Red Alert
Wicomico County Officials Declare War on Taxpayers
Hitler's propaganda minister, Joseph Goebbels, had the German people convinced that they were still winning the war as the Russians were rolling into Berlin. On Saturday November 21, 2009, County Executive, Rick Pollitt, unleashed his Propaganda Czar, Jim Fineran, on a campaign to convince Wicomico Taxpayers that they are not giving enough of their hard earned tax dollars to the county government.
We have seen in the past how they have tried to convince us that we were all duped into signing
petitions that put the Revenue Cap on the ballot for the citizens to vote on. They tried to make it
appear that we didn't really know what we were signing. Amazing! They were trying to be polite
about calling us stupid. Right Mr. Pollitt, like we believed it when we were told that the county was really concerned and looking out for our tax dollars after the "Landfill Oversight".
During the next several months Mr. Pollitt will be sending his Propaganda Czars out into the
communities to any venue that will accept them to start the brainwashing. They'll be putting up
more smoke screens than the California brush fires and using every sleigh of hand trick to
convince you that they have been "Good Stewards" of your tax dollars. Here comes the "Hook".
They will try to convince you to either repeal or "Modify" the Revenue Cap so that the "Good
County Stewarts", but only in times of declared Emergencies, can "Temporarily" raise your
property taxes. You know, kind of like when the Piggyback-Tax Rate was temporarily raised - ten years ago.
We ask all county residents to be on the lookout for the County’s paid Propagandist and expose
them for what they really are, Poor Managers of our tax dollars. You have formidable weapons to use against them. . . . . FACTS and TRUTH:
FACT: In 2001 Wicomico County had the fourth highest Property Tax Rate in Maryland. In 2009 Wicomico County had the fourth lowest Property Tax Rate. (Source: Maryland Association of Counties, pg 25, Table4.1).
TRUTH: The financial problems in Wicomico County are not caused by the taxpayers not paying enough of their hard earned money in taxes but by the overspending of county government. (Source: From the mouths of hard working Wicomico Citizens).
Hitler's propaganda minister, Joseph Goebbels, committed suicide before he could be brought to
justice. We believe that County Executive, Rick Pollitt, will be committing political suicide if he
chooses the path of going against the will of the People.
VOICE will meet with any organization armed with only FACTS and TRUTH and let you decide
on how you want your tax dollars spent.
John Palmer Jr.
9024 Star Road
Delmar, MD - President,
21875-2122
410 896-3670 VOICE
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
35 comments:
A good rule in most discussions is that the first person to call the other a Nazi automatically loses the argument.
See more on Godwin's Law here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godwin%27s_law
Thanks voice menbers and keep up the good work, my services have not been cut yet because I was not getting any to start with.
Same here. I often wondered how Rick got that job. We did fine without him and we sure can do no worse without him. The position needs to be vacated IMO
When your argument starts by invoking Hitler, it is apparent that you want to scare people rather than educate them. You people make me sick. Why can't honest people disagree on taxes and spending without either being a demon? I would vote to repeal the revenue cap just because of the way in which you try to defend it. Come on, people. Please tell me you can see through this guy. I may not agree with Pollitt's budget, but he is a good man who cares about people. I would rather have someone who tries his hardest to keep workers employed than some idiot who cries Hitler when he can't come up with any better defense for his opinions. Why don't you argue for the positive aspects of your own position (if you can) rather than resort to sensationalized scare tactics. You are an offense to all reasonable men and women who have the capability to see both sides of an issue, and then make a carefully considered decision. Shame on you!
Response to 12:58 - (Godwin's Law)
"If it looks like a Duck . . . walks like a Duck. . and quacks like a Duck . . .it must be a Duck"
Ref:
Wicomico's Easternshoreman Law
Let the Facts speak for themselves. . .bottom line. . .we're over taxed and spending has gone wild.
Fineran as Goebbels? What the hell is wrong with you?
