This Christmas Mystery Will Outlive the Trees That Caused It

Looks like it'll take until next year to get to the bottom of why it's illegal to sell a Christmas tree in Montgomery County before Dec. 5.

At the request of County Executive Isiah Leggett (D), the council agreed Tuesday to hold a public hearing on the matter Feb. 3, so it's likely officials might have some answers by then. Turns out Montgomery is not alone: A similar law exists in Rockville, although city officials can't quite explain its origin, either.

The little-known section of code came to light recently after an anonymous tipster called to report that North Bethesda United Methodist Church was selling Christmas trees almost a week before such commerce is legal. A county inspector sent to investigate shut down the lot Dec. 1 (for the record, a county spokesman said the inspector has nothing against Christmas). On Dec. 4, county officials allowed the church to resume sales.

Although many think the pre-Dec. 5 ban is absurd -- really, is there a market for Christmas trees in July? -- some in the community like the rule just as it is, thankyouverymuch.

Council member Roger Berliner (D-Potomac-Bethesda) received correspondence this week on the matter, urging him to rethink his pledge to repeal the ban. A Chevy Chase resident said in an e-mail that two tree lots near her home on DeRussey Parkway pose traffic hazards and cause difficulties for residents of Norwood and Davidson drives, not to mention drivers on southbound Wisconsin Avenue.

Jim Bodner, who also wrote to The Washington Post, cited safety as a main concern, noting that the U.S. Fire Administration recommends that trees be up no longer than two weeks.

Other folks, perhaps including the anonymous tipster, will be able to express their views about the ban in February. Is it possible that the ban isn't so bizarre after all? Stay tuned.

Leggett Urges State to 'Give Us the Money' for Schools

There were croissants, eggs and tough talk from County Executive Isiah Leggett at the county's premier power breakfast, hosted by the Committee for Montgomery. Leggett used the annual gathering of community, political and business leaders to urge the county's legislative delegation to "draw a line in the sand" on state funding for local schools in the coming General Assembly session.

Leggett wasn't shy about making his case to the breakfast's keynote speaker, Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. (D-Calvert).

"Just give us the money," Leggett said. "We are not a giant ATM machine for the rest of the state.

"The ATM is depleted," he said of the county's projected $450 million revenue shortfall for fiscal 2010.

When it was Miller's turn to talk, he warmed up the crowd of about 600 with some risque jokes before delivering the bad news.

Miller said two sacred cows of education funding for the county will probably be on the table as the state tries to close its budget gap. He said there will probably have to be changes to funding for teacher pensions and to an initiative that provides additional money for school systems such as Montgomery's, where educating students is more expensive.

"There are going to have to be some adjustments," Miller said after his formal remarks. "The county that gives big salaries and big benefits is going to have to make some adjustments."

School Superintendent Jerry D. Weast, who was in the audience, noted that the school system has already made adjustments. Union leaders agreed last week to forgo planned pay raises of 5 percent for school employees to help close the budget gap.

Independent Study of WSSC Faults Costs, Board Makeup

An independent study of the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission by a citizens group based in Montgomery County has concluded the massive water company operates with efficiency comparable to other publicly owned utilities but less efficiently than private companies.

The Maryland Tax Education Foundation also found that the WSSC, which provides water and sewer service to Prince George's and Montgomery counties, is hampered by its bifurcated governing board. The county executives of the two jurisdictions each appoint three commissioners, and when disputes arise between commissioners from the two counties, as they frequently do, there is no way to break ties.

The group spent five months and about $10,000 studying the utility, said its chairman, Jeff Hooke, spurred by a major water main break in Montgomery over the summer.

The group concluded that the WSSC's infrastructure, including miles of water and sewer pipes, is in dire need of replacement, a fact the utility's managers have been highlighting. But the study concluded that it has cost more for the WSSC to replace pipelines than other utilities.

In an interview, Hooke said he thinks the utility needs to examine its high capital costs and see how private industry cuts costs.

The group also expressed concern that political disputes between the utility commissioners from Montgomery and Prince George's have frozen long-term planning.

Jim Neustadt, a spokesman for the WSSC, said managers were examining the report. He said they were concerned that some of the report's statements were inaccurate. He noted, for instance, that the report indicates that Montgomery and Prince George's do not perform independent audits of WSSC finances, although the state law that established the utility requires audits.

He had no comment on the utility's governance, which is established by state law.