"With a gross income of some $36 million dollars a year, the residential rental industry here is huge. (8000 homes/apartments/etc. x 75% x $500/month x 12 month(most likely a very low figure.) Taking the basic rent at $750 per month per unit, the number could be as high as $54 million. Yes, dollars. And this doesn't speak to the students who are ponying up $500 apiece to live in a single unit, which might take the number to better than $70 million. Yes, dollars.
When the Dream Team ran, it was rumored that SAPOA visited each one of the candidates (Dunn, Comegys, Cathcart) and told them that they'd never have to lift a finger to fundraise. The recent election, in which SAPOA (courtesy of Richard Insley, a premier member of the group) sent letters to renters (mainly students) that demonized those running against the mayor's picks (Comegys, Adkins, etc.) serves to remind us how powerful (and self-serving) SAPOA is. A review of the donation listings for those candidates, compared to the publicity they bought (signs, radio, flyers, mailings, etc.) indicates that at least one of them spent far in excess of what he took in. Nowhere in the listings do we see "in kind" donations to those candidates, so we have to assume that much of the money to purchase this volume of advertising was provided off the books, under the table, on the sly.
It'll be the same story this election, too. There is no way to adequately measure the number of signs a less than upright candidate puts out, nor how much he actually spent on radio, tv, or whatever, and there is no regulatory agency here (Election Board? - Yeah, right.) to ensure that one candidate doesn't cheat in this manner.
This effort to unseat the Barrie Tilghman machine (Gary Comegys, Shanie Shields and Louise Smith) will have to be a grassroots effort. Everyone who knows that the time has to be right now to change the tone of our local government to one that is fiscally conservative, infrastructure maintaining, business friendly and citizen centered is now or not within the next two years, or four years, for that matter. Another four years of profligate spending, currying favor with businesses that don't return a dime to the community (but, instead, suck off of it) and lying about everything that is a shortcoming in our government is not only frightening, it's a path to destruction. So would it be if Gary Comegys became mayor, and if a Tilghman/Comegys patsy were appointed to fill his council seat.
The grassroots effort has to come from each of us who know that the change has to come. Each of us has to bring ten, twenty, fifty others to the polls to right this wrong; others who know that the vote can be manipulated by the likes of SAPOA and Barrie and Gary's other cronies, who don't really give a damn about really changing this town to bring it to be all that it can be, unless, of course, it means money in their own pockets.
Okay. I'm done."
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
13 comments:
How true this is. It will take word of mouth to friends, neighbors and students to get the real word out on how the Tilghman/Comegys/ SAPOA team really works.
Elections are calculated strategies to get a person or persons into power to achieve their wishes. SAPOA would be one of them. Slumlords who get special treatment or favors. The public believes their vote counts, but how wrong they are most of the time. Groups like SAPOA have too much to lose and will do anything to get their way. They have had free rein and have destroyed the city that we remember with their rentals.
The chain can be broken with honest candidates like MS. Campbell,Cohen, Caldwell and Chaney. Political representation with your interest in mind and not SAPOA. Massive voter turnout with educated voters will turn the tide for the better. Dont let the mystery voters rob the future of your City once again. Be present and let your voices be heard loud and clear. It can be done and its time to take your city back.
SMALL WORLD, ISN'T IT?
At lunch today, this nugget:
Bubba Comegy's first supervisor in his State Highway job was none other than Barrie's father!
So true, Crystal Clear. Money talks, and when money doesn't work, underhanded strategies, such as Insley's infamous letter to renters, Barrie Tilghman's lies about Tim Spies, and Comegys' grinning "I didn't have anything to do with it" posturing. Well, the donation lists have everything to say about who the money comes from (maybe Joe could dig them up for us). The Tilghman/Comegys team will resort to virtually anything save battery (well, maybe even that, if times get rough) to keep control of the Tilghman/SAPOA cash cow. They plot, they act, all with a strategy in mind and a goal seen.
Miracles can happen. To unseat these liars and cheats will be one of those miracles. Talk it up. Make it happen.
What is SAPOA?
I would also like to know what SAPOA stands for, also the Names of the slumlords that are in this group. Thanks for any info you can supply.
SAPOA= Salisbury Area Property Owners Association
SAPOA is the acronym for Salisbury Area Property Owners. Their website can be found (along with their mission statement) at www.sapoa.com. As the mission statement says, it is an association of property owners (read: landlords) who gather together to protect their interests, both financially and politically. Without a password, you won't get beyond the first page, as the contents are meant for SAPOA members and, ostensibly, their guests.
SAPOA was the entity that swayed the last election, by sending a letter out (written by Richard Insley, a man who owns or did own hundreds of rental properties in Salisbury - he no longer lives within city limits)to renters (mainly students) that said that certain candidates for city council would raise the rents and make rentals go away. The rents did raise, but it was only due to SAPOA members doing it, and this even when their choices for council were elected. As for making rentals go away, nothing could have been farther from the truth; having no rental properties in a city that has 75% or better in rental properties vs. homeowner occupied is, frankly, unimaginable. What they were afraid of, and still are, is that a new crop of council people would create legislation that would make housing more safe, more in compliance with State, Federal and City regulations, and maybe even cheaper. In the end, students came out in droves to vote for SAPOA's candidates, not knowing that they were being played the fools. Gary Comegys won the election by a scant 150 votes, even though he was overwhelmingly slammed by Tim Spies in debate and in forums held around the city and on TV. It was obvious that the students in question didn't pay any attention to the debates, but were suckered into voting for Comegys by Richard Insley and his lot. Since then, Comegys has voted the Mayor Tilghman line, just as he had for the several years before, keeping SAPOA members extremely happy, at the expense of homeowners and renters alike.
The message to the students? Get involved and vote, but know the issues and who it is that will represent them and who it is that will just take those votes and smirk on the way to the bank.
Does this answer your question?
AMEN, a thousand times AMEN!
4:04, SAPOA = Salisbury Area Property Owners Association, the landlords' group.
Whoops. I misspoke. SAPOA's website is no longer under www.sapoa.com. Anyone know where it is now, under what name/web address? Here's what you get when you go there:
This domain is for sale
- Limited offer USD1450 -
(This price is strictly non negotiable)
with Escrow.com Escrow process
Popularity
Contact
Tell a friend
The new website address for SAPOA is http://www.salisburyareapropertyownersassociation.com/.
The information hasn't changed, nor the ability of an outsider to view anything but the first page.
In addition to Insley's letter about rent going up, Landlord Donnie Williams tells his renters that the City Council passed what amounted to a renter's tax (licensing fee $50/yr) and that's part of why he has to raise their rent $25/mo or more, to make up for that. Talk about creating your own reality!
You can make contributions and volunteer fro Campbell's campaign at www.campbell4council.net
we like the sound of that..."The four C's".
I'm voting for Bob, nobody knows this town better,Caldwell, and Debbie, never too late to add up the money, Campbell. Would vote for Mr. Chaney, but he's out of district. And Ms. Cohen is not yet up for re-election.
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