For many years, I have written about the fact that property taxes in Montgomery County have essentially become the equivalent of a second mortgage for many homeowners. If we believe we have honest elections in the County, suffering the highest overall tax and fee burden in the region has yet to spark revolt among County voters. Would property taxes higher than your annual mortgage payment be enough to get taxpayers reaching for their proverbial torches and pitchforks? That's why I was delighted to read Chevy Chase resident Glenn Easton's letter to the editor in the rapidly-shrinking Washington Post.
Easton reported that this shocking event - the Taxological Singularity, if you will - has now taken place. "My property taxes exceed my mortgage payment and threaten my ability - and the ability of many others - to age in place in this state." He noted that the latest tax increase on his property was 13% in 2025, and have been as high as 26%. Easton has challenged assessments of his property each time, and has lost each time. Like me, Easton is "not sure why more homeowners (and voters) are not outraged."
California voters, in a very, very different era in the Golden State, led perhaps the most famous tax revolt in America since 1776. Easton called for a similar revolt and reform to that storied uprising of 1978, which led to property tax increases being capped at 2% annually.
With all County offices on the ballot once again this November, are Montgomery County taxpayers finally ready to revolt?
The County's disastrous fiscal situation indicates that change must come sooner or later, the (somewhat) easy way, or the hard way. Our tax burden must be reduced, and our master plan highway system completed, to attract high-wage jobs and corporations to the County. Montgomery County hasn't attracted a single new major corporate headquarters in over a quarter century. The only growth is in residential housing, and our structural budget deficit confirms that the costs new housing generates far exceed the tax revenue they generate.
Speaking of revenue generation, Council members have delivered multiple tax cuts to their developer sugar daddies, even as they've raised yours every single year except FY-2015 (in which the average homeowner received a whopping $12 tax cut). Perhaps inspired by the $72 million tax cut the Council delivered to developers in White Flint back in 2010, Councilmember Andrew Friedson has successfully pushed through two major tax cuts for developers in recent years. These have created massive exemptions from property taxes for projects at Metro stations and for office-to-housing conversions. The latter law is so permissive, its 20-year full property tax exemption(!!) applies to so many projects that it will blow a massive hole in County tax revenues over the next two decades. Most offensive is that these projects were going forward anyway, with the tax elimination simply an act of profiteering.
When taxes get lighter for real estate developer Friends of the Council, guess who taxes get heavier for? Yep, you the home and business owner. We can't keep shifting the tax burden to homeowners and small businesses, and we can't keep forgoing all of the lost business and commercial revenue we are losing due to our non-competitive tax burden and moribund County economy.
We also can't keep spending the way we are. Where the Council and our equally-corrupt Apple Ballot School Board are satisfied with a generously-funded school system that performs poorly, we instead need an adequately-funded school system that performs exceptionally. And an in-depth reform of profligate spending on Council-connected "non-profits" is long overdue. Many of these have organizational directors and officers who make financial contributions to Councilmember campaigns. Taxpayer money effectively ends up in the pockets of Councilmembers, and provides lucrative careers for the donors.
The tax policies of Montgomery County are eerily reminiscent of those in Bell, California. Elected officials there ultimately ended up in prison.
Taxation is theft, to begin with. Property taxes by their nature are insidious, particularly at the almost-comically-excessive level charged in Montgomery County. If you don't pay, the government takes your home. Which means that all "private property" is effectively owned by the government, and you are paying government a rent to live there.
Enough is enough. Beyond a stagnant economy, gross incompetence by elected officials, high violent crime, and failing transportation and school systems, is a property tax that exceeds your mortgage payment enough for you to act? We'll find out on Election Night 2026.
To the barricades!
KaFean Koffee has closed at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. Their kiosk was cleared out last night, and signage was removed. KaFean Koffee opened here in August of 2024, but apparently could not withstand the competition with Starbucks upstairs. I don't think we can necessarily blame the Montgomery County Council for this closure, as unless you are Auntie Anne's, these kiosks can be rough sailing.
