On Saturday, the Daily Times editorial page “Jeered” the Wicomico County Council for what it termed “inconsistency”:
The Wicomico County Council has spent a good deal of time picking apart the county executive's proposed budget to find more cuts and avoid raising the property tax rate by the amount allowable under the revenue cap. Yet its hypocritical members failed to take a logical step that would save property owners from increased tax bills resulting from rising assessments. County Executive Rick Pollitt asked the council to lower the Homestead Tax Credit from 10 percent to zero, which would have effectively frozen property values until ownership changed hands. Instead, expressing concern over loss of revenue to the county, the rate was lowered to 5 percent. In another stunning example of hypocrisy, the Republican-majority council opted for government intrusion when it authorized use of speed cameras in school zones. If speeding is a problem, it's worth the time and effort to patrol and ticket motorists on a more personal basis.
While I have to admit that I am not in agreement with the Wicomico Council regarding the Homestead Tax Credit or speed cameras, I think their decision hardly makes them hypocrites. If anyone is hypocritical on this it would be Pollitt and the DT.
Regarding speed cameras, there has been no secret among the Republican majority of council that the speed camera bill is about REVENUE, rather than child safety. In fact, when the council first voted the measure down (much to the dismay of the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office) several councilmembers stated publicly that they would be more supportive of the measure IF Pollitt and Sheriff Mike Lewis had been more forthcoming over the fact that this bill is more about money than safety.
Regarding the Homestead Tax Credit, where is they hypocrisy. The DT’s argument is similar to a rabid Republican who is ALWAYS claiming that cutting taxes is the answer to every national ill. For some reason, they never want answer what happens when the tax rate hits 0%.
The council has worked diligently to cut Pollitt’s proposed tax rate hike. Pollitt and the DT are adamantly opposed to their efforts. Why is the council’s refusal to cut future revenue hypocritical? It’s not.
We can agree to disagree. However, it is ironic that it is the DT, rather than SbyNEWS, that has been the leading name caller during this budget process. Perhaps they would be willing to take the same advice that I have been offering SbyNEWS publisher Joe Albero over the last several years…
Take a deep breath, relax, and ask yourself if you REALLY need to say that. Albero has been improving over time. We can’t say that about the Daily Times over the last month.
7 comments:
Who cares what those libs over at the daily disappointment have to say. They are their paper are irrelevant! Even my birds don't want to take the time to relieve themselves on it!
We all know what will happen to news papers in a few years. Maybe they are running scared.
It's obvious the DT is in real bad shape.
This country is run on money , period. We are and have been a capitalist society.
As far as Joe improving , the very best improvement was to get G.A onboard. Joe has a bit of a temper , as I do. But I will give him credit , he does have his facts in order .
Some of my comments have never been published , and I am glad of it after I think about it.
We are living in some bad times right now and a lot of people are looking for answers , short tempers are part of it.
I have made up my mind to drive people to the polls in 2012. I don't want excuses , I want results. NO more obama!
Here's what will happen with school zone speed cameras: they'll do in seconds what it would take an officer fifteen or more minutes, they'll generate some revenue, they'll reinforce the notion of speed compliance by the public once the word gets out and many of the chronic speeders are stung (and remember, it's a pretty forgiving setup - they won't ticket until the vehicle's tagged at 12 mph over the limit), and after a while the problem will pretty much fade away for a while. And then they'll be brought back because school zone speeders will again have flourished and the county and city see a need for relatively inexpensive enforcement and driver training.
And then you can complain again...
9:52, I'm with you. I've been blown by the Bats Out of Hell on College and E. Main St. Pick some off, teach them a lesson, and yeah, take their money. Daily Times whining about safety for Onley Bateman area but oppose this for kids' safety? THEY are the hypocrites! Won't even disclose their bias for the Board of Ed and the connection their editor has to it. Is there an ethics board for newspapers to complain to?
9:52....even the council admitted it was more about REVENUE than safety....and were upset that the Sheriff tried to couch the issue in terms of "safety", like they were too stupid to see the facts. And using your reasoning, why don't we put speed camera's EVERYWHERE...??? Because it would look too much like a police state. And if speeding is so dangerous (especially in a school zone!) why are drivers not ticketed until they are 12 miles an hour over the limit? I've seen people get a ticket for 59 in a 55 (on Rt 50!). Its about REVENUE. At least be honest. And are police now going to be investigating crimes like B&E's, drug trafficking, prostitution, etc, or are they just going to be doing more "traffic enforcement" at more lucrative spots, thus enhancing revenue even further, which, despite your grand protestations, is EXACTLY what the main job of the police is all about --- REVENUE. Revenue. Revenue. Police HATE to hear that, because they prefer to believe in some "hero" storyline, but the most used form in their repetoire is the "ticket book".
What is so wrong with lawbreakers funding the law enforcers? Sounds like a user fee to me.
i would like for the council to be shown monthly how much revenue from each location is taken in( by the camera company)and also i would like to see how its being spent in the sheriffs dept!! it should be used to pay for the tons of fuel they consume on the tax payers dime
Post a Comment