Salisbury, MD -- Wicomico County Executive Rick Pollitt is pleased to announce that he has been invited to be among a small delegation of local government executives to visit Taiwan, September 1-7, 2013. County Executive Pollitt and other elected officials are being hosted on the trip by the government of Taiwan through the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Washington, DC to promote cultural exchange and economic development opportunities with the U.S.
“My office believes that by meeting with the officials from our Ministry of Economic Affairs and Taiwan External Trade Development Council, the County Executive will understand our trade policy and promote business opportunities and products to us,” said Lester Yang, Consular Division Officer for the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office, “The reason we invited him is because we want to strengthen the bilateral relations between Maryland and Taiwan. One of our aims here is to encourage the bilateral economic, cultural, and educational exchanges between our two sides.”
County Executive Pollitt commented, “I am extremely honored and excited by the opportunity to represent my county, my State and my country in Taiwan in the pursuit of improved cultural understanding and economic relations. I have already been briefed by our Maryland Department of Business & Economic Development and will spend the next few weeks intensely preparing for the trip. Maryland is one of only 13 states with official representation in Taiwan and I expect that will greatly enhance our chances for a successful mission.”
The Taipei Economic Cultural Office selected officials from California, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, Texas and Virginia. Delegation stops include a visit to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Taiwan External Trade Development Council.
County Executive Pollitt considers the opportunity to travel to Taiwan a continuation of his Build A Bridge to Business economic growth plan that began earlier this year to spur economic development by improving the county’s competitive position, encouraging entrepreneurship, encouraging businesses to thrive and attracting new businesses to the county. Within the first six months of 2013, those initiatives, at the local level, included the phasing out of the Inventory Tax over five years, the Automatic Manufacturer’s Tax Exemption and, at the state-level, the Property Tax Rate Decoupling legislation Pollitt spearheaded as President of the Maryland Association of Counties.
“The core of our new Visioning process and our commitment to expanded economic development is in the elimination of traditional boundaries of thought and geography that only serve to limit our potential success,” Executive Pollitt said. “My trip to Taiwan is a perfect way to jump-start the effort.”
The delegation trip is paid for and sponsored by the Taipei Economic Cultural Office in Washington DC. Taiwan is the second largest consumption market for U.S. agricultural products per capita. In 2012, Maryland’s exports to Taiwan reached $125.8 million, a 41 percent increase from 2011. Taiwan is Maryland’s 24th largest export market in the world, and 8th largest export market in Asia.
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
32 comments:
And just what does the Eastern Shore much less Salisbury have to offer?
just asking.
Good Rick and while you're at it, just do us all a favor and stay there.
Maybe he'll stay!
Just saying....
As much as we try to push "buy local" He falls for this crap! WTH!
Well it's not Hawaii but it will do for an all expense paid vacation.
I believe the $10k {likely more} for this is a big waste of taxpayer money. Stay the hell home Pollitt and do your job. Try saving us some money instead of just spending it you buffoon.
Unreal with our unemployment over 9% and the problems Wicomico County is facing and this guy feeding at the trough.
China and Taiwan are huge buyers of chicken feet. I think Perdue sells a lot of their feet over there. Perdue used to have to pay to have someone dispose of them, now the Chinese pay Perdue to take them.
Pollitt do us all a big favor take your Public Information Officer and your liberal agenda with you and stay there.
Looks like the focus is export, not import. How is this a bad thing, 10:25?
Only on a blog like this could this be considered a bad thing...
Just goes to show that nothing will make you people happy, nothing.
3:37 It isn't about the blog or the opinions. Has anyone learned who else will be traveling with him? That would be of great interest and then maybe we would understand the reason why an executive from a rural county is invited. MACO, Democrat, but certainly not Wicomico County nor because he is our executive.
How did the county benefit from dr. johnny boy's trip to China? Never heard it mentioned again.
for all the bitchin on this blog about pollit someone must be happy with him. he keeps gettin re-elected!
Anonymous said...
China and Taiwan are huge buyers of chicken feet. I think Perdue sells a lot of their feet over there. Perdue used to have to pay to have someone dispose of them, now the Chinese pay Perdue to take them.
August 9, 2013 at 11:02 AM
And this has to do with Wicomico County how?
Maybe Ricky Boy and his flunkies will stay there and find a reason to raise their taxes. How about packing up the entire third floor of Route 50 & North Division Street and taking them with you. I am sure ALL of them will find a bull s*** reason to be there at taxpayer expense.
1:02, nobody is going on taxpayers dime. Do you read? No wonder we need to put more money into education. Maybe we can have some adult remedial classes.
He's happy to go to Tiawan now beat he didn't go to Vietnam.
And a class for fools such as yourself 2:57. You have been brainwashed to think taxpayers aren't paying.
so let perdue foot the bill! I made a funny, chicken/foot!
get it? lol!
I'm sure he'll be a heavyweight contributor to the delegation.
Let me get this straight, our Rick is smarter than anyone they could send us to save $$, and send a message of fiscal restraint? No, its about the food, they love pork products!
Hey, Rick ever heard of "free" go to meetings online?
Hark! Do you seriously think the Taiwanese people will want to do business with Wicomico? When Taiwan finds out that Wicomico taxes the MAXIMUM allowed per State Law - 3.1% and it was Rick Pollitt himself who approached the Wicomico County Council to approve said action to the DETRIMENT of our taxpaying public - they will drop him like a HOT POTATO.
Remember the MOE waiver requirement - Wicomico had to increase it local income tax rate? Ole Norm was in on the action too.
Soon folks - it will be payback time at the polls.
10:35 If one reads the article, it clearly states the Chinese are paying for this, not tax dollars. You can make up anything you want, but unless you know that is incorrect, I would agree that some of you folks should read before you comment.
To 2:01 - I am 11:50 commenter and I know the information that I posted above is accurate. If you have any doubt - ask any of the county council members.
As for the general public - Pollitt needs to be held accountable for his actions of substantially increasing the budget, personal local income tax rate, real property tax rate, and all of this needs to be magnified right up until the next election.
11:50 am,
I work for a company in Wicomico that does business with the people of Taiwan, and they love our product. we had to look out side to exports for business growth, and found it in Asia, and i do not work at perdue.
2:51. do your homework . it saved the county $14 million
how stupid are you ????
Reference to 2:51 Posting
I hear you 2:51, and the AFP and local teaparty groups have already addressed these things recently. No need to let him off the ropes as the damage has already been done to our people.
I plan to 'ramp it up' to as the election nears. Nothing like confronting a candidate with his own record, let's not forget that.
How much is Rick getting for Wicomico county...... i guess its a sure way to force everyone on the eastern shore to become communist like the rest of maryland
To 4:43 Posting
It was a planned scam from the very start. If Pollitt had filed the right paperwork to request the initial waiver to begin with - the county would not have had to raise any taxes.
Either way - it was a ponzi scheme from the get-go and the taxpayers of Wicomico were the ones to be shaken down.
I really like this blog. Nothing beats clearing the air then telling it like it is. I can sense that are some who are treading on some really sensitive financial issues in regards to the county taxpayers getting hosed.
I agree, we need to bring all of this out as the election approaches.
7:32 AM is so right. Who really cares what Pollitt does. You dumb azzes keep voting him into office.
Post a Comment