Last night a town hall meeting was held to discuss Wicomico County's Real Property Tax Assessment Cap. The event was narrated by SU Professor - Memo Dirker and featured guest speakers Joe Ollinger and Wayne Strausburg. Joe Ollinger spoke out generally in favor of the Real Property Tax Cap - although at the end of his presentation he suggested that it might be modified by removing the 2% limit. On the flip side - Wayne Strausburg - presented his view as to how the assessment cap was crimping County expenditures - and that it would ultimately hamper County services.The meeting basically offered an information exchange whereby each gave their version of differing views. Although the meeting was sponsored by the Wicomico Neighborhood Associations - I didn't really see compelling evidence that there were an abundance of neighborhood associations to be present.
Joe Ollinger touched on an area that peeked my interest as he pointed out that the State of Maryland keeps passing down State obligations to the detriment to Wicomico taxpayers. Some of these included the most recent announcement whereby the County is to pickup the tab for the State Department of Assessments & Taxation office here in Wicomico. Others included not disbursing gasoline tax receipts back to our jurisdiction in addition to sales tax collections.
(Added by author) -For the reading audience - Prior to fiscal year 1994 - the State of Maryland used to pay the employer share of Social Security cost for eligible public school, community college, and local library employees - (6.13% of the 7.65% withholding) - of the Social Security Wage Base. That funding ceased at the end of FY 1993 and thus each local jurisdiction is now required to pickup that cost.
The future appears to be quite shaky regarding education budgets as the State now embarks to require pension funding to be maintained at the local levels - instead of funding it at the State level. Once again - this message resonates to the fact that the eastern shore only has 9 of the 188 elected State representatives - (taxation without representation) - even though our geographic area encompasses substantially more real estate.
"Once again - this message resonates to the fact that the eastern shore only has 9 of the 188 elected State representatives - (taxation without representation) - even though our geographic area encompasses substantially more real estate."
ReplyDeleteUnder that logic, Wyoming should have 12 times more representation in Congress than Massachusetts because it's almost 98,000 square miles compared to Massachusetts' 7,800 square miles. Never mind that Wyoming has 1/12 the population of Massachusetts (544,000 vs 6.6 million).
The Eastern Shore has representation relative to its population. "Although the Eastern Shore comprises more than a third of Maryland's land area, it has a population of 420,792 (2004 census estimate), about 8% of Maryland's population." (Wikipedia)
and if you count Cecil County in, which significantly helps the population number, you have to count their elected reps as well, which puts us at 8% of the legislature - just like our population in relation to the rest of the state.
To 9:54
ReplyDeleteAlthough you make a point about population verses represention - what you have failed to recognise is that the Preamble for Maryland's constituion did not want western shore politics to dominate the eastern shore way of life.
Bottom line - the western shore is taking our eastern shore hardearned tax dollars and reallocating them to their benefit. A good analysis - a gang of thugs robbing a lone traveler.
9:54 - I believe you must be one of our paid elected State representatives who walks out to his mailbox to retrieve his weekly check. I guess you figure its alright as long as your hip pocket is tied to the purse string of western shore politicians.
ReplyDeleteIn my estimation - your mentality has helped to create the current crisis.
Yeap - Greece is soon to come to America. I can see it coming as sure as the sun rises in the east.
ReplyDeleteAusterity measures are definately in order and with it social kaos looms.
analysis = analogy
ReplyDeletekaos = chaos
Tax cap? No, the county is under a revenue cap. There's a difference.
Do these observations about the lack of eduction of the author and comment makers indicate a need for more money for education or demonstrate that more money won't fix stupid?
To 10:39
ReplyDelete- I hate to burst your bubble but your contraction - 'won't' doesn't fit the sentence structure.
Welcome to the crowd!
LONG LIVE THE REVENUE CAP.
ReplyDeleteI am one of residents who signed the petition drive in favor of the Revenue Cap. I have never regretted signing the revenue cap petition. As I recall Wicomico increased my Real Property Taxes by 24% in one year alone. They were going to have a similar increase the very next year. The Revenue cap appears to be working perfectly. I say keep it.
ReplyDeleteI wish the public had recalled everyone of the scoundrels who raised the property taxes 25%. Their tax and spending action was ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteI can see that there are just some people that can never seem to get it - and you are one of them.
ReplyDeleteYou keep hoping for a different result when you propose the same tax and spend mentality. Obama's job bill failed because he just kept on spending - and hoping - for a different result.
I can guarantee you that had the Revenue Cap not been invoked - there would have been a whole lot of wealth that would have gone from the hip pockets of ordinary taxpayers into the government coffers. I can speak only for myself - but I would much rather have this money in my own hip pocket instead of the government.
2:49
ReplyDeleteDITTO
Smartest thing done in this County to date.
we are taxed every way possible. its about time for another Boston Tea Party. I read a list on this site a while back on 100 new taxes in the past 100 years. we need to see the list again as a reminder.
ReplyDelete3:31 - Wait till you see the business closure list for our tri-county area. If you think the 100 new taxes was bad - wait till you see the business closure list.
ReplyDeleteI just arrived back in town after working all week.
ReplyDeleteIf I had been around I would have attended the meeting in support of the revenue cap as I was one of among many who circulated the petition. Glad to see that there are still many supporters. I see no need to reverse things as my real estate taxes are now stabilized.
The BOE budget is really a simple matter to resolve. When I attended school there were virtually no teacher assistants. Now-a-days they almost all have assistants.
ReplyDeleteWhat the BOE has to do is to increase the class size and reduce the high paid teaching staff. This day and age it should be no problem to accomodate the enlarged classes.
When you run the numbers - the savings are staggering. Other countries have already done it including Japan & China.
Here we go again - trying to rehash an event that transpired over a decade ago. The revenue cap is old news. Time for everyone to move on. There are bigger fish to fry.
ReplyDeleteI just got back from a Taxmaster's meeting in Baltimore today. I informed the audience about Wicomico's revenue cap and most of the Baltimore Countian audience were in warm receipt of the information. People started asking me questions - and all I could tell them is that my property taxes have gone down.
ReplyDeleteNOW IF ONLY GET A STATEWIDE REVENUE CAP WE COULD NIP THIS RUNAWAY TRAIN IN THE BUD!
ReplyDelete