The 5.4 Million Dollar Parking Lot.....and the Million Dollar Question

I find the issue of applying for and accepting state grants, in an atmosphere whereby every level of government in the state of Maryland is experiencing huge deficits, to be an interesting yet complex issue. It irks me to think that a state, that can't balance it's own budget, even after taking money back from the counties, receiving 4 billion in stimulus funds, passing the highest tax increase in history, and blowing through a billion dollar rainy day fund, is handing out various grants for frivolous expenditures such as million dollar fire boats to the city of Salisbury. Bottom line; it comes down to state mismanagement of funds.

So the question fundamentally is; Since the state, which is 2 billion dollars in the hole, took back money from the county that was paid in via, state highway funds and transfer taxes, etc.; is the county justified in applying and receiving state grants?

Well yes and no.

In the case of getting out of control crime in check, I say yes, let's take back our money from the state as it is a worthy endeavor. In the case of Civic Center parking, not so much. To give you a little back history on what this is about:

“Wicomico Youth & Civic Center, Parking Acquisition and Development – Wicomico County is currently negotiating to purchase 5 acres of land from the old Salisbury Mall site for parking. This is not sufficient to provide the total parking necessary for the WY&CC to be a viable entertainment center. $900,000 is recommended in FY 2011 to be combined with County and Program Open Space money in the combined amount of $5.4M currently on hand to provide for the purchase of fifteen additional acres. It is recommended that the requested amount be approved in the Capital Improvement Plan even if it is not included in the ultimate bond issue to allow for flexibility in the process of acquiring additional land.”

This funding is coming largely from Maryland's Open Spaces fund which is a specific fund, that was applied for well, "open spaces". I suppose a parking lot meets that definition.

For more on the State's Open Spaces fund as it relates to this project:

Wicomico County will receive $705,000 to renovate five acres of the former Salisbury Mall parking lot to serve as a new parking area for the Salisbury City Park and Zoo, Wicomico County Stadium and the Wicomico Youth and Civic Center,

Since 2007, Governor O'Malley and the BPW preserved more than 21,762 acres of natural areas for public recreation and watershed and wildlife protection across Maryland. Since 1969, Program Open Space has provided funding for acquisition of 341,473 acres for open space and recreation areas. Most Maryland residents live within 15 minutes of an open space or recreational area funded Program Open Space. Visit http://www.greenprint.maryland.gov/ for an interactive, statewide map showing the land protected by Program Open Space.

The three-member Board of Public Works, chaired by Governor O’Malley, is comprised of Treasurer Nancy Kopp and Comptroller Peter Franchot. The BPW is authorized by the General Assembly to approve major construction and consultant contracts, equipment purchases, property transactions and other procurement actions.

I have discussed this in great detail with John Cannon and he is of the opinion that increasing parking for the Wicomico Youth and Civic Center, by using this grant is a worthy venture. He believes that: (and I paraphrase)

• The "limited" parking that currently is available for the WYCC is hampering venues that would otherwise come to this location and believes the WYCC is being passed up because of the lack of parking available. Increased parking capacity would ultimately increase the revue of the WYCC, which now, and always has been a lost tax revenue bleeder. He sites the Dog Show as an example where by the parking is over capacity and that event may go to Dover in the future if corrective parking measures are not taken.


• The funds are really our money we (Wicomico County) paid into the state, that was taken back, as a result of the state's inability to balance it's budget and if we don't act to use them then the western shore will be the beneficiary of these funds going to bike paths or transit between Baltimore and Washington.


• The land value will eventually increase in 10 or 15 years and although appraisals may bring the cost down $50K, the time taken to do that, may jeopardise the funding.


• If the lot is not purchased from the county, the owner will either impose steep fines to the county for use of their land or build a fence around the area to prevent it's use for parking.

I hope I got that right John. As I said to Mr. Cannon on the phone today, I can see that argument. However, there still is a state funding problem and these grants that they are handing out under these various initiatives smacks in the face of fiscal conservatism. I suggested that a better alternative might be to have a private purchase where by the land owner would have a fee based parking lot for the purposes of the civic center or any other parking needs.

Anyway, this debate goes on. I'm interested in hearing people's opinions on this matter.