DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
I thought they had the right to cut by line item but not increase the budget.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely - the County Administrator refuses to take responsible steps to reign in the runaway budget; the Council is more representative to the citizens and more responsible in their collective thinking.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely, positively, YES!
ReplyDeleteIf the information officer holds an appointed position , then I say they should have the power to fire him . Why would they need a PIO anyway , we have all the media that suppies us with information.
ReplyDeleteThe only study we need are productivity studies for all high county positions. We could save a lot of money if the truth were told.
These people are paid to make decisions , why do we need to pay for a study , if that's the case then we don't need Rick eother.
YES...............
ReplyDeleteThey should and I thought they already did.....do they have the fortitude. Call and/or e-mail your county district representative....ask them to vote against the tax increase and for the cuts...they already tried to get rid of the PIO....
ReplyDeleteYES Our council needs to go line by line to see what our money is spent. When they deam it is NOT necsessary they should have the authority to cancel it. The council is there to represents us the taxpayer. How can they do this if they cant have a say in what rick wants to spend money. I think we need to put ricks job up for a vote next election and see if we cfant do better.
ReplyDeleteItems to cut ASAP:
ReplyDeleteShea, PIO (Fineran), "free ferry service" -- and send the 200K for that BS efficiency study to me!
Donald Trump (your next president)
Last year when they asked him for his legal opinion about specific cuts (PIO), Baker said "No"!
ReplyDeleteGuess who should be cut this year.
Wicomico Suckers:
ReplyDeleteDon't just cut, when you can both cut and run to Sussex County.
YES... absolutely YES!
ReplyDeleteYes. 11:57, ditto. Don't forget that Ricky's neighbors use the ferry. All about him! 11:18, agreed! why didn't the study take place by their own HR Dept, or the extra help at the top? Or, why didn't it happen THREE years ago when it was forcasted to be tough years? Answers: Rick Pollitt should not be in this job! Now, we are trying to pull a rabbit out of a hat for Easter!
ReplyDeleteThe people who wrote our new charter looked at all the other charters in Maryland with an elected county executive. It was that committee's intention to write a charter establishing the county executive as a very strong position, that is with strong authority. That is why the county council does not have line item veto. For example, the county council can cut money from the salaries account in the county executive's office. The cut may equal the salary of an employee in the office and that may be the reason the county council cut the amount. But the county executive has the authority to distribute the remaining salary money in the executive's office budget as he or she sees fit. The county council decides how much money it will approve in areas of the budget, but the county executive decides how it gets spent. The charter as it is now written was approved by the voters in a general election. If we want to change what it says and the aufhority it gives the executive, we have to amend the charter. There is a process in place to amend and even abolish the charter.That process is spelled out in the charter itself.
ReplyDeleteInmates committing Hari Cari,no one terminated,life goes on for ricky.BTW ferry fee would be reasonible.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely not. They may cut line items and that's it.
ReplyDeleteIsn't that part of the job of the Council, or am I misinformed? If this isn't part of their responsibilities, what do they do. We do not need more taxes from any government entity. When things get tight I have to cut back not tap someone else for funds. It is time for government at all levels to be fiscally responsible.
ReplyDeleteThe study follows the lead of Parks,Recreation and Tourism. Every job was evaluated on productivity and then revaluated, and in some cases eliminated.That process gives us and the council the transparency we need.
ReplyDeleteHere are the primary Charter provisions:
ReplyDeleteSection 703. The county budget shall consist of the current expense budget, the capital budget and capital program, and the budget message. It shall represent a complete financial plan for the county reflecting ALL receipts and DISBURSEMENTS from all sources, including all revenues, ALL EXPENDITURES, and the surplus or deficit in the general fund and all special funds of the county government.
Section 705, part F:
1. After the public hearing, the Council may decrease or delete ANY ITEMS in the budget except those required by the laws of this state or of this county, and except any provisions for debt service on obligations then outstanding or for estimated cash deficits. The Council shall have no power to change the form of the budget as submitted by the County Executive, or to alter the revenue estimates except to correct mathematical errors, or to add any items to the budget or to increase any expenditure recommended by the County Executive for current expense or capital purposes.
Clearly, the Council can cut whatever it wants out of Pollitt's spending plan, including Fineran's pay.
Absolutely!!!
ReplyDeleteIt is an appointed position.
Joe:
ReplyDeleteIt won't matter if Bartkovich and Prettyman do like they did last year and approve Pollitt's budget as submitted by him, because Caldwell and Hughes are already behind him.
absolutely...definately not needed.
ReplyDeleteWaste of money.
It doesn't matter if they should or should not. They CAN'T and that's all we need to know. If you don't like it, change the charter. They can cut money, but they can't tell him where to spend what's left. Of course you know this, so are you just trying to stir things up? Let's get folks all riled up about something they don't understand so that they can demand something of council that council by law cannot do.
ReplyDeleteCouncil cut out the new Bennett Middle school ... they should be able to cut other things like the PIO with ease ...
ReplyDeletei dont want king richard any more! he doesnt care about his subjects, only about his power, crown and taxes on his people! when will he take away the deer from the forest so they cannot be hunted by the poor? didnt people leave this type of tyranny centuries ago to come to this great nation. this is meant to be sarcastic but to also make points of what our founders meant for America. freedom from the government oppression is at the base of our system of government. no new taxes king richard!!!
ReplyDelete2:33 ---
ReplyDeleteIt is unfortunate that Barko & Stevie P. didn't have good conservative opponents (and lose to them) last year. Then there's the buffoon who Pollitt beat in November -- Ollie the Clown -- who now thinks we should have higher taxes.
Where the heck are Palmer, Don Coffin and VOICE when we really need them?
Yes, simply as a part of checks and balances provided in the County Charter.
ReplyDelete2:33pm Bartkovich & Prettyman did not approve last years budget. I remember six members voted against that budget, with Cannon voting for it. By default Rick's budget passed. So to say they voted for the budget is wrong.
ReplyDelete1:44, how are you going to charge a fee for the ferry? It has been looked at, the cost of doing it would exceed the fees. Let's all think.
ReplyDelete1:04 and 2:24, very good responses, however, don't waste your time on here trying to talk sense to some of these backward minded people. It is a waste of time to talk common sense and reality to them.
I had to attend a funeral in upper Delaware yesterday. For a state with lower property taxes, NO sales tax, their roads are in much better shape.
ReplyDeleteSo what's the problem here in the tax state, county, city?
Funny, word Verification is Taxises
9:57-
ReplyDeleteI like another alternative for the ferry -- cut it out!
Why should we subsidize something that less than 5% of the people in the County use and nobody needs.
yes
ReplyDelete10:15, that is because the state maintains 95% of the roads in Delaware. The state maintains few lane miles in this county compared to wicomico county, and the state had the nerve to take 90% of the funding away that we payed in taxes to maintain our roads. State maintained roads in maryland for the most part far exceed Delawares in terms of condition and crash experience. Delaware uses old technology on their traffic signals, and minimum width pavement markings.
ReplyDelete