We Appreciate the Sierra Club Montgomery County Group Endorsement

We are excited and honored for our most recent endorsement.

Press Announcement shared:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Sierra Club Montgomery County Group endorses former Gaithersburg Councilwoman Laurie-Anne Sayles for Montgomery County Council at-Large seat Monday May 2, 2022

Sierra Club Montgomery County Group enthusiastically endorses Laurie-Anne Sayles At-Large.

This candidate will be on the ballot in the July 19 primary election. If you may be busy or away on July 19, sign up now to vote by mail.

Sierra Club looks forward to strong progress on a variety of environmental priorities over the next four years. In particular, we’d like to see substantial forward movement on

• Creating robust non-automobile transportation options – including a speedy implementation of Bus Rapid Transit (in dedicated lanes) on Rt 355, Veirs Mill and Rt 29; permanent free fares on Ride-On; rapid roll-out of the Bicycle Master Plan; substantial investments on pedestrian safety and convenience.

• Building energy efficiency programs to significantly lower energy usage in new and existing buildings;

• Upgrading the county’s Climate Action Plan to become a true plan – with deadlines, budgets, responsible actors, measures of progress; and to quickly act on the highest priorities in that upgraded plan;

• Increasing reliance on clean energy sources – with an emphasis on expanding solar;

• Using Thrive 2050, sector plans, zoning changes and other vehicles to greatly expand housing (both affordable and market rate) in the county – especially in mixed use, mixed income neighborhoods at transit stations;

• Increasing composting dramatically and other Zero Waste efforts;

• Increasing substantially the county’s tree canopy.

Laurie-Anne Sayles – At-Large – Sayles will bring to the Council her experience as a Gaithersburg Council member where she had to deal with many of the key issues she’ll face on the Council – including affordable housing, transportation, land use. Sayles is a fierce proponent of transit (especially BRT), viewing it through both a Smart growth and an equity lens.

You will notice our endorsement lists some incumbents and some challengers. We believe in holding elected officials accountable to high standards of policy, transparency, and consultation. Some incumbents did not meet those standards. Sierra Club believes that the endorsees bring complementary skills and experience that if elected will help the county move forward in its climate goals.

Contact: David Sears, davidwsears@aol.com, 301-233-6690