Leggett's Cuba trip costs questioned

Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett's trip to Cuba is raising some questions about the amount taxpayers are picking up the tab for. The Montgomery County Young Republicans say the estimated $8700 being spent for Leggett and an assistant on the visit sounds too high for a country with cheap lodging accomodations. Even luxury hotel rooms there can be had for around $250 per night, they said in a press release.

Councilmember Nancy Navarro is paying her own way on the trip.

The MCYRs also question just how much business the "business" trip can generate. Even major corporations are having difficulty accessing the Cuban market, even after President Obama opened the possibility of such economic activity.

Noting the County is currently facing a $200,000,000+ budget shortfall, the YRs suggested elected officials should be sacrificing at this time. "Instead, several have decided to partake in a luxury, 5-day trip to Club Havana!" their statement said.

The organization is asking for an itemized accounting of all the expenses generated by the Cuban getaway. "Taxpayers have a right and desire to know how public funds are being spent," they said.

SILVER SPRING/WHEATON 2014 MONTGOMERY COUNTY ELECTION RESULTS - DISTRICT 3, 4, 5 COUNTY COUNCIL RACES

Early election returns show County Executive Ike Leggett and all Montgomery County Council incumbents prevailed in Tuesday's election. In the open seat races, things weren't quite so predictable.

Delegate Tom Hucker appears to be pulling off an upset in the District 5 race, after media coverage and a burst of developer donations suggested Evan Glass had the most momentum. Should Hucker's lead hold, his union support, roots in the progressive activist community, and a last minute message from current councilmember Marc Elrich will be among the factors that may have given him the edge.

District 4 Councilmember Nancy Navarro was unopposed in the Democratic primary. She will face Republican John O'Malley in November.

In District 3, unseemly ageism attacks on Gaithersburg Mayor Sid Katz by the Washington Post, and other allies of his primary opponents, appear to have backfired - big time. Katz is squarely in the lead for Phil Andrews' old council seat, and the few voters who turned out Tuesday clearly voted for name recognition, and steady, experienced leadership over youthful exuberance.

Katz and the winner of the District 5 race will be unopposed in the November election, meaning they will be de facto incoming councilmembers-elect once voting results are final.