Steven Silverman

{{short description|American politician}}

{{Distinguish|Stephen M. Silverman}}

{{Use American English|date=April 2019}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2019}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Steve Silverman

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| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1954|4|25}}

| birth_place = New Hampshire

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| nationality = American

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| education = George Washington University Law School, JD
American University, BA

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| website = {{url|http://www.ssgovrelations.com/}}

}}

Steven A. Silverman (born April 25, 1954 in New Hampshire), also known as Steve Silverman, is an American lobbyist, politician and lawyer.{{cite news|author1=Katherine Shaver|author2=Michael E. Ruane|title='Democratic Tide' Prevails in Montgomery|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/local/longterm/library/mdelect/montgomery4.htm|newspaper=Washington Post|access-date=July 15, 2016|pages=Page A44|language=en|date=November 4, 1998|quote=Democrats Steven Silverman, 44, a lawyer and former co-chairman of the downtown Silver Spring revitalization committee...}} Until December 2014, he was Director of the Montgomery County Department of Economic Development.{{cite web|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/washington/breaking_ground/2015/02/exmoco-official-steve-silverman-on-life-as-a.html|title=Ex-Montgomery County official Steven Silverman on life as a lobbyist – Washington Business Journal|publisher=bizjournals.com|access-date=15 July 2016}}

Silverman was appointed by Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett as Director of the Montgomery County Department of Economic Development in April 2009. Just prior to his appointment, Silverman served as the Director of Aging, Health Care, and Special Projects, for Maryland's Attorney General's Office. Prior to that, he served as the Chief of that office's Consumer Protection Division.

Previously, Silverman was a politician and an at-large County Councilmember in Montgomery County, Maryland where he served two four-year terms. He chaired the Council's Planning, Housing,{{cite web|author1=Margy Hyslop|title=Mobile homes rolling away|url=http://www.fredericknewspost.com/archives/mobile-homes-rolling-away/article_16c2b85c-93a2-5306-a922-8e260f7b751b.html|website=fredericknewspost.com|publisher=Frederick News-Post|access-date=July 15, 2016|location=Germantown, Maryland|language=en|date=July 14, 2003|quote=...said Steve Silverman, chairman of the council committee that oversees housing issues.}} and Economic Development Committee and was twice chosen by his peers to serve as President of the Council.

Silverman, a liberal Democrat, ran on the Democratic Party ticket for Montgomery County Executive, a position being vacated by Doug Duncan, who did not seek re-election. Councilmember Silverman focused his campaign around the issues of relieving traffic congestion, improving education, and increasing affordable housing among many others.

Silverman lost the County Executive primary election, garnering 36% of the vote. Isiah "Ike" Leggett won the primary, receiving 61% of the vote. (Leggett later won the general election.) Candidate Robert Fustero (who had run for Governor of Maryland in 2002 but lost in the primary to Kathleen Kennedy Townsend) received 3% of the vote.

Silverman appeared in debates against Democratic Party candidate Isiah Leggett, and occasionally debated against independent candidate Robin Ficker or Republican candidate Chuck Floyd.

Silverman is widely recognized for his strong support of taxpayer-funded social services and low-priced housing.{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/03/AR2006050302401.html|title=Growth, Housing Shape Campaign|first=Nancy|last=Trejos|date=4 May 2006|newspaper=Washington Post|access-date=July 15, 2016}} He has been instrumental in persuading the Montgomery County Council to fund CASA de Maryland, a group that runs day laborer centers and provides social services to immigrants.{{cite web|date=2003|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/2003/10/13/affluent-montgomerys-success-breeds-a-dire-housing-crunch/|title=Affluent Montgomery's success breeds a 'dire' housing crunch|publisher=Baltimore Sun|access-date=July 15, 2016}}

He resigned from his position as Director of the Montgomery County Department of Economic Development in December 2014 to launch a government relations firm, SSGovRelations, LLC.

In 1998, he was the co-chairman of the Silver Spring Redevelopment Steering Committee (Silver Spring, Maryland).{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1998/09/12/vacancies-attract-well-regarded-candidates/ceb2e66a-db5c-4526-b107-156c51d67696/|title=VACANCIES ATTRACT WELL-REGARDED CANDIDATES|newspaper=Washington Post|author=Fern Shen|date=September 12, 1998|access-date=July 15, 2016}} In the 1990s, he was an attorney at Silverman and Schild, LLP in Silver Spring, Maryland.{{cite web|last1=Brooks|first1=Andree|title=YOUR HOME; Fining The Rule Breakers|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/09/11/realestate/your-home-fining-the-rule-breakers.html|website=The New York Times|access-date=July 15, 2016|language=en|date=September 11, 1994|quote=... Steven Silverman, a partner with the law firm Silverman & Schild in Silver Spring, Md....}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/md-politics/fake-invoices-and-gambling-debts-how-a-county-bureaucrat-stole-67-million/2019/02/21/7c35e6a6-2641-11e9-90cd-dedb0c92dc17_story.html|title=Montgomery County Economic Development Scandal|date=February 21, 2019|newspaper=Washington Post}}