What is Happening
Our local area workforce has dwindled dramatically and not kept pace with the population growth. SBYnews has been reporting this information monthly for several years now. The workforce decline has resulted in diminished federal, state, & local income tax revenues, and, a sign of a very weak local economy.
Take a look at these results another way - Maryland has an income filing threshold. Essentially, if a resident falls below a certain income threshold, they are not legally required to file a Maryland return. Some individuals still do file a return, but usually for the purposes of claiming a refund on withholding payments or to claim the Earned Income Credit. Over the past fiscal year - (2011 - 2012) - the total number of Taxable Income Tax Returns being filed diminished by 3564. The relationship in per capita revenue growth to our local governments operational budget growth should be a linear relationship - in order for our citizens income growth to keep pace with government growth.
Comparison - Wicomico Operational Budget to Per Capita Net Taxable Income - (FY 2000 - FY 2012)
A comparison of Wicomico's fiscal operational budgets from FY 2000 - FY 2012 - ($77,556,731 verses $113,344,787) - reveals that the County's Operational Budget has risen by 46% while the population Per Capita Net Taxable Income has risen by only 13.2%. Thus our residents are being squeezed or in Chicago politics terms - 'shaken down'. If the County's operational budgets were to be held to a linear relationship standard - then Wicomico's total operational budget for FY -2012 should have been $87,794,219. As one can easily tell - this simply isn't happening and thus Wicomico residents - on the whole - have fallen behind and continue to suffer financially. What you are experiencing are the consequences of run-a-way government spending.
64 comments:
I have to wonder if this is just over the citizens heads to understand?
It will be for some, but I have to say your recent posts on the state of Wicomico County and its leaders have been fantastic! The problems are just so deep and couple that with the way the voters keep putting the same ole same ole back in office, it is a bit overwhelming and depressing - but info we need to know.
12:06, Thanks. However, do you not find it interesting how the rest of the local media hasn't picked up on these important factual and informative stories. We've delivered them ALL the homework and links to confirm what we're delivering to be factual and true.
There's a cushion for Rick Pollitt within the rest of the media and quite frankly the citizens should send e-mail messages calling them out on it.
Joe - this is very sobering information that may take a while to be absorbed and reacted to. You are to be commended for bringing stats like this to light. The only thing "transparent" in this town is what you provide us. Thanks.
Joe - I'm not sure how smart the local media is. Jennifer Shutt seems to be the only intelligent one and she is in Annapolis. As far as television - we can both laugh at their investigative skills. When have they done a true investigative story and "broke" any local news? I can't think of one. They are too afraid it will affect their revenue if they were hard-hitting.
The articles you publish on a local level are incredible. This is the only blog I have ever come across locally that provides factual and challenging information. The service you provide is second to none in my opinion and while I rarely ever comment I just want to thank you for what you do. I know in the upcoming election cycle I will be changing my vote and I will not vote for Rick Pollitt again.
12:18 - I think a lot of Rick's supporters can be referred to as "former" supporters. I find it interesting he hasn't filed yet.
Not for nothing but Thank You. These are the kind of comments that keep us working as hard as we do every day.
Mr. Albero, you speak truth to power. That usually is not well received. No wonder you get bashed by the "power", but we the people appreciate what you do.
Its all very unnerving esp. When our so called leaders ignore the facts. Mrs Tom
Shouldn't the numbers be adjusted for the time value of money?
ie inflation?
That doesn't surprise me.I just read where the British Royal Family is going broke and spending out of control,so this local issue should not come as a shock to any of us.
I can tell by looking at the figures that the only group that is benefiting from the budget increases are the School Teachers Union - and our County Administrators. So if you were in their shoes - a couple thousand dollars a year in extra taxes is minimal to the returns they are receiving. So yes - I would say that our general population has been 'shaken down' by special interest.
This is exactly why I never though Norm Conway should have been elected to office. And that is exactly why I will not be voting for him again.
Joe - this is one heck of a sobering article.
When one works for twenty years for Wicomico County harder and harder and even more harder without a decent pay raise, increase health insurance, gas, food, and required retirement payments, along with property tax increase; it is no wonder the average working class family are experiencing hard times. I'm so glad I left the area.
I swear I have not witnessed such comprehensive coverage except on The Kelley Files, or Greta Van Sustern, Bill O'Reilly.
Who the heck are you guys? Only professionals could ferret out this type of information!
This article is very true and it is very rare to see such extensive coverage.
I calculated a national inflation rate of about 22% over the last ten years.
Question: What in the hell happened to the other 24%???
He may not run again because he sees the handwriting on the wall.
An escalating pension fund shift, diminishing State subsidies, it may be to overwhelming for him to get a grip on. Sooner or latter your sins will find you out. They just keep raising the taxing bar and it simply isn't working.
