Montgomery County – Information on County Question A on the Nov. 2 Ballot

Dear Montgomery County Residents:

I want to inform you of an important issue facing the County that could have an adverse impact on every County resident.

Many of you are aware that the November ballot will contain County Question A.  The Question gives voters the opportunity to decide whether County Council Bill 13-10: Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Transport Fee, which passed in May, should remain law.

Under the law, the County would be allowed to recover ambulance transport costs from premiums already paid to insurance companies, Medicare, and Medicaid — $14 million this year and $170 million over the next 10 years.  All revenues would be dedicated, by law, to strengthen our Fire & Rescue Service. No County resident will ever get a bill for ambulance transport, co-pays or deductibles — whether they have insurance or not.

The County’s current year budget includes $14 million in revenue from the EMS Transport Fee.   Two weeks ago, I forwarded a list of $14 million in proposed budget cuts to the Council. These reductions are unfortunate, but will be necessary if the EMS Transport Fee is not approved by the voters.

Council President Nancy Floreen said it well: “Given our already tight budget, any further cuts will echo across the County. Our obligation is to maintain a balanced budget. If residents vote against the ambulance fee, they will be voting for $14 million in cuts to services.”

Nearly every jurisdiction in the Washington region collects millions of dollars in ambulance reimbursements from insurance companies, Medicare, and Medicaid – with no adverse effects. They are using those resources to save lives – and Montgomery County should do the same.  We cannot afford to leave this money on the table.

Unfortunately, all of us have felt the impact of the County’s increasing resource demands and decreasing revenue due to current fiscal constraints. To keep our emergency services strong and not adversely affect other critical services and programs further, we need the additional revenue that the ambulance reimbursement will provide.

As I travel around the County, I meet many residents who have asked for facts and accurate information on the EMS Transport Fee.  For more information, you can go to www.montgomerycountymd.gov/emstransportfee.

Please vote in the upcoming general elections as they are critical to our ability to maintain Montgomery County as the special place it is today to live, work, play, and age with dignity. 

This year, for the first time, you may cast your vote at any one of the Early Voting Centers in the County between Friday, October 22 and Thursday, October 28 from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. (except Sunday, October 24).  I urge you to consider joining the thousands of County voters who will be taking advantage of this highly efficient means of carrying out our civic duty.

As the information in this letter is very important to the future of Montgomery County, I would appreciate it if you would take the time to forward it to your Montgomery County family, friends, colleagues at work, and neighbors before the November 2 election.

With appreciation,

Ike Leggett
County Executive

Click here to read an informational article from the Washington Post.

TELEMUNDO DOUBLES ITS EFFORTS ON “TU VOTO, TU FUTURO” TO REINFORCE THE IMPORTANCE OF ELECTION DAY TO U.S. HISPANICS

With Extensive Coverage, On November 2, Telemundo Will Cut Into its Regular Programming to Provide Viewers with Updates on Election Results

Miami, FL – Telemundo, a leading producer of innovative and high-quality content for Hispanics in the U.S. and around the world, announced today that with election day just one week away, the network is doubling its efforts to call Hispanics to vote through its campaign “Tu Voto, Tu Futuro” (Your Vote, Your Future). With the commitment of all its news programs, the network seeks to increase Latino participation in the 2010 elections.

“The Latino vote has been considered to be a crucial vote during past elections and this election season more than ever, our vote can make the difference,” said Ramon Escobar, Executive Vice President, Telemundo Network News. “With unemployment rates and anti-immigrant attacks on the rise, it is imperative that we show up to the voting polls to elect leaders who address the important issues that affect our community such as the economy, immigration and education. As a media company with an award-winning news division who covers these topics every news cycle, it is our obligation to inform our audience about the importance of voting responsibly.”

How to vote? Who are the candidates? And, what are the benefits of voting? Those are some of the questions Telemundo will answer in a clear and direct manner through reports and interviews providing the Hispanic community with the information it needs to fully understand the process and the importance of making their vote count. On Telemundo’s digital platform, www.Telemundo.com/elecciones, users can also find comprehensive information on the elections. In addition, Telemundo followers on Facebook and Twitter can receive the most up to date information and closely follow the election results.

The polls indicate that fully half of all Hispanics who voted in 2008 won’t cast a vote this year. For this reason, through its programs Levántate, Al Rojo Vivo and Noticiero Telemundo—in addition to its public service announcements, Telemundo continues to encourage the community to be informed and actively participate in the process by exercising their right to vote.

With “Tu Voto, Tu Futuro,” Telemundo wants to inform its audience about the importance of voting responsibly, based on those issues that are of most interest to Hispanics such as the economy, immigration and education. Through its news programs, Telemundo will feature a series of reports and investigative journalism pieces that will profile each candidate in relation to these topics.

