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?

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What Is An “Economic Ombudsman”

Fresh on the heels of re-organizing the Delaware Economic Development Office (and probably not for the better), Delaware Gov. Jack Markell has now appointed an “Economic Ombudsman”.

Given that this position is simply adding an additional title, and duties, to Deputy Legal Counsel Cleon Cauley, Sr., and that the position has no budget, what is it expected to accomplish?  Is Markell simply paying lip service to much needed economic development?

For our liberal friends in the First State, don’t simply dismiss this as a right wing criticism of Markell.  When he’s done right, we’ve said so.  I simply believe that economic development is something that Delaware can’t afford to play around with.

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Barrie Comegys Party Wants to Waste More Tax Dollars

When will they ever learn?  The Barrie Comegys bloc on Salisbury’s city council wants to throw more tax dollars (potentially millions more) down the drain.  Since Mayor Jim Ireton vetoed their attempt to take a notorious property owner off of the hook for cleanup, their response was tried and true (at least in Democrat circles) – they played the race card.

BARRIE COMEGYS WANTS YOUR MONEY

I understand the argument for acquiring the Lake Street property.  It could serve as a means to jump start the proposed North Prong redevelopment project.  As someone who supports redevelopment of the North Prong (just not the ham fisted Barrie Comegys approach), acquiring the property could have some merit.

However, to call this property a “brown field” is probably being generous.  Given that no one has any idea what kind of clean-up problems will be encountered if the city took possession of the property, it makes good sense to find out BEFORE the city is on the hook.  In fact, Councilwoman Terry Cohen made such a specific motion to amend the agreement before council last Monday.  Councilman Gary Comegys stated that he would support such an amendment ONLY IF it did not stop the city from acquiring the land.  Councilwomen Louise Smith and Shanie Shields (the other two legs of the Barrie Comegys Party stool on the Salisbury council) also voted down the amendment.

Let’s try this again.  NO ONE knows what the clean-up will cost.  It may me $10,000.  It could be $1 MILLION!  For all anyone knows, it could be more.  YET, Comegys stated that it was more important to acquire this piece of land.  Basically, the Barrie Comegys position is that this land is worth ANY PRICE.

Why not?  The taxpayers are footing the bill.

RACE PIMPING IN THE ‘BURY

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Waller Landing on the Block

It appears that the developers of the proposed Waller Landing development in Hebron have placed the parcel up for sale.  The asking price is reported to be approximately the same amount as is owed against the property.

The project has met with opposition from the start, primarily from those living just outside the Hebron town limits.  However, as the project has moved forward, opposition appears to be increasing.  This is probably due (in part) to Hebron’s admission that they now wish to include areas across US 50 as part of their “growth area”.  There are additional concerns regarding traffic, the cost of new wastewater / water infrastructure, as well as the affect on nearby residents.

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Wicomico Property Rights Under Attack Again

If at first you don’t succeed, try to slip one under the table.  That appears to be the mantra of the likes of Wicomico County councilman Bill McCain and his spendthrift pals.  After losing in the “Great Land Grab” of 2009, McCain and company are looking to have another go.  This time they will claim that the county will lose state funds if they don’t go along.

As usual, the interesting stuff on tomorrow’s council agenda will be in the work session.  Under “MALF Certification”, McCain and his land grabbing buddies will make a pitch to bring back the proposal to steal farmers’ land rights without any compensation.

For the uninitiated (don’t worry, I had to look it up), MALPF stands for the Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation.  This body is supposed to compensate farmers for giving up their development rights.  We should note that there is NEVER enough money in MALF to compensate all of the farmers who have their property rights stolen by their state or county governments.  However, that doesn’t stop the mindless Marxists in Annapolis from playing out their little charade.

 

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Why Looters Would Rather Steal From You

Yesterday we ran a post highlighting a proposal by the unholy troika of local / regional enviros, the socialist majority of the Wicomico County Council (led by John Cannon and Bill McCain) and County Executive Rick Pollitt (who is attempting to PUBLICLY straddle the fence as usual).  This legislation would legalize the theft of land from Wicomico County farmers.

In our post we discussed why enviro groups such as the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) need to participate in socialist schemes rather than actually solve problems as they claim.  Today I noticed further evidence of this from the Commonwealth.

Oyster packers and waterman wish to expand the planting of Asian oysters.  The CBF and other lefty enviros vehemently oppose this.  Their claim is that there could be “unforseen consequences” of introducing a non-native species into the Chesapeake Bay watershed.  I would agree, except that these oysters are STERILE.  They can’t reproduce.  Of course, there may be “unforseen consequences” of the sun rising tomorrow.
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Looters Loose in Wicomico County …

… County Council Proposes Plunder in the “Name of the People”

If you have ever read Frederic Bastiat’s The Law you are familiar with concept of legalized plunder.  If you have ever read Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged you are familiar with the looting class.  If not, I heartily suggest you read them FAST.  THEFT in the name of “public good” has come to our little corner of the world.

