Rick Pollitt Takes Dog and Pony Show on the Road

October 27, 2009 by Cato  
Filed under Education, Fiscal Policy, Maryland, Wicomico Politics

Wicomico County Executive Rick Pollitt took his anti-revenue cap show on the road this morning.  Speaking before a Salisbury / Wicomico Economic Development (SWED) meeting, Pollitt and a member of his finance staff argued that the county’s existing revenue cap is simply unsustainable.

I would agree that the revenue cap is unsustainable without a genuine re-structuring of the county government.  This point has been argued for several years by Wicomico Councilwoman Stevie Prettyman.

However, instead of moving to re-structure the government we see a “nibbling around the edges” approach.  Perhaps this approach is being taken by Pollitt in the hope that the cap can be repealed in the near term?  However as long as 53% of every county tax dollar is funneled to a board of education that holds the taxpayer in utter contempt, and Pollitt refuses to hold these bureaucrats accountable, Pollitt is left with his current approach of slowly starving taxpayers of services until they might agree to repeal of the cap.

Pollitt, and readers, may argue that modifying the cap or replacing it with a rate cap is the answer.  It isn’t.  One need only look to the soon to be bankrupt state of California for evidence of this.  Thanks to Prop 13 California has enjoyed a rate cap for over 25 years.  However, two things have occurred as surely as the sun rising in the east:

1. Tax bills have continued to climb due to rising assessments.
2. The government continues to grow spending at a rate faster than assessments rise.

Whenever you hear Pollitt, Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley, or Wicomico Councilman Bill McCain talk about a “structural deficit” that is what you are witnessing – government simply wants to spend more money than it has at its disposal.  Wicomico County government will never have enough money.  Whatever is available, the bureaucrats will want to spend more.

The meeting will be broadcast tomorrow or Thursday on PAC-14.  Watch it.  Then, think hard.  Do you want your tax bill (or rent) rising by 5%, 10% or more each year?  Do you want to watch county government continue to waste money each year?  If so, support repeal of the revenue cap..

If you want to see your tax dollars wisely spend, attend the public hearing on November 10th and demand that the county council make genuine, structural changes to the county government – AND that they demand the same from the WCBOE.