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As an American, a resident of Wicomico County, and a registered voter, words can barely express the depth of my disappointment at the County Councils decision to override County Executive Rick Pollits veto of the legislation relating to collective bargaining with binding arbitration for the deputies of Wicomico County.....but I'm gonna give it a shot!
When we look at what's going on across the nation we see case after case in which Americans voice their opinions and express their concerns to State and National politicians only to have them disregarded as if they never existed. 88% of Americans want out southern border closed, yet it remains open. More than almost 60% of Americans want to bring our soldiers out of Iraq but we're still there. 63% of Marylanders are opposed to the O'Malley tax increase, yet it went through. Whether or not you agree is not important. The point is that the wishes of the majority are completely ignored. Since we live in a representative style of government, we write off this utter disregard as unkept campaign promises, or flip-flopping, or towing a party line. But what took place today in our very own council chambers didn't resemble democracy. What took place today more closely resembled a board of Monarchs ruling over some autocracy for whom there were no constitutional restrictions on the ir power. You see....the actions of the council today were not the actions of a council merely failing to acknowledge the expressed wishes of the constituency. Today the Wicomico County Council defied the mandate of a legally held referendum vote in which more than 70% of the voters told the leaders of Wicomico County to enact legislation which would require the County to engage in collective bargaining with binding arbitration with the deputies of Wicomico County.
They initially justified this decision by focusing on one word contained in the referendum. It seems that all seven officials elected to lead our county would have us believe that they couldn't figure out who the word "county" referred to. In the end, the council determined that the word "county" referred to the County Administrator and NOT the County Council.
The truth of the matter is this. The people of Wicomico County voted for collective bargaining with binding arbitration. This means that if the "county" and the deputies can't come to an agreement, and arbitration team selected by the County and the deputies resolve the dispute and whatever the arbitrators decide is legally binding on both the deputies AND the county. No matter how you feel about collective bargaining, this is what the people voted for. If you voted and voted "no", you were one of about 30% . As Americans, we should all accept this and support the will of the people.
Apparently, the County Council could not accept the will of the people. THIS IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND!!!! The legislation passed by the County Council today granted collective bargaining for the deputies with binding arbitration between the deputies and the County Executive ONLY. It DOES NOT bind the county council. This means that the County executive can be legally bound to an agreement BUT the council can cut the funding and effectively make any agreement null and void. If the council can nullify the agreement than it's not binding. If it's not binding arbitration, it's NOT what the citizens voted for. How can any reasonable person take the position that an elected official can override the will of the people. The county council has undermined the authority of the voting citizens of Wicomico County and has forced the deputies to use the only tool available to them to remedy the situation. It will now go to the courts. This will take time and a LOT of money. Your mon ey and my money. Thousands and thousands of taxpayers dollars that our county council will spend to fight the will of the people. I wonder if the county council would be so quick to challenge the will of the people in court if the lawyers fees came out of their pockets. My councilman told me that he isn't sure the citizens of Wicomico County knew what they were voting for. Are you saying that the voters are stupid? I think the citizens are quite intelligent and knew exactly what they were voting for. I don't, however, think they knew that the council would forget for whom they work or engage in spending so much money trying to quiet the will of the people who elected them.
I read G.A.'s article and several others authored by him. G.A. I have the utmost respect for you and have followed your writings for some time...but..you don't support collective bargaining with binding arbitration in spite of the fact that it was mandated by a vote of the people. How can you not support what the people voted to implement. Whether or not you support collective bargaining or not is a moot point. Don't you think? There is no disrespect intended. I'm a conservative republican too and I'm not a big union person...BUT....the people voted for it and it is the responsibility of everyone to see to it that the mandate of the people is upheld. Period. It is a sad day indeed for the citizens of Wicomico County. As a people we cannot forget this at election time.
Grand Dad
I SAY...GRAND DAD for COUNTY COUNCIL!
ReplyDeleteI SAY ... KUDOS TO THE COUNCIL FOR DOING THE RIGHT THING!
ReplyDeleteWhat's the "right thing" about opposing the will of the people?
ReplyDeletelet the ones who voted for it be the ones who pay for it. The council is doing the will of the smart voters who voted no. Are the deputies in uniform suppose to be working or do we pay them to go to meetings.
ReplyDeleteWow it is so great that the county residents--which include most of the fat cat developers, landlords, bankers who own Barrie Tilghman and make money exploiting the city residents have the county council fighting for financial responsibility and more honest government.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous 8:22
ReplyDeleteIn a democracy the majority rules. If you want a government the few rule the majority as you suggest, perhaps you should move to......Cuba, or North Korea, or China. It sounds to me that you can't accept the fact that the majority of the voters disagreed with your opinion on the matter.
Grandad:
ReplyDeleteWe have (and always have had) a representative democracy, not a pure democracy.
Just because "the people" are in favor of something does not make it so or the right thing. If you don't like what our reps. did, then do what the first anon. comment suggests.
Lets make it simple for the ones who do not agree with 70% of the voter.
ReplyDeleteFirst: I respect your right to disagree but....
Its like saying; "I didn't vote for John Cannon i voted for "Jon" Cannon. Someone totally different. so John Cannon is not the council president.
or...
...electing a President,a senator, etc with OVER 70% of the vote. The people elect Candidate A. Then the US government saying, oh nevermind we like candidate B better. "THE PEOPLE didn't really know what or who they voted for, so we just picked candidate B for them!"
That is exactly what is being done here. Wicomico County Citizen voted for collective bargining but the "Council" chose to ignore it.
Like it or not, G.A., CATO and Company the people chose to support the Depuites and thier fight for better retirement and disability with OVER 70% majority Vote. Your "County" Council chose to ignore the very same people who put them into office all because of one word "County".
You don't have to agree with the Collective bargining, but you can't ignore that it was put into place by 70% of The People of Wicomico County!
Anonymous 9:54
ReplyDeleteI presume that when you speak of "pure democracy" you are referring to a Direct Democracy. If that's so, then you are correct. I've never disputed that, ever. Many of my comments have actually made the statement that we live with a representative form of government. HOWEVER.....Our representative democracy incorporates the referendum, which is perhaps the largest part of a direct democracy. The referendum is highly revered in our government which is precisely why the property tax revenue cap CANNMOT be reversed by an act of the council. In essence, the charter is saying that "the people have spoken". There is no difference when we speak of the referendum granting the deputied collective bargaining WITH binding arbitration. The People Have Spoken. How can we have gotten to a place in history where the voice of the people means nothing? How can we be at a place where the people we elect feel that they are in positions of such great power that they can completely ingore a lawful vote and mandate from the people. If the people voted for a new county exec and the existing refused to leave ......how is that different from the people voting for a new mandate and the council refusing to carry out the mandate the way it was written and voted in.
As for the first anon. statement....I'm considering it. I must first decide whether or not I have the time to give to to the position if elected. It wouldn't be as easy for me as it would be for some because I would have regularly scheduled meetings with my constituents in order to discuss the important issues coming before the council. I would want to discuss these things with them in order to get their input. The opinion and input from my constituents would be the determining factor in what way I would vote on the issues we discuss. Regardless of how I felt. This would take a great deal of commitment and time. I would never take on such a responsibility if I couldn't commit the time and energy. The peopple deserve that