Basic Information
Email Hidayat4District7@gmail.com
Website https://votesharif.com/
Questions & Responses (All Candidates)
1 – What lessons learned do you have since the start of the pandemic?
That we all matter.
That government has a role in all of our lives. However, that role is supposed to
be supportive and informative and not oppressive.
That we can do something about getting more cars off the street and reducing traffic by maximizing tele-work. Especially, amongst our County Employees.
2 – If you could go back and do one thing differently from what was done in the last two years in Montgomery County what would you change?
The SRO’s should have never come out of the schools. I would put them back in the schools.
3 – What do you think are the 3 biggest and most pressing issues facing our county in the next 4 years? Why?
- Public Safety: because crime is on the rise and we are projected to not have enough officers in the near future to handle the calls for service.
- Traffic Congestion: because more and more people are moving into the area.
- Protecting the Agriculture Reserve: because developers are constantly seeking ways to develop this County at the expense of taking away our greenspace.
4 – What specifically do you plan to do in the 3 most pressing areas from Question 3?
Provide a compensation package that makes Montgomery County # 1 in the DMV. Not create legislation that will handcuff our officers and paint a target on
their backs for enforcing the law. Our current County Executive and County Council are criminal enablers. They only want to reform Police and not criminals.
I plan on working with all of the public sector unions to develop language in their contracts to maximize telework. There are several office jobs that can be done at home via a cell phone and computer. We have to get more cars off the road, especially during rush hour.
I believe Thrive 2050 is no good for our County and does not promote home ownership. I support less rentals and more home ownership. Communities thrive more with homeownership vs. rentals.
5 – Would you consider supporting changes to electoral process such as open primaries or non-partisan elections in Montgomery County to allow 155,000+ registered Unaffiliated/Independents in Montgomery County to vote locally when it counts?
Yes, Campaigning has been an eye opener on this issue. People don’t care about parties as much as they do issues. I believe the closed primary system is less democratic than an open one. I would support changing our political system to enfranchise more people by getting rid of the closed primary system that is failing everyone.
Questions & Responses (County Council)
1 – What is your plan to attract and KEEP businesses in Montgomery County? How can we get more businesses across the county and especially where its lacking in the Up County and East County and compete with Northern Virginia?
We need to look at our Permitting process. Several businesses have advised me that doing business is much more difficult and expensive in Montgomery County than Northern Virginia. We need to streamline the Permitting process and focus on waiving certain fees knowing full well that the long term economic gain will pay for itself and then some.
2 – How will you hold developers accountable for past, present, and future infrastructure commitments (schools, transit, roads, etc.)?
We will hold developers accountable by taking them to court if there is a breach of contract.
3 – What do you plan to do about the increase in incidents of carjackings and homicides in the county and decline of applicants and morale in the police force?
Our current County Executive and County Council have nothing but disdain for our men and women in uniform. I am the only candidate in District 7 that proudly wore that uniform and know what needs to be done to enhance public safety and reduce crime.
I will focus my attention on criminal reform and not police reform. Police can always find ways to improve. However, our focus should be on criminal activity and giving police the resources and support to get the job done for the residents of Montgomery County. I will vote down any nomination for Police Chief that does not have Assistant Chief Marc Yamada at the top of the list. He is a District 7 resident, is super qualified and is the only current Assistant Chief that I have the confidence in that will improve moral. Also, there is no reason why our officers are not the highest paid in the DMV. It is my intent to ensure that our officers are the highest paid, best trained and most supported officers in the DMV.
4 – What do you see as your biggest advantage or positive that you bring to the table over your competitors?
I am the only candidate that took an oath to lay down my life for others. I was a
Montgomery County Police officer for over twenty years. There is no other candidate in District 7 that has the street knowledge and experience with handling quality of life issues than me.
The advantage I have over the other candidates is that I have a long track record of solving quality of life issues by collaborating and navigating through several layers of bureaucracy to get results for the community. Please visit votesharif.com to read more about why I am running and what issues I plan on working on while on the Council.