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Sunday, February 22, 2015

Day 49: No Response from County on Tax Differential or Fire Service Agreement

Salisbury - Mayor James Ireton, Jr. today announced that it has been 49 days since the City of Salisbury asked County Executive Bob Culver and the Wicomico County Council to address the double-taxation of Salisbury residents, and the lack of a working Fire Service Agreement between the City and the County.

In a letter delivered January 2nd, Mayor Ireton and the Salisbury City Council requested a property tax setoff to rectify the over 1 Million dollar differential between the taxes City residents pay, and the services they receive from the County in return.

The Mayor and Council also asked the County to adopt an assessable base option for fire and EMS in Wicomico County. The assessable base model is used to provide for the costs for protecting/responding to calls for service demanded by, and directly related to, the amount of real properties and residents in a given fire district. Data from the County G.I.S. and 911 Computer Aided Dispatch System indicates that the City responds to 62.95% of the fire calls in the County, yet the City only received 23.87% of the County’s total funding for fire and EMS in FY2014.

“County Executive Culver and the Wicomico County Council have had our request for 49 days now, but the citizens of Salisbury, Fruitland and Delmar have yet to receive a single word in response,” said Mayor Ireton. “We’re no closer now to a working Fire Service Agreement than we were a month-and-a-half ago. We’re no closer to equity for Salisbury taxpayers than we were a month-and-a-half ago.

“What we are offering is a way for the County Executive to deliver on his campaign promises by providing real tax relief to people who are bearing an unfair burden. We’re offering him a way to make it right.”

28 comments:

Anonymous said...

So, Jimmy, Bob Culver has been busier than a one-armed paper hanger, but you think he should drop everything to answer your inquiry.
I'm sure he will get to it shortly, but he's got a BIG mess to clean up and that will take time.
Just be patient. I'm sure he will respond to his constituents soon, something you might think about doing.

Anonymous said...

FIRE calls, or EMERGENCY calls?

Number of vehicles sent? How were the numbers cooked up?

Anonymous said...

It's funny that the mayor now is acting like he actually cares about the city taxpayers only when he (Ireton) wants something in return. Any other time, Ireton could care less how much city taxpayers have to pay.

I am sure Mr. Culver has his request and is studying it VERY carefully. Mr. Culver is a leader and a business professional and I hardly doubt he is going to jump at any of Ireton's half-baked schemes and demands. And, I am certain, Mr. Culver after study and consideration will make the final decision.

Ireton is trying to cloak this as something good for the citizens. We all have been down this road too many times not to be able to see the truth behind his deception.

Anonymous said...

Hmm.
How long has that doofus been mare?
And how long was that other doofus whom Culver trounced in his position?

And all of the sudden it's Culver's fault?

I am disappoint

Anonymous said...

Brat show from City. He is in office one month when you send the letter. Previous poster is right. He has bigger issues than yours. Get in line.

Anonymous said...

Why didn't that tutti-frutti mayor do this stunt when Pollitt was the County Exec?

Anonymous said...

Joe -- there is really good reason that the County should give property owners in Salisbury and some of the other towns relief for the County's property tax, but Ireton is poisoning the well with his whining and attempt to make Bob Culver and the Council (which is the one that would approve any relief) look bad in the mainstream media.

Why are you posting his patent BS?

Anonymous said...

2:32 he had time to drive around the county in a snow plow?

Anonymous said...

He is choking on his words. We have been waiting 4 yrs. for Trickyton to clean up the river for swimming. The hell with him.

Anonymous said...


Or Jimbo could just stop providing the duplicated services and return the extra money to the city taxpayers.

If they are actually needed the county can provide them. Pretty darn sure any services the county provides going forward will be as economical and efficient as possible; can't say the same for Jimbo & Jake turf.

Anonymous said...

3;31 I think Joe is right to post this. The residents of Salisbury re-elected this clown and they need to know just how he is viewed. You are right, there are some good arguments to be made for some tax differential, but THE MAYOR THE PUBLIC ELECTED (supposedly) is such a mean spirited, pompous @ss, anything he suggests is poison for most of us. Jake Day will be no better. Why do you all keep electing people who think they are the smartest ones in the room? Barrie Tilghman was the same way. Remember the definition of insanity? Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.

