It is interesting to note that The Daily Times reporter, Greg Latshaw, chose to report on SU's latest acquisition - Dresser Industries property. It would have been nice and fitting for a former Daily Times reporter, Joe Cacchiolli, to have authored the writing as he had in-depth knowledge and had extensively researched the deal some years ago.
You see the former Daily Times reporter knew full well that it looked very bad, both, politically and economically, for another private enterprise firm to have 'bitten the dust' I knew this as he contacted me on numerous occasions to try and 'smoke-out' the dissemination of adverse propaganda.
But I believe that Janet Dudley-Eshbach's latest announced SU move 'takes the cake' especially in light of the fact that the projected State budget deficits are expected to exceed 2 billion dollars by the next fiscal year, even despite State worker furloughs.
The University system is suppose to enlighten ones logic which brings me to the million dollar question. Where are all of the graduates going to work in Maryland's new found Industrial ghost town? What could have caused such a catastrophic deterioration in our industrial environment? Could it have been the overburdening system itself that has suffocated so many of Maryland's industrial giants?
There are very few industries left here in and around Wicomico. Most have moved overseas to China, Taiwan, Mexico. According to The Daily Times previous reporting article Wicomico's latest fatality, Powerwave, was suppose to become the new eastcoast silicon valley.
Better wake up folks. You've been hoodwinked once again by none other than one of your own educational institutions.
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
50 comments:
This has been a question for a long time, look at the demographics of salisbury. How many 22-40 year olds are there?
Most people graduate and leave, because there are no jobs for them here. This has been a problem for quite some time. Does not seem to be getting any better either.
Joe:
I think you should post again the 50+ business closure list.
Seeing is believing and there is nothing more breathtaking than actually seeing the Business closure list for our area and the number of displaced employees.
Beazer is definately 'on-point'
Beezer is not "on-point". If anything, Beezer exhibits a serious lack of knowledge when it comes to his chosen subject matter. He knows not of what he speaks.
I have to admit i don't understand the implications behind this purchase. It's the property across college avenue from super fresh right? How have we been hoodwinked and how is this bad for our local economy? If SU bought the property it's because the previous owners couldn't make it profitable right? I don't see how it's a bad thing for the University to grow. Can someone please explain.
I don't believe your average taxpayer will ever know the full details of this acquisition. The DT article says that Confidentiality Agreements prevent disclosure of the particulars of the transaction.
Bottom line, taxpayers are left in the dark. One would think that this kind of dark activity would be a criminal offense. Transparency is important for any above board culture. I guess things are run different in Maryland.
It must be refreshing to know that the "Dud" has all this money for purchases within the city; while the state employees feel the pinch with furlough days.
Within the last year, they purchased: Merritt's Gym, Dresser property, all of Allenwood for housing, Shoreland Freezer, new parking garge.
At least we know the univerity of maryland or Salisbury University is not in a recession.
Response to 10:37 Post
Failure to disclose used to be a criminal activity. That was when America was operating as a Republic.
The article sums it up when it says 'Socialist Move'. If you haven't observed, we're now a Socialist culture.
Yeah, the Dresser building was doing much better for the community when it was vacant. How many people does SU employ? I'm sorry they don't have as many lower level positions as you'd like, but I don't think giving teaching jobs to many people that have earned their Ph,Ds is a bad thing.
Some of us have been saying this for years. JDE=BPT. I think that should say enough. No matter how many pretty brick buidings they surround themselves with, they are, and always will be, greedy, ugly succubi.
This is exactly why I come to SBYnews.
You are getting the real deal here. Unobstructed, unbiased news.
This is the way America used to be.
You'll never read about this in The Daily Times. SBYnews is to Wicomico what FOX is to the TV media.
It seems that it is so good for our children to have another parking lot.
But where are the 1k plus employees that once worked there going to get a job?
I wonder where the elite are going to get a job?
So your kid is a rocket scientist where is he or she going to work?
God help us all we aint goin to make it....
Dresser has been gone for years. So you wake up!
You wouldn't want to see SBY if the University wasn't there.
Best thing would be for SU to buy up all the local businesses.
Also... it's "knew" not "new".
"You see the former Daily Times reporter new full well that it looked"
Sounds like you could go to SU for a few classes.
Salisbury University is poised to reach a population of 25,000 under grads in the next 10 yrs. This is the plan (check recent Regents meeting notes). The University Foundation is funded via donations of alumni so don't worry about your tax $$ being involved (they weren't). In time SU will stretch all the way down Camden Ave. to the downtown. When this occurs Salisbury will be cleaned up.