Voice is my choice, please give an address for those who want to send a contribution to help the cause against County corruption. Thank you Joe and Voice for all you do.
Rick, have you thought of all of those taxpayers who collect Social Security? They will not be getting any increase for the next two years. Where are they supposed to come up with more money if they are already living on a tight income?
Leave Wicomico County before its to late. Take your children out of Wicomico County schools. Do whatever you can to find employment elsewhere other than Wicomico County. Sell your home. Wicomico County and the City of Salisbury have no future other than a crime riden, gang controlled cesspool of filth.
Sorry Mr. Palmer,
Your excessive drama leaves much to be desired, there was not one use of the words liberal or socialist. What a lightweight.
SMALLER GOVERMENT and less spending!
How about some suggestions from voice instead of only complaining. Don't be fooled, voice members are not concerned for you what so ever. They care only about their bottom line, and realestate deals.
Without ANY professional leadership the county will have bigger issues than we already have to deal with. Just as the City of Salisbury would benefit from replacing an elected amateur with an educated and experienced manager, theoretically the county should also be in better stead with a pro at the helm. HOWEVER, for any elected official to actively campaign for something which enhances their position isn't cool...not at all.
These people should back off before they lose whatever credibility they might still have.
AND spend their time trying to make our government as efficient as is possible.
Say No to career politicians. Pollitt must go.. One term is all we can stand of him. Get rid of McCann while were at it.
VOICE has plenty of good suggestions. For one, Politt should start with a O-based budget. Secondly, cut the pork from the school budget. Third, turn the Civic Center into a money maker by selling beer there.
After reading some of these anti-revenue cap comments I cannot believe what I'm reading. The type people who are advocating the revenue cap repeal are the same types that 'burned the books' in Nazi Germany.
Look all around you. Is not the Local, State, and Federal Governments taking private lands like there is no tomorrow. Just look at the evidence all around you. It is compelling.
I'll tell you who is creating a revenue cap, it is your very own local, State, and Federal governments. They are taking private lands and removing them off the taxrolls like there is no tomorrow. This action in itself is creating yet another revenue cap because it is removing substantial income from the real property tax rolls. In essense we have created two revenue caps.
Whoa, now, Mr. Palmer. This is some pretty rough rhetoric here.
I am fully in favor of keeping the revenue cap, but I find your approach to this discussion well over the edge.
As stated earlier, your invoking Hitler does nothing but discredit you and bring even more negative feelings toward VOICE.
I think Mr Pollitt is basically a good fellow, but like most local govt people, he's got a bad habit-- going on the assumption that we'll keep doing what we've been doing, but we just need to increase revenue.
CUTS NEED TO BE MADE.
Yes-- that means some 'services' (and some people) will be gone, but many should never have started.
And for those who moved here from elsewhere and complain that they don't get what they had where they came from-- think about it-- that's what ruined the place you came from.
Do you want to go back to paying $13,000/yr in taxes? I don't think so.
Mr Palmer-- you owe Mr Pollitt an apology for your rhetoric. And you should do it publicly, since you used this forum to bash him publicly.
Let's keep the discussion of this issue honest and civil.
If they still had the auditor that was fired for digging up some potential fraud - I would ask that the entire set of books be gone through - there's plenty of waste...let alone corruption.
Mr. Palmer,
I'm sorry, but you lost me there. Comparing these fellow citizens to the Nazis is waaaay over the line, and a huge disrespect to the millions who lost their homes, families, and lives to the Nazis.
Disagree with the county gov't and its policies if you feel the need, but to stoop to these tactics is divisive and only leads one to question the strength of your argument.
If this statement is representative of VOICE, I would seriously think hard before voting for someone and/or a referendum position they endorse.
Disgusting.
Mr. Palmer:
Flattery will get you nowhere.
Jim F.
