We want to give special thanks to Del. Mike McDermott (R-38B). Mike has been the point man on this measure since the county council passed their resolution asking for this measure. When I spoke to Mike last Wednesday he informed me that the bill had finally come back from legislative services and 
that without the support of Del. Norm Conway (D-38B), it would not have been introduced this year. The citizens of Wicomico County owe Del. Conway our thanks for shepherding this bill. We also wish to thank Delegates Rudy Cane (D-37A), Addie Eckhardt (R-37B) and my delegate, Charles Otto (R-38A) for also sponsoring this bill.This forces us to ask a couple of questions. Why is Del. Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio (R-37B), the House GOP Whip, missing as a sponsor on this bill? Recently Jeannie has taken a beating because of her response to Gov. Martin O’Malley’s state of the state address where she criticized bond bills but was found to have sponsored quite a few herself (including in this session). You would think that Jeannie would be willing to sponsor a bill that positively affects her constituents AND costs the taxpayers nothing. We also want to know where Senators Richard Colburn (R-37) AND Jim Mathias (D-38) are. Mathias has been playing possum on this measure from the start, but Colburn’s office had promised that a Senate bill would be filed. Where is it?
Voters need to remember that this bill ONLY allows the voters of Wicomico County the opportunity to decide, through a NON-BINDING referendum, whether or not they would like to have an elected school board. If HB 1324 passes and the referendum passes in 2012, we still have to get the General Assembly to agree to a school board which would be elected in 2014. This is why I was so surprised by the opposition of Wicomico County Executive Rick Pollitt. Pollitt now claims that he supports the measure, but in reality he has advocated another measure which would have seriously muddied the waters. I guess you have to keep kow-towing to the NAACP and the local Democrat machine when you win re-election by relatively small margins against a sub-par opponent.
You can link to the bill’s status here. Read the actual bill.
8 comments:
I thought Pollitt supported an option to have a combination of elected and appointed - something known as a compromise. G.A.,why do you insist on slanting everything?
Just what we need, more politicians.
I like the process the way it is now,with members from both parties. Seems to be a good checks and balances system.
Anon 1037 -
Check your facts next time. Pollitt did not support a hybrid. He has stated that he is personnally opposed to an elected school board.
To be fair, I have correspondence from Rick where he states that he is not opposed to the voters having a say. However, there is another letter where he advocates, not for a hybrid, but for the NAACP proposal which is to have a straw ballot that lists every possible alternative. Therefore, when I stated:
"...he has advocated another measure which would have seriously muddied the waters."
I was being 100% accurate. I guess that your version of "slant" is being accurate.
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Anon 1110 -
Assuming that the bill passes, then you would vote against the measure. That's what elections are for.
G.A.you can protest all you want about whether you slant or not. You consistently imply one thing, when, as you say, "to be fair..." the reality is something different. "He 'claims' to support the voters having a say, BUT...." We all know what you mean. Just because someone might like to see the voters have as many options as possible, does not make them against the plan or kow -towing to anyone. You have your own set of facts to play with. Admit it.
Mr.Harrison,I didn't vote for Pollitt and would support a elected school board, but I have to agree with the person who says you come across as having an ax to grind with the guy. It seems like your issue is more personal than policy whether you intend that or not. It's really kind of funny, but then I don't like too many politicians as it is. But just like you said, to be fair, I think there is something to what 1037 is saying. We all know you can be technically accurate without being fair and telling the whole story.
1110 here, thanks for telling me how to vote, if it passes. I'm not sure I could have figured that out all by myself.
Two points, from what I understand Delegate Haddaway-Riccio was added onto the bill so if printed for third reading her name will appear on the bill (it wasn't her fault she wasn't asked). And I would like to point out that Delegate Conway is the sponsor on this bill, Delegate McDermott is a co-sponsor, so the initiative was Delegate Conway's.
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