WICOMICO COUNTY: BEND OVER, PLEASE, ON THURSDAY EVENING!
That’s when Rick Pollitt will have something brand new to shove up your you know what – his proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year. Look for a tax increase of at least 10% -- and possibly closer to 20%. And if you want the good doctor to do it to you in person, attend his presentation (“public hearing”) at the Civic Center (Flanders Room) at 7 PM on April 12.
And, if you go, you will probably hear Rick or Wayne proclaim that Wicomico County is “under taxed” compared to its peers. The Daily Times will repeat that mantra as if it were true. Don’t fall for that scam, folks.
Data recently posted on the County’s website shows that on a wealth-adjusted basis, Wicomico County residents bear the highest income tax burden (per capita tax receipts divided by per capita income) of any of Maryland’s Eastern Shore Counties. Also, the property tax burden in Wicomico is near the average for those counties, relative to the per capita assessable base. Thus, it appears that the real tax burden is already higher in Wicomico than other Counties in Maryland.
And then there’s Sussex County, which is another story and “peer” of Wicomico, but is never mentioned in the analyses by Pollitt and Strausburg. As we’ve suggested before – go north, young man.
PS – the “tax revenue cap”: from now on you can forget about it, and thank Delegates Cane and Conway for that whenever you see them.
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Wicomico is in catastrophic mode. A long time coming.
ReplyDeleteHow can anyone, in this economy, consider more taxes of any kind? It is time for government to cut back as we have to. I am now trapped in this area. The economy has reduced the value of my home below what it cost and the taxes on it keep rising. We cannot sell and move because property values have fallen below the purchase price and high taxes will work against sales. When will it end? It cannot continue this way or there will be a total implosion of our economy. We are being taxed into oblivion.
ReplyDeleteWhen I got married 4 years ago, I gladly left Wicomico County because I knew how badly it was run.
ReplyDeleteNow wifey wants to buy a house in the Salisbury area. I'd love to be closer to so many of my friends and I do like the community overall, but I'd rather stay put in Talbot county.
3:43-
ReplyDeleteTry Sussex County -- best of the bunch!
Is this letter suggesting that people with low incomes don't deserve to have good schools, roads and police protection? We still have the third lowest tax rate in the state and lowest rate per capita. We have the combined population of the three surrounding counties and a budget lower than Worcester. In order to provide the services that people demand, you have to pay taxes. Voice has already ruined the county, how much lower taxes will satisfy you? Most of you pay more in your cable bills per year than you do for your police, roads, and schools. You realize that you can't say that Wicomico County has a high tax rate so now you are grasping for any analogy, no matter how little sense it makes, to try and put a spin on it. So......what services do we cut out to have the lowest taxes in the state in every possible way? Do we pay more taxes than counties with comparable deer populations, or trees? You need a reality check, look around at the roads, They aren't going to fix themselves.
ReplyDeletewhat did i miss about the cap?
ReplyDelete4:43 even the jerks in annapolis woke up and didn't give king o'malley his hikes. You can't get blood from a turnip. We don't thave anymore to give. Perhaps you can afford another tax hike. Happy for you . You can have my share. No wonder folks just mup and quit looking for jobs. Why work when it all goes to taxes. Might as well let folks like you who i guess can afford it pay my way.
ReplyDelete5:11, seriously? How much do you really pay Wicomico County in taxes? Your local tax dollar is your most visible tax dollar. THAT is a fact. You see more benefit from those dollars than any State or Fed tax, and the County taxes for most, are lower. Yet, you all moan and cry about them the most. Why not take up a fight with the state or feds, where there is real waste. I can almost guarantee that your property tax bill has gone down over the last two assesments.
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ReplyDeleteI think everyones taxes went down after they had sky rocketed when we had the housing boom. I think people are upset that their tax money is being wasted. You hear about money being wasted just about every day. Maybe not always here but everywhere there is corruption. If we continue to just allow them to keep raising our taxes without any accountability we will be taxed to death.
There is no fluff in the county budget. Please identify any areas of what you feel is waste and present to Mr. Pollit, also, identify what services you think you no longer need because that is what it is down to. If you agree that everyones taxes went down, why are you all continuously saying that your taxes have been going up? I know........you all just want something to whine about and the county is the easiest target.
ReplyDeleteWith the food prices going up all the time means the amount of food we gets from stamps and freedom cards get smaller. You all atleast owe us more then you is giving. We tired of not getting more.
ReplyDeleteWhere can the taxpayers get a copy of the county budget?
ReplyDeleteThe county can start by saving the money to spruce up the civic center's new parking lot with pretty landscapping. Waste not, want not! Now there is a waste of money at this time.
ReplyDeleteNothing more is happening than what your wonderful revenue cap calls for.
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