Letter to the EditorHello Joe,
It's a sad day when I have to sit down and write a letter like this but the people need to know what's going on around them. While many Marylanders are out working every day just trying to support their families there is a group of people who are trying very hard to get your tax dollars in any way they can. They are emboldened by our Democratic President's actions when he said Congress was slow and no longer relevant so he would go around them. He is! Then we have our Democratic Governor who is also running for President who feel the only way to fix his billion dollar deficit is to tax and spend his way out of it. Now where have we heard that one before? Oh yeah, I remember, from the President. Now to add to all this sadness our own Democratic Delegate Norman Conway has finally come fully out of the closet about his feelings for Wicomico County's Revenue Limitations (Cap as many mistakenly call it) and has grabbed the Teacher's Union banner and is telling his constituents that the most important thing in the world is to see that your hard earned tax dollars go directly to the Board of Education no matter what the county government says and the citizen's votes don't really matter. He has apparently not just drank a cup of Obama/O'Malley kool-aid he has swallowed the whole pitcher. Delegate Conway along with Delegate Shelia Hixson acting as proxies for the Maryland State Teacher Union's group are chairing two separate committees, Ways and Means, and, Appropriations and are promoting HB1412 trying to get it passed any way they can with total disregard for you the working tax payer. And guess what, this isn't for the Teacher's Unions Oh no, "It's For The Kids". Folks, we've heard that so many times it's ridiculous. They just need to be truthful and tell people the truth and stop thinking that we taxpayers are stupid. A union has just one purpose - that is to get the biggest salaries and best benefits at any cost. And they have the best propaganda team that money can buy to do this. Remember, "It's For The Kids". This saying is meant to throw the Fear of God (UH, OH I said the "G" word) into people to demonize them if they don't agree with this teacher's union #1 slogan. Recently, I read where someone asked what can we do. Well, the people have already taken the first step by getting the Elected School Board issue on the ballot to demand accountability. The next step is to contact your County Council representative and ask them to draft a resolution calling for all BOE Capital Project to be put before the people to be voted on. This is not a new idea. It's an idea that works great in Delaware and they have a good school system that is accountable to the people. The third step is to get rid of the people who now consider your vote irrelevant. In other words "HAY! HO! TIME FOR CONWAY TO GO". I encourage all hard working families to get in touch with your state representatives and tell them YOU ARE RELEVANT! I also encourage you to keep a look out for the first BOE budget hearing, plan to attend and we extend a special invitation to all senior Teacher's Union representatives to come and interact with us. Again, I won't hide behind an anonymous signature.
New Posts to fall below.
John Palmer Jr. - President VOICE, Inc.
47 comments:
Conway, isn't he one of this lifetime politicians? What would he do not in office? Where would he get his meals? Wow, picking on Norm that way he has done so much for us. LOL
about time everyone wakes up to what kind of snake conway really is. for years I have said this man needs to go. All he cares about is feathering his own nest and that of his friends at the expense of the taxpayer. just one more good ole boy who has hung on way to long. Now everyone can see his true colors. He thinks he can actually get away with this and if not re-elected he'll double dip on his pensions again at our expense!
These dumbocrats and union scum crooks are going to be the cause of a civil war.
I agree, Conway has been there way to long. He has become a FIXTURE of Annapolis and it is high time for him to be pastured.
He has been fed at the Government Trougth for so long that he has lost his grounding, perspective, and ought not be in there.
Open your eyes. This isn't about unions or an elected school board. It's about the rest of the state deciding that they're not going to pick up the check for the shore any more. Don't you folks realize that more money comes to the shore than what we pay in taxes. I laugh every time someone talks about the Eastern Shore seceding and becoming its own political entity. The Western Shore would probably throw a big party and say good riddance. They see the shore as willfully ignorant waterman and chicken farmers who don't value education and blame everything on the "come heres". Just about every time I deal with people on the western shore I hear the same pejorative remarks. There are many people here on the shore who are ashamed of the lack of support for education this county has repeatedly shown. I'm not currently in a position where I can move somewhere else, but you can be sure that when I can, I will. I'm sure that the nattering nabobs of negativism that frequent this blog will think that's just fine, and then turn around and wonder why good business and industry isn't attracted to this place. Idiots.
Anyone who thinks the big money in salaries and redundant positions is due to teachers needs to wake up. Every position "eliminated" by the central office has been replaced with a new job with a different title. "Skeleton crew" is just another deception for public consumption.
They don't call it the 'Lawless Teachers union' for nothing.
They truely are - Lawless. No ethics, no morals, no integrity.
