Basic Information
Democratic Party – running for Montgomery County Council At Large
Email Scott@VoteScott.org
Website www.VoteScott.org
Facebook facebook.com/GoldbergInMD
Twitter @GoldbergInMD
Other instagram.com/GoldbergInMD
Questions & Responses (All Candidates)
1 – What lessons learned do you have since the start of the pandemic?
People can look at the same set of facts and information and come with completely different conclusions.
Everyone has a breaking point and we’re going to be dealing with people reaching their own for years to come.
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?
Always keep moving forward. Use history and mistakes as teachable moments, but always keep moving forward.
3 – What do you think are the 3 biggest and most pressing issues facing our county in the next 4 years? Why?
1. The ability to have big, nuanced policy discussions without misinformation, disinformation, exaggeration, and with civility and the understanding that the final outcome won’t make everyone happy. We can’t have real progress in education, housing, transportation, equity, or economic development without being able to sit in a room together and have adult conversations about these issues.
2. The long-term ramifications of virtual and semi-virtual public education. The knowledge base and maturity of an entire generation is behind where it should be, which is even more acute in less affluent populations, which will have consequences with lifetime wages, functioning in society, behavior, and almost every facet of life.
3. Expanding higher wage job growth. The county has been adding low wage jobs but losing high wage jobs, essentially creating a ceiling for much of our workforce.
4 – What specifically do you plan to do in the 3 most pressing areas from Question 3?
1. Whenever an impactful policy, rule, regulation, or law is introduced, it needs to be accompanied by a robust, comprehensive public relations effort that takes into account handling objections. This includes meeting directly with groups and individuals, building a coalition of support, and presenting information in a clear, concise way that’s easy to understand for people that don’t live and breathe the legislative process. Working inside the legislative branch and with the executive branch, I would transform the public information offices into modern communications and rapid response operations.
2. Nowhere more than in high needs, low-income communities have we seen the disparity in educational outcomes exacerbated by virtual and quasi-virtual learning. Studies show that individual and small group tutoring are the best way to close the opportunity gap and accelerate student learning to get to grade level. As a Councilmember I would work with Montgomery County Public Schools and nonprofits like Excel Beyond the Bell to expand tutoring programs.
3. There is both a perception and reality that Montgomery County is unfriendly toward economic development. On the perception side, I would work to create an economic identity for the county that we can all get behind and be proud of, because we don’t have one know. This identity would be built upon the Quad H’s: Hospitality, Healthcare, High Tech and Hops.
On the reality side, we would have in-depth conversations with businesses of all sizes, Chambers of Commerce, and within government departments to see where pain points and roadblocks are, then put together a package of legislation to make these fixes.
5 – Would you consider supporting changes to the 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, I believe the technology exists so voters can affiliate or switch political parties on the day of a primary election to cast their ballot.
Equally important is how we fill vacancies in the Maryland General Assembly. As a past Chair of the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee (MCDCC) and current member, 24 partisans that the public has never heard of shouldn’t be appointing Senators and Delegates in perpetuity for all intents and purposes.
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?
Government only creates the atmosphere where businesses can either flourish or fail. If we can have a world-class public education system, efficient transportation, outdoor space, reasonably affordable housing, and a regulatory scheme that’s easy to navigate, then the companies with higher wage positions will find Montgomery County attractive. It’s much simpler and less expensive to have the firms already here expand compared to attracting new businesses to locate here, which is also something we should focus on too.
2 – How will you hold developers accountable for past, present, and future infrastructure commitments (schools, transit, roads, etc.)?
The Montgomery County government and state of Maryland are responsible for providing people with infrastructure and services. It is the job of elected leadership to make sure residents have what they need and are promised and that there’s a funding mechanism to provide the high level of services we value. Developers don’t write the government checks for fun, it’s up to leaders to decide the menu of taxes and fees necessary for a functional, vibrant society.
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?
Public safety is paramount. In a time where we’re reimagining policing based on our communities needs, it’s OK to say that we can have competitive salaries and compensation to attract and retain the best people to serve as police officers, hold these professionals accountable with high standards, and address the root causes of crime, simultaneously.
What’s missing in this moment is a clear vision from our elected leadership of how we as a community want to be policed.
Any criminal justice expert will say that economic opportunity is the #1 tactic to reduce crime. When people have better options, they’ll choose those over criminal acts, for the most part.
4 – What do you see as your biggest advantage or positive that you bring to the table over your competitors
Experience. In an environment where low wage jobs are plentiful but high wage jobs are decreasing, being the only Councilmember who has started a successful business right here in Montgomery County will be invaluable to those who need the county to foster an environment flush with solid middle-class jobs.
Lawyer as lawmaker. Currently, there’s only 1 lawyer on the County Council. I would be the 2nd. Legislation regularly has to be revised months and years later because it was passed without contemplating foreseeable scenarios.
Collaboration. Every legislature needs a dynamic group of people. Alphas to keep things moving. Policy wonks address details. Listeners to keep an ear in the community. The best legislatures have great deal makers to put it all together. I see myself as 1 of the 2 to 3 Councilmembers who won’t be seen as a political competitor because all I want to be is a Councilmember then pass the torch to someone with fresh energy after 4, 8 or 12 years. That will allow me to be an honest broker who can achieve real progress.
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