Where is Vic Laws Sr? I can remember when the County tried a secret land acquisition for the Rufus Johnson property near the Village in the Park. Vic Laws erupted on the scene and demanded the secret negotiations be made public.
Back then it was to the tune of a paultry $40,000 dollars. At the price tag for SU I would think there would be another prominent lawyer to 'step-up to the plate'.
Read the Manifesto.
"Within the last year, they purchased: Merritt's Gym, Dresser property, all of Allenwood for housing, Shoreland Freezer, new parking garge. At least we know the univerity of maryland or Salisbury University is not in a recession."
It is my understanding that these properties all come off the tax roles when they are owned by the University or the University Foundation. If so, these acquisitions are a drain. Think of all of the valuable residential property that has been purchased by SU...same result...no more tax revenue, yet they receive services from city and county. Will they try to push Hearn through as another public/private partnership with a payment in lieu of taxes at50% of what they would otherwise owe? That's what the other university sponsored housing pays (University Village - I think it's called. I like having the University here, but if there is money to purchase valuable property there should be payment to the local jursidictions to replace the real estate taxes that are lost. As a commerical entity what do you think an operation like Dresser, Shoreland, or Merrit paid in local taxes in a year?
What a laugh. None of the local kids can really afford SU's (constantly rising tuition). Seriously, what is an SU graduate (after surviving the glorious 6-7 year B.A. process there due to chronic hangovers and wonderful tanning opportunities) going to do to pay off those tens of thousands of dollars in student loans? Work a McShake machine on Rt.13 part-time with no benefits? Of course not, they are going to see if they have any chance of getting their security deposit back because someone vomitted on the ceiling during the graduation beer pong match, and then cross the Bay Bridge to places where they can get a real job. Wor-Wic (or just taking a couple years to travel) will fit the budgets around here much better-and quite frankly I have found the instructors and supporting staff much more friendly. And if the SU president can find time to stop massaging lotion on her ego (in another resource she is quoted as referring to this acquisition as SU's version of the "Louisiana Purchase"), maybe she can focus more on providing better security for her students and a better quality of education (believe me 11:20...talk to many of them about current events-they are not rocket scientists).
One would think that an economic impact statement would have been done to have made the public aware of the substantial decrease in real property revenue as a result of the acquisitions by the College.
I hope everyone contacts their Congressman about sponsoring legislation that will preclude any more College acquisitions in the future.
Response to 11:57 Post
You can forget it. Ole Norm Conway has been operating as double dipper for years. He and his wife draw a pension from none other than the Board of Education while simultaneously drawing from the tax coffers of our legislature.
Thus, we taxpayers are screwed yet again.
To Anon 11:40 AM:
You said: "As a commerical entity what do you think an operation like Dresser, Shoreland, or Merrit paid in local taxes in a year?"
Perhaps that is part of the reason they left. I think the villain of this story is the local/state climate that is making Salisbury a less than optimal location for commercial business. Salisbury University isn't the bad guy here -- no tax money was used in these acquisitions.
Your point is well made about removing these properties from the local tax base, but once again that is the state/local tax codes that makes it possible. The University is growing, and believe it or not, bringing money into our economy. Because of that growth they need more land -- simple as that. Be happy we have the university here, and write your representatives to make Maryland more biz-friendly.
I would like to see some paperwork on just went on behind closed doors to clean that soil. I bet that stinks. What will the clean-up process consist of????
One more thing, when contractors get jobs to build all these college buildings are they required to show proof of citizenship of their men and woman workers???
12:00. OMG...after all we have gone through locally here in the last decade, you are not seriously trying to "yanky my wanky" by employing the "Growf' be payin for Growf'" subterfuge are you? And if you are that naive, I am prepared to sell you the 7th floor of PRMC.
A few years ago it was decided that SU and a few other MD universities were to grow and increase enrollment. There is no shortage of applicants and the school is doing what it has to do to meet the demand that they were TOLD to meet.
Dresser is long gone, so what is the problem with the state purchasing the property? You seem to have issues with education as much as with the purchase of the property.
The graduating students will find jobs and they are. It is a tight market right now, but it will improve.
Your post makes it seem as if you have something against an education. Don't you think there is already enough uneducated people around to work at Walmart and Mcdonalds? Education level is a major determing factor for income. So why not promote and encourage education? Everything,including education has a cost.
