It amazes me how many of our elected officials profess to be our representatives when, in fact, they should be deemed to be our enemy. Talk about pork barrel spending . . . . wait till you see these pork projects:
1. HB-125 - Creation of a State Debt - Baltimore County - Owings Mills Jewish Community Center - $500,000 grant for an electric generator
2. HB-204 - Creation of a State Debt - Montgomery County - Imagination Stage - $400,000 grant
3. HB-231 - Creation of a State Debt - Washington County - Doleman Black Heritage Museum - $100,000 grant
4. Creation of a State Debt - Anne Arundel County - Historical Freetown Renovation - $150,000
5. HB-276 - Creation of a State Debt - St. Mary's County - Pathway's Facility Renovation - $175,000
6. HB-324 - Creation of State Debt - Montgomery County - Damascus Heritage Museum - $200,000
7. HB-336 - Creation of a State Debt - Baltimore City - American Visionary Arts Museum - $150,000
8. HB-352 - Creation of a State Debt - Anne Arundel County - Benson-Hammond House Renovation - $150,000
9. HB-403 - Anne Arundel County - Historic London Town Visitors Center and Museum Loan of 2001 - $200,000
10. HB-658 - Creation of a State Debt - Montgomery County - Rockville Historic Post Office Renovation - $600,000
I could go on and on as the grant request are virtually endless but I believe one can get the general lowdown on just how frugal money really is!
Now folks. . . please take notice on where all of the money is being funneled. Look at the locations for which they are being appropriated. Notice a common thread. . . .THE MAJORITY OF MONEY IS GOING TO BALTIMORE, MONTGOMERY, PRINCE GEORGES, AND ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY.
For this reason I have, repeatedly, requested year-in-and-year-out for a State generated formula to be devised and given to each respective County so that the residents will know exactly how much is being collected and how much is being returned to each respective jurisdiction.
The point I'm trying to drive home is that last year Wicomico took-in 76 million dollars in sales tax collections. I truly believe our local residences should be informed about how much of it is being returned to our locality.
Maryland's former Comptroller said he has been asked about these figures from various sources throughout his history as Comptroller. I think the time is long OVERDUE for the information to be provided!
19 comments:
No shocker there. Those are the areas that elected Marty O. You can forget the Shore getting any of that Pork.
A succession movement should be made ASAP. I believe Maryland Senator Stoltzfus sponsored one a few sessions ago.
Even more reason for our side of the bridge to form our own self-determination.
Beazer, you're definately onto their shenanigans.
You know it's funny how some of our local elected officials will tout how the revenue cap is handcuffing them, but they don't see something as obvious as the sales tax collections from our area being withheld from our own jurisdiction by the vast numbers of representatives from across the bay. Makes you wonder about the quality of our elected Politicos doesn't it.
Nice work Beazer for unveiling this information.
What does Norman Conway say on this subject? He is the Chairman of Appropriations is he not? They are the yea or nay on every penny spent by the State? Also what does our other Delegates and Senators say about this wasteful Democratic spending? They are screwing the State worker by reducing their salaries and forcing furlough days on them, when they spend recklessly. Let the voters establish their pay raises, pay reductions and benefits.
There are alot of people in Maryland who don't understand why our State treasury is broke.
The biggest difference in Delaware and Maryland is that Delaware's corruption is less prominent than in Maryland.
The political corruption in Maryland is rhampant.
everybodys friend and good neighbor is absolutely appalled by this. all of this wasted money could be used to bail out some of our neighbors who are behind in their mortgages or even help out with essential utilities or groceries. this is not good karma.
hows bout we use somes of this pork to feed the poor and homeless.
also you will not get those numbers from the current Gov. nor the comptroller. Look who is supporting and caused them to get elected. We will continue to be kept in the dark as long as we have our current delegation from wic cty in Annapolis. They are simply pawns for the Gov and do not represent us nor have the spine to do such
Actually, in the entire state budget, the wealthier counties in the "metro core" of Maryland get the short end of the stick. They pay much more than they get back, and counties on the shore get more than they pay to the state.
And we get plenty of pork thanks to Conway -- recall a few years ago he got a big chunk (over $250,000) for the Rotary Club headquarters ("boy scout camp") on Riverside Drive. And now millions for that park land (at $10,000 per acre) near Hebron and the land at the old mall across from the Civic Center (about $250,000 per acre).