Yet the public continues to send their offspring to this entity.
8:08, people here aren't against education. They are sick of the money for education being wasted on stupid and excessive things instead of being spent on the kids, and yes, the teachers.
The kids and the teachers are the most important part of any school, but that's not where the money is getting spent!
Salisbury and Wicomico County think a big fancy building makes smarter kids and better teachers. Wrong! The statistics prove that is just plain wrong.
This is a great letter and it is a compelling appeal for all taxpayers to 'get in there' before its to late.
If the average Joe Blow leaves it to the devices of this group of elitist - we'll all be broke very soon. I do not believe that the public is aware of the magnitude of corruption in our political system.
Response to 8:08 -
You stand to be corrected. We can stand on our own here on the easternshore. We do not need the westernshore. You are in error.
How do I know - because I've already conducted a study on an independence move. It is clear - the easternshore is being take advantage of - pure & simple.
I'd like to set something straight about AYP, a "statistic" that shows up in this discussion forum frequently. When no child left behind was implemented, the long-term objective(by 2014)was that EVERY SINGLE CHILD would be a proficient reader. Students and schools were assessed, and then a line was drawn on the graph between current measured reality and the objective of 100% proficiency. Let's say School A tested at 64% proficiency. That's a 36% difference from 100%. Over the planned 12 years of NCLB, that means School A has to improve by 3% every year. Each year the goal increases by 3%. In ten years, that means that the AYP goal is now 94% for the school that was at 64% proficient 10 years ago. It doesn't matter that they may have come up to 90% proficient, they will still not meet AYP. Many, many schools have improved under NCLB, but the unfortunate reality is that saying 100% of students will be proficient readers is impossible. By 2014, every school in this country will fail to meet AYP. To say that this means schools are doing worse than they did 5 or ten years ago is a lie. It is the opinion of many that NCLB was designed to create a political atmosphere where all public schools fail (which will happen in 2014) so that public education can be replaced with privatized educational programs.
8:33 because I've already conducted a study on an independence move. It is clear - the easternshore is being take advantage of - pure & simple.
8:08 here. I'd be more than happy to see your numbers. Joe? Would you be willing to host this information?
If the Revenue Cap is to work the way it is suppose to the tax rate will increase this year since the assessments went down. When the assessments were up the tax rate was lowered. Now the shoe is on the other foot. I'm not going to whine about it and I hope none of you do either when it happens.
I would love to be a teacher, I sub for a year... Great job, off all summer with pay and basically do nothing. All except a few teachers give a crap, and most of them push Darwin and no God... THose same worthless teachers would be praying to God if a school shooting happened.
You cant treat everyone the same, you cant. Gang bangers, illegal imagrants need to go... PERIOD...
Put known Ganag bangers in the boot camp you liberals a$$holes thought was cruel.. Cruelty is gang bangers in school disrupting good students.
Get rid of these worthless teachers that cant seem to keep their junk in their own pants.
Really great education system ever since you too God out of it, and the pledge
Teachers, what a gravy job
The Eastern shore needs to really think about seceding from the failed state of Maryland. The eastern shore would immediately thrive.
To 8:50 Posting - I want to see those numbers?
You can forget it. I'm not going to be set-up and produce any effort on your behalf - because you are part of the problem.
I'll do on my own time and I'll be one who decides where I'm going to do it. But Stay Tuned Anyway.
Lets call the Revenue Cap what it is: A way to protect the real estate agents from a transfer tax on property transactions. Then lets blame education for all the fiscal problems in the county. The real estate agents didn't want the transfer tax so they formed voice to fight it and create the revenue cap. You all did well during the real estate boom, but now you are suffering again. So, the ire turns toward education again. I laugh when I ride by houses with signs for months that aren't selling. Nobody wants to live in a county that is so handicapped by the revenue cap. Why do you think Worcester and Sussex Counties have people there instead of Wicomico. Because the cap has caused this county to become one of the poorest counties in the state. Home ownership is way down in this area and the landlords are the ones who pay most of the property taxes in the county. Who are the landlords? Real estate agents and former real estate agents who became full time landlords. So, you have landlords/real estate people and retired folks on here complaining about paying property taxes. Families that own homes and care about education live elsewhere or send their kids to private schools. What is left here in Wicomico is mostly renters who don't have much of a VOICE. The Revenue Cap is the major source of all the fiscal problems in this county, not education. Wicomico County, borderline third world county, thanks to the real estate interests, not education.