There goes another piece of commercial property removed from the tax base.
12:29. Oh no you didn't. I am a graduate of SU twice. Not only couldn't get gainful work here then(even before the avalanche of the current recession)with the BA or the MA, I had to tap deep into Uncle Sugar's pockets to get a form of education that really works (and even that profession is glutted with people moonlighting as bartenders and landscapers and such to help make ends meet these days).I am not against education, but from what I see from the state of higher education today, it has absolutely nothing to do with educating these students properly and guiding them onto a marketable career track. Now it has more to do with getting as many bodies as possible squeezed onto the campus so that you can fleece their mommies and daddies of thousands and thousands and thousands and thousands of dollars in tuition to build pretty buildings, provide higher salaries for tenured faculty/admin, and getting publicity for the athletic teams. Your type of minimizing and sticking your head in the sand can only be explained in one of two ways 1) You are incredibly naive or 2) Your hands are smack in the middle of the money trail in this madness. I know the answer I am filling in for you on my scan-tron sheet. Quite frankly, many of you administrators should feel absolutely ashamed of yourselves.
Looks like SU is the only successful operation in Salisbury. The majority of their profits come from outside of Salisbury, the majority of its operations staff are "comehere's", and yet the locals still reject SU even though it is keeping the town from going under.
Looks the like Salisbury needs to do some reorganization and start coming up with revitalization plan.
Joe. BTW. I agree with other commenters here that this would be a good time to reproduce that list of "Joe Everyman" type jobs that have been lost here during the last decade or so. The only reason I had a chance to be born and do my own thing is because back in the day my grandfather was blessed to have a wonderful job at Campbell Soup (back in the days where good character, work ethic and a free high school education allowed you to actually live the "American Dream" without going to your grave with student loan debt). Some of the people commenting here need to see the current dark reality for almost all of the hard-working community instead of those few trying to keep up with the obscene materialism glorified on t.v. by the "Housewives {Gold-Diggers}of Orange County" and "My Sweet Sixteen."
1:22. OK, now I know you are just an idiot. SU isn't a "successful operation," it is a "state sponsored cash cow" that operates with a state-sponsored financial/tax stacked deck that ensures local small businesses don't have the chance to be competitive against them. BTW....since you guys and gals are so overwhelmingly smarter than us there, have you finally learned to operate your Facebook pages properly yet?
I don't think putting a lock on the buying of property by the university is the correct direction to move in. Just the opposite. Let me sell them my property I own on Loblolly Lane and I can finally cash out on my investment. I want them to expand, they are just expanding the wrong direction.
But all of them "rocket scientist" sure arn't. The illeagal parking up and down on Loblolly Lane has been increasing. Why don't the school teach a reading coarse on "How to interprate Street Signs"
"No Parking" does not mean for anyone but students. I have on several different occasions barely avoided backing out of my drive only to just miss the line of cars that are there. When issue is taken up with the drivers, they must have been schooled in handling these situations. They appear to be truly sorry and then just park three spots down the road. The local police , when called, make you feel you are being a burden on them. And lastly, the University, who is the reason for these cars being on my communities street in the first place, has taken a "hands off" approach. Saying that they don't have anything to do with the public roads.
I'm getting off base, sorry, I do think that the tax money that is lost from the universitys accuzations should be incurred by the university. After all , their gradurates are going to end up monitoring that parking facility, or heading up the grounds keeping. The more they grow , the more need for lawn keepers. Why not pay for what you get. As far as their receptiveness to handling the troubles that have arisen from their continually growing size, they are rude, noses stuck up their behinds, a holes. They pretend to help the community with a day the students perform small jobs around my neighborhood. But you have to be a alumnus it seems in order to get the help.
Enough bitching for one year, I sa hold them responsible for the taxes they have cost the community . Aren't they a Tax Exempt Facility since they grew into a university ? Now how is the money made st the shopping centers they own , being taxed. Or is it.
Just being curious .
Reference Reese Bobby:
You make more sense than any of your counterparts.
The college is costing our locality in all areas, lost County, City, and State Property Revenues. Moreover, the State subsidies are a burden on our Society because it is a COST, not an asset. You couldn't have said it better when you said it was a White Elephant in that the only advancement is for the faculty and subsidy recipients. If it was so successful then why would all of the businesses have left.
