Joe:
With the recent cataclysmic escalation of oil prices - (oil topped $142 a barrel in early - morning trading for the first time) - I feel that you must communicate this message to all of our government legislators - (City, County, State, Federal).
The time is well overdue to require all non - essential government personnel - (Police and ambulance as the only exclusions - NO OTHER EXCLUSIONS) - to be required to drive their State, Federal, City, vehicles to a designated terminal whereby their driving habits can be severely monitored and regulated.
With gas now towering in excess of $4.00/gallon it has become obvious that time has now reached CRITICAL MASS whereby accountability is demanded from the taxpaying public.
I propose the following actions, Effective Immediately, a designated terminal should be required for all County, State, City, and Federal vehicles to be turned-in at the end of each workday, again, no exclusions.
Dramatic measures are required to meet DRAMATIC FUEL COST CONDITIONS. It is only fair to the taxpayers for this system to be implemented ASAP as they are the ones footing the cost to subsidize the current sub-standard system.
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
23 comments:
This is not a new proposal. Debbie Campbell has been trying to get the city to cut back on take home vehicles for 2 years or more. Terry Cohen has been a great supporter of Debbie Campbells on this issue. However, the mayor and her council of morons will hear of no such thing.
Thats the kinda "TEA PARTY" I'm talkin about! This should'nt jus be for the queen either, ccity, co sate and fed's....no more free rides...tuff chit. We all need to send this demand to them all, maybe they'll arrange to get that barrle cost where it should be!
hip.boots
Salisbury Airport managers specially trained to be first responders to airplane emergencies.. i.e. crash landings. They not only need an emergency vehicle to get to the airport quickly.. the vehicle they drive is equipped to get on the runways. (FAA lights). Thus, take home vehicles are a must.
sbymayor@ci.salisbury.md.us
ALLCityCouncilMembers@ci.salisbury.md.us
Tell them to stop to stop opposing every good idea Debbie Campbell and Terry Cohen have just because they're Debbie Campbell and Terry Cohen. I am so tired of paying for the mayor's petty wars with people!
Any government that couldn't put a sensible policy on vehicles into place chop-chop ought to have its top people chop-chopped. I can live with some cops and some emergency personnel, but with this city crowd, everybody "has" to have an "emergency" vehicle. They are slowly bleeding us all to death!
OK....
I understand where you all are coming from. Playing the Devil's Advocate here....Most of the Deputies and Troopers took their respective jobs with the understanding that they would have take home cars with off duty priviledges. They also took the jobs with the understanding that they would have health benefits, paid sick days, etc. Would it be justified to take away health benefits if the costs went up? Take away sick days?
It seems difficult to take something away that was part of the deal when they were hired.
I'm not saying I agree or disagree. I'm saying that it would serve one well to consider how they would feel if their bosses came to them and told them they were going to eliminate a fringe benefit that was part of the deal when they were hired.
While I agree - something has to be done to soften the blow to the taxpayer, I believe it would be more prudent to think outside the box to try to come up with a temporary solution everyone can live with until a more permanent solution can be developed.
The police need their vehicle, on this I agree. David See, Bill Gordy, Alan Webster, Bill Holland, Tom Stevenson, Dan Hogg and many many many others do not need take home vehicles. Bill Holland drives his city owned vehicle to his girlfriends house down at the DE Beach, Fenwick I believe. Why should we pay for that?
See and Gordy can drive their lying, extortionist asses to the FD and get in their SFD cars just like the firefighters and other emergency personnel have to do.
Alan Webster lives in Somerset County and is seen regularly hanging out down in Crisfield in his CITY OWNED CAR. Screw him, if he wants to be a Crisfield cop let him apply for the job there...PLEASE apply for the job there. Let him drive his POV to the police station just like every other police officer that works for SPD.
Come on Tom Stevenson and Dan Hogg? They are Neighborhood Housing. Why would they need take home vehicles?
Look folks, the way government business has been conducted whereby building inspectors, State Highway administration inspectors, fire chiefs, voluteer fire chiefs, zoning officials taking home cars cannot continue under this high price environment.