Reference to 1:10 Posting
Ditto - You could not have said it better. Now you can see why only the most knowledgeable visit this site. It's refreshing to see that there are still some realist left in our society.
12:42 The "queen" owns 6,600 million acres, including entire countries. They went over budget on the money they receive from the taxpayers. Those leeches will never go broke.
I notice one thing is very obvious. It isn't happening in the private sector. The only thing that is thriving is the Wicomico Co. government growth.
And it is to the detriment of our citizens.
I'm not voting for any of the status quo. NADA. Not under these conditions.
Most of the county officials don't get it! They are pulling in big paychecks while the peasants are going hungry and if anyone tried to explain this, they would have an excuse why they need to increase taxes. Don't know where I am going but I really want to get the heck out of Wicomico County. I am sick of this government.
WBOC & other media sources in our area are largely responsible and play a huge rule in Wicomico's catastrophic state by their cover-ups and withholding the truth from us. They should be ashamed of themselves. This fiasco may have been prevented if they reported REAL news that is important to our county's residents.
I noticed that Pollitt's latest 2014 budget is 127.6 million - so it is going to be actually worse for the average Wicomico taxpayer.
This is unsustainable. County government grows, while the taxpayers are being ambushed.
Pollitt knows nothing but working for government. If he doesn't run for Exec, he probably won't be able to find a job. So, will he take the chance of losing vs. knowing that he probably can't find a job in or outside government. Who would hire him with his track record. He has one kid in college and another on the way soon....he needs a job - just not this one in my opinion.
Joe - Pollitt's administration has these budget numbers all wrong. The taxpayers are being hosed and we need to get those guys out of there. Conway, Cane included. They are inflicting a lot of damage on this community.
AARP shows Maryland has the highest median household income of over $87,187 which is the highest in the country. We probably have half that in Wicomico Co., which shows we have fallen way behind the rest of the state. Just where do they expect to get the taxes to pay for their inflated budget, when people in the county can hardly keep a roof over their heads.
I really do appreciate SBYNEWS putting out this information. I have made-up my mind, I am going to call several of my county council representatives about this. We cannot continue to go down this path.
I have witnessed our county officials being brainwashed time and time again. They campaign on change and once they get in there they get caught-up under a glass dome whereby they can't see out.
Most anyone should be able to see that these government increases can't continue. The taxpayers have become slaves to their own government. It is high time for a roll reversal.
Joe, I hope you run for County Exec!
We need some common sense in the GOB...
I believe we've had higher than 22% inflation in the last ten years. Gas was $1.86 in 2008, gasoline alone has spiked 100% in the last five years. I was going to get a green pepper at the store today (Walmart), $2 a pop for one green pepper, I left it there too! Wow, people making minimum wage can work an hour and afford 3 green peppers after taxes? No wonder so many people have EBT cards. Not everyone is a leech.
Can you say Debbie Campbell for County Executive? !!!
I'm making less money than I was 30 years ago. Thanks for some insight Joe, not all of us are numbers people, thank GOD we have some numbers people in our corner!
I think AARP needs to investigate where it arrived at this "highest income" crap. Sounds like an O'Malley supporter did the math..
Response to 1:10 Posting - Who are these guys?
I don't know but I sure wish we had about another 100,000 like them. If we had more reporting like this, maybe I would have some more spending change in my own hip pocket as opposed to an overfed government.
To 12:11 Posting - To Be commended for bringing out this information.
I agree - I want to thank Joe ever so much for your providing such factual information. Information that the average Joe Blow can relate to. I appreciate your shining the light on this most important information.
As for all of the other medias, I don't think they are staffed with the caliber of people that it takes to understand the budget equations. Most of them seem to tag along on the coattails of Salisbury News.
No, MD does really have the highest income cause all the government workers outside DC, like in Montgomery County, Georgetown and the like..not around the bury
Don't forget all the government buildings and government employees
in Baltimore and Anal- Appolis!
All of these comments are coming from intelligent people who really do care about our future. However, there are many unintelligent voters out there who will vote for a Democrat no matter what. There lies the problem. We must begin at home. Were things this bad before 2006. NO!
Maryland's median is skewed by Montgomery County, etc.
The simple version of this post is this:
Wicomico's (and Salisbury's) population has grown a LOT in the last decade...
But INCOME is DOWN.
That means more people in need of services and few people and businesses supplying the means to provide those services.
Growth is not always a good thing if it is not in the right places and ways.
Right 3:39 But try and tell Barrie Tighlman, lynn crapcart, Gary Comegys and Mike Dunn that.
Cap welfare benefits at two kids. Why can't welfare families have to be responsible when they have more kids than their current check can support? The rest of us have to, and we're paying our bills and theirs.