Don't understand the big deal with the revenue cap. From my understanding it is only imposed on property taxes. The public meeting the other night showed a revenue gap of $10.4M for this year and over the next four years,
it showed something like $33
or $34M. That, my friends, has nothing to do with the property taxes. The gap is in the income taxes and record taxes. I say if you get rid of the revenue cap your property taxes will more than likely be increased. (and mind you, property taxes increase every year due to the rise in assessments.) I can't afford any more taxes and I know no one that can.
a monkey could do a better job than the rick and ted show this is the first time in over 15 years that i have lived here, county employees have to give their hard earned money back to the county (FURLOW MONEY) so they can pay their bills who is helping us
It's already to late to save the sinking ship.
Like the gentleman said at the Civic Center budget hearing - 'the wealthy have already moved out of here'.
As for myself I can't take another increase in taxes as my property tax assessments have already increased to much. The State increase in the assessments were at a historical record high across the State.
I hope the revenue cap stays forever in place.
Long Live The Revenue Cap.
"Leave Wicomico County before its to late. Take your children out of Wicomico County schools. Do whatever you can to find employment elsewhere other than Wicomico County. Sell your home. Wicomico County and the City of Salisbury have no future other than a crime riden, gang controlled cesspool of filth."
Already did! I come to this site to remind me why I left and feel terribly sorry for the friends I left behind. I loved the Eastern Shore most of my life. When the politicians got elected to increase their wealth only it became what the old govenor said it was " A Shit hole " Greed is a terrible thing.
The big contractors who use to be on the city council, who knew about bypass coming in and resigned from council bought all the farmland they could to make a killing. This stuff just goes on and on. All the good old boys are doing just that to Wicomico County but now money is running out, land has no value.
I love the people I left behind but you could not pay me to ever live there again. When I visit I carry a gun and in fear of my families lives because the police cannot protect them.
What a shame, what a crying shame.
Palmer your comments are exceeded in their stupidity only by how bad you look each day. I guess you think this type of nazi argument is going to get you any credibility? What a loser you are.
Mr. Palmer, this is fear mongering. It is not good for our county. You should know better than that. Rick won with the mantra to lift the "cap". You ran on the theme of keeping it, and you lost. What say you?
Not only was the auditor fired for requesting an audit on a fraud line call that involved one of the big boys, she was constantly being pushed to violate her Government Auditing Standards over and over again by being chokeholded by the good ole boys when her duty under the charter was to the Council as a whole ONLY. Any dedicated professional in this field gets deeply offended by being asked to forego their code of ethics that they took a vow to uphold and worked so hard to gain. The integrity of their name is more valuable than any promised raise, cushion office, etc. The "boys" expected her to report any inherent risk she found to them first before it went to Council so they could control things just as what was trying to be done in the other sore areas of the county. Those ole governmental boys did not like the fact that she stood her ground and they could not mold her into their little "yes" female government worker. Rick was even told about this and he chose to let her continue to suffer the mental abuse repeatedly. She had bigger balls than all of those boys put together. She went to Rick and requested an audit on the governmental organization because of this and Rick sold her out. He needs to go and so does all the others that wreak of one big pile of sh!t. He is not a big soft hearted man, he is a cruel politician full of self interest, not greater good at all. It is the belief that they hired her because she was a single mom who they thought needed her paycheck and a typical government worker that would bow down. Shame Shame Shame on you Rick for not defending the role of what internal auditor REALLY is supposed to be. So glad she stood her ground to all of you and did not participate in the corrupt tone. I can only hope that ALL of the details of this is going to come to light just in time for election. Now thats transparency.
VOICE:
I will be saving these comments of your 'president' and pulling them out when you present yourselves at public meetings and/or run for office again. Remember how poorly you did in the election a few years ago? Palmer just shot your chances for the next round.
Anyone with a half a lick of common sense had better think twice before aligning himself with these folks. You're known by the company you keep.
VOICE (acronym) for voters opposing increased county/city expenditures is a grass roots organization that resulted due to the astronomical property tax increase, and the adoption af a sales tax on real estate in 2000.