Last Tuesday, the Democrat majority of the Wicomico County Council (sorry John Cannon, you no longer qualify as even a “Republican in Name Only”) voted to move forward with legislation that will strip farmers of their property rights.  The council’s proposal would reduce the number of lots which a parcel may be subdivided into.  It also ends the dreaded “cluster provision” which allowed farmers to sell parcels of land for development at greater density by requiring that more open space would be preserved.  The net effect of this proposal is to drastically reduce the value of a given parcel relative to its value if still developable.

Translation – the farmers pay so that certain developers and special interest groups may prosper and the lefty fringe can feel good about themselves.

Council members Gail Bartkovich, Joe Holloway and Stevie Prettyman stood their ground.  If Ag District landowners are to lose value in their greatest asset, they need to be compensated.  Additionally, the legislation itself appears to be seriously flawed.  This doesn’t seem to bother the socialist majority of the Wicomico County Council.

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A Solution for Downtown?

Does Salisbury really need a downtown?  Sunday’s Daily Times, rather than making an argument for the need, simply assumes it.  I don’t claim to be smart enough to answer that question.  I would love for Salisbury to have a vibrant downtown, but I can’t honestly say that it NEEDS one.

Examples of cities without a viable (or vibrant) “downtown” abound just south of us in Virginia.  Virginia Beach, Chesapeake and (to a lesser extent) Suffolk are all examples of growing, vibrant cities without true “downtown” areas.  In all fairness, this is because these three cities are all products of annexation.  In Virginia there are counties and independent cities.  Modern Virginia Beach is the product of the small city of Virginia Beach annexing Princess Anne County.  Chesapeake was the product of South Norfolk annexing Norfolk County.  Suffolk annexed Nansemond County.   All three are geographically large.  Despite being “cities” each is really divided into distinct areas just as if each had remained a county.

There is another example in the Hampton Roads area that is a little more analogous to Salisbury – Newport News.  While obviously much larger, what was the “downtown” for Newport News has essentially shifted north and west from the “East End” of the city towards the Oyster Point / Kiln Creek section of the city.  This is where businesses, shops, and people moved to.

The adjacent city of Hampton is one example of a community that has been successful in revitalizing its downtown.  However, the cost has been high.

As stated above, I can’t prove that Salisbury needs a vibrant downtown area.  However, I do believe that we should, and can, have one.  The problem is that we won’t have one without leadership and long term vision.  This will never be provided by the likes of Barrie Comegys or a city council led by the likes of Louise Smith.

Here a few suggestions that could yield huge benefits:
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Daily Times Shows Same Lack of Leadership As County Executive

Today’s Daily Times publishes an editorial exhibiting the same lack of leadership, vision, and understanding of the issues as we discussed Wednesday in our post on the Wicomico “State of the County” address.  Politics is obviously more important than facts; government spending more important than taxpayers.

Whining over the revenue cap is not going to solve anything.  While an opponent of the revenue cap, I realize that the voters of Wicomico County do not (and should not) trust County Executive Rick Pollitt with a repeal.  Now Pollitt, and the paper, are asking for a revision.  This is not politically viable either because bold action requires leaders.  To date we have none, either in the County Executive’s office nor at Gannett’s new digs in Northwood.

The Daily Times‘ argument about county revenue proves that they have no understanding of the real problem and seem to believe that government should just keep raising revenue to meet expenses, rather than solve the problems of spending AND the source of that spending:

The housing boom was in full swing, the economy was sailing along and property tax revenue from new construction was not affected by the cap for the first year. So any shortfalls were made up by the taxes collected on new construction, which was not included in the pot that is limited to 2 percent –or less, depending on the rate of inflation –more than the previous year’s revenue.

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The Long March Toward …

… Almost Every Socialist Scheme You Can Think Of

I know.  I’m a conspiracy freak… a wing nut … a simpleton … a Luddite.

Our federal government has basically nationalized some of our largest banks and insurance companies.  While the Senate may have postponed a “bailout” (read “nationalization”) of the big 3 automakers, the Treasury (under a Republican administration no less) is prepared to step in with TARP money (meaning OUR money).

Now, even a solid conservative like Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) is admitting that socialized medicine is probably inevitable.  Phillip Klein’s piece in the American Spectator outlines the Long March that Barack Obama, Tom Daschle, and (our own newly elected) Frank Kratovil want to take us down.

On Wednesday night I attended a Wicomico Planning Commission hearing
and listened to a small army of left wing activists attempt to explain
that property rights are simply subservient to the “common interest”. 
Landowners have NO RIGHT to be compensated for their land being taken
for the betterment of the collective.  I had to chuckle at the irony of
these mostly well meaning folk wearing red flags or ribbons pinned to
their clothes.  I thought I was at a meeting of the Young Communists’
League.

While mouthing “we have nothing to fear but fear itself”, the new crew in town plans on using fear – much of it false – to scare a majority of Americans into finally capitulating as they become servants of the state.  The long march down the road to serfdom is not a single road.  It appears to be winding through Washington, our state capitals AND county courthouses like Salisbury and Centreville.

I know.  I’m just simplistic and paranoid.

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