A Letter To The Editor

SALISBURY: HERE’S A COMMENT WORTHY OF POSTING!

Yesterday Sbynews posted a statement by the president of the local landlords’ league, SAPOA, that is a personal and political attack on the Mayor and two members of the City Council, one of whom is running for reelection this year. That post drew many comments, including the one posted below.

Note, among other things, the reference to a PAC called "Citizens for a Better Salisbury," which, as Sbynews reported last week, describes itself as a coalition of "like minded business persons." It is reported that they are intent on continuing their control of the City Council by a majority composed of their bobble head puppets, such as Louise Smith, who will soon be leaving the Council along with Gary Comegys. We now have it from reliable sources that this PAC includes various present or past supporters of that pair, the "Dream Team" (Comegys, Cathcart and Dunn) and Barrie Tilghman. Apparently, this PAC has ties to the local Chamber of Commerce and Greater Salisbury Committee as well as SAPOA. We welcome further details about the PAC, which we understand plans to endorse and support certain candidates for the City Council.
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http://www.blogger.com/profile/03034113812131713030 said...
Only in Salisbury is there a member of the Chamber of Commerce and the Vice President of the landlord organization, SAPOA, Stu Leer running around spouting publicly, that they have formed a PAC, Citizens for a Better Salisbury, that will spend $100,000 on this election to take control of the council and to unseat the current mayor.

Only in Salisbury can this same Chamber member and Vice President of SAPOA, Stu Leer, make statements such as "It doesn't have to be true, we just have to say it".

Only in Salisbury is this mentality not only supported by many members of SAPOA, it is encouraged.

To compare the politics of Salisbury with the Holocaust is no different or less offensive than Stu Leer referring to citizens as being Viet Cong.

Students are the problem for SAPOA. They once made a very lucrative living off these kids, charging them $400 and $500 per month to rent a room. Now that the University has built more housing and the Rinniers have followed suit building more student housing, the slumlords have lost a lot of money on student rentals. Have they invested any of those 100's of thousands if not millions of dollars in their rental property maintenance? Did they treat the students fairly by not maintaining their properties in a safe manner? This bunch of cry baby poor little rich boys and girls need to get over themselves and abide by the law like every other property owner in the city. There are laws on the books, follow them or sell your property to someone that will.

Barrie Tilghman allowed this special interest group to do as they pleased in the city. As long as they were making money they didn't care that their properties were going to ruin, they don't live in the city and they don't have to look at it. They live in places like Nithsdale, High Banks and riverfront McMansions on Riverside Dr. It's all about them and the hell with the neighborhoods.

Kris Adams and her group of slumlords are so used to doing all of their dirt in back rooms they have the audacity to accuse our legislators of doing the same. Well since when did anyone in Annapolis ask our permission to draft legislation in the state? Name one time, one legislator? Just because puppets like Comegys, Smith and Shields were not included doesn't make it wrong. In my opinion it was rather smart and far less time consuming. What exactly could any of the 3 puppets add to any piece of meaningful legislation? What meaningful legislation has any of those 3 offered? All they have done is accomodate every special interest group coming down the pike. They have given away literally millions to special interest groups such as SAPOA and other landlord/developers.

Face it, people are sick and tired of business as usual. They want laws to protect them and their investment in their properties.

If Kris Adams thinks this is the way to affect change, she either needs to see a shrink or she needs to think again. She is especially mad because her student rentals losing thanks to SU's continued expansion of student housing.
http://sbynews.blogspot.com/2011/02/sapoa-exclusive-on-salisbury-news.html?showComment=1296596565736

PS – Ms. Adams, the president of SAPOA, sent the comment that we posted yesterday.