Silver Spring residents vote for affordability

The rising cost of living has many Silver Spring residents looking for more transparency and responsible spending from the local to federal levels this election season.

With elected officials navigating budget cuts and tax increases, many locals are hoping to see decreased rent prices and more community investment in the downtown area. While rent stabilization and affordable housing development efforts have been discussed, residents are waiting to see tangible results.

“Just to move out is like a dream to me at this point because of how much things cost,” said Lilly Sampson, a native of downtown Silver Spring and recent college graduate.

This election, many residents are questioning candidates’ spending priorities.

Sampson said it is important for officials to actually understand community needs, but for her, it feels more like a distant desire.

“I wish that people that were running for office would put themselves into other people’s shoes,” said Sampson. “They say that’s what they’re for, but it’s like, do you really understand those issues and how they’re affecting people?”

Despite extensive cuts to federal programs like SNAP and downsizing of numerous government agencies at the beginning of Trump’s second term, national spending is still high, with the current federal deficit sitting at $1.993 trillion, according to a report by the Bipartisan Policy Center.

And financial struggles extend beyond the federal level. At the state level, Maryland lawmakers are already preparing for continued growth of the state’s budget deficit.

Some residents said the primary issue surrounding affordability has been action at the federal level, not local officials.

Dan Desai Martin, who has lived in downtown Silver Spring for the past 15 years, said he has seen more intention locally and wants that to translate nationally.

“I want people in charge who care about us,” said Desai Martin. “I feel like at the federal level, that’s not happening. I feel like at the state level, that is happening.”

With a projected gap of $2.8 billion for next fiscal year’s budget, many are preparing for the worst as Marylanders are again expected to face additional tax increases amid a rise in the cost of living.

Democratic county executive candidate and current county councilmember Will Jawando (D-At-large) has been a vocal advocate of more local authority over taxation. In a Q&A with Bethesda Today on May 29, Jawando said he hopes to continue a conversation with state officials about bringing more control to the counties.

“No one likes tax increases, but how are we going to do the things we need to do to produce the quality of life that people want?” said Jawando to Bethesda Today. “You have to have fair taxes and a growing economy. You have to do both things.”

On the other hand, his opponent, Republican candidate Esther Wells, has argued that the problem is how money is being spent.

“That approach of saying, ‘you spare a dollar today, to pay ten dollars tomorrow,’ we need to stop doing that,” said Wells in a Q&A with Bethesda Today on Oct. 7. “And that’s currently what the county is doing with our schools and the other parts of the county.”

Desai Martin said that he understands the need for taxes and doesn’t think there is ever a perfect answer. However, when it comes to his expectations for all elected officials, his main desire is “responsible use of our tax dollars.”

“I want the tax dollars to go to things that are broadly helping our community,” said Desai Martin. “So long as there are people in charge who care and are taking thoughtful approaches to that, then that’s gonna make me happy.”

For some residents, the issue with spending has more so been with the information and understanding surrounding local costs. Margaret, who declined to give her full name, said that she just hopes to see more local transparency and advocacy from local officials.

Margaret said her biggest example was with the construction of the Purple Line in downtown. She said there have been many issues throughout the process where she had hoped for local officials to step in.

“Various contractors are profiting, and the project has stalled and restarted,” said Margaret. “I think I would have liked to have seen more aggression from our local leaders saying ‘We need to stop this’.”

Lucas Walton, who has lived in downtown Silver Spring for three years, said the rising cost of living is affecting whether he will be able to remain in the area long term. Walton said he thinks the solution may lie in local advocacy rather than waiting for local officials to speak up.

“I think a lot of us are unhappy with what’s going on, but we don’t know how to organize or like where to even start,” said Walton. “I think there’s kind of like a vacuum for leadership in that regard.”