Today I couldn't help but to notice the stark contrast in media spin between The Daily Times verses SBYnews. Upon reading the DT section - Our View - Salisbury Has A Growth Industry - it tries to shed light on an extremely dark subject - Salisbury University's massive expansion. The article then goes on and tries to justify that SU's continued construction - (I say economic destruction) - is an economic asset for our locality.
My own humble opinion - is that SU is really creating a burden on our tax structure.
I'll try to clarify this point by posing the following questions:
1. Did not SU dislocate 'private businesses' and thus take under its governmental umbrella private lands which were previously adding to the public coffers through annual real estate taxes?
2. Did not SU discourage private employment verses public employment by helping to eradicate those businesses which - incidentially- contributed a significant portion to social security, sales taxes, inventory taxes, state and federal income taxes. Not to mention the personal income tax revenues that were derived from actually 'creating something'.
3. Did not SU significantly contribute to help strain our City and County's infrastructural resources -(sewer, water, police, fire protection) - by making room for a significant increase in our areas population? Not to mention the environmental ramifications - such as a No. 2 fuel oil spill that just so happened to work its way to the Wicomico River.
4. Was it not taxpayers money that helped to fund these land aquisitions and capital improvements that otherwise would have been funded through the private sector?
And people wonder why SBYnews is 'knocking the socks off' of The Daily Times. Its liberal progressive attitudes like these that helps to bring the masses to the - 'real deal' - SBYnews.
22 comments:
One major factor that you failed to mention, Beez, is the dramatic impact on HOUSING-- the insatiable demand for rental housing in Salisbury and Fruitland is literally destroying both towns.
Salisbury's 'affordable' housing has been almost totally captured by the immigrant population (both legal and otherwise).
You must have at least 50% owner-occupied housing to have a decent town.
Look at Salisbury-- it's turning into a snakepit. And it's almost impossible to do anything about it, because renters generally don't vote or care about the town.
Fruitland is on the verge-- if the elected officials don't get with the program and start doing something about it, it will be too late.
Once a property becomes a rental, the surrounding owners get fed up and sell, and it self-perpetuates. They rarely ever become single-family units again.
SU couldn't care less-- they've basically said so. They see the local 'housing stock' as the university's housing resource. Rather than 'waste' money building dorms, they'd rather spend it on profit centers.
Good luck getting anybody to care, though. You see what the voter turnout is usually like-- maybe 15%?
It's a DISGRACE.
Beezer - sometimes you are just so poignant.
This is one of those times. I couldn't agree more.
Janet Dudley Eshbaugh had better start reading the 'real news'.
If she doesn't then she is libel to meet the same peril King Louis the 16th.
since all those people over there at su receive money from the taxpaers, i say it is just welfare for the over educated!
You know what they say those who can't do, teach!
I'm an SU business student and in my economics class the professor seems to always playdown about loss of US manufacturing and loss of private property.
From my perspective I couldn't agree with you more Beez. I truly wish you were giving the lectures as opposed to my professor as there are alot of other students who feel exactly the same as you do.
The way I see it , SBYNEWS is the only flower still blooming in this storm we call liberal bias of Delmarva !!!!!!!!!
Response to 4:56
Don't lose faith. You'll soon learn the most fundamental of fundamentals - connect the dots - follow the 'money trail'.
Your institutions are trying to promulgate an agenda whereby they are the primary recipients of benefits - taxpayers money. Soon this system will fail because the unfunded debt obligations and the system is unable to keep-up. It will implode. It has already started to happen. You are actually seeing it right here and now.
SU also competes with local restraunts and catering halls for events. They hold an advantage over private restraunts due to lower food costs and tax free status
SU in a best case scenario is probably a "wash" in the economic impact area.
Ancilliary business, revenue, wages, supply requirements, inventory, construction and student economic involvement probably offsets the loss of property tax revenue, and small business tax revenue lost.
In summation, it may be a good thing for our area to have a growing, vibrant university with the reputation of SU.
The President, all she cares about is her ego. Her theory is look at me and what I have done. The quality of education under her reign has severly declined. Majority of the Professors are a joke and would not be good Elementary Teachers. The Crime rate on Campus is worst than Salisburys. It is always covered up by the President and her croonies, Campus Police. I don't know howthey keep their accredidation.
Reference 6:33 Posting:
Then SU should be obligated to submit an Economic Impact statement to allow our State, County, and City officials to accurately assess the economic impact.
This should be prerequisite to issuance of any permit so that our elected officials will fully know the economic ramifications - (private industry displacement, private property confiscation).
If it were a private sector housing development and/or land rezoning then a public hearing would have been mandatory. Just because it is governmental entity does not entitle them the right to preempt out of the zoning and/or building inspection process.
Posting 4:56
Sounds like to me that your Professor - 6:33 Posting - is also reading SBYnews.
