Thank You Jim Bunning

Red State has a great piece about Sen. Jim Bunning (R-KY) (along with Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN)) being the only person to stand up and fight the extension of the Obama PORKULUS.  Bunning deserves our gratitude.

While his colleagues were watching the Olympics or fundraising, it was Bunning who stood firm and kept objecting to attempts by the Senate majority to sleaze through more wasteful spending.  I wonder where his colleague and fellow Kentuckian Mitch McConnell was?

Sphere: Related Content

Despotism Returns to Salisbury

When elected officials waste your tax dollars your recourse is limited.  You can complain.  You can lobby your officials.  Ultimately, you can vote those persons out in the next election.  One of the wonders of our great nation is our willingness and ability to replace politicians with the ballot rather than the bullet.

Sadly, there are instances in our local, state, and federal governments when officials steal from the taxpayer – either through embezzlement or spending public monies that are not lawfully appropriated.  Do we resort to the bullet?  Of course not.  This is America; that’s what prisons are for.

During the fascist regime of the former Queen of Barrieland, Salisbury taxpayers witnessed a constant, and consistent, stream of spending public funds without lawful appropriations.  When current Salisbury mayor Jim Ireton ran for his present post he promised voters that this type of behavior would not be repeated under an Ireton regime.  Sadly, this has proven NOT to be the case.

Read more

Sphere: Related Content

Wealthy Marylanders Vote With Their Feet

Liberals never learn.  They cling to the discredited belief that all you need to do to raise government revenue is raise tax rates.  Wealthy Marylanders are showing Gov. Martin O’Malley that they have options too.  They can move to a more tax friendly state.

In 2007 O’Malley and his leftist pals in the legislature instituted the so-called “millionaires surcharge”.  Montgomery County is learning that if you raise taxes they will leave:

County officials estimate next year’s budget deficit will be more than $761 million. Much of the shortfall is tied to a few residents who have either lost money in the economy, died or fled Maryland’s new millionaire tax.

County records show Montgomery lost $4.6 billion in taxable income between tax years 2007 and 2008. The number of income tax returns above $1 million declined by 27 percent during that time.

Despite this “shocking revelation” of basic economics, those stalwarts of fiscal sanity – the Democrat majority of the Maryland General Assembly – are considering extending the “surcharge”, which is set to expire next year.  Perhaps O’Malley should call newly elected New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and ask him how many high earners abandoned the Garden State under the tax and spend policies of Christie’s predecessor – Gov. John Corzine.

Go ahead Marty – dance while Maryland burns.

Sphere: Related Content

Saturday’s Conway / Mathias Meeting

Much has already been written about Saturday morning’s Salisbury town hall meeting held by Del. Norm Conway (D-38B) and Del. Jim Mathias (D-38B).  Michael Swartz of Monoblogue provides a very factual, blow-by-blow account.  Julie Brewington of Right Coast Girl weighs in with a little more opinion.  My friend Joe Albero, uncharacteristically, is taking a “can’t we all get along” approach.

There are two things that almost everyone seems to agree on.  One is that we appreciate Conway and Mathias taking time to meet with constituents.  Yes, I know it’s an election year AND that it’s part of their job.  Yet, not every member of the legislature takes the time.  The second thing is that both Conway and Mathias are “good guys”.  I concur.  Wicomico County Exec Rick Pollitt is a “good guy”; so is Councilmen John Cannon and Dave MacLeod.  Councilwoman Sheree Sample-Hughes is a “good person”.  Hell, I’m sure there are even a few people who like Salisbury Councilwoman Louise Smith and Wicomico Councilman Bill McCain.  Regardless, taxpayers need to ask themselves if they can afford to continue supporting these “good guys”.

BIG GOVERNMENT CONSERVATIVES?

Read more

Sphere: Related Content

Oppose Pollitt’s Parking Lot

At 10 AM this morning, the Wicomico County Council will meet and hold a public hearing on County Executive Rick Pollitt’s proposal to spend $300,000 per acre on additional parking for the Wicomico Youth and Civic Center.  If they adopt this scheme, they will later come back to borrow additional funds to clear and pave the lot.

The time is now to say NO!

Does the Civic Center need more parking?  Yes.

Do we need to spend this money now?  No.

Pollitt makes an eloquent case for his folly.  The Civic Center needs a additional parking.  The money will come from state, not local, coffers.  He even admits that we will probably be overpaying for the property, but …

Read more

Sphere: Related Content

A “Prebuttal” to O’Malley’s Groundhog Day Speech

Today, Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley will deliver his annual “State of the State” speech.  Brian Griffiths and Red Maryland have put together a “prebuttal” to O’Malley’s address:

Ironically, O’Malley has chosen to deliver his address on Groundhog Day.  Griffiths draws an appropriate parallel between O’Malley and the Bill Murray film Groundhog Day.  If you remember, the premise of the film is that Murray’s character lives the same day over, over, and over again.

Under O’Malley, Maryland citizens have endured the same things over, over, and over again.  We have suffered the same:

• Excuses
• Calls for Tax Increases
• Calls for Expanded Government Services

Read more

Sphere: Related Content

Bill Bolling Is Point Man on McDonnell Jobs Package

When Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell was elected governor last November, and Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling was re-elected, McDonnell stated that Bolling would be in charge of McDonnell’s plan to bring more jobs to the Commonwealth.  In order to finance the plan, McDonnell’s administration has put forward a $50 million plan to finance more economic development in Virginia.  Bolling will now also be in charge of shepherding McDonnell’s plan through the legislature.

Sphere: Related Content

Will Wicomico Council Flush Millions Down Drain on Tuesday?

On Tuesday, February 2nd, the Wicomico County Council will meet.  On the agenda is a public hearing on whether or not the county should spend $1.5 million for five acres across from the Wicomico County Youth and Civic Center.

Fair enough.  Reasonable people can differ on the advisability of this particular use of the public’s money.  Many Wicomico citizens, like myself, will oppose this acquisition despite our agreement that the civic center needs additional parking.

Why?  It’s fairly simple.  This is one more example of the complete disdain county officials and bureaucrats have for the citizens of Wicomico.

RICK POLLITT

Read more

Sphere: Related Content

Holloway Uncovers MORE Wasteful Spending at the BOE

Wicomico County Councilman Joe Holloway isn’t very popular with the bureaucrats over at the Wicomico County Board of Education (WCBOE).  He politely asks for information on their spending habits, they attempt to stonewall him, Holloway keeps fighting for the information, the bureaucrats are embarrassed.  At least the taxpayers get to find out how their dollars are being wasted.

Speaking last night at the monthly meeting of the Wicomico chapter of Americans for Prosperity, Holloway gave a brief re-cap of his term on the county council.  Holloway made one thing crystal clear – despite the protestations of people like Wicomico County Executive Rick Pollitt and several members of the county council, Wicomico County doesn’t have a REVENUE PROBLEM.  Wicomico County has a SPENDING PROBLEM.

Read more

Sphere: Related Content

Attend A Rare Wicomico County Council Night Meeting

On Tuesday evening, Wicomico citizens have an opportunity to attend a RARE night meeting of the Wicomico County Council.  If you are concerned about access to and transparency of your local government, attendance is mandatory.

A group of citizens, led by Wicomico Councilman Joe Holloway, have been asking for regular night meetings for over three years.  The majority of our County Council doesn’t seem to agree and has come up with almost every excuse imaginable; from having to pay salaried employees overtime to attend (which only the government seems to feel the need to do) to citing low turnout in past half-hearted attempts to have evening meetings.

Read more

Sphere: Related Content

Next Page »