Known for their opposing views, incumbent Mayor Jim Ireton and opponent Joe Albero have a common goal, to help transform Salisbury into a business-friendly city.
Albero says it's time for a change and "a lot of people see a lot of empty spaces around Salisbury, a lot of homes for sale around Salisbury."
He says he will treat Salisbury like a company, trying to sell other big businesses on the positives of the city, including the local airport. "Everyone agrees that for the last 16 years there have been very few images of either Mayor Barrie Tilghman or Mayor Ireton cutting a ribbon for a new business opening up in Salisbury."
*But Ireton says "the people that have left the downtown are people that didn't have a business plan that would work there. My opponent seems to want to blame Salisbury for that being a problem."
The mayor explains his plan of revitalizing downtown Salisbury, which would give incentives to businesses. **"I want to draw a ring around the downtown and say 'this is an [equivalent dwelling unites] free zone,'' said Ireton. "It will make it less expensive for developers to build here and less expensive for development to happen.
"I'm going to be happy when I see cranes downtown building stuff."
The candidates will meet for a Public Forum on March 26th. It starts at 7:00 PM in the Wicomico Room at the Guerrieri Center of Salisbury University.
Source
Publishers Notes:
* I'll bet Mayor Ireton wouldn't be man enough to say that to Anne Taylor, (Parker Place) to her face or the numerous other businesses who were told false information by Ireton and Tilghman. Another prime example would be the Evolution Brewing Company, (aka EVO) who bought the old Union Station and were then hit up with a $170,000.00 impact fee.
**As for Jim's EDU plan, HELLO, we already have EDU's for ALL of the buildings Downtown. Does the Mayor take the residents of Salisbury to be stupid enough to buy into that fairy tale that ANY new EDU would be for new businesses? NO! Jim is talking about his 500 Affordable Housing Units in Downtown, NOT businesses.
Does this guy have ANY clue what he's doing or talking about. This Mayoral Candidate thinks not.
Where has his plan been for his first term? Ireton is a bad joke and an embarrassment to the community, nation and world.
ReplyDeleteCant wait until march debate?
ReplyDeleteBuilding "stuff"!?
ReplyDeleteCome on! That's something an elementary school kid would say.
wow what a slap in the face of all those business owners that went under. I am stupidly shocked at what an arse he really is.
ReplyDeleteIreton is a TERRIBLE wannabee business man, ALL he wants to do is to skip up and down the court house area while shaking the hands of the welfare crew and subsidized housing bunch.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of the airport, they need an attitude adjustment, if at all possible.
ReplyDeleteImagine people flying into or out of Salisbury for the first time and having to endure some of those folks with their mean, rude and nasty attitudes.
People at Philly are way friendlier than some of those people at Salis. airport.
Just my opinion of course.
I don't believe Ireton is the reason the businesses went under. Did he personally make all the rules and regulations? Without he and the Council being able to get anything done, it is doubtful Ireton and the Council would have agreed to change any rules and regulation to keep a business from going under.
ReplyDeleteSome of you need to think before inserting foot in mouth. Perhaps people of this mentality need to be told to VOTE JOE, just as I am voting.
Sad state of affairs. I've lived here for many years and I have witnessed the death of downtown and the gridlock of local politics. I don't have the answers but I do know that until people come together nothing will get accomplished. There is so much bad blood at this time I can't see anything good coming of this. I wish I could replace all career politicians with a whole new group of people and start over. I think a new broom sweeps clean. I moved from the city because of all this same ole boasting and nothing ever getting accomplished. This is a bad time in history to be clinging to old ideas. Those that do not learn from history are bound to repeat it. I hope the Salisbury voters will not vote along party lines and think outside the box for once. I pray they vote at all. Think what is best for the city regardless of your affiliation. This country is headed in the wrong direction and I'm not even sure we have enough time to turn things around but I do know that doing nothing is the same as what we have had for years. I watched merchants keep development out of Salisbury trying to hold on to their own interests on the plaza and suffer their own fate after the old mall opened. You can only fight change for so long and then it is at the cost of taking everything under at once. Wake up folks and vote for change. Wake up and take back what you have given to the powers who think they run everything. They don't know what they are doing so you cannot do worse. Sorry about the soapbox but I am truly concerned that we are going to miss our chance to change things for the better. Again..I don't have the answers...but I'm ready for real change.