And Slickster Pollitt should have taken responsible action long ago.
Just a few years ago gasoline was on .65/gallon to 1.50/gallon.
Now, the price of fuel almost equates to the same amount being paid to the civil servant.
This simply cannot continue. The taxpayers cannot sustain these hits. It's really a no-brainer.
There should be no exceptions to this rule - (police, fire, and ambulance are the only exceptions), period.
I happen to agree. It's time to take our situation seriously and cut back NOW! Other communities are eliminating take home cars and I would have a hard time believing those driving vehicles home would have an issue with this.
Not only did the Officers in the Salisbury Police Department lose that privilege, they were hired with this guarantee to have this perk provided and they took it away. They also lost their guaranteed pay increases.
Everyone else needs to SUCK IT UP and be team players. Granted, the upper management in the SPD are still setting POOR examples as they still get to have a take home vehicle and most, if not all, do not live in the City.
I happen to agree. It's time to take our situation seriously and cut back NOW! Other communities are eliminating take home cars and I would have a hard time believing those driving vehicles home would have an issue with this.
Not only did the Officers in the Salisbury Police Department lose that privilege, they were hired with this guarantee to have this perk provided and they took it away. They also lost their guaranteed pay increases.
Everyone else needs to SUCK IT UP and be team players. Granted, the upper management in the SPD are still setting POOR examples as they still get to have a take home vehicle and most, if not all, do not live in the City.
Couldn't agree more, Joe. In fact I had commented on this use of government vehicles before, echoeing what Debbie and Terry were saying. Time to take these vehicles back in the county/city garage and not use them unless there is an emegency reason to do so.
A. Goetz
I think they should and most likely will, continue to raise your taxes and do as they dam well please , and that is taking it as seriously as it can be taken.
The city worker must have a vehicle to take home ,what if they get called out for a shit monitoring of the wicomico river. What if there is a shooting on lake street. What if there is a crack in the new fire house that was built on a bog.
These things are of utmost importance, the nerve take away there cars. Shit.
Have they ever had a airplane crash at wicomico airport? Never heard of one. Why do police need a car at home? Must not be enough on duty.
I congradulate the Great Mayor Tilghman.
The Mayor and Dave Winslow put in a new sewer line.
From the wicomico river to the chesapeake bay.
We should all be greatfull.
Many police agencies are now changing/restricting their policies on off duty use. I know of two agencies in Worcester County where off duty use has been eliminated. To and from work, court, and training, that's it. You'll see fewer Worcester County Sheriff's Office and Berlin P.D vehicles driving around from now on. If gas continues it's upward spin, more agencies will follow.
Joe,
tell them to call me jeffrey @ navtrak
800-787-2337
jeffrey@navtrak.net
www.navtrak.net
Salisbury based company with 100+ employees spread all over the US. 20,000+ vehicles on board and growing.
60 day (zero risk) Pilot program. If you are not convinced that we can save you money on fuel, overtime, accountability, etc...
We'll install GPS in as many county, city, state or private commercial vehicles as you want.
Fuel is the smallest savings!
it is easy to be critical of seeing take home vehicles, however many times people are called in at off duty times and it would take twice as long to go to the office then to whereever they are needed, plus have the equipment they need. I for one have a take home vehicle and believe it or not put gas in it personally once on a while to cover what I would be putting in a personal vehicle driving back and forth...my employer also includes this on our end of the year tax form as a taxable expense so before everyone is critical make sure you know all the facts.
i worked in emergency service for many, many years...40 some. Lives were on the line in many instances. Occasionally needed police escorts to get there fast. Used my own vehicle ALL of that time. Never reimbursed a nickel, ever. Irs doesn't allow reimbursements for to & from work, no matter what you do, except in the case of "sales", a very necessary(sarcastic) career.
addendum, most of these people wouldn't know a real emergency if it struck them in the face. As for the airport people, yes they might need to get there fast, but how often? Use your own car.
The government abuse of vehicles is massive and we all know it.
