Bringing counsel in-house with the Wicomico County Department of Law (the department already existed, the job was just contracted out to Ed Baker) may be just the tip of the iceberg, both for the taxpayer and for County Council.
According to supporters such as Councilman Bill McCain (D), bringing counsel in-house will be cheaper. Given McCain's views on taxes, we should expect such cockeyed math. By the county's own admission, the taxpayer will be subsidizing Baker's pension by at least $500,000. I believe the basis for that estimate to be overly optimistic, but we'll accept that number for the sake of this argument.
Upon delving deeper, we discover that bringing counsel in-house CANNOT be cheaper. According to Wicomico County Executive Rick Pollit:
While I have like Rick Pollitt and have wished him nothing but success in his position, actions such as this, coupled with his refusal to be candid on the subject (as evidenced by this morning's appearance on WICO) are cause for great concern to voters.
cross posted at Delmarva Dealings
According to supporters such as Councilman Bill McCain (D), bringing counsel in-house will be cheaper. Given McCain's views on taxes, we should expect such cockeyed math. By the county's own admission, the taxpayer will be subsidizing Baker's pension by at least $500,000. I believe the basis for that estimate to be overly optimistic, but we'll accept that number for the sake of this argument.
Upon delving deeper, we discover that bringing counsel in-house CANNOT be cheaper. According to Wicomico County Executive Rick Pollit:
Baker will no longer be the COUNTY ATTORNEY. His client will be the County Executive. This causes problems similar to ones evident in Salisbury. Baker will be placed in the unenviable position of defending Pollitt's actions rather than providing objective advice to the County Council. Pollitt's own statement makes it clear that a RESPONSIBLE council will engage it's own counsel. This will drive up the legal costs taxpayers are forced to pay. Regardless of the cost, Pollitt has made it necessary for council to take such action UNLESS it is their desire to degrade into a mere rubber stamp for the executive.Pollitt, who recommended the department's creation, said having Baker in-house eliminates the confusion of having Baker on-call for two clients, the executive and the council.
"The recent confusion over collective bargaining (with the county's Sheriff's Office) shows us that the two bodies cannot effectively continue to share one attorney," he said.
While I have like Rick Pollitt and have wished him nothing but success in his position, actions such as this, coupled with his refusal to be candid on the subject (as evidenced by this morning's appearance on WICO) are cause for great concern to voters.
cross posted at Delmarva Dealings
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18 comments:
It's simple common sense that the Council should have its own legal counsel -- and that applies in Salisbury as well as the County.
GA:
Direct your fire at the real problem in this mess: the two RINO's on the Council (Barkovich and Cannon) who could have prevented it.
While I agree with 8:57 a.m. anonymous that there should be separate counsel for the two sides of the table, this is NOT how we county taxpayers had the proposition posed to us.
He was supposed to be the COUNTY in-house lawyer.
So who the hell is going to represent the council and at what expense.
This makes me mad. It seems very slippery.
I also agree a separate counsel is in order, my question is how can someone who has been on payroll to the tune of $5000, become a fully vested employee and collect as much as $50,000 per year. Who is funding this program to the extent it has to be to make this happen and what is the amount that is going to be put in? Unless, Mr. Baker totally funds this, it is unfair to all of us long time employees having our retirement jeopardized.
EXACTLY.
As for directing my fire towards John and Gail, don't worry. They have their share of blame. However, that is not what this piece is about.
I've been a Pollitt fan, but this is one more example of what seems to be a Tilghman-like plan for power by making the council less relevant.
This disturbs me beyond words.
While living in Sussex County I thought the government there was backwards....turns out the Sussex county Council and their support staff are state-of-the-art. I cannot ever recall hearing about one of those folks being sneaky, underhanded, greedy,or self-serving. On the other hand, their counterparts here in Wicomico county and SBY are, for the most part, bad to the bone. As a taxpayer I'm angry at the notion that I have to watch every little thing my "new" elected officials say or do. How can I work to earn money to pay my taxes if I have to watch these scoundrels 24/7?