A first-of-its-kind eatery has just opened at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. Tato's is a potato bar that flips the script on the usual fast-casual bowl concept. Here, proteins are what you add to your choice of starch, not the other way around. Menu boards help you build your ideal loaded potato, but it seems Russia was overlooked on the international options menu, despite being an obvious choice. This space was formerly home to 7-Eleven at a busy entrance to the Dining Terrace food court.
Montgomery County police responded to a report of a 2nd-degree assault at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda on January 26, 2026. The assault was reported at the mall at 3:15 PM Monday. This is the second assault reported at the mall this year, with the first having taken place on January 10. The mall is now on-pace for 24 assaults this year at this rate; 12 took place at the property in 2025.
The Amazon Fresh grocery store at 15790 Shady Grove Road at the 270 Center will permanently close this Sunday, February 1, 2026. Amazon is closing all of its Amazon Fresh and Go grocery stores across the country, as a very expensive experiment with Amazon-branded physical grocery stores by the retail giant concludes. In Montgomery County, that means the losses of Amazon Fresh stores at Chevy Chase Lake, Friendship Heights, Shady Grove Road on the border of Rockville and Gaithersburg, and White Oak. It's an especially raw deal for all involved at the Chevy Chase locations, as residents of Chevy Chase Lake had expected to have an on-site grocery store, Friendship Heights residents will now have only the hipster house brands of Trader Joe's and Whole Foods Market as full-size supermarkets within walking distance, and the Chevy Chase Land Company was counting on both to anchor their respective developments of Chevy Chase Lake and the Collection at Chevy Chase.
The sign is up at Koi Sushi, opening soon at 201 Boardwalk Place at Rio Lakefront in Gaithersburg. Here's a sneak peek at the interior design, and at all pages of the restaurant menu. Koi Sushi will be located next to Mason's Famous Lobster Rolls. Stay tuned for an opening date.
Montgomery County Councilmembers Will Jawando (D - At-Large) and Kristin Mink (D - District 5) have introduced two bills aimed at curbing the impact of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) within the county. Flanked by community members, educators, and fellow lawmakers at a joint press conference, they vowed that Montgomery County will not be a silent partner in federal immigration enforcement that relies on "fear, intimidation, or abuse." Mink has directly engaged ICE officers in Maryland, posting video of her encounters that earned TV news coverage.
The County Values Act (Bill 3-26), led by Councilmember Mink, focuses on restricting ICE's access to and use of county-controlled properties. Key provisions include:
Mink's bill is cosponsored by Councilmembers Kate Stewart (District 4), Will Jawando, Shebra Evans (At-Large), Andrew Friedson (District 1), Laurie-Anne Sayles (At-Large), Evan Glass (At-Large), and Marilyn Balcombe (District 2). "We cannot make ICE agents operate lawfully, but what we can do is employ the strongest possible protocols at every facility the County owns or operates,” Mink said.
Complementing this effort is the Unmask ICE Act (Bill 5-26), sponsored by Councilmember Jawando. It prohibits masking or facial coverings by all law enforcement officers operating in Montgomery County—including federal agents like ICE—with limited exceptions for public health reasons or specific operational necessities. The goal is to ensure transparency and build trust by allowing residents to clearly identify officers. Cosponsors include Councilmembers Mink, Evans, Stewart, Sayles, and Glass.
Jawando, who is running for County Executive, cast masked law enforcement officials as a horror of America's past. "Throughout history, masks have been used in American law enforcement to shield the wearer from accountability, and used for terror, impunity, and anonymity for violence," he said. "We are seeing that play out again before our eyes, and we cannot accept that as our new reality. As our local law enforcement recognizes, safety requires trust, and trust requires transparency. Our community is calling on us to do more, and we must listen, work together, and move forward with courage to protect our community."
Councilmembers sought to make the human cost of ICE enforcement actions the focal point of a joint press conference held after the bill introductions.
