Car parade/walking demo protests County Council’s contract rejection

County employees and community groups staged a car parade/walking protest past County Councilmember Hans Reimer’s Takoma Park home on Saturday to show their displeasure with Reimer and five of his fellow councilmembers’ votes last week against funding revised contracts with the three county unions, UFCW 1994 MCGEO, IAFF Local 1664 (firefighters) and FOP Lodge 35 (police). Meanwhile, Local 1994 said, the Council voted to underwrite several nonessential projects and cut other expenditures for vital services that support and protect all county residents, raising the ire of County employees and community groups with “blatantly hypocritical claims of fiscal responsibility.” The Council, Local 1994 noted, did manage to find $54.9 million for a 980-ft. tunnel, $5 million for the Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation -- which already has a $2 million reserve -- $1.25 million for a telework fund :with no demonstrated need or stipulations on who can get it or under what circumstances, and guaranteed pay increases for the County Council members. More photos here

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