I did not vote for Pollitt nor will I support him the people of this county are going to get screwed by his sneaky way of doing things just wait and see. He is a tax and spend S.O.B. that thinks money grows on trees. If Baker was really a good lawyer his bills would have been higher and whats going to happen next , hire more employees to man his office. Everyone knows lawyers cant do their own work they have to get other people to do their running for them . In the long run this is going to COST us taxpayers dearly.
GA:
This may disturb you "beyond words", so what about the two RINO's who let it happen?
Why should we vote for Republican candidates for local offices when they can't stand up against waste and sweetheart deals like this? Their view on the war in Iraq and gay rights doesn't mean anything in City and County matters.
"I've been a Pollitt fan"
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
Do you know about his position on the tax revenue cap?
Mr. H:
Your adulation of Pollitt is perplexing. I thought that you were a compassionate conservative.
He certainly is not.
I think he has earned the name slicky ricky now.
Anonymous said...
"I've been a Pollitt fan"
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
Do you know about his position on the tax revenue cap?
4:58 PM
GA doesn't support the revenue cap, by self admission!!
Mr. Pollitt has often stated that the revenue cap needs to be abolished. He has stated that he will accomplish this by restoring the faith of the taxpayers in their local government - yeah right. He has a long way to go, and in fact is headed in the wrong direction. Mr. Pollitt is concerning me more with each action he takes. Not only is he beginning to appear as 'more of the same', I see him as more dangerous. He is inteligent and has experience from his days running the Town of Fruitland, where he had practical free reign. That appears to be his new goal as well.
REFERENDUM TIME PEOPLE!! This disaster is not going to go away unless we make it go away! The County Executive position has cost the taxpayer's of Wicomico County a ton of money with all indications that the cost is going to continue to climb. Rick Pollitt did not care what his actions cost the people of Fruitland and he doesn'tcare how much of a tax burden he places on the County tax payers. All he has done since he has been in office is increase staff, increase staff payroll, attempt underhanded deals that have really stunk, and now wants his own attorney, at our expense of course. And let's not forget his ever lasting whining about the revenue cap. God Bless the Revenue Cap!! At least Ed Baker is honest enough to admit he is looking for retirement security, again, at our expense. We are nothing to these peopl but a source of cash and the more they can get the better they like it. When are we going to say we have had enough and we're not going to take it anymore?
GOOD REPORT G.A. AS ALWAYS,I DO NOT THINK THE CITIZENS OF WICOMICO COUNTY REALIZED WHEN THEY ELECTED THIS FORM OF EXECUTIVE GOVERNMENT HOW MUCH MONEY IT WOULD COST TO IMPLEMENT AND COST DOWN THE ROAD . THAT WAS WHITE WASHED OVER TO I AM SURE.I WANNA THANK JOE AND YOU GUYS FOR KEEPING WE RESIDENTS INFORMED NO SPIN STYLE ON ISSUES LIKE THESE IT OPENS ALOT OF EYES I THINK AND HOPE SO.THIS DEAL HERE NEEDS OPEN MARKET FOR DEBATE WITH AT LEAST 2 PUBLIC HEARINGS. AT LEAST IF ITS CUT AND DRIED AS I ASSUME,THE FORUMS WILL AT LEAST SMOOTH THE B.S. ICING OVER ON IT.
Well, let's see what happens here. As a city dweller- I am already hurting big time by tax and spend Barrie--now gotta worry about the county bullsh*t too. Is there no end? I was hoping to sell my home and move to the county, but maybe its time to move to lower, slower Delaware.
Nalagirl
Good report on the County Exec. and whats coming, if it passes, G.A. I have to say that I don't blame Rick for wanting Ed Baker on staff. Ed is a fine lawyer and a good guy, who has done lots for the county in the past, for a small enough salary for a first class lawyer! However, the retirement thing needs more consideration, I do believe.
A. Goetz
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