Democrat

Candidate name: Roger Berliner

Place of residence: Potomac

Date of birth: Feb. 12, 1951

Place of birth: Cincinnati

Current occupation: President, Berliner Law PLLC

Education: Dartmouth College; McGeorge School of Law

Community associations, involvement: Leadership Montgomery; Board of Trustees, Maryland Democratic Party; precinct coordinator, Montgomery County Democratic Party; host, ‘‘Search for Common Ground in Montgomery County,” Montgomery Community Television; Council of Advisers, Interfaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington; baseball coach, BCC Baseball Inc.

Professional associations: Federal Energy Bar Association

Family: Married to Susan Dillon, two children, Jesse Marie and Owen David Berliner

Campaign office address and telephone: Friends of Roger Berliner, 4701 Willard Ave., No. 1508, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, 301-765-9827

Web site: www.rogerberliner.com

Link to state Board of Elections campaign finance database

My top three priorities are: (1) creation of a Division of Community Advocates to level the playing field between citizens and developers; (2) support for an innovative light rail⁄hiker biker trail (the so-called Inner Purple Line); and (3) adoption of ‘‘green” building standards that would help combat global warming and reduce energy consumption.

How would you rate the performance of the current council: excellent, good, fair or poor? Why?

n⁄a

Is the rate of growth in Montgomery County too fast, too slow or just right?

I believe the rate of growth in the County over the last couple of years is inconsistent with a reasonable person’s understanding of the Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance, which was intended to make sure that our growth does not outpace our ability to handle it.

Who should have more control over the planning process, the council or the executive and why?

The County Council. The Council, by virtue of the combination of district and at large members, fairly reflects the will of the citizens as a whole. Equally important, from an institutional perspective, the County Council should wield this authority — the Planning Board reports to the Council.

What should have been done to avoid the development problems that happened in Clarksburg?

Staff should never have been authorized to make modifications; records should have been maintained; the Department should have responded promptly, rather than stonewalling until the concerns were made public. I was the first candidate to call for Chairman Berlage’s resignation, and I have since proposed the creation of a Division of Community Advocates to ensure that affected communities have a level playing field — without having to pay outside counsel or commit their entire lives — when it comes to development proposals.

What’s your plan to provide more affordable housing in Montgomery County?

There is no single solution to our need to provide more affordable housing. We must simultaneously explore many options, including the option just adopted by the County Council recently that addresses badly needed work force housing requirements. I support exploring the community land trust model — ‘‘a mechanism to provide affordable housing in perpetuity through land leasing and homeownership.”

Do you think the county is doing enough to meet the needs of its growing diverse population? If not, what do you think the county needs to do?

No. We are not meeting the needs of our adult immigrant community that seeks to learn English and develop other skills.

Do you support Montgomery County’s day laborer centers?

Yes.

What programs would you add to the budget, and how would you pay for them?

I support the creation of a Division of Community Advocates to represent affected communities in development proceedings. I would pay for this from an increase in the impact fees.

Are there any programs, taxes or fees that should be cut? What would you do with the money from the savings?

I support zero based budgeting that would assess the relative importance of all of our programs to determine where budget cuts are possible. Given projections that estimate we may be facing a budget deficit in future years as a result of unfunded pension obligations, I would use the savings for that purpose.

Does council have too much, not enough or the right amount of oversight of the school system?

I believe in a vigorous oversight role of our school system by the County Council. It represents half of our budget, almost $2 billion annually. We owe it to our citizens to engage in a meaningful review.

Do you think the current system for renovating schools is adequate, or does it need changing?

I believe it is inadequate. Regretfully, a decision was made years ago to allow the pace of modernization to slip. It did, and the results are an embarrassment for a school system that takes such pride in its accomplishments, and an outrage for parents who pay substantial property taxes and moved here in large measure for the good schools. We need to accelerate the modernization process across the board.

What is the No. 1 public safety concern for Montgomery County? What would you do about it?

We need to increase the number of public safety, fire, and emergency personnel. Our population has grown beyond current capacities, particularly our aging population with its attendant needs for emergency services.

Do you support an east-west Metro link, and where should it go?

Yes. I am a strong supporter of the Inner Purple Line between Bethesda, Silver Spring, College Park, and New Carrollton. I believe we can and should have both rails and trails as originally envisioned, and I will work hard to mitigate to the maximum extent possible the impact of the light rail on the affected communities.

Do you support the Montgomery Cares program, and are adequate audit controls in place for accountability?

I am a strong supporter of Montgomery Cares. I am aware that support for Montgomery Cares increased significantly; I am not aware of any specific problems that suggest additional audit controls are necessary.

What should be the county’s role in mental health?

I believe that mental health is one of the most neglected health issues throughout our health care system. At the county level, we once had county clinics, then privatized, then had those private companies abandon the service when it was unprofitable. We need to explore all options, including using Montgomery Cares and Mobile Med as potential providers. It is an important issue.