Commissioner Neil Makhija

08/31/2026

TOMORROW! September 1, Montgomery County's 9/11 Memorial will travel from Eagleville to its new permanent home at Elmwood Park in Norristown. And the public has an opportunity to be an eyewitness to history!

The memorial, which incorporates a steel I-beam recovered from the North Tower of the World Trade Center, will move through the County in a seven-mile commemorative procession.

📅 TOMORROW, Sept. 1
🕘 Procession begins at 9 a.m.
🚧 Intermittent road closures begin at 8:30 a.m. along Eagleville Road, Ridge Pike, Main Street, Markley Street (Route 202), and Harding Boulevard

📍 Public viewing areas include the Lower Providence Fire Station, Centennial Park, and Elmwood Park

The procession will include first responders, community partners, and five ladder arches displaying the American flag along the route.

A public rededication ceremony will take place Friday, Sept. 11 at 10 a.m. at Elmwood Park, 1325 Harding Blvd., Norristown.

08/26/2026

Great to see Pittsburgh mayor Corey O’Connor.  We discussed economic development, housing, and ways we can advocate together for necessary legislation in Harrisburg. He’s doing impressive work on permitting reform and innovation in local government!

08/26/2026

Long before many local governments began grappling with the implications of artificial intelligence, our AI Council was building a framework to harness its benefits while protecting residents’ privacy, rights, and trust.

Over the past two years, we’ve taken a deliberate approach to understanding both AI’s promise and its risks. Debates over AI usage in technologies like Flock cameras underscore why transparency must come first in everything we do. We’re laying out how the County will use AI because residents deserve to know where it is being deployed, what safeguards are in place, and how these tools are improving public services.

Artificial intelligence is changing how governments deliver services, and Montgomery County is taking a thoughtful approach to its use.

The County has announced a new set of guiding principles for the use of AI in government, centered on transparency, fairness, privacy, accountability, and public trust.

The principles will help shape how AI is used to support County services while ensuring residents know when these tools are being used and what safeguards are in place to protect their rights and personal information.

As part of this effort, the County will create a public registry of AI tools, expand employee training, and establish measures to evaluate how AI is improving services for residents.

Read the full announcement; link in comments.

08/25/2026

Housing. Good jobs. Voting access. Economic opportunity.

We had a robust discussion with the PA NAACP and County Commissioner Josh Maxwell about what county government can do to make opportunity real in every community. And what can be done at the state level to tackle these issues.

I proposed “Project 2027” a plan for what we do when the state senate flips and the Gov has a trifecta if there’s a new majority in PA General Assembly.

08/24/2026

Today’s order is not a ruling on the merits. As Justice Sotomayor wrote, the decision does not address whether the President’s attempts to interfere with the 2026 elections are lawful — it ‘merely postpones’ that fight. And the Court itself acknowledged that implementing this scheme may still be unlawful.

But make no mistake about what’s at stake. The federal government cannot nationalize our elections. The Constitution is clear: elections are run by states and by local officials — people like the election workers here in Montgomery County who administer them with integrity every single year. The Post Office delivers mail. It does not decide who gets a ballot.

Justice Jackson warned that this decision fuels ‘pre-election chaos instead of quashing it,’ and that election officials are already bearing the consequences. She’s right — I’m one of them. With just weeks until ballots go out, last-minute federal interference sows chaos for the voters we serve.

We will continue to fight at every stage — including in the Supreme Court the moment they attempt to implement this — to make sure every eligible Pennsylvanian can cast their ballot by mail, free from federal interference.

08/23/2026

Young people are facing real mental health challenges and the online content they consume every day can make it worse.

Montgomery County has filed a lawsuit against Meta, Snap, TikTok, Google, and other social media companies over the harm their platforms can cause young users.

At the same time, we’re also investing in ways to support here at home. Last school year, County-supported programs provided 233 student screenings, 620 support groups, and su***de prevention education for nearly 1,500 students.

Protecting young people means both holding companies accountable and making sure help is available when they need it.

08/21/2026

Join me for a 40-mile ride across the length of Montgomery County! 🚲

📅 Sunday, September 13
⏰ 8:45 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
📍 Pottstown ➡️ Bala Cynwyd

The inaugural Tour de Montco will take us along the Schuylkill River Trail, with stops to meet community leaders, explore local history, and talk about the issues shaping communities across Montco.

Catch a shuttle at 8 a.m. from Bala Cynwyd to Pottstown before the ride. 🚌

Register by September 4 at https://brnw.ch/21x57bb

08/20/2026

Eligible voters should not be disenfranchised because of a small mistake that can be easily fixed.

Today we voted to automatically send a replacement ballot to voters whose ballots are rejected over a missing signature, missing secrecy envelope, or damage.

Eligible voters deserve an election process that is accessible, fair, and responsive and we’ll continue looking for practical ways to strengthen that process.

08/19/2026

We've seen an explosion of anxiety and depression and a variety of mental health issues since social media has spread over the last decade. That's why we're suing Meta, Snapchat, TikTok, and Google. If companies won’t change, Montgomery County will hold them accountable. Thanks to WFMZ for covering this.

08/19/2026

As we approach the 25th anniversary of 9/11, Montgomery County’s 9/11 Memorial is moving from Eagleville to its new permanent home at Elmwood Park in Norristown.

The public is invited to watch as the memorial travels through Lower Providence and West Norriton to Norristown.

📅 Tuesday, Sept. 1
🕘 Procession begins at 9 a.m.
📍 Viewing areas: Elmwood Park, Centennial Park, and Lower Providence Fire Department

A Rededication Ceremony will take place on Friday, Sept. 11 at 10 a.m. at Elmwood Park, 1325 Harding Blvd., Norristown.