4:50 SU has someone teaching a class that students are being graded on. This same person has never taught a class nor does she make up her own papers/test. This class shouldn't be charged for!
Take SU away and really see what this place looks like. Everything would flop.
I agree with you 8:06. If there was a smaller SU presence then things might perk-up,economically, and our area might enjoy a little more prosperity.
The reality of these professors....
They are book smart with all kinds of certificates and plaques but not a bit of real life experience. I can tell you that the teachers that work full time in the real world and teach part time are so much more interesting and influential in the student's mind.
How in the world can a Professor teach something that they have never experienced? The student should just as well take an independent study course and reap the same benefits.
They bring to the table stories’ of reality that keeps your tension span and paints the picture of how point A affects point B. It's not about trying to create a text book memory wizard but about reality. Text book wizards only survive in Government and Universities and the world is so much wider than that. Especially now, we are in the midst of a massive shift of required skill sets where students very likely will be required to do multiple skills to survive. When money shrivels, that is when the picture becomes clear as to who the flexibly educated are. You need so much more than a pile of books and a straight A report card. SU caters to the tradition student.
Part of real world is learning from a potpourri of other students that bring their real life experience to the table. This is critical in teaching communication and team building skills. Wilmington University is so much better in this aspect.
9:38 Would you want your child to take a coarse that you've paid for only to discover the teacher can't even make up the test? There are many people in Wicomico County who know how to sew. Does that mean they can teach it?
I do agree that it's better when the professor has experienced what they are teaching. In the case of this person it was a bad choice to give her the position.
The SU President needs to look into those who are 'aiding' her with test. She won't have to look far, look at others in the same department.
To whomever is responsible for hiring, do you check out all of the references? Try having this person take a verbal quiz on questions directly from the resume. Won't be able to pass it.
I too am a SU Perdue School of Business student as well as a local resident. I totally disagree with the post as well as the comments. Such a negative attitude toward SU! You are throwing quite a few alleged "facts" out there with no statistical backing. Lets look at what SU is doing:
1. Expanding the campus, including additional housing, classrooms and retail space.
2. The retail space is open to local businesses. The retail space businesses are not tax exempt and are creating jobs as well as paying taxes.
3. Adding new jobs to increase the services provided by these new buildings. The jobs created will also pay all state, local and federal employment taxes.
4. The new construction is backed by private donors through the Salisbury University Foundation, in addition to other funding.
5. SU provides an internal infrastructure to minimally impact the local services and government. The SU police department is an example. The crime statistics are published each year and are nowhere near the levels of the City of Salisbury.
What the local community needs to do is to open their arms and work together with SU rather than complain that SU is the basis of all the local problems. If the local community would work with the college, the local community would come out much stronger.
I disagree with the premise that SU has made local businesses disappear.
Such is not the case. Some have only moved to other parts of town.
Others, such as Dresser, or Shoreland Freezers closed shop for other reasons, which would be the topic of another discussion.
But let's look at 2 examples: Noland Co.(plumbing supply) and Tristate (electric supply).
Noland Co is still in town, but operating out of a warehouse located on the southern end of Northwood industrial park.
It was probably a good thing for them, as the building boom has gone bust, and they had excess warehouse space that was costing them plenty in overhead expenses.
There is now a parking garage where Tristate Electric Supply was located. But Tristate is now located in the brand new Westwood industrial park, off of Naylor Mill Road.
Noland Co took over an empty warehouse, and Tristate built a new place. While SU's new parking garage may have removed Tristate's old building from the tax rolls, the new building in Westwood has added to the tax base where open fields once were.
Both businesses are still in town, and still file and pay their personal property taxes... e.g) inventory taxes for those of you not familiar with the way businesses are taxed in MD.
Other local businesses benefit from the College's presence. Hardee's recently remodeled and added Red Burrito to their offerings. Just across Bateman Street is Pat's Pizzeria which replaced an outdated gas station.
With folks using the pedestrian tunnel, they have a steady stream of hungry customers available.
Sure, there are problems with any large establishment, such as SU. But there are also some benefits as well....
To Daddio:
You have some valid points - but bottom line - the shear number of private businesses being displaced is a real eye-opener.
For example, the Allenwood Shopping Center, look at former Nacho Petes's - he was put out of business by SU's new cafeteria. He said so himself. With subsidized money how can private industry compete. Again, look at Allenwood, SU paid $300,000 more than the appraised price.
Don't people realize that its their tax money that is funding these huge capital improvements. Now the State of Maryland admits it can't keep pace.
Bottom - line this scenario cannot continue. The system just simply can't handle this type of mammoth government expansion. It is breaking down right before your very eyes.
The only entity continuing to grow is the government.
Despite recession, depression, upswing, downswing, it doesn't seem to matter.
The only entity continuing to grow is the government.
Despite recession, depression, upswing, downswing, it doesn't seem to matter.
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