Chamber Action Alerts

2025 Legislative Advocacy:

March 20: Success: it appears that the 2.5% B2B sales tax will not pass – thank you for your advocacy. However – we’re not done. The newest budget proposal includes a 3% tech tax that will affect every Maryland business and resident. Click here or more information and to contact your legislators. 

March 10: GGCC Partners with other MoCo Chambers to support More Housing N.O.W. legislation (County)

March 10: GGCC has submitted testimony in partnership with other MoCo Chambers to oppose the new B2B sales taxes. (State)  Click here for our post with more information to submit your comments. 

 

February 26: GGCC releases statement to MD State Assembly delegation about state budget proposals and state of business in MD (State)

 

February 24: GGCC Partners with Other MoCo Chambers to Oppose State Budget Reconciliation Financing Act of 2025 (State)

 

January 24: GGCC comments regarding M-83 and MPOHT (County) – opposing removal from the Master Plan

 

2024 Legislative Advocacy:

July 18: Sucess: Council Approves Plan to Simplify Restaurant Permitting Process (County)

May 22: GGCC County Budget statement (County)

April 27: GGCC Advocates for JOBS Initiative with other Chambers (County)

March 7: GGCC Opposes Maryland HB1515, which would tax professional and personal services in MD (State)

February 12: Success: Tipped wage bill in State Assembly withdrawn! (State)

January 18: Success: Tipped Wage Bill and Wage Commission Bill are Withdrawn. (County)

 

2023 Legislative Advocacy: 

December 21: GGCC opposes County Council Bill 42-23, Menstrual Products Access and Equity Act, as currently drafted (County)

        • GGCC is opposing County Council bill 42-23 and has issued a joint statement with the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Bethesda Chamber of Commerce, and the Greater Silver Spring Chamber of Commerce.

October 16: GGCC opposes County Council Bills 34-23 and 35-23 (County)

July 16: GGCC sends letter in opposition to rent control legislation (County)

        • Paula Ross, President & CEO of GGCC, testified at the April 11 County Council budget hearing. To see that testimony, visit our LinkedIn Page.
        • The GGCC submitted testimony to the County Council.
        • The GGCC issued action alerts to our members requesting letters to the Council in opposition to any property tax rate increase. 
        • The GGCC joined in a coalition of several area Chambers and GCAAR in opposition to this legislation.
        • GGCC sent a final letter to County Council requesting they vote no to this legislation. 

April 11: Paula Ross testifies for GGCC in opposition to Property Tax Rate increase (County)

        • Paula Ross, President & CEO of GGCC, testified at the April 11 County Council budget hearing. To see that testimony, visit our LinkedIn Page.
        • The GGCC submitted testimony to the County Council.
        • The GGCC issued action alerts to our members requesting letters to the Council in opposition to any property tax rate increase. 
        • The GGCC joined in a coalition of several area Chambers and GCAAR in opposition to this legislation.

April 11: GGCC opposed the proposed increase in the Recordation Tax: 

        • Paula Ross, President & CEO of GGCC, testified at the April 11 County Council budget hearing. To see that testimony, visit our LinkedIn Page.
        • The GGCC submitted testimony to the County Council.
        • The GGCC issued action alerts to our members requesting letters to the Council in opposition to any property tax rate increase. 
        • The GGCC joined in a coalition of several area Chambers and GCAAR in opposition to this legislation.
        • Paula Ross appeared on WJLA9 news in an interview in opposition to the passing of this legislation.
Statement from the GGCC after the passing of bill 17-23:

The recordation tax rate bill has passed, with an amendment to include a premium rate increase on homes starting at $600,000. We remain concerned that this tax increase, especially combined with the massive proposed property tax rate increase, will discourage investment in our community. As Montgomery County is arguably one of the most expensive places to live in the region, and with home prices and assessments rising, this new tax makes home ownership even more unaffordable for the next generation of professionals hoping to root themselves here and to grow a family here, and makes it a less attractive area for employers to attract and build a sustainable workforce. Further, the amendment to include the premium rate increase at homes starting at $600,000 is misguided. Home purchases in the $600,000-$1MM range are firmly middle class in Montgomery County. Many folks stretch to afford the down payment, and now will be required to bring thousands of dollars more to the closing table that cannot be rolled into a mortgage. This will simply make a home purchase unattainable for many middle class Montgomery County families.

We do not debate the need for CIP funding for our schools. However, similar to our stance on the operating budget, we encourage our County leaders to prioritize the needs and make hard decisions so that Montgomery County remains an attractive place to invest. We also continue to encourage additional accountability in our MCPS school system budgets. 

Further, the County’s School Impact Tax is also set to significantly increase on July 1. Click here for some background and context from Montgomery Perspective: “These new rates will add many thousands of dollars in cost to new housing.  They may even affect the decisions of some developers to proceed with projects, particularly when they are facing cost increases of their own.  And their combination with potential increases in recordation and property taxes could make the county’s housing market even more challenging than it already is.”

STATE LEGISLATION – MONITORING

GGCC Members: The state’s annual legislative session is ongoing. We closely monitor significant pieces of state legislation which would impact our members and which are relevant to our Legislative Agenda.

1. Family Medical Leave Act – it appears the implementation of this legislation (which passed in 2022), which allows for a pool of funds at the state level to provide paid leave to employees, will be pushed off another year or more. We will continue to monitor to understand how it will be implemented and at what costs. Our concerns are cost to the employers and additional payroll tax to the employees.

2. Transportation – we are monitoring for the Governor’s next proposed solution to the traffic congestion on I270 – thus far, the Governor has been quiet on the issue. The departure of Transurban from the P3 project soon after Governor Moore took office also had ramifications to the County’s proposed Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project, which would have been provided ~$189 Million in funding from the P3 project on I270. Please see the GGCC’s statement on the withdrawal of Transurban from the project and the importance of traffic congestion relief in the Upcounty. 

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