It is also costing our municipalities increased operational cost in Police, Ambulance, and Rescue.
2:24. Thank you for having the stones to notice-I do not win (nor even try to win, because of my outrage) phony popularity contests. One obvious SU administrator/dirty hands supporter here quoted the eventual goal to have 25K students on campus. Do you realize how absolutely ridiculous that figure is when you are talking about potential career placement/adequate campus housing/safety for these graduates in/near Salisbury as future TAXPAYING PERMANENT RESIDENTS!! I was on campus during the leadership of Dr. Bellavance (when the surrounding borders were under the control of Chief Dykes). What you see unfolding before you right now is nothing less than a "golem." And I will not allow that type of "white collar" scam/abuse to go unchecked as long as I have a voice. It is in extremely poor taste that SU higher-ups feast on subsidized chocolate mousse while telling the local tax-paying city residents to be satisfied with their (moldy) cake. And if JDE wants a little piece of this debate with me...sound off like you have a tapir-because the head of the snake always contains the toxins. You should be unbelievably ashamed of what you have done to this once fine environment of true learning.
The SU Foundation is a separate entity from the University itself. The Foundation is very heavily endowed; the $5.5 billion represents a small part of the Foundation's assets. I think that the decision to buy the Dresser property is very foreward-thinking. The institution must think way ahead, as the student population will grow, and more space will be needed. Just as PRMC purchased the former Daily Times property even when they're not sure how they will use it, so the SU Foundation took wise advantage of this opportunity.
Wow, I am really impressed with the conversation here. These are all good points by both sides (pro-university growth; anti-university growth).
One thing I would like to add, though, is that some of you are linking Salisbury's loss of industry to the physical growth of Salisbury University. I would say that both are symptoms of a wider ailment: our changed economy (for better or for worse). The university's growth is not causing the loss of industry; rather, both are occurring at the same time.
The loss of manufacturing to Mexico and Asia is symptomatic of increasing competition from around the world along with the abolition of import taxes and fees in the name of "globalization".
These decisions were POLITICAL decisions, and it is our local, state and national leaders who we should be holding accountable.
Look where these globalization policies have gotten us in 2008!
Mark
Wow is right!
This post has literally set off a tidal wave of controversy. And it definately needs to be revisited.
One thing I have noticed and to my knowledge the University has not briefed the County Council nor the City Council concerning their continued expansion plans. I would have thought that given the magnitude of their growth plans the very least Janet-Dudley Eshbaugh should have done is to have addressed the displacement of private sector jobs and the adverse impact it is having on the real property tax rolls for Wicomico County and the City of Salisbury.
In this area the University has been complacent to say the least.
How many parents are going to able to AFFORD to send their kids off to college next fall if the economy does not improve ?
And whatever happened to emphasizing Vocational Education ? Learning a skilled trade that stays in demand regardless of the economy is going to guarantee a job right out of school.Auto mechanics and HVAC techs make some decent change (some making more than college grads)and they do not start out with a buttload of student loan debt.
I'll tell you who really is being ahafted and that is the City residents who are being assessed in order to make-up the difference and short fall caused for all of the College acquisitions. And I would have thought that the City/County Planning commissions would have tackled this before addressing any other City/County issues. If this isn't a priority I don't know what is.
My 20 year old daughter is an SU student and city homeowner. The revenue that 25,000 or whatever number of college students bring to this city's tax paying businesses is a good thing, whether you like it or not. Those kids buy food, entertainment, clothes, flowers, and stupid shift.Daughter pays her taxes, and the world turns. If the ones writing in here want jobs, that's fine. Judging from the spelling difficulties demonstrated by most of the complainers, running a business like Dresser would be beyond their capabilities. In fact, a flower shop would seem an insurmountable challenge. So if you subtract their banter from this blog, you are left with some pretty positive people commenting here.
To those others, go back to elementary and high school, learn to spell so you can get in to SU, take business courses, GRADUATE, and start a business that employs people who can't spell. THIS is how you can serve your community.
(note: "shift" is intentionally misspelled in this post as it represents a word that may prevent this from getting posted! WHO KNEW?)
Very few grads work in the area after they finish school
and this is typical.
Dresser had a union and they , like crown , caused the shut-down.
I'm happy for the S.U. purchase.
I'm happy to see SU expand. It saddens me greatly that I will have to pick up the tab in the form of increased property taxes due to this expansion. Something has got to give.
Barry G.