Wow, I don't know where to go with this. This is the first I have heard about this, but the information does make sense.
I can see what you mean by being squeezed, as the statistics show it. Thanks for publishing this information.
I can clearly see where the Number of Taxable income tax returns are way down. And I did not know that if you didn't make a certain amount of money that you were not required to file an income tax return. So that tells me that there are quite a lot of people in Wicomico that aren't making the minimum to even qualify to file an income tax return. This is really interesting information.
And exactly who is to be held accountable for such off the chart increased spending and budget expansion?
And once identified, what is the process for remediation?
Help me, help me....to help myself!
Giuliani did that in my then when the Welfare king came into office he reversed it.
Do you know if any protests are planned in the future? I want to be a part of this tax revolt! You can't tax your way to prosperity!
This is not sustainable. You cannot continue to drain private citizens and bolster the government. Look at what happened in the soviet union. It is the same mentality here locally.
I can tell something is going to give very soon. Either we the taxpayers are going to cave or they the government is going to cave. Either way, it ain't pretty because the average citizen just isn't making it. Although the numbers are compelling, the government continues to spend, spend, spend, with little or no restraint. I agree this is unsustainable.
Anyone wants to know what an official depression looks like. Simply look at the numbers in the spreadsheet. No growth, long sustained erosion in disposable income, people not having to file income tax returns because of not enough income, diminished property values. I would say this is a text book example of a depression.
Pollitt should be hog tied and booted from office!
Hopefully the next election will rid us of these tax and spend democrats. Its time we take back the county.
Joe,this and other posts need to be posted just before primaries, and again before elections. Please save this for that.
I think Obama is going to talk tonight about extending unemployment yet again in his state of union address. I wonder how many extra weeks he is going for tonight. I have never heard of 99 weeks of unemployment in my lifetime. And if he extends it again tonight then I guess we are in a depression.
Amazing article.
Well thought out and easy to comprehend.
I remember at the public meeting, they were saying how they had to put some large projects on hold, but others they had to more forward with.
It is hard to understand what they are spending the money on that created such a huge increase in spending. That's whats hard to comprehend. I think they intentionally make that type of information complicated.
This is a really good illustration. My only hope is that our County officials are watching this. I'll bet you that they have not seen a similar analogy presented to them.
Well now we know why Wicomico's foreclosure rate is running so high. Our residents disposable income has disappeared while the government's income is expanding.
I think it is pretty clear as to what is happening. We need a new leader with that will try and go in another direction. The current direction is certainly not working.
Responding to 4:31 Posting
Decline in taxable income tax returns. I also was not aware that if a person does not make a certain income threshold then they are not required to file an income tax return. So if I understand this correctly, then according to the last line of the chart there are a lot of wicomico residents that just simply are not making enough money to even have to file a return. In my professional opinion we have got to get some new leaders because this is really bad news!
The county budget is also increasing exponentially while the citizenry's income has shrank. This is a recipe for dramatic increases in taxes that I cannot afford. We have got to get rid of Pollitt.
If I am understanding this correctly, you can also note that the Per Capita taxable income level is below poverty. You have to understand that this is an "average" of all tax filers and to get such a low figure, it means that there are a boat load of people making very low wages.
I understand this includes deductions, but that is a very low figure.
I recently made a comment that I was making the same wage as I was in 2005. And did not realize how rich I was back then. Factor in the fact that all basic needs and goods have doubled in cost.
This is indisputable proof that taxpayers can not afford any more mismanagement by both the county and city
Joe, this is a really good article. You should run this again right before the next election. This information is very important for citizens to see what is truly going on in their community.
Concentration should be on job growth, taxes will take care of themselves.
Thanks Andy, glad we gave you a raise. Now let's give the deputies a raise.
Joe, do you know if this is just our county or is it statewide as well ?
I for one would certainly move from this state if I had the means. I am tired of the innumerable taxes, fees and fines. That goes for the local level as well as the state.
I imagine a reason for the reduction of taxable income is those that do work are tired of the cost of living and even the political atmosphere of this state.
To 10:49 - I agree. We are being bombarded with every form of new taxes imaginable. I saw on FOX where Bill O'Reily said Maryland was now taxing the rain. He also informed it was Marylanders fault for putting such a liberal Governor in office. Let's see, the state has now doubled our flush tax. Our vehicle registration fees have gone through the roof. Our local income tax rate has been increased yet again. And our sales tax has been increased to. Our gasoline taxes have also been dramatically increased. WHAT IN THE HELL ARE WE SUPPOSE TO DO????
Given how much Gerrymandering has been going on, I'm not sure you can assign all the blame on the voters.
Post a Comment