Joe posted a few months ago about taking cellular photos from your digital phone and then emailing them to SBYnews when you think an abuse has occurred. I say we repeat the action again.
I have personally seen Worcester County vehicles on a Saturday night at La Tolteca restaurante at 7:00 p.m.
I actually have a photo of a Berlin Town vehicle in front of my driveway whereby the Town's worker brought his truck, bobcat, home to perform work on his yard at taxpayers expense.
I have also witnessed - on Sunday afternoon - a Salisbury Fire Department car - with full blown family members - strolling down Mt Hermon Road coming from Powellville, Md headed to Salisbury. I 've seen this numerous times - so this is not an isolated incident.
I've seen Yellow State Road vehicles taken home and actually followed one of them from their residence to a Pizza parlor and then tracked them back home on a weekend.
The list goes on-and-on. Now gas is going toward $5.00/gallon there is still very little accountability.
Personally, I like Gisriel's idea. This system could definately help to identify the culprits.
And there are many we all know it.
Commenter 10:32pm, You are correct in what you say.
I have a take home vehicle and I use it only for work. I could get called out for a response related to the work I do. Parking the work vehicle at a terminal wouldn’t save fuel because I would have to drive the vehicle further to get to the terminal. I do not want to drive the work vehicle while I am off duty because I do not want to be involved in an accident with the vehicle while “not on the clock”. There is an automatic tax increase in MY income tax I pay for the fringe benefit.
Does anybody else realize that our tax dollars are paying for a clothing allowance for the Superintendent of Wicomico schools? He/she also has a take home car… WHY?
Want to cut back on wasted fuel? Ever notice that all the school buses that stop every 50 – 100 feet to let more kids on the bus. The “stop and go” waste a lot of fuel. It also creates more wasted fuel in the cars waiting for the bus to “stop and go” and slows down commuting time. I think they should have the kids living in a several block radius meet at one location to board the bus. I have seen many a time when the bus stops 5, 6 or more times in 1/8th mile to let the kids on the bus.
We should also consider banning: drag racing, nascar, indy car racing, motorcycle racing, airplane shows, airplane racing, boat racing and ALL MAJOR LEAGUE sports. In thses tough times, are any of the above sports necessary? I MEAN IT – ARE THEY NECESSARY? Think about all the fuel consumed by all the vehicles getting the people to the sports event. Think about all the fuel consumed to transport the teams and equipment around the country.
In total, how much energy is consumed in relation to the “super bowl” event, from all the people flying to the game, driving to the game, riding the buses to the game, the fuel used to get all the television equipment and people to the game, the electricity wasted? How many barrels of oil would NOT have to be imported into this country that are related to these activities?
P.S. Call WBOC TV-16 and tell them to ground that helicopter unless it is a real news event. What a waste of fuel!
I know someone who has a take home vehicle for emergencys. They have to fill out forms everyday saying what there commute miles are each way. Then they have the choice to pay as they go, meaning there employer deducts the rate out of there pay; or at the end of the year they get a tax form for them as income that they need to pay taxes on. So it is not free for them.
The WCBOE is the biggest drain on tax dollars. They have more people sitting around doing nothing than MVA. Cut them back to bare bones. Computers were supposed to make a business run more efficiently. It is not efficient or financially sound to buy more computers, hire more people to do nothing. I'd bet there are 4 people in there doing the job of 1. CUT THEM BACK.
Next cut...that White Elephant known as the Civic Center. Talk about a waste of tax dollars.
Oh my, what a mess. One seems to be the all or nothing attitude of some folks. When I had a take home car, it was because I was "essential" wow, impressive huh? Not really. Every employer knows who of their employees is "essential" those folks that must go into work whenever called. That does not require a lot of IQ.
Hold the employers (especially government) responsible for that policy, publish the names of those folks that are "essential" all others have to have "special permission"
What is it about "conserving" that folks do not understand.
P.S. I think someone should start a one day "No purchase of gas" day in this country to protest the greed, the lack of responsibility by elected officials and the citizens of this country to control gas prices. All we need to do is get several prominent TV/media persons to promote it, and maybe we would take back our "power" in this country.
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