Sidney A. Katz
{{short description|American politician}}
{{Notability|Biographies|date=September 2019}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2019}}
{{For|the physician|Sidney Katz}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix =
| name = Sidney Katz
| native_name =
| native_name_lang = English
| honorific-suffix =
| image =
| imagesize =
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| caption = Photo of Sidney Katz in 2021
| office = Member of the Montgomery County Council
from District 3
| term_start = December 1, 2014
| term_end =
| constituency = Gaithersburg, Rockville, Washington Grove, Leisure World, and parts of Aspen Hill, Derwood, Potomac, and North Potomac.
| majority =
| predecessor = Phill Andrews
| successor =
| order =
| office2 = Mayor of Gaithersburg
| term_start2 = November 1998
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| succeeding2 =
| predecessor2 = W. Edward Bohrer, Jr.
| successor2 = Jud Ashman
| prior_term =
| birth_name = Sidney Arnold Katz
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1950|3|24}}
| birth_place = {{Nowrap|Gaithersburg, Maryland, U.S.{{cite web |title= Sidney A. Katz |work= Maryland Manual On-Line |publisher= Maryland State Archives| accessdate= January 26, 2015 |url= http://msa.maryland.gov/msa/mdmanual/36loc/mo/leg/html/msa17006.html }}}}
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| party = Democratic
| otherparty =
| residence = Pheasant Run
Gaithersburg, Maryland, U.S.
| alma_mater = University of Maryland (BA)
| occupation = Politician
| profession = Businessman
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| website = {{url|www.sidneykatz.com}}
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Sidney Arnold Katz (born March 24, 1950) {{cite web|url=http://www.bethesdamagazine.com/Bethesda-Beat/2018/Election-Guide/Montgomery-County-Council-District-3/|title=Montgomery County Council District 3|work=Bethesda Magazine|date=February 13, 2018|accessdate=24 July 2018}} is an American politician and businessman. He currently is a member of the Montgomery County Council representing District 3.
Early life and education
Katz is a lifelong resident of Gaithersburg.{{cite news |title= Voter Guide: Montgomery County Councilman District 3 |publisher= WAMU |accessdate= January 27, 2015 |year= 2014 |url= http://voterguide.wamu.org/race-detail.do?id=13237353 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20141117192951/http://voterguide.wamu.org/race-detail.do?id=13237353 |url-status= dead |archive-date= November 17, 2014 }} His family was the only Jewish one in Gaithersburg.{{Cite web |last=Holzel |first=David |date=2022-11-30 |title=5 miles of separation with Sidney Katz |url=https://www.washingtonjewishweek.com/5-miles-of-separation-with-sidney-katz/ |access-date=2023-04-29 |website=Washington Jewish Week |language=en-US}} He attended Gaithersburg Elementary and Gaithersburg Middle School. He graduated from Gaithersburg High School in 1968.{{cite news |title= A Teacher's Gift Backs Her Advice; Md. Couple Left School $1 Million for Scholarships |last= Perlstein |first= Linda |work= The Washington Post |date= October 9, 2003 |page= B4 |url= http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-306658.html |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150924192344/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-306658.html |url-status= dead |archive-date= September 24, 2015 }} He attended the University of Maryland, where he received his bachelor's degree in public administration.
Career
Katz was a member of the City of Gaithersburg Planning Commission from 1976 until 1978.{{cite web |title= Community Invited to Katz Open House |date= October 8, 2014 |work= City of Gaithersburg |url= http://www.gaithersburgmd.gov/news/press-releases/2014/10/20141008-community-invited-to-katz-open-house }} He served as a Gaithersburg council member beginning in 1978.{{cite news |title= Montgomery County Notes: No Opposition for Bohrer |last= Kaiman |first= Beth |work= The Washington Post |date= March 30, 1989 |page= GMD11 |url= http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-1182620.html |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150924183808/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-1182620.html |url-status= dead |archive-date= September 24, 2015 }}
After Mayor W. Edward Bohrer died in office of a stroke in 1998, the Gaithersburg Council appointed Katz the new mayor.{{cite news |title= Gaithersburg Mayor Katz is Running For County Council|first=Sonya|last=Burke|url=http://www.mymcmedia.org/gaithersburg-mayor-considering-county-council-run/|quote=...appointed the Mayor of Gaithersburg on September 8, 1998, following the death of Mayor Ed Bohrer}}
In 2008, Katz supported a law to prohibit seeking work or hiring someone to work while on most city streets, sidewalks, and parking areas.{{cite news |title= Gaithersburg Ordinance Ruled Unconstitutional |first= Philip |last= Rucker |work= The Washington Post |date= February 29, 2008 |page= B4 |url= https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/28/AR2008022803990.html }} The law was declared unconstitutional by Maryland Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler.{{cite web |title= Opinion of the Attorney General of Maryland |first1= Douglas F. |last1= Gansler |first2= William R. |last2= Varga |work= Attorney General of Maryland |date= February 27, 2008 |url= http://www.oag.state.md.us/Opinions/2008/93oag31.pdf }} Gansler said the law regulated speech in public without being narrowly designed to increase public safety and traffic flow. The City of Gaithersburg accepted the opinions expressed in the Attorney General's letter and the specific Gaithersburg law was not tested in court. Katz said he would find other ways to regulate day laborers.
