WHY?

If you were Wicomico County and you could gain no real benefit from Salisbury annexing land, WHY would you?

Now I know that many of you (particularly developers) will tell us all about the increased revenue from property taxes. This is true – if you are the city of Salisbury. What benefit does Wicomico County receive?

With the revenue cap in place, total revenue from property taxes may only rise 2% per year. During the years when a large scale development such as Aydolette Farms or the proposed old mall property comes on line, Wicomico County’s property tax revenue will not be able to take in all of the new revenue that would have been received from the new homes. Instead they will be forced to lower the property tax rate. However most, if not all of these new homes will have children. Their parents will expect them to be educated. Even the homes without children will have at least one car. Most will have more than one. The cars will travel on roads that the county must maintain.

No, my name is not Tony Sarbanes. No, I am not arguing for a repeal of the revenue cap. I am arguing for a sane fiscal policy in Wicomico County. This means that you can’t allow wanton development through annexation. The county simply cannot afford it.

If we were talking about non-retail commercial development it would be a different story. Commercial development means jobs. Commercial development means tax revenue. Commercial properties use far less in services than they pay in property taxes (on average). Residential property uses up more in services than it pays in property taxes (on average).

Each time the county rezones a plot of ground so that Salisbury can annex without the developer having to wait for five years, the county is losing money (if it is for residential development). Salisbury is making out like a bandit. The county is getting killed.

Forget the quality of life arguments. Forget the effect on the environment. Forget the impact on our children. Forget the impact on infrastructure. This is a straight dollars and cents financial argument. WHY is Wicomico County entering into transactions from which its citizens will derive no economic benefit each and every time?

What is the solution?

First, the county needs to stop all rezoning to residential. Not a moratorium. Not a temporary halt. It needs to just tell everyone involved not even to bother applying to rezone a piece of property to any residential zoning. Yes, I know that the developers are going to scream, but that’s tough s**t. If the county council doesn’t take this first step the results will be criminal.

Second, the county needs to start working on a plan to get out of the mess that they are in. This should include public forums with participation from citizens, developers, business people, non-profits, and any experts that they can round up. There should be ground rules. The first time someone proposes to lift the ban on rezoning until the problems have been solved you cut them off. The first time someone yells, screams, uses one of the seven dirty words, or launches an ad hominem attack, they go. Since it’s doubtful that anyone on County Council has the stones to enforce rules like this, they should get someone else to moderate.

This will not be a short process. There will need to be multiple meetings. Several meetings need to be focused just on the expense side of the budget. Once the Council has had the opportunity to gather ideas and prioritize them it’s time to make some decisions. That means open debate and leaving one’s party affiliation at the door. This will be most important!

It’s relatively easy to sit there and do nothing. I guess all of the present members are assuming that when this blows up (and it will), they will either be off of council or they can blame it on (pick one: the Democrats, the Republicans, the Communists, VOICE, the developers, Tony Sarbanes, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, or the Devil).

WRONG! When this blows up the blame rests squarely on Tony Sarbanes, Stevie Prettyman, Chip Dashiell, Gail Bartkovich, Ed Taylor, Larry Dodd and Marvin Long. Sure, their predecessors share some of the blame. They are the primary cause of the revenue cap, the history of no fiscal discipline, the lack of infrastructure investment and the ridiculous land use policy that the county enjoys. But guess what guys; they are not in office any more. You are!

You know there is a problem (actually a series of problems). You know that these problems have existed. You have failed to plan. You have failed to act. What is your excuse? Each member has had ample time to put these issues before the public. If it wasn’t for groups like “We Care” the development issue would not be before the public as it is now. While I don’t agree with VOICE on some issues, the fiscal irresponsibility of the past would not have become the hot button issue that lead to the revenue cap without them. While the revenue cap may have been misguided (a rate cap would have been better, intelligent and competent representation on County Council even better), this is what rises from poor leadership in local government.

There is less than 11 months until the next election. If you really care about your community it’s time to stand up and tell us what you are for (versus only telling us what you are against), and why. If the other members of council won’t join in an open debate of the issues (in order to find solutions), tell us what you propose, and why. Don’t bother giving us quick fix solutions, they most likely won’t work. Show some character, show us that you deserve to viewed as a leader.

If not, don’t be surprised that when you ask us for our votes we respond with “WHY?”.