12/06/2025
🤝 Unified Front: Committee for Montgomery Kicks Off 2026 Legislative Session at Strathmore
The Committee for Montgomery (CFM) held its 37th Annual Legislative Breakfast on December 5, 2025, at the Music Center at Strathmore, drawing hundreds of leaders from across the county. This premier event served as the critical kick-off for uniting the county's business, labor, and civic community around a forceful legislative agenda for the upcoming 2026 Maryland General Assembly session in Annapolis.
CFM Chair, Silver Spring attorney Alan Bowser, opened the breakfast by welcoming the diverse and engaged crowd, which included the newly appointed County Council leadership, President Natali Fani-González and Vice President Marilyn Balcombe. Bowser emphasized the CFM's vital role as the county's "shared conscience," highlighting its unique ability to bring together business, labor, non-profits, and civic groups to advocate with a unified voice for the general welfare of all residents.
CFM's Four Critical Legislative Pillars
Mr. Bowser’s address clearly outlined four critical legislative pillars the CFM coalition will fight for during the 2026 session:
Education: A central focus remains securing increased State funding for school construction to address the county's extensive facility needs and enrollment growth. Equally important is ensuring the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future is implemented successfully and transparently to truly serve students and educators.
Transportation: A reliable network is vital for a thriving economy. The CFM will be fighting for necessary, sustainable WMATA funding to keep the Metro and transit systems safe and reliable. The coalition also continues to prioritize Vision Zero initiatives to make streets safer for pedestrians and cyclists.
Economic Development and Housing: The CFM is committed to policies that foster economic growth and job creation, which must go hand-in-hand with housing stability. This includes supporting efforts to aggressively address the crippling housing shortage and protect vulnerable residents to prevent the further exodus of young families.
Social Safety Net: The final pillar focuses on continuing to advocate for the health and human services that support the well-being of every resident, ensuring that the county remains a place where everyone can thrive, regardless of income or background.
Federal and Local Leadership Address Crises and Call for Accountability
The event featured remarks from federal and local leaders. U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks, along with U.S. Representative April McLaine Delaney, addressed the crowd, focusing their concerns on the local impact of federal government firings and cutbacks in social programs, stressing the need for strong federal-state collaboration to protect critical services.
A highly anticipated panel of County Executive candidates—Councilmembers Andrew Friedson, Evan Glass, and Will Jawando, and challenger Mithun Banerjee—concurred that the county is at a "crisis moment" requiring bold action. Key areas of agreement included the urgency of the housing crisis and the need for greater transparency and accountability in Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) funding and facility management. While all agreed on the problems, their solutions varied, with candidates offering different approaches ranging from aggressive regulatory reform to structural government spending cuts.
In her closing remarks, new Council President Natali Fani-González championed her Trust Act to protect immigrant communities and reiterated the council's commitment to tackling both public safety and housing affordability. The consensus of the day was a unified demand for decisive action and accountability from all levels of government to address the county's pressing challenges in the 2026 legislative session.
To learn more about the Committee for Montgomery's mission and legislative agenda, visit their official website:
We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.