The organization was successful in two petition drives that allowed the voters to vote to repeal the sales tax and ammend the County Charter to implement the property tax revenue cap.
The repeal passed with 60% of the vote and the ammendment with 66%. A resounding message from the voters, no less.
VOICE has continued to be a local watchdog for excessive spending and taxation. They serve a real need, and to attack individuals that are supportive of the group or members of the group itself personally is nothing more than the response liberals take in the arena of issues and ideas.
From an intellectual standpoint, you would think that at some point in history, there would be a willingness to debate excessive spending, county government growth and constant desire to increase the burden of taxation upon the people, and get away from the personal attacks.
The presentations of VOICE and Mr Palmer seem to deal more with the issues facing the citizens of Wicomico County rather than personal attacks.
As for me and my family, we are grateful that we have a group that is willing to do the reasearch and try to hold our politicians accountable. Maby they will soon look into the auditor controversy also.
Keep up the good work Mr. Palmer and VOICE. Based on a survey of the people, your support is in the majority.
The discussion (and rebuke) concerning Mr Palmer is not about the value of VOICE and what they have done-- that has been a good thing.
But somebody needs to get some sense here. You don't go around using nazi rhetoric like this.
Palmer was completely out of line, and it reflects very badly on an organization that is already being unfairly maligned.
Just straighten up, and change your approach. Take the high ground and quit acting like there's some grand communist conspiracy going on.
There are definitelychanges needed in the county government, and there are also some seriuos politics going on in the back room, but nothing that warrants this kind of thing.
Like you said, just stick to the FACTS and the TRUTH, and let them speak for themselves.
Leave the drama to Hollywood.
6:47 PM, You are correct about the company you keep, so do want to align yourself with Rick Pollitt, Ted Shea or John Cannon? I will stick with Mr. Palmer and Voice.
8:45,
I'm sure Palmer is glad you're riding in on your white horse to defend him, but your argument is fraught with fallacies.
First, you condemn commenters for their "personal attacks." If these so greatly offended you, one can only imagine how you felt about Palmer's characterization of Rick Pollitt as Hitler & Fineran as Goebbels. Or perhaps you have a double-standard?
If you re-read the comments, you'll see they are not personal attacks at all, but merely replies to the original post, and in much more professional tone at that. Surely someone espousing an "intellectual standpoint" can see that.
Second, as for your "survey of the people" I assume you're speaking of the referendum. Kudos to VOICE for putting together a good campaign on that issue. However, a more recent 'survey of the people' might be the election when Palmer and other VOICE cronies ran for office. Only half survived the primary, and the others were soundly defeated in the general election.
While there are good and valid arguments for the revenue cap, your argument does nothing to promote it; and in defending Palmer's Nazi rhetoric, you only add to the the growing foolishness of VOICE's message.
I heard Palmer speak at the public hearing...more of the same worthless rhetoric invoked here.No real answers.No real facts. People like him don't solve problems.They create them.
9:37
Thanks for sharing, it's easy to do in an anonymous comment.
As a 'transplant' to the shore, I have to say that I truly don't understand all of the political background with this revenue cap, but am doing my best to educate myself in the little time I have between two jobs. It cetainly appears that money is being mismanaged all over the place, and both sides in this mess have their own agendas - VOICE seems to be nothing more than the real estate folks who helped create this mess, and Pollitt and his cronies running around trying new ways to spend every dime. What I do know is that I have two kids in the school system here who are just terrified and harrassed every day at JMB( I can't afford private school), a neighbor that is a local cop who swears that if the true crime statistics ever got out, the National Guard would be deployed, and a wife who is afraid to go anywhere alone. The sad truth from my perspective is that the vast majority of people here (rich and poor alike) are taking no real responsibility for themselves, their children, or their country. Until we all start looking out for the common good, instead of what will best suit ourselves, this area will continue to plunge into an already deeper mess than we are in. As for me, I'll be looking for a job elsewhere as there is no future here at all.
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