Media Monday – January 19, 2009

January 19, 2009 by Cato  
Filed under Maryland, Media, Salisbury Politics

Even when the Daily Times manages to do a good job with a subject, they manage to screw it up with their blatant political prejudice.  Case on point – Sunday’s set of articles on Salisbury’s downtown followed by an op-ed that deliberately deflected attention from some of the root causes of downtown’s problems.

What factor is being claimed as a number one problem?  Parking.  Yet, the Daily Times neglects to mention in their op-ed that it is Councilman Gary Comegys (the man who wants to be Barrie Tilghman redux) who has failed to provide any leadership on this issue.

Comegys is the man who demanded that the taxpayers foot the bill for a “parking study” with a foregone conclusion – raise meter rates.  Is this how we’re going to attract more visitors downtown?

According to the Daily Times -

It’s time for mayoral candidates Gary Comegys, Bob Caldwell, and Jim Ireton to make public their visions and start the discussion.

This would be laughable if it wasn’t so sad.  Comegys’ vision (on almost any area of city government) is well known – raise short term revenue and let the long term consequences be damned.  Spend more money, whether it is spent wisely or not.  Given that Comegys is a career bureaucrat, what else would you expect?

With the Daily Times covering up the past sins of Barrie Comegys, there will be not real public debate.  Given that Salisbury is a small, relatively poor city wise use of taxpayer dollars – along with leadership and vision – are required for the city to enact positive change.  Given that the Barrie Comegys method of governance focuses on grand schemes – with the emphasis on scheme – and taking care of the chosen few, there is little hope of genuine, organic economic progress downtown under the “leadership” of Barrie Comegys.

Unfortunately, our local paper either agrees with this type of governing OR simply lacks the backbone to call attention to it.