. Large print format is available upon request.

Comments on the proposed service changes and reductions may be provided to the Division of Transit Services by 5 p.m. on January 29 in writing, by emailing mcdot.rideonpublicforums@montgomerycountymd.gov, by calling 240-777-5800 or faxing 240-777-5801. For additional information on the proposed changes, go to the Ride On website at www.rideonbus.com and click “visit here” under “Riders’ News.”