As I read the comments regarding the Henderson suit, I am astounded at mentality of some of the people of Somerset County. Take a long hard look at the state of the economy. Why are we in this mess? We as Americans pay taxes and those we have placed in charge of our money have squandered and wasted it. Each side blames the other. WE are to blame.
Its time to demand accountability, honesty and integrity is restored in America and to begin in our own back yards. Be done with the back scratching and the rules for some, but not for others. The Commissioners of Somerset County work for the people of Somerset County. The people are the Employers. Have you all forgotten that? Hold them accountable for their actions, demand answers to your questions, don’t take any wishy-washy answers. If they rant and rave – let them.
Election time is nearing and any and everything they can do to ensure they continue with the POWER they will do. After election time when they accomplish the feat of being re-elected all will return to business as usual. What is your fear? The only POWER they hold is that which you have given them.
You have done them the honor of entrusting them with your money and the privilege of depending on their honesty and integrity to see that all in Somerset County are treated equally and live by the same rules; not a chosen few. Where is the money going? Are we paying for the luxuries of a few while we struggle to pay our debts and find jobs? What about that personal income tax rate? One of the poorest counties paying one of the highest personal income tax rates is unacceptable.
Worcester County has the lowest rate and the argument for that will be that they have Ocean City.
Okay, who is holding back Somerset; and why? More businesses in Somerset will equal more input into the Somerset County governing. When the businesses are allowed in, they too, as tax payers will have a voice. Can it be that in order to avoid that voice, Somerset is kept smaller and thus more under the control of a few? A change can happen if the citizens of Somerset County stand up. If change were not possible, we would still be under British rule. Minorities stand up and take your place in Somerset County. Don’t be swayed by the promises of sweet deals that will never be fulfilled. Demand that you receive the Equal Opportunity afforded to all. If you are qualified for a position, the color of your skin, the religion you practice and/or your gender are no issue. If you are not qualified, the same rules apply. Demand action, not talk.
If you are tired and don’t want the fight consider this; had our forefathers had that same attitude there would be no United States of America. The freedoms we enjoy today were bought and paid for by the blood of our ancestors, both black and white; who fought for those rights and paid the ultimate price. Are we so foolish and disrespectful of them to disregard the price they paid?
Remember: If you don’t stand up for something, you will fall for anything. This is our backyard and we need to clean it up. Make no mistake you will be met with adversity, but so were our forefathers and I surely pray that the residents of Somerset have some of the tenacity and willfulness of our ancestors. Enough is Enough !!!
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As a lifelong resident of Somerset county, I couldn't agree more with this letter. I would encourge the author to seriously consider running for a commissioners position in the next election. The democrats that have been in charge for decades have failed.
ReplyDeleteSomerset is very corrupt, just look at those involved running Circuit Court and how folks get 20 year sentences for stuff that others get away with. It all dependds what your last name is in Somerset County.
ReplyDeleteThe author of this is exactly right,but to change you have to have someone interested in running for office. In the last election there were no opposition to some of the Commissoners seats. How do you change anything if nobody runs against them. One was appointed, by the State Central Committee through the Governors office. Now, on the other side, who wants to get elected to a position that pays part time money, for what amounts to a full time position. To have your neighbors turn against you for a decision you make. You need to have people interested in the county, and the problem is not many are THAT interested.
ReplyDeleteAnd one thing we don't need, even if it does create jobs, is another prison, federal, state or privately run. Most of the jobs went to people who live and spend and get taxed outside the county, so the economic benefit to the county is marginal. Along with the prisoners came their families and "significant others", a great many of whom are collecting welfare payments, suck up local charitable and government services, especially health care, bring some seriously screwed up kids with them from the cities to go to school with ours, and most often do less than zero to benefit the community. And don't forget that some of those "significant others" are actual or associate gang members, bringing the bad side of the cities to us, including drugs, prostitution, gang recruitment and crimes we never saw before, like a murder every week. This puts a strain on everybody and everything, especially law enforcement.
ReplyDeleteI agree. A little Somerset County royalty thing goes on there, and a few of the princes are not the sharpest tools in the box.
ReplyDeleteAnd the politics may as well be from 1925. You'd think you were somewhere in rural Mississippi.
What needs to be done on the national level needs to be done locally too. Throw them ALL out!
ReplyDeleteI remember reading that commissioner Mike McCready said that anything that came to Somerset that provided jobs was good. I thought at the time that it was a rather foolish statement but now I'm sure it was. We certainly do not need more of that kind of employers. 90% of the employees would have to move here from somewhere else anyway. We do not have enough qualified people to keep ECI staffed. Most who work there came from the other side of the bridge. Someone on this site or somewhere else said that Jim Henderson would make a good warden. With that mentality Somerset doesn't need another prison of any kind.
ReplyDeleteWe need Tea Party candidates from every district. This is the year for change and not the kind Obama, O'Malley and the democrats are providing.
ReplyDeleteCorruption runs deeper then the commissioners, State's Attorney Office, Maryland State Police and the entire government office complex located in Princess Anne. If you speak out or go against the current powers to be you are singled out and retailated against by those in office. The best thing they could do with Somerset County is hope that more and more outsiders will move in and take notice of what is occurring and then maybe change might happen?
ReplyDeleteThe letter makes many excellent points. I would take issue with the comment about the mentality of the Somerset residents. Somerset is little different than anywhere else. We have the educated, the uneducated, and the majority that fall somewhere in between, the average folks as Bill O'Rilley would say. Having said that Somerset is indeed in need of a major overhaul. The government is just not working at any level and needs serious change. Change will come when people stand up and demand it. We are over taxed, over regulated, and spending is out of control with no end in sight. It is time to elect leaders that know how to say NO.
ReplyDeleteNo to more wasteful spending, no to buying more land, no to golf coarses, no to marinas, no to parks, and no to anything other than what it takes to operate an efficient local government. However, they should say yes to lower taxes!
Okay, Somerset lets get the tea parties rolling. If the retaliation starts get in the news papers, on fox news whatever it takes. Write to and call O'Malley, the EEOC, the NAACP and the Attorney General's office and demand an investigation. Right now we have to work with what we have. And NO is the operative word here. NO more nepotism, NO more corruption. Make Somerset the stepping stone for change in this country. Stand together as a community and as citizens of the United States of America. Lets keep this momentum going until we get the results we deserve.
ReplyDeleteDo we have a tea party? If not how do we start one?
ReplyDeleteUntil you stupid Somerset County folk rid yourselves of the Simpkins Mafia, you'll never get anywhere.
ReplyDeleteHere's the hit list:
Sam Boston
Rex Simpkins
Kirk Simpkins
Doug Taylor
This would be a good start.
And Mike McCready. Talk about stupid!
I agree that we are to blame for allowing this to happen. Hopefully some good people will run for all positions in November. We have seen the corruption at every level. I must agree that some of the elected officials are just plain stupid.
ReplyDeleteAmen. Mike is his own biggest fan. Watch him in action if you rankle his authority; he throws a temper tantrum like a kid. Somerset, you are smarter than this. Kick the crew out and start fresh. The syrup is going to drip from their lips until November, but be smart and see it for what it is BS. Are we going to be the laughing stock of the rest of the State of Maryland forever? Organize a Tea Party and protest until the Mafia is out of business.
ReplyDeleteAmen 6:06
ReplyDelete