Unlike some of his predecessors, I've never accused Daily Times reporter Greg Latshaw of misstating fact. However, in another faux expose of the Wicomico County Liquor Control Board, Latshaw seems to paint a picture where stealing from the taxpayer is much ado about nothing. I was almost waiting to read, "It's for the children."
If you want your tax dollars to be doled out to sundry organizations, by unelected individuals, then I guess all is well in Wicomico County. Of course those that don't see anything wrong are usually the first to scream when their pet charity is left off of the list or tax dollars are given to groups that they oppose.
Do you honestly believe that your tax dollars are well spent taking dispensary employees to drive stock cars at Dover International Speedway? Is your employer going to give you a $1,000 watch upon your retirement? Does your employer cater the wake of one of your family members? Read more ...
If you want your tax dollars to be doled out to sundry organizations, by unelected individuals, then I guess all is well in Wicomico County. Of course those that don't see anything wrong are usually the first to scream when their pet charity is left off of the list or tax dollars are given to groups that they oppose.
Do you honestly believe that your tax dollars are well spent taking dispensary employees to drive stock cars at Dover International Speedway? Is your employer going to give you a $1,000 watch upon your retirement? Does your employer cater the wake of one of your family members? Read more ...
Encourage your readers to also check their DT on-line profiles. The DT just banned a lot of people for daring to confront their nonsense on their own pages. If you post make sure your posts actually "make it on the board" and can be seen by other posters. The DT software (most likely the Pluck feature) can ban you and you don't even know it-you are still able to log and and even post replies, but if you sign out (or sign in on someone else's profile) you may discover your voice has really been eliminated. Or at least that's what they think-I think Mr. Albero is a good lesson for what happens when you are disrespectful to your long-time readers intelligent points of view.
ReplyDeleteI would like to know what can we do about this? How do we oppose this? Who do we contact? This is a disgrace!
ReplyDeleteGA, this is par for the course where Ron Alessi is concerned. NO, employers would NOT give away such gifts to their employees. I see it more like Ron Alessi and Ray Lewis are two of the same.
ReplyDeleteWait till someone starts looking at the books at the Salisbury Zoo! It's the exact same kind of crap. You make donations that advertise, "Feed The Animals" yet the money goes to cards, flowers and all sorts of perks down there, including catered lunches.
The can of worms has been opened and it cracked me up in that article how Alessi came off soundling like he's had enough. Yeah, that's what happenes after you've been SNAGGED AND BLOGGED!
I agree with you GA, never should our tax dollars be used as perks for certain people, especially by those who have been appointed or elected to office. The Liquor Board is a prime example of how not to run an organization.
ReplyDeleteA. Goetz
Unreal! How can any elected official not try to do something about this. Thanks to Holloway and Prettyman for trying clean this up. I just hope others will come along and give you a hand. What can we do as taxpayers?
ReplyDeleteIs Wicomico totally corrupt?
ReplyDeleteA few observations after reading the DT article.
ReplyDeleteFirst, Vic Laws asserts that the Dispensary wants to run like a
business....that's easy...privatize it.End this terribly flawed system of cronyism.
Secondly,a business competing in the private sector would certainly consider donations to engender goodwill. BUT, THIS IS A MONOPOLY!!!!! Does anyone really think that donations to The Boy Scouts or Life Crisis will actually generate more alcohol sales?????
While these are very worhwhile organizations, there are many many others that petition the Executive and the Council for grants and subsidy.Those requests are prioritized and reviewed by ELECTED OFFICIALS.Tough decisions have to be made....but the WCLCB short circuits the entire process and hands out money BEFORE it reaches those we have elected to make those decisions.In doing so they bypass our entire budget process.
The system is bad and the lack of judgement by those running it makes it even worse.
Comments quoted from the newspaper - "Alessi, one of the three WCLCB board members appointed by former Gov. Robert Ehrlich, defended the charitable donations as what any responsible business would do." Here is the separation, the dispensary system is not supposed to operate like a business, it's supposed to be a service to the taxpayers, it's an entity of the State. Anything over operating costs are supposed to be turned over to the county's general fund. Sounds like they are putting extra lipstick on the pig this year with the projected revenue after people finally scrutinized the system in a public forum.
ReplyDeleteFurther the employee that received the watch wasn't even there 10 years. About 15 years ago they forced three or four of their employees into early retirement, they got screwed after working there almost a lifetime and some "Yes" man gets an expensive watch. That system has always been corrupt in my opinion. Look at there books now with all the perks, can you imagine the crap they funneled off before people were finally on to them? I'd love to know what kind of gift the superintendent before Collis got for her retirement in 2002 or 2003? Try to find that one G. A. I bet it's a whopper!