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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Wicomico Taxpayers Receive Back Door Tax Increase

The arrogance of bureaucrats never ceases to amaze me.  They spend the TAXAPAYERS’ money yet act as if it’s from their personal discretionary account.

A current example is the $4 million purchase of the Powerwave campus on the corner of US 50 and Walston Switch Road, east of Salisbury.  Almost daily we hear a sad tale of woe from Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley or Wicomico County Executive Rick Pollitt about the said state of either the Maryland’s or Wicomico County’s fiscal situation.  There simply isn’t enough money to go around according to these two.

However, a few days ago we learned that the Tri-County Council of the Lower Eastern Shore (TCC) has purchased the Powerwave Campus.  According to comments made by several officials, the TCC needs the space.  Perhaps they do.  I’m certainly in no position to argue that point.  However, several points are easily arguable.

With the purchase of this property, the land and building will be going off the tax roles.  Based on its current assessment, Wicomico County will be losing approximately $30,000 per year in property tax revenue.  This means that county taxpayers will be paying a higher rate next year than they would be otherwise.  This isn’t arguable – this is fact.  One of the benefits of the county’s revenue cap is that big government advocates such as County Executive Rick Pollitt or Councilman Bill McCain can’t truthfully argue otherwise.

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Public Asks for Night Meetings of Wicomico Council

I don’t feel so alone anymore.

Julie Brewington, of the Lower Shore Chapter of Americans for Progress, spoke at today’s Wicomico County Council meeting and requested that the council meet in the evenings.  According to Brewington, “Those of us lucky enough to have jobs, those of us who pay taxes, can’t participate in our local government.”

True enough Julie.  I’ve lobbied for several years to have the council meet at night.  As councilman Joe Holloway pointed out, he has been asking for more night meetings since 2007, but a majority of the council doesn’t want to.  Councilman Dave MacLeod argued that “the elderly” don’t feel safe coming out at night.  Coucilwoman Sheree Sample-Hughes argued that the county would have to pay overtime to department heads.

Given that daytime Wicomico Council meetings aren’t heavily attended by young or old, MacLeod’s argument doesn’t hold much water.  As for department heads, they shouldn’t be getting overtime to attend council meetings anyway.  They’re on salary and shouldn’t cost the taxpayer any extra for having to do their job.

Perhaps the Wicomico County Council will hold meetings at night for at least six months.  After the public has time to find out about the evening meetings, maybe attendance will increase.  If they don’t, maybe they will at least be honest about the reason why.

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County Council Moves Forward With Land Theft Bill

The Democrat majority of the Wicomico County Council moved forward today with legislation to strip Wicomico farmers of their property rights.  Council members Gail Bartkovich, Joe Holloway and Stevie Prettyman demanded that their names be removed from the legislation after noting that there was no mechanism to compensate farmers for the proposed land grab.

Moving the legislation to public hearing was approved by council members Bill McCain, Dave MacLeod, Sheree Sample-Hughes, and the council’s newest Dem John Cannon.  Sample-Hughes was at least honest enough to admit that there would NOT be any compensation mechanism in the legislation.

We’ll have a more detailed report tomorrow.  We are also waiting for a response from County Executive Rick Pollitt.  Pollitt has stated on at least two occasions that he would not support a bill that failed to compensate land owners for the loss of development rights.  I’m hoping that he sticks to his guns.

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Wicomico County Council Gives Away YOUR Money …

… Why Not?  It’s Not Like It’s THEIR Money!

On Tuesday the left wing of the Wicomico County Council decided to give away more of the taxpayers’ money by eliminating the amusements tax for the Crown Sports Center.  The same members of the county council (John Cannon, Bill McCain, Dave MacLeod and Sheree Sample-Hughes) who have REFUSED to entertain any meaningful discussion of tax relief for ordinary citizens were quick to provide a handout to a specific local business.

To be fair, I should state that I’m in favor of eliminating the tax – but for everyone.  While I supported a measure to lower the rate to 4.5%, (which failed by a 4-3 vote), I prefer eliminating the tax.  I just want to eliminate it for everyone.  The difference is that I’m not a hypocrite about it.  During the debate over the current year’s budget, McCain stated that:

“(it is) … absurd to cut ANY county revenue source.”

This was a snide reference to Councilman Joe Holloway’s attempt to reduce the burden of the county’s income (or “piggyback”) tax on working Wicomico citizens.  At the time, I chastised McCain by reminding him that tax dollars are NOT “county revenue” but the TAXPAYERS’ MONEY.  While McCain is quick to vote for almost any bit of government spending, particularly if the money is going to his wife and her pals at the Board of Education, McCain simply won’t back any honest attempt to provide a lower, and better, and fairer tax structure for the people who elected him.
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WCLCB – If You Tell a Lie Often Enough

Is there wasteful spending at the Wicomico County Liquor Control Board?  Absolutely.  Does the WCLCB engage in spending that may be criminal?  Yes.  However, if you read this morning’s op-ed in the Daily Times you would believe that the dispensary is pure as the driven snow.

Dispensary manager Justin Collis again attempts to pull a “bait and switch” on the taxpayers.  He lists a litany of expenditures that no one has attacked and then tries to portray council members Stevie Prettyman, Gail Bartkovich and Joe Holloway as somehow out of touch.  Nothing could be further from the truth.

The expenses for employees during the holiday season last year were $1,340, not the “thousands” some would have you believe.

That would be lovely, except that the “thousands” of dollars Prettyman, Holloway and Bartkovich have noted are not for Christmas food baskets.  Collis isn’t honest, or foolish, enough to attempt justification of thousands spent on taking dispensary employees to Dover so that they can drive race cars around the track.

Collis doesn’t mention taxpayer funds handed out to local non-profits and social clubs.  Why?  Because they can’t justify them.  Our county council rightly chose to strip funds out of the county budget that would have allowed County Executive Rick Pollitt the authority to hand out tax dollars to non-profits of his choosing.  What the dispensary board does is far worse.  These people are not elected and have no oversight.

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In Wicomico, Cutting Taxes Is Absurd

During yesterday’s Wicomico County Council meeting one thing was made abundantly clear – the Wicomico County government has little interest in tax relief for its residents and NO desire to cut spending.

I arrived a few minutes late to Tuesday’s meeting. I walked in to find that the agenda had been changed and the vote on the FY 2009 county budget had been moved up. Unfortunately, I was there to hear two councilmen express views on county fiscal matters which distressed me to no end.

Councilman Bill McCain (D) provided the public with his views on tax policy. Referencing Councilman Joe Holloway’s (R-5) attempts to cut the county income tax rate McCain stated, “(it is) …absurd to cut a county revenue source.” It appears that McCain views our tax dollars not as OUR money, but as “a county revenue source” to be spent by our county government. Read more

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