Salisbury was at its best when Paul Martin, a man of the people with common sense, was in charge. Wake Up People and quit screwing yourselves.

Anonymous said...

Give the outlying "donut" areas to the neighboring county fire departments ,they would love it.
Can you spell "mutual aid" ? What departments were at the fire on Gay St the other night?
Salisbury gets enough of the county money, they are only one dept. out of 12. Don't forget how much the county pays for EMS(911).

Anonymous said...

4:24 while I agree with your comment, please understand that not all city residents voted for this sham of a mayor, nor law-breaker in the form of Day.

There are plenty of city citizens that feel the votes were rigged and not accounted for properly.

Anyone with just average intelligence knows that both Ireton and Day are fakes and both would lie to protect each other's you know what. Their history precedes every word coming out of their mouths. They have proven to the citizens they are not capable and highly ineffective to lead anything much less the city.

I would gladly vote to remove city government and let the county take charge. I feel with Mr. Culver at the helm, we would be a great deal better off then with the clown boys (Ireton & Day).

Anonymous said...

They are doing ok with out the money from the county... Oh wait they are still getting it. They are hijacking the money through the volunteer cut from the county. Forcing them to buy more staff vehicles to the tune of 90,000. That's 90k for a command truck. An SUV. Oh if the volunteers don't pay. Their charter with the city is terminated. No more being a firefighter for the SFD the city will not allow them in the building on the fire trucks. Natta. I'm pretty sure this maybe extortion maybe. Hey joe. Check it out for yourself.

Anonymous said...

the city gets $943,863 from the county plus 911 center in the yearly budget. how much is enough???

Anonymous said...

Jimmie, take a break...go down to Rehobeth for a few days. It will do you good :)

Anonymous said...

4:25, Salisbury has had quite a few good mayors over the years,but Paul Martin was the last good and decent one. This would be a good question for George Chevallier.
Or maybe an Open Post, When was the last time Salis. had a good mayor ?

Anonymous said...

3:42 yes, he was riding around in a snow plow afterhours in the middle of the night while your mayor was either in a bar or asleep. I've heard nothing but complaints about City streets. Maybe your mayor should worry about taking care of the immediate problem. You must be one of the idiots who re-elected him.

Anonymous said...

4:19 great idea. City should be absorbed into County so we can get the damn thug hole cleaned up. No leadership except in opening bars. da 'bury is a joke.

Bush'man said...

Mr. Culver.... just keep it "steady as she goes" and continue to move forward and on!
Prayers and blessings going out to you and the individuals who are charged with carrying out painful yet necessary changes!!

Anonymous said...

It's been five days since the snow and my street is still covered. County road are clear. Let's just get rid of city government altogether. not necessary at all, model it after Baltimore county, where by the way, the elementary school I attended was built in 1930 at still looks great and is a blue ribbon school.

Anonymous said...

He's probably trying to reduce the county taxes so he can get away with raising the city taxes...just like an O'Malley loving democrat






Anonymous said...

Your exactly right 5:44pm....

He's going to up city taxes x3, watch n see!

Anonymous said...

How do we start a movement to do away with the city. Culver and county council are better equipped to deal with all issues than the clowns in city. Someone who knows how to get it going should do so. I have no idea how.

Anonymous said...

You're also no closer than you have been for years. Why is 49 days more of an issue for you than the past several years have been? Pander much?

Anonymous said...

5:44 I agree

Anonymous said...

The board of ed has issues with the county executive and now so does their employee. What are the chances?

Anonymous said...

F"k Jim Ireton, he needs to put this to bed. It ain't gonna happen. Funny how he tries to bring Fruitland and Delmar in on this. What about the other municipalities? The don't count?

I have an idea, do away with the town and city charters and make everything one county.

I have another idea, do away with the volunteer fire companies in Salisbury and make on Countywide fire department. The fire departments that don't agree with it, cut their funding and take their fire trucks. They were bought with county funding anyway. Delmar and Fruitland have been scratching on their fire calls anyway. The majority of all funding to the Salisbury Fire Department come from Wicomico County anyway. We need a countywide fire department more than we need to put up with Jim ireton's and Rick Hoppes' Bullshit.