Today's Daily Times publishes an editorial exhibiting the same lack of leadership, vision, and understanding of the issues as we discussed Wednesday in our post on the Wicomico "State of the County" address. Politics is obviously more important than facts; government spending more important than taxpayers.
Whining over the revenue cap is not going to solve anything. While an opponent of the revenue cap, I realize that the voters of Wicomico County do not (and should not) trust County Executive Rick Pollitt with a repeal. Now Pollitt, and the paper, are asking for a revision. This is not politically viable either because bold action requires leaders. To date we have none, either in the County Executive's office nor at Gannett's new digs in Northwood.
The Daily Times' argument about county revenue proves that they have no understanding of the real problem and seem to believe that government should just keep raising revenue to meet expenses, rather than solve the problems of spending AND the source of that spending:
Whining over the revenue cap is not going to solve anything. While an opponent of the revenue cap, I realize that the voters of Wicomico County do not (and should not) trust County Executive Rick Pollitt with a repeal. Now Pollitt, and the paper, are asking for a revision. This is not politically viable either because bold action requires leaders. To date we have none, either in the County Executive's office nor at Gannett's new digs in Northwood.
The Daily Times' argument about county revenue proves that they have no understanding of the real problem and seem to believe that government should just keep raising revenue to meet expenses, rather than solve the problems of spending AND the source of that spending:
The housing boom was in full swing, the economy was sailing along and property tax revenue from new construction was not affected by the cap for the first year. So any shortfalls were made up by the taxes collected on new construction, which was not included in the pot that is limited to 2 percent --or less, depending on the rate of inflation --more than the previous year's revenue.Read More ...
The decsions the council makes over the next two years will set the stage for the 2010 elections. If they don't cut the fat first the voters will do it for them in the next election.
ReplyDeleteThe city and county need to work together on all new appointments for planning and zoning, what we have now has destroyed what was this area's greatest asset.
Stevie Prettyman or Gail Barlovich for county executive could make things interesting.
ReplyDeleteI was incredulous as I read that editorial.It demonstrates a near total lack of understanding of the mechanics of the Revenue cap.
ReplyDeleteWhen it was before the electorate some years ago, was the Daily Times for or against the tax cap, or did it simply do a punt back then?
ReplyDeleteI recall that there was a lot of front page coverage of VOICE and Don Coffin, as well as the Chamber of Commerce (where VOICE often held meetings to plan its campaign) -- so it can be said that the newspaper really helped VOICE to get the tax cap to referendum.