Steven Silverman

Not to be confused with Stephen M. Silverman.

Steve Silverman
Born (1954-04-25) April 25, 1954 (age 70)
New Hampshire
NationalityAmerican
EducationGeorge Washington University Law School, JD[1]
American University, BA[1]
Websitewww.ssgovrelations.com

Steven A. Silverman (born April 25, 1954 in New Hampshire), also known as Steve Silverman, is an American lobbyist, politician and lawyer.[2] Until December 2014, he was Director of the Montgomery County Department of Economic Development.[3]

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,[4] 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.[5] 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.[6]

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.[3]

In 1998, he was the co-chairman of the Silver Spring Redevelopment Steering Committee (Silver Spring, Maryland).[1] In the 1990s, he was an attorney at Silverman and Schild, LLP in Silver Spring, Maryland.[1][7][8]

  1. ^ a b c d Fern Shen (September 12, 1998). "VACANCIES ATTRACT WELL-REGARDED CANDIDATES". Washington Post. Retrieved July 15, 2016.
  2. ^ Katherine Shaver; Michael E. Ruane (November 4, 1998). "'Democratic Tide' Prevails in Montgomery". Washington Post. pp. Page A44. Retrieved July 15, 2016. Democrats Steven Silverman, 44, a lawyer and former co-chairman of the downtown Silver Spring revitalization committee...
  3. ^ a b "Ex-Montgomery County official Steven Silverman on life as a lobbyist – Washington Business Journal". bizjournals.com. Retrieved July 15, 2016.
  4. ^ Margy Hyslop (July 14, 2003). "Mobile homes rolling away". fredericknewspost.com. Germantown, Maryland: Frederick News-Post. Retrieved July 15, 2016. ...said Steve Silverman, chairman of the council committee that oversees housing issues.
  5. ^ Trejos, Nancy (May 4, 2006). "Growth, Housing Shape Campaign". Washington Post. Retrieved July 15, 2016.
  6. ^ "Affluent Montgomery's success breeds a 'dire' housing crunch". Baltimore Sun. 2003. Retrieved July 15, 2016.
  7. ^ Brooks, Andree (September 11, 1994). "YOUR HOME; Fining The Rule Breakers". The New York Times. Retrieved July 15, 2016. ... Steven Silverman, a partner with the law firm Silverman & Schild in Silver Spring, Md....
  8. ^ "Montgomery County Economic Development Scandal". Washington Post. February 21, 2019.