Esther Wells

Environment / Energy Champion a mix of safe, affordable and reliable energy sources. Education Independent Inspector General reporting to MCPS Board of Education. Criminal Justice / Public Safety Strengthen juvenile justice laws to address repeat offenders. Criminal Justice / Public Safety Improve officer morale through enhanced wellness resources. Housing Expand exemptions & make it significantly easier for Landlords to qualify for Fair Return Petitions. Taxes / Budget Reverse the recent 4.7% property tax rate hike. Economy Broaden the tax base: attract new corporate headquarters & high-paying jobs to allow us to lower property & income tax rates for everyone while increasing the revenue we need. Criminal Justice / Public Safety Prioritize fully staffing our police department to improve response times. Housing Streamline the permitting process. Wages / Job Benefits Evaluate whether county employees’ salary pay scales are competitive, equitable & sustainable. Taxes / Budget Zero-based budgeting to shift focus to delivering results, improving transparency, efficiency and oversight. Criminal Justice / Public Safety Restore funding for School Resource Officers (SROs) in MCPS to provide crisis support and safety during emergencies. Education Improve Outcomes for Students. Social Services Empower non-profit partners and faith-based partners to deliver services more efficiently. Environment / Energy Block or weaken all-electric energy mandates to protect property owners from high compliance costs & penalties. Education Redirect focus toward “Student First” policies, ensuring budget increases translate into classroom success rather than administrative growth. Education Re-align MCPS’ employee benefits to mirror surrounding school districts in Maryland. Housing Reduce annual property assessment increases by 50% of cap, aligning the county with surrounding jurisdictions. Social Services Provide workforce development, upskilling for residents and financial counseling as requirements for receiving social services. Taxes / Budget Streamline Government Operations to include automation of services, restructure County departments & implement AI tools to reduce costs by an estimated 20%. Economy Improve marketing & tourism of the County. Housing Protect Single-Family Zoning by opposing “by-right” high-density rezoning. Government Reform Streamline services between State, County and local government. Housing Block or weaken rent control laws to stimulate new construction & grow the assessable base for property tax revenue. Education Temper MCPS’ request for funding to reflect current economic conditions and changing student enrollment. Taxes / Budget Government Accountability & Audits of 7.6B Operating Budget to identify waste & mismanagement of Taxpayer funds. Housing Reduce restrictive zoning rules & regulatory costs that hinder new home construction. Criminal Justice / Public Safety Enhance coordination between police and residents to ensure every neighborhood feels safe and heard. Economy Fund MoCo Economic Development Corp’ (MCEDC) Strategic plan based on performance & outcomes. Economy Open for Growth: Reverse Montgomery County’s reputation of being “closed for business” to being the premier destination for global corporations & visionary developers by offering speed, certainty, and world-class incentives. Taxes / Budget Restore the 692 Homeowner Property tax credit (ITOC). Education Fully fund school resource officers (SROs) in every MCPS High School.