8:08 is right in that the State is tired of supporting Wicomico County Schools when we won't even bother to fund them ourselves. Wicomico county currently has one of the lowest spending per pupil in the state due to local cuts to education. The state funds a higher percentage toward Wicomico's BOE than any other county. It is time for this county to step up and pay its share toward educating its kids. Over the past two years Wicomico has cut the education budget by 27%, yet expects the state to continue funding Maintenance of Effort. Funding education doesn't produce immediate returns, it is funding the future.
Privatize the school system the unions have made it UN-affordable.
When real estate was booming, the cap kept profits high and expenses low for those getting benefit from the strong economy. Why else did realtors and builders advocate for the cap so completely? They made out like bandits while the rest of us kept expenses lower but we made nothing compared to what they did.
8:08 where do you think all the tax money from Ocean City goes-to the western shore.
9:46 this is the most inaccurate comment i have ever read on this blog. you need to get some toilet paper and wipe your face off. your 1st sentence >Lets call the Revenue Cap what it is: A way to protect the real estate agents from a transfer tax on property transactions. The Revenue Cap is to protect Wicomico property tax payers from massive property tax increases not transfer tax. also in the same sentence real-estate agents do not pay transfer tax on property, home buyers and/or sellers pay this tax. 2nd sentence .. you lost me on that one, makes no sense. 3rd sentence >The real estate agents didn't want the transfer tax so they formed voice to fight it and create the revenue cap. there has always been a transfer tax, real-estate agents did not want it increased. It was voted on and was increased by the Council. Voice was formed by tax payers fed up with massive tax increases and the voters of this county supported it by aprox 2-1 at the poles. your next sentence is also crap fyi much more realestate for sale in Worcester county at about 50% of the assessed value in 2006. Also Somerset county is much poorer than Wicomico co. For the hours/ day and days / year the teachers are well paid and if they don't think so go out and find another job in the real world. I have lived in Wicomico county about 45 years and I have seen what works and what doesn't I have noticed the same teachers in the same schools for many years, low turnover, must not be to bad just never satisfied. Voice did not pass the revenue cap the tax payers did. 9:46 do some research before you comment, at least learn the difference between property tax and transfer tax. You don"t need to comment back about my spelling or grammar because i had a couple of teachers in Wic Co. that should of been fired.
8:08 is a blithering idiot who should remain silent. Idiots are meant to be seen and not heard. Get your facts straight and then come back when you can have an intelligent conversation about a subject that you obviously know nothing about.
8:08, i can't believe you are still making stupid comments on this blog.
most of your comment is wrong, but others have already addressed this. i'm going to call you out on the really ignorant remarks regarding why business don't want to settle here. THEY DON'T WANT TO SETTLE HERE BECAUSE OF TOO MANY REGS AND THE TAXES ARE TOO HIGH. do you understand this? i know you don't because you're not a true business man.
as far as you moving somewhere else; i pray you get the money to do so very quickly. most of us like the Delmarva Peninsula. this region is beautiful and unique in many ways. God has blessed us here and we are grateful. we do need to work on getting rid of the demos and libs if we can. please go away and make yourself happy in another area of the country. bye...
Anonymous 0900
It is not the job of a public school to teach about God. I am 40 years old and went through public school in Maryland and not once was I taught about God.
God and religion was taught by my parents.
There is a GOOD reason why God is not spoken about in schools and that is separation of church and state. I for one don't trust the teachers at my kids school to teach basic math, let along religion. Who the heck knows what they would mandated to say.
I would say that over half of the 65 percent that voted for the revenue cap can't even spell it, let alone tell you what it really is. Case in point, why are people upset if the tax rate were to go up within the guidelines of the cap. You voted for it right? Let it atleast function the way it was meant too. On another note, the decrease in funding to the schools is in proportion to the cuts from the state and decrease in revenue. It isn't that the county is taking away from education.....they just realize that there are other services that have to be funded also. The school can't have it all. Why doesn't conway sponsor a bill to redirect highway user revenue and other local aid back to the counties, and why doesn't our local council allow the cap to function the way it was intended....then plug a mechanism for growth into the cap (which has caused us to lose).....and we may be alright.
"God has blessed us here and we are grateful. we do need to work on getting rid of the demos and libs if we can. please go away and make yourself happy in another area of the country. bye"
Are you serious?!? Get rid of the dems and liberals? If you did, the only people left would be the come -heres! I have lived here for 10 years and have met only a few true republicans..Most of the people (poor and rich) are card carrying members of the Democrat Party!
