Morning Read: Montgomery County Politico to Be Named U.S. Labor Secretary

President Obama is expected to tap Thomas E. Perez to replace Hilda Solis as the head of the U.S. Labor Department.

A former head of Maryland’s Labor Department, Perez is a longtime civil rights attorney who currently serves as an assistant U.S. attorney general for civil rights.

If selected, he would be the only Latino in Obama’s cabinet.

He got his political start in Montgomery County, becoming the first Latino to win a seat on the county council more than a decade ago. In 2005 he served as the council’s president.

He had tried to run for state attorney general in 2006, but was booted from the primary ballot when it was determined that he lacked the 10 years of legal experience in Maryland required to run.

The Baltimore Sun reports that Maryland officials and leaders are lauding Obama’s appointment.

"Tom Perez was an extraordinary secretary of labor for Marylanders, and we hope that workers across the country will soon be able to benefit from his vision for transformative work," said Gustavo Torres, executive director of CASA de Maryland, where Perez previously served as a board president.

Perez’s nomination is expected to receive some backlash from Republicans over his in the Justice Department.

IN OTHER NEWS:

* Lt. Gov Bill Bolling is expected to announce whether he will run for governor as an independent on Thursday, and his candidacy could alter the balance of power in the election “as much as King James’ move to the Miami Heat realigned contenders in the NBA.” (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

* Metro’s real estate team plans to suggest leasing 11 properties to real estate developers "in the hopes of generating economic activity for its partner jurisdictions and new revenue for the agency.” (Washington Post)

* Councilmember Muriel Bowser endorses Anita Bonds for D.C. Council. (Tim Craig, via Twitter)

* Offering paid sick leave may soon be mandatory for all Maryland employers. (Washington Post)

* A proposal to increase Maryland’s minimum wage to $10 per hour proves controversial. (Maryland Reporter)

* The United States Postal Service is in the process of selling the historic post office in Georgetown, which is worth more than $4.5 million. (Washington Examiner)

* The Maryland Senate is considering a constitutional amendment that would make it more difficult to challenge laws through voter referendums. (Washington Examiner)

* Gov. McDonnell fell short of many of his promises to transform public education in the state. (Washington Post)

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