A situation is developing in Salisbury that is very disturbing to the future of our town, both financially and culturally. Recently an article appeared in your paper that touted the great work of the mayor in refurbishing the building at the corner of Church and Isabella Streets now named “The Bricks”. The cost to the city will be $1.8 million dollars. As a result of this expenditure we are going to get 8 low income apartments, an expense of $225,000 per apartment. I would think we could build a lot of low income houses for that amount each.
At the same time the city is charging a young entrepreneur an “impact” fee of some $160,000 to open a business at the former train station. He was going to refurbish an historic building at his expense and provide jobs for at least 50 people. Instead of giving him money like we have so many landlords and developers we are putting such a burden on him that he has dropped the project and taking it to Delaware.
Where is the fiscal responsibility in this logic both now and for the future of our city? I guess $70,000 for a feasibility study of the North Prong of the River is money more wisely spent. I think not.
George Chevallier
1033 E. Main St.
Salisbury, MD 21804
(410) 749-1021
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
18 comments:
Guess he wasn't politicaaly correct.
Untill the people educate themselves on how a government should be run, they will always be ignorant to what the powers in charge are doing, godd or bad.
As a service to the great people of Salisbury and surrounding communities, this blog should do more than just identify the problems that our current administration has. We should also educate the citizens with what the correct procedures to handle the ins and outs of our government are.
Once the people are educated, they should be able to comprehend what the city needs to move forward. They then will be able to elect the right people for the future of our city and county. Then they will see that liars on the campaign trail will never get them out of the gutter, they will just drop them a turd every now and then and tell them it's a candy bar.
Excellent letter to the editor...
It's a sad time in the city of Salisbury, especially for the citizens. This is typical of the everyday actions by this administration. This mayor has
destroyed the integrity of the
Mayor's office.
Somebody needs to put a boot in that bitchs ass.
You want to shake things up? Well how about this:
Joe Albero for mayor!
Joe:
What is going to the train station now? I
It is beyond reason why the city would not waived fees for a business trying to make a move into that area. Now, we have lost a business in the area and the potential for a great historical building being renovated.
The mayor and her administration should have done anything in their power to help this business establish themselves in the city and in this building!
Amen! Thanks for being one of the very few to state your name also.
It sounds like the City of SBY has been taking lessons from Boss Hogg Russ Blake in Pocomoke City.
If a cronie wants to waste millions on a derelict building by calling it a museum, then it has Boss Hogg Russ Blake's blessing and gets $8-million in public money.
If a cronie wants to take a 100 year old house and chop it into 5 to 8 "apartments" there is no rental code and no qualified code enforcement officer, if there were one....
Now if someone from out of town wants to rehab an old building into something like a small business incubator, it gets bulldozed.
If someone wants to open a car repair services that does not sell crack cocaine, it gets shit down for "code violations" by an unqualifeid code enforcement officer...
Now I am ranting but it sounds like Salisbury has taken lessons from Pocomoke City....
Mr. C:
Great Letter!
Barrie has to motivate the Greater Salisbury Committee and Chamber of Commerce crowd to support either her next year, if she runs for reelection, and Bubba Comegys if she does not.
hmmmm Run linen's of the week out of Salisbury, check. Run the Knorr brother's micro-brewery out of state, check.
Better hope they don't sell the Red Roost, Boonie's and Sobo's and move it all out of state. The Knorr brothers aren't stupid either, they will sit on that train station until the cows come home before they ever sell it back to the city. Maryland and Salisbury have become unfriendly towards business.
I've worked for Tom and John Knorr, young and good business men. They are from Richmond but loved this area so much they bought the Red Roost, the rest is history, now they employ many more people. This how good business people are treated?
What's the rest of the story on this establishment?
Terry Cohen and Debbie Campbell have been talking about the importance of impact fees for a long time. G.A. Harrison supports them, too. (Talk about political strange bedfellow, LOL!)
Look, either WE pay for the growth, or the growth pays for the growth. Which is it? If I have to pay for any more "growth," I can't afford to stay in my house!!!
I feel bad about this business, but I want to know "the rest of the story." Did Barrie drive them them out so she and Gary can keep giving their developer buddies the handouts? Is there no water for their business? What's going on?
George , you think it's bad now , if Obama wins Barrie will be $hit-en in high cotton. They have the same dreams. Keep the people depressed and NO big business!!
She is very similar to the mayor that used to be in D.C. , he
was a Barrie also , a dingle barrie.
To my knowledge the Knorr brothers haven't asked for a break on anything. Since they bought the Red Roost they have also opened Boonie's and Sobo's. It's just getting too expensive to do business here when you can afford to move anywhere.
i thought the university was paying for a new water tower? Have they withdrawn that offer?
Terry Cohen and Debbie Campbell have been talking about the importance of impact fees for a long time. G.A. Harrison supports them, too. (Talk about political strange bedfellow, LOL!)
Hello Anan 10:07 PM from Billy Burke in Pocomoke City, MD.
Impact fees are designed for new residential housing, not new JOB CREATING commercial projects.
Residential uses are schools, fire, roads, water, power, police, ambulance / emergency, etc., etc.
Businesses are used to paying for each and every service used, thats why its called a business.
Businesses create jobs and draw quality people to the area, who buy homes, pay taxes, etc.
The Red Roost is one of the most 'Kick Ass' businessess on the eastern shore where old chicken houses that once polluted the area, serve hot crabs to bus loads of people. Not to mention all the jobs created in an area that has lost a lot of "traditional" watermen related jobs.
Why should the city subsidize OVERPRICED low income welfare housing, during the worst housing market since the great depression?
Uhm in case you have not noticed there is excess or surplus housing already built that can be purchased for pennies on the dollar.
Supporting small business is the American way. This is kind of hte jist of what the whole "Joe The Plumber" debate was all about.
If the Red Roost GROSSES more than $250,000.00 their taxes go up. You are looking at a high volume / low margin business that can be taxed out of business.
Why would any municipality want to put the brakes on a project that would create jobs, eliminate blight, while improving the community?
Just ask Pocomoke City Manager Russ Blake or Salisbury Mayor Barrie Tilghman...
They both like to micromanage business and keep real economic growth out of their cities.
The mare and her bidders love to give breaks to big businesses that are not local, who have no roots here, and when the going get rough, pull up stakes and high tail it outta here;leaving us high and dry.
nalagirl
Just an FYI!
When trying to make a point, one should know how to properly spell!
Just a reminder, "Mare"- a female horse.
"Mayor"- head of a city or town government.
In the event you want to be taken seriously.
Kim
You tell that to the late Harry Kelly, one of the best mayors Ocean City ever had. Whenever he spoke he always, always called himself "Mare." It's more like an eastern shore dialect. Don't like it, there are two main roads to get off of this peninsula, just pick one.
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