Feeding the Beast

Providing essential services while being a competent steward of taxpayer money should be the primary goal a municipal government … unless your name is Barrie Tilghman. The Salisbury city government has a different goal – feeding the bureaucratic beast. Electrical contractors doing business in the city learned this lesson Tuesday night.

What were the reasons given for a municipal takeover of a previously private sector solution? Was there any accusation of wrong doing or incompetence in the current electrical inspection method? No. Simply put, the Tilghman administration wishes to grow the size of municipal government and take in additional revenues. Read more

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Conflict and Cover-up?

Eight days after being reported in the “Salisbury News“, the “Tilghman Times” finally got around to reporting that K. Hovnanian wants to pull out its contract to be the primary home builder in the old Salisbury Mall project. In the middle of the article you will find mention that Hovnanian’s local counsel just happens to be a partner of Salisbury City Attorney Paul Wilber.

It should be noted that Salisbury Councilwoman Debbie Campbell asked for the council to discuss this apparent (if not obvious) conflict of interest at their Monday meeting. Needless to say, the Barrie Tilghman rubber stamp of Louise Smith, Gary Comegys and Shanie Shields would have none of that. Despite the fact that Mr. Wilber has acted as the de-facto counsel for the old mall developers, Salisbury Mall Associates, in their failed attempt to defend the legality of their first re-zoning there seems to be no need to discuss this matter.

There is also the question as whether Mr. Cornbrooks, Mr. Wilber’s partner, will provide full representation to Hovnanian. When the original re-zoning was brought before counsel Mr. Wilber assured council and the public that he had thoroughly researched this matter and there was no question that the zoning was legal. Of course a small cadre of homemakers and retirees were somehow able to convince a judge otherwise. You would think that such a fact would part of Hovnanian’s case since SMA evidently used Mr. Wilber’s expert opinion rather that retaining more competent counsel.

Additionally, don’t be surprised if Salisbury Mayor Barrie Tilghman winds up putting additional city tax dollars to work in coming to the aid of SMA.

Technorati Tags: Salisbury, politics, salisburypolitics, BarrieTilghman, PaulWilber, LouiseSmith, GaryComegys

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O’Malley to Host Budget Forum In Salisbury

Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley is hosting a forum on his proposed budget (translation – all of his proposed tax increases) in Salisbury next week. The details are as follows:

Wednesday, October 10th
1:00 PM
The Great Hall – Holloway Hall
Salisbury University

I don’t know whether this is by invitation only or open to the general public. My invite called for an RSVP by Monday, October 8. I encourage anyone interested in going to either call or email Ashley Valis, an assistant to the Governor:

(410) 260-3886
avalis@gov.state.md.us

Hopefully we’ll have some attendees who will ask tough question about the need to increase taxes while the Governor refuses to control the growth of state spending.

Technorati Tags: Maryland, politics, marylandpolitics, fiscalpolicy, taxation, MartinOMalley

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Binding Arbitration for Sheriff’s Deputies

At a too rare (in my opinion) evening meeting the Wicomico County Council met to hold a public hearing for proposed legislation to enact collective bargaining and binding arbitration for the deputies of the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Department. While only a few citizens spoke, support seemed to be firmly behind the deputies.

There is no question that the voting public supports better pay and benefits for our county’s deputies. This has already been proven by the victory of the charter change to permit collective bargaining and arbitration. The representatives of FOP Lodge 111, which expects to be the recognized union for the deputies, have made an excellent case for better retirement and disability benefits. Read more

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A Disgraceful Showing by the GOP

I had to go to the library Saturday. While looking through some back issues of the Tilghman Times for a future post a young African-American man struck up a conversation with me.

After a while the topic turned to politics and the young man asked me what I thought about the turnout for the GOP debate held last week at Morgan State University. I had to admit that I was ashamed.

I understand the argument that will be made by some that attendance at this debate would have been merely pandering to a constituency that doesn’t support the GOP anyway. Fair enough. However, if we are sincere in our desire to truly represent all racial and ethnic groups in our nation shouldn’t we make the attempt to listen to the concerns of members of those groups? Read more

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The Priorities of Princess Louise

How can you judge the priorities of a politician? One way is to look at their rhetoric. Another is to look at the legislation they have either sponsored or supported. In the case of Salisbury Councilwoman Louise Smith we know that her priorities DO NOT mesh with the promises she made during her campaign for election last winter.

Her most recent display of concern for the Salisbury voter occurred last week when Smith decreed that an unnecessary $100,000+ annual expenditure by the city simply isn’t important: Read more

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Another Work Session to Fix Another Tilghman Administration Screw-up

The Salisbury City Council will have another work session today. Is the purpose to solve a pressing city problem, like crime? Of course not. Barrie Tilghman’s “council leadership” can’t be bothered with minor issues such as that. Instead, the council will meet to fix another one of Barrie Tilghman’s boo-boo’s. Read more

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