Orchid Dargahi, a teacher at Newport Mill Middle School who had a family member arrested by ICE, described the "trauma" rippling through her school: "Before I can do anything else in my classroom, I need to make sure my students feel safe. But I field questions like, ‘Can ICE just come into school?’ before teaching kids how to write an essay for or against zoos."
Gaby Rivera of the Montgomery County Immigrant Rights Collective (MoCo IRC) shared the story of a 19-year-old forced to raise his younger siblings after both parents were detained. Rivera urged the Council to pass these bills alongside the previously introduced Trust Act, arguing that together, they send a clear message that the County refuses to be complicit in "fear, intimidation, or abuse."
Here's how events unfolded, according to the timeline released by detectives:
It started on Christmas Eve—December 24, 2025, around 3:46 a.m. A woman inside her home in the 8300 block of McCullough Lane in Gaithersburg looked toward her sliding glass door and saw Adams exposing himself right there, staring in at her. He fled into the night, leaving her shaken.
Then, on January 7, 2026, he struck twice in the same area. At about 6:40 p.m., another woman in the 8300 block of McCullough Lane spotted a shadow at her window. She pulled back the blinds—and there was Adams. He took off when confronted.
Later that same night, around 10:30 p.m., a neighbor in the 17700 block of Silkcotton Way saw Adams shining a flashlight through the sliding glass door of a home, peering inside before vanishing.
The escalation came on January 15, 2026, about 7:05 p.m. A man in the 8300 block of McCullough Lane got a motion alert from his patio security camera. He went outside to check—and confronted Adams face-to-face. That's when Adams allegedly pulled a knife and swung it at the victim before running off. This wasn't just voyeurism anymore. This was a dangerous assault.
Investigators dug in. They identified Adams as the suspect and discovered he had a prior arrest for peeping tom incidents back in 2022. With that history staring them in the face, detectives secured an arrest warrant.
The takedown came on January 20, 2026, around 7:30 p.m. Detectives spotted Adams heading to the rear of a multi-level apartment complex in the 8000 block of Gramercy Boulevard in Derwood. Using the department's Air Support Unit drone, they watched from a safe distance as Adams moved from window to window and door to door, looking in and exposing himself again.
When officers from the 1st, 5th, and 6th District Special Assignment Teams moved in to make the arrest, Adams bolted. But it was a short chase. They caught him, cuffed him, and took him straight to the Montgomery County Central Processing Unit.
Police believe Steven Jarezz Adams has violated others who haven't come forward. Take a look at his photo. Does this man look familiar? Did you see him lurking around your neighborhood?
If you were a victim of indecent exposure by this man, or have any information that could assist detectives, you are asked to call police at 240-773-5770, or visit the Crime Solvers of Montgomery County, MD website at www.crimesolversmcmd.org and click on the “www.p3tips.com” link at the top of the page or call 1-866-411-8477. Tips with information leading to an arrest may be eligible for a reward from $250 up to $10,000. Tipsters may remain anonymous.
That leaves buying one the old-fashioned way as your best bet. But the guitar case is not available at every AMC cineplex. Fortunately for Montgomery County moviegoers, two AMC locations here are on the list: AMC Montgomery 16 at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda, and AMC Dine-in Rio Cinemas 18 at Rio Lakefront in Gaithersburg. If they sell out there, or if it's more convenient for you, the bucket is also available at the AMC Columbia 14 in Howard County, the AMC Georgetown 14 in Washington, D.C., and the AMC Tysons Corner 16.
You may want to call ahead to confirm they still have some in stock. Tonight's showing of Sinners is already sold-out at AMC Montgomery 16. You don't have to see the movie to buy the popcorn bucket, though. Tomorrow is likely to be a no-go due to the expected impact of the winter storm that is hitting the area tonight, but tickets are still being sold for Sunday's screening as of this writing.
Several days of media coverage of the snow storm expected to arrive Saturday night in the Washington, D.C. area has inspired a run on essential items at local grocery stores. Empty shelves were visible in some aisles at Harris Teeter in downtown Bethesda last night. Products being snapped up include the old stalwarts of milk, toilet paper, and paper towels.
