Political organizations and offices in Laurel, MD

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The Montgomery County Council is the legislative branch of county government. It has nine members, all elected at the same time by the voters of Montgomery County to four-year terms. There are five council members elected by the voters of their respective districts, while four members are elected at-large by county voters. The county council s responsibilities are specified by the county charter and state law. Among the council's principal responsibilities are to appropriate money to fund the capital and operating budgets and set the local property tax rate and other local taxes; approve all land use plans that include the general plan, area master plans and sector plans prepared by the planning board; and act on zoning changes. The council has a regular meeting each Tuesday in Rockville, Md. The public is notified through the advance agenda and council report and the council s Web site.

The Comptroller of the Currency charters, regulates and supervises banks throughout the United States. The office also supervises the federal branches and agencies of foreign banks. The Comptroller has four district offices, as well as an office in London to supervise the international activities of national banks. The office was established in 1863 as a bureau of the U.S. Department of the Treasury. The Comptroller serves as a director of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and a director of the Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation. The office has a nationwide staff of examiners that conducts on-site reviews of national banks and provides sustained supervision of bank operations. The agency issues rules, legal interpretations and corporate decisions concerning banking, bank investments and bank development activities. The Comptroller of the Currency maintains its headquarters in Washington, D.C.