In addition to extensive coverage, Telemundo also presents two innovative journalism projects: “Proyecto Familia” (Family Project) and “Proyecto Estudiantes” (Student Project). In Telemundo’s “Proyecto Familia,” the network selects several Hispanic families living in various states and through first-hand accounts viewers get to see how each family prepares to make a decision on who will benefit from their vote. Telemundo’s “Proyecto Estudiantes” will choose a group of students from different universities across the country that will host a series of reports on the priorities of young Hispanics who can vote in the upcoming elections.

To conclude this campaign, the special program “Tu Voto, Tu Futuro,” which will air Wednesday, November 2 at 11:35pm ET/PT, will provide the most up to date information on the elections as well as in-depth analysis on the evening’s results.

To download this article, please click here.

Contractor — MBE Meet & Greet

Contractors and Minority Business Enterprises
are invited to participate in a
Contractor — MBE Meet & Greet

November 17, 2010
8:00 am until noon
MD State Fairgrounds
Exhibition Hall

For a printable flyer, click here Meet&GreetInvitation.

To register, send your response either to:
Fax: (410) 887-7831 e-mail: rball@bcps.org
On-line registration at:
www.baltimorecountymd.gov/purchasing;
Click on Upcoming Events; Click on Meet & Greet

For questions contact:
Bob Ball – 410-887-4334
rball@bcps.org
Carla Tucker – 410-887-3119
ctucker@baltimorecountymd.gov

Join a Briefing Call on the Impact of this Recession on Women

The White House Office of Public Engagement would like to invite you to join us for a briefing call Thursday, October 21 at 12:00pm EST. On the call, Administration officials will discuss our report on the impact of this recession on women and how our agenda affects women moving forward.

This call is on background and not intended for press purposes.

WHAT: Briefing Call on Women and the Economy
WHEN: Thursday, October 21 2010, at 12:00pm Eastern Time
DIAL-IN: (800) 762-4832

No pass code necessary, just provide the title “Women and the Economy”

Please share this call information with your network.

We look forward to speaking with you Thursday.

You’re Invited!

Inaugural Multi-Cultural Business Mixer at BWI International Airport, International Terminal

November 4, 2010
6:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M.
(Registration 5:30)

Special Guest Speaker
Beverley K. Swaim-Staley
Secretary, Maryland Department of Transportation

Participating Organizations include:
Maryland Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Northern A. A. Co. Chamber of Commerce, Event Sponsor
Black Chamber of Commerce of Anne Arundel County, Inc.
BWI Korean Lions Club
Governors Office of Community Initiatives
Greater Baltimore Chamber of Commerce
Korean American Grocers & Retailers Association
Korean Society of Maryland
Muslim Council of Anne Arundel County
NAACP of Anne Arundel County

International food and drink
Cost $20.00 per person
Free Parking (Bring your ticket for validation)

Call 410-931-8100 to register today!
Both members & non-members are invited to this event so grab a friend and join us on November 4!
Checks made payable to:
Maryland Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
5024-R Campbell Blvd.
Baltimore, MD 21236

US Hispanic Chamber of Commerce selects Veronica Cool, MDHCC Vice Chair, as a National Latina Leader

Veronica Cool, MDHCC Vice Chair, was honored as a National Latina Leader at the 31st Annual Convention & Business Expo.  Cool is the Vice President of Small Business at Wachovia Bank. She is the recipient of the Corporate Service Award for her contributions and efforts in the field of corporate services that have resulted in new opportunities for Hispanics and access to corporate services.

Congratulations to Veronica Cool for being the recipient of this honorable award.

For the full article from the Baltimore Sun, please click here.

For more information on how you can become a part of MDHCC and share in the success of our members, please visit us at www.mdhcc.org.

Maria Welch, MDHCC Chair, named one of the Top 100 MBE Winners in 2010

Congratulations to Maria Welch for this outstanding award.  MDHCC is honored to have such an influential and dedicated Chair to lead our organization.

The Top 100 MBE awards were created to recognize those enterprising women and minority entrepreneurs that fuel this nation’s economy through their innovation, sacrifices, and dedication. These business owners are living their dreams and making significant contributions to their clients, professions, industries and communities.

For a full list of the Top 100 MBEs, please click here.

MDHCC Member, Theresa Daytner, Receives Presidential Recognition

Theresa Alfaro Daytner, a member of the Maryland Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, was recognized by President Obama at the Fortune Magazine’s “2010 Most Powerful Women Summit,” and Daytner was named one of the periodical’s 10 most powerful women entrepreneurs this year.

“I love Theresa’s story,” the president said before an audience that included billionaire investor Warren Buffett, hundreds of women entrepreneurs and 75 girls who aspire to become engineers, U.S. senators or professional race car drivers.

“I’m not an accidental entrepreneur,” Daytner said after hearing the president’s “flattering” speech. “I’ve been very calculated in terms of wanting to be a successful businesswoman.”

To read the complete article, please click here.

Congratulations to Theresa Daytner for this prestigious recognition.  The members and board of MDHCC are proud to have you a part of our organization!