Shoppers are dutifully following new health advice from Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., and are buying whole milk over the low-fat options. Of course, if power goes out due to ice or falling trees, massive supplies of milk will be of little value. Also going fast under RFK, Jr.'s guidelines: red meat.
Snow totals were expected to top 13" in initial guesses, but the National Weather Service Winter Storm Watch is now talking about 5-10" of snow accumulation. Given the decline of area government resilience in the face of even a few inches of snow this century, 5-10" could paralyze the region for days. Back in the 90s, Metrobus and Ride On kept going on major routes under reduced frequency, and Metro certainly ran on underground segments if not aboveground with more intense snow plowing operations. In recent years, the entire transit system shuts down during moderate to heavy snowstorms, and governments urge residents to "shelter in place." Heckuva job, Brownie!
Incompetence of government means you're on your own until plows and utility crews belatedly reach your neighborhood. Make sure you have plenty of batteries for flashlights and a transistor radio to receive news and weather updates in the event of a power outage. Warm clothes and blankets are essential, as well. Shelf-stable milk will be a lot more useful than those perishable plastic jugs people are hoarding. And fill your gas tank at least halfway.
Input collected from the public at the forum will be considered as the County government formulates new legislation, policies, and regulations regarding data centers. The controversial facilities are considered essential, along with ample energy resources, to the development of artificial intelligence and related economic and job growth. But the lack of jobs provided by the facilities themselves, their heavy energy use and cooling needs, imposing size, and noise pollution have generated strong community opposition. Adding to the increasing focus on data centers has been a vigorous attempt by states to divert attention from the impact of their past moves to shutter power plants and force the purchase of wind and solar power, which along with government fees have jacked up energy bills in Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and elsewhere, by placing the blame on data centers.
"Data centers are part of the modern economy, and we need to have an honest conversation about what they mean for Montgomery County," Elrich said in a statement today. "Data centers can bring investment and jobs, but they also place real demands on our power grid, our water supply, and our land use. I want residents, businesses, and environmental advocates at the table, so we need to get this right. The decisions we make now will affect our climate goals, our neighborhoods, and energy costs for years to come. This forum is about listening first and making sure any policy we adopt reflects the values and priorities of the people who live here."
Montgomery County Council President Fani-González (D-Dist. 6) and Councilmembers Balcombe (D-Dist. 2) and Sayles (D-At-Large) have already proposed a zoning text amendment that would limit data center locations to industrially-zoned sections of the county. At-Large Councilmember Evan Glass (D) has introduced his own bill, which would establish a data center task force, if passed.
Chris Burnett, a Republican running for the 6th Congressional District in Maryland, which includes part of Montgomery County, warned against the Council pursuing a "piecemeal" approach to data center regulation. "Whatever the Councilmembers decide should be aligned to a part of a strategic plan. I offer real leadership strategies instead of knee-jerk reactions and band-aid solutions through my Innovation Corridor plan," Burnett, a retired Marine Corps officer and national security lawyer, said in a statement. "The piecemeal approach being proposed is what got Virginia into the mess it's in, and we appear to be wading into the exact same scenario without any long-term solutions. This shortsighted approach that doesn't align with national security strategies will inevitably lead to short-term gains at the expense of local residents without any opportunity for strategic growth."
Police refer to there being multiple suspects in the shooting, who fled the scene and remain at large. Anyone with information related to this incident is urged to contact the Gaithersburg Police Department Investigative Section at 301-258-6400. Those wishing to remain anonymous may call the Gaithersburg Tip Line at 301-330-4471.
Sheepskin Gifts & Alpaca Too has cleared out of its space on Level 1 at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. The pop-up apparel store has completed yet another Christmas shopping season at the mall, and will very likely return once again this fall, and we'll know the holidays are imminent when it does. They had a nicer spot this time, occupying the former Tesla space, and some of Elon's custom fit-out design elements remain visible. What appears to be part of a stuffed display alpaca could be seen sticking out of a shipping box inside the empty store, but I've been assured that no alpacas were harmed in the making of this exit from the mall.