I distinctly remember the The original fuss over taxes and the cap was the opposition of the realtors to the proposed transfer tax. Their fear was that people would not buy homes because of the higher transfer tax. Thus having a negative effect on their sales. Home ownership is so low in this area and most homes are owned by landlords. As such, landlords would be mostly those who would pay the higher property taxes. When I sell my house, you can bet it will be For Sale By Owner, since even a high school dropout can be a Realtor. So 12:20 pm you can't understand that education has been made the scapegoat for the fiscal woes of this county? They have cut 27% and still want to cut more from education. Some of you idiots probably won't be happy until their is no money from the county for education. Hmmm, that makes businesses want to locate to this area. What kind of workforce are they going to find? The the revenue cap was supported by the voters because of its wording on the ballot. No worries because the State has found a way to bypass the cap and give the money directly to the BOE. The Attorney General has given an opinion that the State has the legal authority to do so in order to fund education. Oh, an elected school board in this County? Give me a break. It bring even more politics into the equation. Look at the bozos in office now in this county and the City of Salisbury. I can't wait to see Shanie, Barrie, Gary c., Mike Dunn, Ireton, and others on the elected school board. Don't think the NAACP won't file suit so there is a minority district to represent their interests.
Lets re-word the revenue cap and see how many vote for it this time.
This revenue cap is put in place to provide a lot less money for schools, roads, police, and fire protection. Those people make enough money already. We (VOICE) don't want anything to change in this county and we never, ever, want our taxes raised for any reason no matter how dire the circumstances. If you don't like it, move away you wet pants liberals.
Ref: 3:34 - The Maryland Attorney General has given an opinion
Response: Keep that in mind - it is only an opinion. Let the State try and garnish Wicomico's portion of local income tax revenues and you'll see the AG opinion challenged so fast that it ulitimately lead to another opinion - US Attorney General's opinion - or higher.
Fact is - garnishment of local piggyback tax revenues is illegal and unconstitutional and will create an 'enjoined action' whereby it will be deemed an illegal confiscation.
How do I know - because I practice law and would love to have the case - even on contingency.
Dear VOICE,
I am a teacher. I am leaving the area because you refuse to pay for the services you demand.
I also saw your letter to the W&M committee of the MD House. I thank you for your support of education. [For those of you that missed it, you did not support education].
I wish you all the best with whomever you find to take my place. I hope one day you come to understand that you only get the services you pay for.
everybody looiks at the product they are potentially buying and the cost of it. from what I've read and seen frist hand it appears when it comes to education we are being way over charged for a very inferior product!
Myabe we can outsource that to the chinese! That sounds wonderful we can export all our gangbangers drug addicts even our worthless teeachers/administrators to china!
and probably pay less for the chinese to take them in and rework the solutions!
I know one thing that none of the tax dollars really goes to the kids because there so much fundraiser it not funny and the fundraisers are just to keep what we currently have now like music( band and orchestra and chores.) in middle schools and high schools they have a least 3 fundraisers each year to keep the program. And because of that the teachers can't get more materials for there courses so the only choice for the teachers are to reteach the same thing over and over again each year.
2:52, you're 40 and i'm 65. i went through wicomico county schools and graduated from wi-high in 65.
i remember full well God was not only "discussed" in some of the classes; God was read about in our history books and other reference books. God was in many of the "classics" that were required reading.
"back in the day" we were instructed mentally, physically and yes even spiritually. no we weren't taught doctrine, but we were taught the 10 commandments, golden rule, sermon on the mount, 23rd Psalm, beatitudes etc.
life was very different then. what was being taught at home was also being taught (to a degree) at school and church. the home, school and church seemed to work together to help with our upbringing. this made "most" of us productive, loving citizens with a great work ethic.
i realize many of you on this blog may not have a clue or understand because you either didn't have this in your upbringing or you simply didn't have a family that would share this info and experience with you.
when i reflect on this i'm saddened at how far we have fallen from grace as a nation. i grieve when i see what you must go through today and i can only pray one day you will seek God by seeking the Truth, the Way and the Life for yourself and your family.
Start a petetion to get School vouchers on the ballot, JOhn. It is the only way we will have the power to direct the funding to an education system that works to educate and not indoctrinate
9:46am & 3:34 Who is the same person. I am sure you could not pass the test to get a Real-estate license, you don't even know the difference between Transfer Tax & Property Tax. You remind me of my 6th grade English teacher, go crawl back under your rock.
March 4, 2012 5:10 PM:
Some of you lawyers are too smug. Don't be so sure or yourselves if you are not part of the approved party in Annapolis. We control what goes on, not your renegades. Get used to it!