You are to applauded for raising a responsible and independent daughter.,,but something you said in your comment left a bad taste in my mouth and that was
"a flower shop would seem an insurmountable challenge. "
My stepmother owns and operates a very busy and successful flower shop that employs several FT employees and she is one of the smartest people I know.
Sorry I meant "to BE applauded".
maybe we could get the money su is using to put in the the infrastructure of our sorry a$$ school buildings and lack of space.
Totmom, I didn't mean to specify any certain small business; our complainers are mentioning large corporates, like Dresser-Wayne. Running one of those would be different than a small mom and pop operation "like" a flower shop. I have been involved in both, and our complainers need to crawl before they could walk. I, personally prefer my small business rather than being in the "corporate" sector, and I think I'm smart by choosing that as well!
Oh, and thanks for the edit! Seeing mistakes and reaching to correct them is what puts one out front!
"Salisbury University is poised to reach a population of 25,000 under grads in the next 10 yrs. This is the plan (check recent Regents meeting notes)."
Source, please. Seriously, source it. You can't. Your specious claims are completely baseless.
Good lord the stupidity level of these accusations claiming that SU is taking advantage of anyone in this deal leaves me breathless.
1: SU is not making the purchase with taxpayer’s funds
2: Dresser Wayne (actually Halliburton) has been trying to dump that decrepit, obsolete, environmentally contaminated property for YEARS. The University purchase is a godsend for them.
Dresser/Halliburton has been negotiating with the university for YEARS to get past the massive environmental problems, and other issues of the property. Any person who thinks this is some shady, secretive deal is smoking crack, and lots of it.
To the credulous numbskulls who think Tilghman is making industrial business leave poor little Salisbury I've got a newsflash for you, she has almost nothing to do with it. The vast majority of the time large, national or regional industrial businesses who re-locate from Salisbury or close up operations do so is because of macro-economic and market forces that have little if anything to do with municipal politics.
Energy costs, labor costs, changes in the economics of transportation, re-alignments in manufacturing and changing technologies have FAR more to do with businesses leaving than anything the Mayor does, even a relatively poor Mayor like Tilghman.
With Salisbury University, along with other USM schools, in a hiring freeze ... who is going to staff the newly acquired property? The state can acquire new property for education, yet cannot pay their employees to keep up with the rising cost of living? That's like a BPT decision!
As a native of Salisbury and an SU '08 grad (a rarity now!), it was no secret that there were virtually no jobs available to new grads in Salisbury. It took me (and my tax dollars) out of Salisbury to Boston.
For Salisbury University to say they are finacially in trouble or strapped for cash is ridiculos. Sounds like a repeat of the Big 3, flying in on their corporate jets crying poverty!
i was going to write a well thought out phenomenological account of what it's like for a student at SU and a longtime Salisbury Resident. But since no one answered my question (10:32 4th post) I will only say this:
It seems only a couple people realize the benefits the university bring to the city while also realizing the corruption within the university that hurts the city! many of you touch on these subjects without understanding both sides of it.
One comment on JBE: You know there are parking problems, yet JBE lives less than a block from campus but drives her overpriced gas guzzler to school every day. (literally right across the street), taking a spot that a commuting faculty member could use.
Don't defend her by saying that there is a spot just for her. Because she should give it up.
Such stupidity is demonstrated here by some.
SU is NOT scheduled to grow to 25,000 students in 10 years...or ever for that matter. 10,000 in 10 years is a stretch.
As for the purchase of Dresser, this will be a good thing for Salisbury because it's a good thing for the University. The success of the City and the University go hand-in-hand.
The loss of manufacturing jobs has nothing to do with SU. Those jobs left because the manufacturing costs were not competitive.
State tax dollars for a higher education system is money well spent. Study after study proves this.
what a fascinating read.To those of you worrying about taxpayer dollars, the SU Foundationis privately endowed.For those of you worrying about SU displacing private sector workers....HOW??...Dresser has been dormant for years. Shoreland had shut down. Merritt employees ,what few they had,almost all moved to World Gym.
To those of you worrying about clean up....the deal in contingent on a clean soil report and the building coming down.....I guess you would rather have contaminated soil and another Salisbury Mall eyesore for another decade.
To those of you decrying SU's tuition....check the rest of the University system....then check a comparable private college....SU is a bargain by any reasonable standard.
And before some of you start..I am in no way associated with SU.
Amazing the way people here bash an asset that most communities would LOVE to have.
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