Monday, November 2, 2015

Mayoral candidates line up endorsements in Rockville


Incumbent Rockville
Mayor Bridget Donnell Newton
with 3 of the 5 past mayors
supporting her - Jim Coyle,
Steven Van Grack, Larry Giammo
Many of Rockville's past mayors remain closely engaged in city politics, and - as you might expect - their endorsements are in great demand. Incumbent Mayor Bridget Donnell Newton and challenger Sima Osdoby have both released letters and statements in the closing days of the campaign highlighting those endorsements.

Newton is leading the mayoral endorsement race, with 5 of the city's former top leaders on-board. They are former mayor and Montgomery County Executive Doug Duncan, and past mayors Jim Coyle, Larry Giammo, Steven Van Grack and Phyllis Marcuccio.

Osdoby has received the endorsement of former mayor Rose Krasnow.
Former Mayor Rose Krasnow
has endorsed challenger
Sima Osdoby
As one might expect, the letter from the Newton endorsers has an optimistic tone, touting Newton's "proven, thoughtful leadership." Their letter goes on to say the incumbent has "been a steady leader who listens to all stakeholders, masters the issues and makes sound judgements." It also applauds Newton's management of the City's growth, and efforts to ensure there is adequate infrastructure to support new development. The mayors also note the City has just been ranked as the 17th "Most Livable City in America" by Livability.com.

Krasnow, by contrast, says she will be "heartbroken" if voters don't elect Osdoby, warning "Our City's future hangs in the balance." Now Deputy Director at the Maryland National Capital Park & Planning Commission, Krasnow is particularly critical of the delay in passing the Rockville Pike Plan in her statement. Newton has said the plan originally produced by a City-hired consultant was not sustainable, and needed to be thoroughly reworked by the Mayor and Council and Rockville Planning Commission.

Voters will go to the polls tomorrow, November 3.

Top photo by Robert Dyer
Krasnow photo courtesy MNCPPC

4 comments:

  1. As a citizen of Rockville and Montgomery County for the past 16 years, I am hopeful the city will elect those candidates who are willing to take a smart, balanced approach to city business and willing to make the right decisions for the city. I have watched and followed all of the candidates running for council and one in particular (Gottfried) seems to be taking a very negative approach. Moreover, Mr. Gottfried has consistently conveyed misleading and false statements about Virginia Onley that are not only not true, but extremely offensive. Virginia Onley has consistently denied these accusations and Mr. Gottfried has no evidence to support his irresponsible statements. Do we really want this kind of person on the city council ? I for one, hope not. That kind of individual has no place on the City Council.

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  2. I agree completely that Mr. Gottfried has conducted a campaign of 'smoke and mirrors' with misleading accusations and mis-information. Mr. Gottfried has an agenda of stagnation and wants no progress. However, Ms. Onley and others are interested in advancing a dialog of smart growth- which is exactly what we need.

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  3. What Gottfried said was true. Team Rockville candidates like Sima Osdoby, Virginia Onley and others ARE developer funded with a developer agenda. They took a lot of money from developers such as Jeffrey Slavin and developer attorneys. TR, especially Sima Osdoby, has led a smear campaign of lies. Her mailer today is case in point of one of the most negative pieces ever to appear in Rockville. It clearly demonstrates lack of character and any semblance of ethics on the part of TR candidates. Voters are smarter than TR gives them credit. Rockville voters will repudiate TR’s negative campaign tactics and rid Rockville of Trump style politics at its worst. VOTE FOR: NEWTON, (and for 4 of the following) FEINBERG, GOTTFRIED, HILL, MULLICAN and SCHOOF.

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  4. By someone who bothers to do the work:

    http://marylandscramble.com/2015/11/02/more-on-rockville/

    http://marylandscramble.com/2015/11/02/don-hadley-responds-to-osdoby-allegations/

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