You better leave well enough alone, sports fans, as long as he's our man in Annapolis.
Response to 12:37 Post
I don't know where you are getting your information because I have personally spoken to the Comptrollers office many times and they have informed me that there is no way of presently telling how much each jurisdiction is being returned from the Sales Tax Collections. Moreover, the Comptrollers office has informed me that they are asked this question many times each year. The last administration was working on a formula so that the information could be made readily available.
I can tell you this much - from the County Budgets I have investigated I can tell you first hand that each year the Sales tax collections are way-up the local budgets don't really like to disclose nor reveal what they expect to collect in additional revenues from the State Sales Tax collection reimbursements.
This method should change ASAP.
One thing that really bothers me about Norm Conway is that he simultaneously drew a salary from the Board of Education as a Delegate as he lobbied for more money for none other . . . than the Board of Education. Where were Maryland's ethical laws and oversight commmission?
He may be a good man but it looks really bad when you conduct business behind 'closed doors'. In any other profession he would have been booted out.
And then came the unethical violation of trying to nationalize the nations largest employer, Wal-mart, through the sponsorship of the Maryland's Fair Share Health Act.
I can only speak for myself but I'm not supporting his re-election.
He's been there way to long.
One thing that really bothers me about Norm Conway is that he simultaneously drew a salary from the Board of Education as a Delegate as he lobbied for more money for none other . . . than the Board of Education. Where were Maryland's ethical laws and oversight commmission?
He may be a good man but it looks really bad when you conduct business behind 'closed doors'. In any other profession he would have been booted out.
And then came the unethical violation of trying to nationalize the nations largest employer, Wal-mart, through the sponsorship of the Maryland's Fair Share Health Act.
I can only speak for myself but I'm not supporting his re-election.
He's been there way to long.
12:37 It's always amusing when conservatives on welfare (i.e. red states and red counties,...) think that they'd be better off financially by breaking away.
Conservatives complain bitterly about welfare without realizing that they're the ones on the receiving end!! When it comes to paying for stuff, it seems that liberals do the heavy lifting...
I have to ask, do you enjoy posting items that will show a general without going into detail? In reference to the posting for Freetown. This specific $150k is going to revamp the elementary school in that area. This specific neighborhood is one that was a slum and has been on a constant incline for the past 6 years(give or take a year). The school went from one of the worst in Maryland to one of the top. I don't see where there is an issue with renovating a school that has earned it.
Get off of the western shore kick and put a little thought into the fact town on the shore bleed the system for unneeded as well. For example the town of Vienna that sucked millions from the federal government as well as the state government for floating docks. Really? Is that a NEED?? Absolutely not, but they did it. They even went above and beyond to get the funding by forcing residents outside of the towns limits to switch from private wells to public water and sewage because without those homes, they would not qualify for the money. Or, how about the $180 quarterly water and sewage bill that provides the residents with water that can be any color of the rainbow and has more cholorine in it than is safe to swim in much less drink!
Stop trying to show one side of the story, hoping readers do not want to take the time to investigate your misleading statements. Deception is not appealing and makes you no better than those you try to expose! Rather than attemping to place blame on other areas how about taking some action to change the way things are run right here in your own back yard?
To 6:09 Post
Can you help me out here. What does what your saying have 'to do with the tea in China'.
Am I missing something?
7:31 He's saying that some of the things on the list are worthy of support. ...that reasonable people would support them even in this time of tight budgets if they knew the all of the facts. Here at this blog they are put up for ridicule while supporting information is omitted.
I'm very much against pork at the federal level, but at the state and local level, this is how such projects are always funded.
I've looked at these in some detail. I'd vote to fund about half of them. It's a mixed bag.
If you are broke, you don't spend, period.
I've read most of them too. I am astounded that if our coffers are in such dire straits then why are our legislators ignoring budget constraints.
The article says he could go on an on in listing these bogus projects. I wonder how many more there are being proposed to be funded.
This type of legislative activity should not be allowed to go on especially with the way the economy is.
I absolutely agree. The legislators should not be funding these type of projects.
I'm sure if a poll were taken you would find the vast majority of people would be opposed to this type of pork barrel spending.
This is a disgrace.
Post a Comment