"It wasn't a victory, it was the right thing to do for the children. I'm very thankful."
From what I understand, and let's make this VERY clear, only the amusement taxes will forever be eliminated on YOUTH SPORTS.
They will have to pay back taxes but I believe the penalties and interest will be dropped.
Congratulations Wicomico County Council Members!!!!! This was the right thing to do for the children. It's a Merry Christmas for those under 18 years old.
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
30 comments:
So does this mean they don't have to pay Amusement tax on the video games and lazer tag too????
Actually doing a genuine, pragmatic deed (instead of only useless words) to ultimately help our children grow and thrive.....another Festivus miracle!!
OK, so they decided for whatever compelling reason to drop one set of taxes.... Now what criteria did waving the penalties & interests on the back taxes fall under? Every business in town aught to take notice of that one!
Anon 12:47 it says youth sports. They will pay taxes on the amusements.
A great thing to happen! Be prepared to defend this decision.
A tax break sure beats having the Crown drop youth sports and having Wicmico County try to take the sports back over. The reason Crown became reality is because the county mucked up the kid sports programs to begin with!
Trust me...Whatever amount tax break was given to Crown is far less than the expense to the taxpayers when the government tries to be "more efficient" than private enterprise. All residents just got a tax break by keeping the county out of it!
Fair decision! Glad they finally got this straight! Youth Sports should never have been considered a taxable amusement.
WOW. Obama was telling the truth. Except i thought he meant middle / poor income people would benefit. Not the rich as always. Can i get a free dump sticker? While your at it can i skip my property taxes this year? There is a Santa Claus.
why relief from penalties they where well aware they had to pay it...so pay it!
Well i think anythime you put the word children in the the request it gets special attention and rightfully so. I am happy the council is doing something positive for the children of the couty. I guess this leads into the problems i have and spoken about many times. It is those that serve and protect the children of this county not getting the same respect by the county coucil. I know that some are tired of hearing this same concern over and over but it has to be addressed. The deputies work for the county of Wicomico they are employees. The Sheriff is an elected official and answers to the Governor of the state. I wish to make one thing clear here this in no way is a grief with the Sheriff he and his staff are doing a great job. I can not understand a coucil that does not support a comprehensive disability package for the deputies. I know when they are hired they are not met with by the Human Resources Department and told that if they are injured while serving they will lose everything they have. I do not know how one can lay thier head down at night knowing that men and women that own property and have children in our school system can be treated is such a calus manner. The true reason for Question "A" on the last ballot was for exactly that reason. There were those that after the election spread false information about the collective bargaining process. There were coucil members that reffered to the F.O.P. as a union and that is not totally true at all. It just gave the right to request nothing was mandated by these request simply an open dialog between goverment and a group of employees. I am not only speaking on behalf of the deputies but the correction officers as well. They house the very criminals that were aprehend and eal with them daily. The daily stress of the job can not be imagined if you have not done it. i have not seen one coucil member do a ride along to feel what it is like to walk up to a car in the middle of the night not knowing what is waiting on the other side. Ithink it would be tragic to hace poster child that has to have frequest fund raisers for thier family if they do in fact end up in this position. i know for a fact that the Franternal Order Of Police Lodge 111 has tried to stop any further legal proceedings and the council has balked at thier request. If the citizens of this county knew the total cost on both sides they would be appalled. Our tax dollars are being wasted on a fight that should have never taken place to begin with. The whole concept of Question "A" that was voted for by a major percentage of the voting public was manipualted by the coucil. Rick Pollitt was the only person in our goverment that honored the will of the people. The system is still strong in Ocean City and now in Delmar. That speaks volumes of just how mistaken those on the council were about the concept itself. It would not be a hardship on the Sheriff or the tax paying citiezens of the county. It simply opens dialog. The recent appeal by the F.O.P. was forced by the lack of the coucil to work this matter out behind closed doors. I am concerned that two senior coucil members were not in favor of this effort to get better disabilty. The deputies were not asking for a system that would create a hardship on the goverment just one that would assure thier needs are met in time of crisis. i think Sheriff Lewis and the deputies of this county have shown thier dedication those we protect. I ask that you the citiezens call your delagate and remind them of what was voted for and demand that no further tax dollars be wasted fighting an issue that is as important as this. There has to be some middle ground that will make the council happy, the voting public happy and the deputies secure in knowing there is something for them if they are in fact injured in the line of duty. I think the Sheriff and the deputies need to rally the public for a just and fair cause. It truly appears that the will of the poeple fell upon deaf ears. i ask that we all remember this at election time and seek out those that have the courage and intergirty to follow the will of the poeple and take care of those that protect them. There is not a night that I gear up and go out and serve the people of this county that I dont think about the men and women litterally risking evrything to serve you. Please be heard and let your voice be our voice. Have a safe and Merry Christmas. Mr. Albero I do not know where you stand on this issue but I am asking you to keep this effort fresh in the minds of those who read your blog. It is not a matter to be taken lightly there are good people that deserve better than what the coucil is willing to grant. These public servants go out night and day and give it thier all for those they dont even know. I would hope that someone could see the dedication and at least give peace of mind.
Great news for our youth! My concern here is with not paying what is due in penalties. We all have paid penalties for being late on something in our life. It's life you are charged for being late. Why does a business that is it to make a profit get relief. Would i get relief from the county council if i could not pay my property taxes? I dont think so! Will the laser tag and amusement games get relief if its not working? Crown sports owes what is due plain and simple. They put laser tag and amusement games smack down in the middle of the YOUTH playing fields in order to make some more money from attendees of youth sports! To me is seems to be strange that after almost 4 or 5 years you find out that you have to pay amusement tax? Seriously that is not a mistake...that is just not wanting to pay it!