ReplyDeleteBoy Mayor Jimbo might be better off if he move to that Delaware beach town and ran for their mayor because we don't want him here.
ReplyDeleteI'm just wondering, is Jim Perdue a city of Salisbury resident? Uh, the answer is NO!
ReplyDeleteNot matter what you do downtown is dead.people just don't go there anymore.
ReplyDeletedowntown = lawyers, legal stuff , accounting stuff , court houses ,things that most people hate , good luck.
ReplyDeleteSure , lets get a bite to eat before I go to jail.
I need to buy some hardware stuff to break out of jail. Maybe a new pair of pants and a shirt for jail.
11:52, the "bad blood" is generated by Ireton. Remember, three of the council were his friends that he stabbed in the back. Two of them are business people who said no to his old ideas of give away the farm. Salisbury's "been there, done that".
ReplyDeleteIf that's the only way Salisbury can get ahead, it's in deeper trouble than we know.
Ireton is a joke. He'll lose this election in a big way.
ReplyDeleteYou have my vote Joe! I have lived in Salisbury since 1978, and the last two mayors have run our city into the ground! Ready for something better and that is you Joe!
ReplyDelete"I'm going to be happy when I see cranes downtown building stuff."
ReplyDeleteYou mean like the pigeons already do?
11:52-So sick of hearing that tired old propaganda about "getting along" . So in other words you do not care that the city is being turned into a transient rental area as long as the city council is all in agreement? That corrupt cronyism that only benefits the wealthy property and business owners is okay with you as long as everyone on the council agrees to it? That rubber-stamping disasterous and immoral policies is preferable to having council members who remain true to being fiscally responsible to the taxpayer? Shame on you, this country and our freedoms were built on standing up for what is right , not just going along to get along. You should move to Venezuela or Cuba where no one dares to disagree with the dictator if you want mindless agreement.
ReplyDelete9:18 Amen to this
ReplyDeleteIf Mayor Ireton allows low income housing in the downtown area, I wonder how many more businesses will leave? Downtown will turn into "the hood", just like Church St., Lake St. Booth St., etc. Then see what these old beautiful buildings are worth when everything is empty.
ReplyDelete7:16-I did'nt realize the whole world was watching what happens in Salisbury.Thanks for enlighteneing me.
ReplyDeleteI just don't get Mayor Ireton's fixation on what he terms as affordable housing 12:39. Houses are plenty and more than affordable in Salisbury. You can buy a nice house all day long for under $100 a square foot. As far as affordable rentals they are a dime a dozen and when the stuff hits the fan with Sallie Mae (student loan looming crisis) rentals will be a penny a dozen in Salisbury.
ReplyDeleteUnless there is some serious innovative ways to get some decent paying jobs within not only the city but the county more residential units and homes are kinda low on the list of priorities.
7:16-I did'nt realize the whole world was watching what happens in Salisbury.Thanks for enlighteneing me.
ReplyDeleteFebruary 19, 2013 at 4:31 PM
YES, and you just embarrassed yourself.
6:42-let me explain why it is so attractive, because Federally subsidized housing (like Section 8) is the Holy Grail to Slumlords. Second only to a good house fire on a piece of crap that is overinsured by triple value. Ireton has obviously sold his pathetic "soul" to SAPOA who are salivating at the prospect of more taxpayer funded rentals. And Jacob Day is right there with him.
ReplyDeleteIf liarton gets re-elected i am out of this city/county ,its starting to look like PHILLY.
ReplyDeleteIreton is a joke. He'll lose this election in a big way.
ReplyDeleteFebruary 19, 2013 at 8:01 AM
That's what I thought (knew) about obama-dama-ding-dong also.
but you just can't beat city hall. When they insert computer program to divert votes.
My business Parker Place survived downtown for almost 15 years, with NO HELP from the city. Our city isn't business friendly, PERIOD! The Mayor and the City Councel need to be more agressive trying to bring new businesses downtown, and they need to work with people. A great example would be Berlin and what Michael Day has done. I voted for Ireton 4 years ago,(AGAINST THE ADVISE OF MANY) because he used the majic word "CHANGE".....I am still waiting.
ReplyDelete