Electricity Rates to Go Up on Shore?

Do you want to pay more for your electricity?  Probably not.  Unfortunately, that could be in the cards unless you speak out!

On Tuesday, November 10th there will be a public hearing of the Maryland Public Service Commission at Salisbury University.  The hearing will be at 7:00 PM in the Nanticoke Room (Room 236) of the Guerrieri Center.

One hearing has already been held in Salisbury.  However, Delmarva Power advertised the hearing (and several others on the Shore) in a less than honest manner.  (No mention was made of a rate increase).  Fortunately (for rate payers) Del. Mike Smigiel (R-36) called Delmarva Power on their little game and the PSC has called for a new round of hearings.

I know that Tuesday will be a tough day.  There is a WCBOE meeting (that has been moved to the afternoon so folks from the school board can go to the County Council hearing on Tuesday night and tell us that they don’t waste a dime, but “it’s for the children” anyway).  At the same time Tuesday evening the Wicomico County council is holding a hearing on the disastrous Rick Pollitt budget proposal.

Try to hit both Tuesday night meetings.  Go to SU first and register your opposition to higher electrical rates and then head over to the Civic Center.  There will be plenty of county and BOE employees trying to argue their case at that one.

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Why Doesn’t Maryland Have Right to Carry?

Maryland Delegate Mike Smigiel (R-36) has published a great letter on his blog from a citizen of Cecil County.  The gentleman expresses many of the same concerns we hear from other law abiding Marylanders.  Yet, the leftist government of Maryland refuses to allow honest, law abiding citizens to exercise their full rights of self protection.

Mike Smigiel is right.  This citizen’s letter deserves an answer.

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Del. Mike Smigiel Unveils New Blog Site

I love it when elected officials truly take to the blogosphere.  I’m not talking about worthless self-promotion and pandering.  I want to see candidates and officials talk about real issues and communicate with us in an open, meaningful way.  This is what Del. Mike Smigiel (R-36) has been doing since entering the blogosphere.

Now Mike has chosen to move things up a notch.  Moving away from a WordPress.com site, Smigiel has unveiled DelegateMike.com.  If, like me, you prefer your blog reading via feed reader (Google Reader is a must for me), simply load up Mike’s RSS feed.  Also, don’t miss Mike on Twitter.

For those of you who might be thinking that this is just some shameless pitch for a friend or client, think again.  While it was a pleasure, I’ve only met Del. Smigiel one time.  No, this is just an example of what I would love to see all conservative candidates and officials do.  Why?  Our message is what America, and even Maryland, is looking for.  This is a great way to communicate that message.

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O’Malley Doesn’t Want Public to Share Ideas

Del. Mike Smigiel (R-36) has a great review of Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley’s new “Online Suggestion Box”:

When I first heard about this, I thought, What a great idea! Unfortunately, like most things in government, the devil is in the details.

Mike is, again, right on about this issue.  IF O’Malley were serious, rather than just pandering to an electorate that will judge him in just over a year, he would allow the public to see the suggestions of their fellow citizens.  IF O’Malley were 1/10 of the chief executive he claims to be, he would know that many great ideas come from hearing and seeing the ideas of others.

Of course, O’Malley is PANDERING and he sure isn’t the executive he claims to be.  Marylanders are paying the tax increases that prove it.

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Environmentalism Is About … Early Voting?

Del. Mike Smigiel (R-36) has become quite the blogger.  Not only does he manage to inform his constituents, he informs and entertains people like me – at the opposite end of the Eastern Shore.  His latest post manages to show the tree hugging left for what it really is – a bunch of partisan hacks more concerned about promoting a socialist agenda than in being good stewards of the world God gave us.  Smigiel has decided to take on that friend of the tree, Wayne Gilchrist, and Frank Kratovil – the Maryland League of Conservation Voters.

In rating Maryland legislators in 2009, what bills did the MLCV choose?  How about SB 478 – which permits “early voting”.  This bill, better known as “Vote Early, Vote Often” will allow individuals to vote ANYWHERE in Maryland, not just in their own county.

Smigiel poses the question whether groups like the MLCV are truly concerned about the environment or simply concerned in growing the Democrat party stranglehold over Maryland government.  Obviously the question is rhetorical.

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Don’t File An Ethics Complaint in Cecil County

Here in Wicomico County, we’ve seen our share of frivolous ethics complaints lately.  That said, they are part of the price you pay in an attempt to receive good local government.  It appears that the people who govern Cecil County aren’t too interested in that.  Perhaps that is why they attempt to intimidate those who file ethics complaints.

Del. Mike Smigiel notes Cecil County now has a provision in their ethics complaint process which prohibits complainants from discussing the matter with ANYONE.  If they do, they are subject to a $5,000 fine and up to a year in jail.

In reality, this is much ado about nothing.  State law prohibits the county from doing this.  Therefore, its unenforceable.  However, how many people filing ethics complaints are lawyers and / or know that.  Since the “Penalties” are clearly stated on the complaint form, how many people have been intimidated from filing a complaint – frivolous or no?

This sounds like something out of the Barrie Comegys school of governance.

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Twitter in Iran … and on Delmarva

Maryland Del. Mike Smigiel (R-36) has a great post on the impact Twitter is having is having with the freedom loving protesters in Iran.  While I’ve never had the honor of meeting Del. Smigiel, and didn’t know he had a blog until yesterday, I’m glad I found it.

How did I?  Twitter.  One of the good people I follow on Twitter made mention of the post.  Social media like Twitter can be a great tool for political organizing – both in Iran … and on the Delmarva peninsula.

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