Saturday, August 15, 2015

Tom Moore not running for reelection to Rockville City Council

Rockville Councilmember Tom Moore has made his election decision - he won't be running again this November for the City Council. Moore made the announcement in an email to supporters Friday.

He cited the time public service has taken away from his family as the major factor in his decision, writing that "my family has paid a high price while I have campaigned and governed virtually nonstop over the past six years, and it is time for me to turn my attentions homeward."

Moore's announcement also cited his accomplishments on the council, including preserving Fireside Park Apartments as affordable housing, tougher ethics rules, limiting retention of citizen data by Rockville Police license plate readers, and his successful effort to weaken the city's school overcrowding rules over vehement, well-organized resident opposition. The latter victory has opened the entire city to new development proposals, as no schools are deemed over-capacity under the new rules.

While Moore did not divulge any future political plans, he did hint that he will be throwing his support behind some of the candidates running for council seats this fall. Moore ran an unsuccessful campaign for the District 3 seat on the Montgomery County Council in 2014, losing to Gaithersburg Mayor Sid Katz.

Moore's decision ensures there will be at least one new face on the council in the next term.

5 comments:

  1. Tom Moore is an excellent City Council Member and I think Rockville will miss him. He understood that the concept of the silent majority. He was practical and rarely let the activist naysayers sway his position. Tom knew how to look at the bigger picture particularly when considering sensitive issues like the APFO and new real estate developments. Tom realized that new real estate developments are vital to the economic health of the city. Tom will be missed but I think he tired of the endless bickering from the Planning Commission and the city council. I hope his replacement is half as smart and also willing to take on the loud negative voices too often heard on the Council and more so on the Planning Commission.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I totally agree with you, Concerned Citizen. I'm also concerned. What do we get in his place? Some loon like Mulligan? God I hope not.

    ReplyDelete
  3. We need Tom Moore. Maybe he will change his mind. He is the only rational member of a looney city council.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Was Tom Moore behind the ugly hit-piece mailer sent out yesterday? Has his filthy fingerprints all over it.

    ReplyDelete