Response to 6:01 Posting - Leaving the Area
I believe that is the best thing for you to do. Like my mama used to always say; 'If you can't take the heat then get out of the kitchen'.
And as my papa would say; 'Don't let the door hit you in the a$$ on your way out'.
You'll soon return when you see what the inner city schools are like in downtown Washington and Inner City Baltimore. FYI - some of the schools within site of the capital - I've seen pigeons flying-in the school windows while classes are being conducted. The graffiti is so bad that the school district painters don't even bother to paint them because as soon as they do - they are marked up again. AND YOU THINK YOU HAVE IT SO BAD?
go to >http://www.teachersalaryinfo.com/maryland/teacher-salary-in-wicomico-county-public-schools/ and you will see the average teacher salary in wicomico county is $48,678 and i have talked to teachers with 14 years+ & a masters making much more than this. i have been told by some that they do their work on their planning period (not going to work at home for such low pay). keep in mind they have about 200 work days a year , 7 hours a day -sick & personal days, holidays and summers off. I will also add some teachers do work at home and go above and beyond what they are required to do. my point is if it is so bad go somewhere else or get an all year long job like i have. Nobody is making you teach in wicomico county. I have noticed not to many leave, they just complain not enough money, kinda like the fireman & farmers lol
Sorry 8:09 pm, but you really have problems comprehending what I wrote. No wonder you don't like your 6th grade English teacher. I pay property taxes every year and I am happy to help pay for good schools. You are so bitter that you didn't learn anything in 6th grade that you can't function as an adult. Sad. So ride around in your fancy car like realtors do, trying to look like you have tons of money and are so knowledgeable. When really you are not selling any homes these days and probably don't have 2 cents to rub together. Plus no education to fall back on since you hated school. So, you direct your anger toward the schools and blame them for your problems. Jealous of someone smart enough to get a job that pays even during a recession. Teachers will never be rich, they know that. However, they trade that for the chance to make a decent salary throughout their career with good benefits. Someone in the private sector takes the chance to score big monetarily. That chance includes the risk of lay-offs and downturns in the economy, but the reward could also be big money one day with a lot of hard work. I could go the internet for 15 minutes and then pass the real estate test since I can comprehend what I read.
6:30 just shut your mouth and pay for your own retirement like the rest of us do! Work a full year for a company in the private sector where you actually have to compete to make sure you have a job and a paycheck. Liek my daddy always said those who can't do, teach! I have a number of teachers living in my neighborhood. They are the laziest good for nothings. I would never want them teaching my kids. They can't even control their own kids! You call other people uneducated, well when I see how these teachers act and live and conduct themselves it's no wonder the kids in the schools aren't learning anything! we are overpaying these worthless individuals, and you want to lecture us on why we should pay them even more! get real!
What the hell. While were at it can we fund everyons retirement. Not my fault your funds have been mismanaged. we all are in the same boat with retirement. join the crowd and suffer along with us. We have to figure our own out.
Not all teachers are lazy, good for nothings. I do agree there are those who should be picking up trash but I dont think we should lump all teachers in the same bag of worthless. My experience with this county is that the teachers are not doing their jobs because the administration is not doing their job. If there is no accountablility at the top there can be no accountability in the middle or at the bottom. Is this community too STUPID to realize the problems are at the top? And we have another four years of this mess. Teachers are being protected at the expense of the children. What are we going to do?
6:30 you have more than 1 person firing back at you. If you can pass the test in 15 minutes prove it. I am not 10:59 but I am sure you could not pass the Real-estate Exam. You need to know the difference between transfer tax and property tax. I would like to see you try.
After reading some of the comments about the salary cap placed on teachers, and the gang bangers in schools, and the Lawless Teachers Union well at least the teachers have something in place to advocate for better salaries etc. It is still a better deal then what the WCDC correctional staff have because the elietist county council do not care about this work force because to them they are nothing but stupid watermen and chicken house workers or farmers that are wearing a uniform. The sterotypical attitudes are not limited to western shore population only. The Correctional staff deal with the Gang bangin kids fathers and mothers, on a daily basis. The only difference the teachers are getting paid alot more money to put up with their gangbangers then the Correctional Officers.
I really don't see any teachers on here complaining about not making enough money. This blog is loaded with a bunch of rednecks who think teachers are overpaid. Try doing something to improve your life instead of always looking at what others have hating on them. I would also venture to say that teachers actually pay more into their retirement than most you complainers on here.
Hey 11:25 am, go sell some houses so you can fund my retirement and pay my salary. I'll be thinking of you all summer at the beach. Maybe I'll read about transfer taxes and property taxes while catching some rays.
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