Barrie Comegys – Bubba as Dubya

November 18, 2008 by Cato  
Filed under Fiscal Policy, Maryland, Salisbury Politics, Taxes

As we prepare to see a new President come in to office, it is interesting that Gary Comegys (the man who wants to be Salisbury’s next Mayor) shares many traits with our outgoing President.  Bubba seems to have a lot in common with Dubya.  In all fairness to President George W. Bush, Comegys has actually been a worse steward of Salisbury than Bush has been of the country.

Under the Bush administration we have seen the size of government swell to new, and distressing, heights.  Under the poor stewardship of Barrie Tilghman and Gary Comegys, spending on the bureaucracy of the Mayor’s office has skyrocketed.  The City Attorney has padded his pocket while citizens are ignored.  Laws are written to protect special interests at the expense of average citizens.

The nation’s debt has risen dramatically under Dubya.  With the complicity of Gary Comegys, Barrie Tilghman has managed to saddle every man, woman and child in Salisbury with almost $3,000 in debt.

What has the average citizen received for this indebtedness?  A few useful projects to be sure; but citizens have also been saddled with paying millions to developers.  In the rest of the country developers pay municipalities for the ability to develop.  Barrie and Bubba think that the average citizen should subsidize new people moving in to town.

There is one area where President Bush shines compared to his apparent soulmate – TAXES.  Under President Bush citizens have seen their tax burden decreased.  Councilman Comegys certainly can’t make that claim.

Under the “leadership” of Gary Comegys Salisbury homeowners have seen their property tax rates rise to the point that they exceed the county’s tax rate.  As the county rate decreases each year, thanks to the revenue cap, the city tax rate will begin to look even more onerous.  It seems that only Tilghman, Comegys, their cohorts Louise Smith and Shanie Shields – along with ex-councilwoman Lynn Cathcart and her husband Don – are the only people who feel that Salisbury’s citizens are “undertaxed”.

Economic development, already at a standstill, will continue in decline.  As far too many cities have proven, the dangerous combination of incompetent governance and high tax rates scare away job creation rather than promote it.

After eight years of Dubya in the White House, Salisbury residents should ask themselves if they can afford four years of Bubba in the GOB.