In 2008, Katz was elected president of the Maryland Municipal League, the association that represents Maryland's 157 cities and towns.{{cite news |title= Pension Board Membership Bill Stalls in Council |first= Ann E. |last= Marimow |work= The Washington Post |date= July 3, 2008 |page= T3 |url= http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-16815084.html |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150924185300/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-16815084.html |url-status= dead |archive-date= September 24, 2015 }}
In 2014, Montgomery Council Council Member Phil Andrews announced that he would not run for re-election and would run for County Executive instead.{{cite news |title= Nancy Floreen tops Montgomery County Council at-large incumbents in campaign cash: The Montgomery County Council member is in the strongest financial position of the four |last= Turque |first= Bill |work= The Washington Post |date= January 21, 2014 |url= https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/md-politics/floreen-tops-montgomery-council-at-large-incumbents-in-campaign-cash/2014/01/21/b47b5b8c-82b7-11e3-9dd4-e7278db80d86_story.html}} Katz announced he would run to replace Andrews on the County Council representing District 3. Katz's campaign focused on early childhood education, after-school programs, and career and technical training.{{cite news |title= Montgomery candidates grapple with school concerns: Board of Education, superintendent are the ones in position to make the decisions, but voters look to county |last1= Turque |first1= Bill |first2= Donna |last2= St. George |work= The Washington Post |date= May 11, 2014 |url= http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-36038605.html |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150924193108/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-36038605.html |url-status= dead |archive-date= September 24, 2015 }} Katz won the Democratic Party primary election.{{cite news |title= Anti-incumbent push by Montgomery labor unions comes up short: MoCo unions push for payback from incumbents fizzles on primary day |last= Turque |first= Bill |work= The Washington Post |date= June 27, 2014 |url= http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-36759526.html |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150924193136/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-36759526.html |url-status= dead |archive-date= September 24, 2015 }} With no opponent on the general election ballot, Katz won the general election in 2014.{{cite news |title= Leggett and Baker reelected: Term-limit changes are defeated
|last= Turque |first= Bill |work= The Washington Post |date= November 5, 2014 |page= A32 |url= http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-37357496.html|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150924193225/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-37357496.html|url-status= dead|archive-date= September 24, 2015}} His term began on December 1, 2014.{{cite news |title= Deja vu for Leggett and Baker |last1= Turque |first1= Bill |last2= Hernandez |first2= Arelis R. |work= The Washington Post |date= December 2, 2014 |page= B1 |url= https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/md-politics/deja-vu-for-leggett-and-baker/2014/12/01/921854ca-7986-11e4-84d4-7c896b90abdc_story.html }} He sits on the government operations and public safety committee.{{cite news |title= Elrich, strong critic of development policies, moved off of influential Montgomery panel (Posted 14 November 2014 18:47:07): Elrich, a frequent critic of county growth and land-use policies, is removed from planning committee |last= Turque |first= Bill |work= The Washington Post |date= November 14, 2014 |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-37400954.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924193232/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-37400954.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 24, 2015 }}
Personal life
He was the co-owner, along with other family members, of Wolfson's Department Store on East Diamond Avenue in Gaithersburg from 1971 until he closed the store on October 26, 2013.{{cite news |title= Wolfson's Department Store in Olde Towne Gaithersburg shuts its doors: Owner Sidney Katz said he lost the spark to run the business |work= Gazette.net |first= Jenn |last= Davis |date= October 31, 2013 |url= http://www.gazette.net/article/20131031/NEWS/131039667/1122/MISC01/Wolfson%E2%80%99s-Department-Store-in-Olde-Towne-Gaithersburg-shuts-its-doors&template=gazette |url-status= dead |archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20140306180316/http://www.gazette.net/article/20131031/NEWS/131039667/1122/MISC01/Wolfson%E2%80%99s-Department-Store-in-Olde-Towne-Gaithersburg-shuts-its-doors%26template%3Dgazette |archivedate= March 6, 2014 }}{{cite news |title= Wolfson's ends a century of business |last= Davis |first= Jenn |work= The Washington Post |date= November 14, 2013 |page= T18 |url= http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-35365401.html|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150924192947/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-35365401.html|url-status= dead|archive-date= September 24, 2015}} The business was started by his grandparents, Jacob and Rose Wolfson, in 1918.
Katz is married to Sally Katz, a pupil personnel worker for Montgomery County Public Schools, and is the father of two adult children. He lives in the Pheasant Run neighborhood of Gaithersburg.{{cite news |title= Sidney A. Katz |work= The Washington Post |date= November 3, 2005 |url= https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/02/AR2005110201804.html }}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Commons category-inline}}
- {{Official website}} – County Council
- {{official website|http://www.sidneykatz.com}} – campaign
{{Current Montgomery County Council (Maryland)}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Katz, Sidney}}
Category:Mayors of places in Maryland
Category:University of Maryland, College Park alumni
Category:People from Gaithersburg, Maryland
Category:Gaithersburg High School alumni
Category:County commissioners in Maryland
Category:20th-century American Jews
Category:21st-century American Jews