Wow!
Welfare for Wicomico's wealthy ones!
Anon 1:02
How about another geniune & pragmatic deed: Tax relief to all businesses who still manages, during this harsh economic times, to keep their employees employed, and whose children in turn can go enjoy crown sports center:)... Let's line up!
Look folks! Look at the bigger picture. Why in Sam Hell do we even have an amusement tax to begin with.
Isn't there enough in taxes already?
My God . .I for one and tired of this tax hell.
That is really great news!
:')
2;52. Nice try- but I am not willing to go that far to line YOUR pockets. A lot of people here pervert Sam Adams quotations-I am willing to dress like an Indian/Native American and dump your tea in the harbor if you are trying to actually bleed kids dry; but if you are looking for my pity as a generic small businessman with an inefficient business model...well, aren't there a bushel basket (or two) of "quasi-patriots" here that beat their chests everyday about not wanting to subsidize your type of failed business plan? C'mon back at me, big boy...You should be ashamed at hiding behind the cause of children here. I have had enough of YOUR type on my tax` dime!!!!!!!!!!!!
What a load of crap. The kids will still be paying the same. The tax savings will go in the owners pockets.
5:01 GOOD!!! You know why??? Those people invested MILLIONS of dollars to give OUR kids something to do in this town.
And I'm sure they are YEARS away from actually making money. They have always , and will always have my support.
Indoor Lacrosse is coming up! :)
And we have a few spots open on u~13 boys. Contact crown for info. Team Salisbury.
Anon 2:17, how can you get if you never leave IHOP. Quit crying and get to work, jerk!
GOD! You guys! If you took the time to read the Matyland Annotated Code, you would realize that the amusement tax was aimed at such things as ticketed professional sporting event shows, Concerts, horse racing events, and other "shows" shown for amusement. Also included is video games, pinball, and such. Yhe law does not clearly exclude youth sports, because for some reason, it includes rentals of sport equipment, which is needed, I guess, for the kids to participate in Crown activities. This is clearly an absence in clarity in the law itself that laid an ugly hand on Crown, who is not "selling" the youth sports as a ticketed sporting event to patrons looking for entertainment. Because the law did not specifically exclude Crown's type of business, under the stupid, inadequately explained and unclear law, Crown fell into this category. Someone finally figured this out, and I would expect that there would be a clarification law presented to the County on the next Ballot that adds proper wording or clause to this existing law.
Barry G
No Charge
I'll tell you how I was learned...Give them ice hockey, and they will come (a' la Hog Neck/Piney Orchard)..talk is cheap when you drop the gloves at center ice..SU club guys; give Mr. Bobby a message if you need a "stay at home" defenseman for the playoffs!
I am pleased to see this decision. I commend the Council members for their good judgement. This facility is a local treasure for our youth and some adults. It has wonderful support and I hope it has many prosperous years. Thank you Wicomico County Council members. Mike Mercer and Bill Hearne, keep up the good work.
Reese Bobby,
Sorry, I didn't notice your name on your first post(1:02), my error.
Going after a reduced tax rate is great, and more power to whomever does it and gets it. But until you get your relief, you still pay your owed dues. Now that's genuine and pragatic don't you think? Or else we'd all come up with all sort of good arguments as to why we didn't pay our dues, and hope all councils would be as magnanimous as this one and forgive our penalties & interest.
By the way you missed on the gender there. Not only big boys get on Joe's site;)...
6:56. What an eloquent load of bovine guano. That type of subterfuge didn't work for my wife a couple hours ago when she needed me to take the garbage out (AGAIN!), so there is no way I let you slide...;)
Maybe, if they had also asked that in light of waiving the tax, the Center also agree to allow a % of kids to attend under a reduced fee/scholarship basis. Not everyone can begin to afford the fees to "play" at Crown. Every activity, including league practice, incurs a fee. At least with the County, the fees are affordable for most and teams can practice without paying to use the fields. The County's programs aren't perfect, but neither are the programs at Crown.
Reese Bobby,
You see, we agree on Eloquance!
But I am going to slide... Gotta feed the Bovines in the morning:):)
Interesting?? What percentage of children use the Crown Sports Center? What about the other children? What benefits do most children get? What nice salary do the owners get and their personnel?? I have a lot of questions to ask? Could Crown be interviewed on Phil Tilghman show? Do the children get in the movies free? Do they get a percentage off their shoes to play school sports? What does Mitchell's and the other gyms get? Can we open the skating ring back up at the Civic Center this time for the kids free admission? Where does it stop? Where is the equity?
to anon 547 I dont eat at IHOP. I usually have diiner with your mother. It is losers like you that work for no matter what your oppion of the the poiice may be. i have seen your kind a thousand times. run your mouth hiding behind a Blog. You couldnt do my job. We have standards and cowards need not apply. Now go back to hitting your bong and being the loser you have ben your whole life. if i had to guess it is JR again dont you have some girls to stalk. it is just a matter of time and you will get all that has ben coming to you for a long time
Crown is a cash cow. My children can't afford to play there and now they are getting a tax break. Wicomico County is for the rich. Sheriff Lewis is the only one looking out for everyone. Can we turn everything over to him?
I really think this is a ball of crappp! I can't aford to take my kids thier and now they don't have to pay the tax. What a crock. I remember years ago when I was a kid you had towns with teams and to get to practice you walked or road a bike, now their are no more home teams and you have to drive you kids,not only that but some of these people come from as far as cambrige and such.
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