“I join with Mayor Meehan and all our community stakeholders, partners in law enforcement, in the legislature, and Governor Hogan’s Administration in working together to take the necessary actions to protect our home community,” Senator Mary Beth Carozza said. “We will do whatever it takes to protect the residents and visitors of Ocean City. All options are on the table for future action.”
During the 2019 legislative session at the request of the Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan and Police Chief Ross Buzzuro, Senator Carozza introduced legislation (Senate Bill 682) to increase the penalties for traffic violations in Special Events Zones in Worcester County for negligent driving, driving or participating in a race or speed contest, and other reckless driving. Delegate Wayne Hartman (District 38C) introduced a companion Special Event Zones bill in the House of Delegates.
The original Special Event Zone legislation, introduced by then Delegate Carozza and passed in 2018, established a Special Event Zone during motor vehicle events in Ocean City and allowed for increased fines for speeding to begin to increase public safety. However, the 2018 bill did not include increased penalties for other violations like reckless and negligent driving in a Special Event Zone. In 2018, 2,222 total citations were issued for violations in Special Event Zones, almost a third of those citations were for violations not covered in the current Special Event Zone law. Senate Bill 682 would have covered these additional violations.
The 2019 bill would have increased the penalty for traffic violations in a Special Event Zone to a $1,000 fine if convicted of negligent driving; driving or participating in a race or speed contest; or skidding, spinning of wheels, or causing excessive noise.
“The increased reckless, destructive, and illegal activity over the past H2Oi weekend demonstrated that the Maryland General Assembly should have passed our 2019 special events increased penalties bill. I will continue to work with Mayor Meehan, Police Chief Buzzuro, the Hogan Administration, and my colleagues to take all necessary actions, including legislation, to protect our home community.”
37 comments:
I hope she can do better with the H2O issue since she also supported the incredibly BAD law, Maryland Justice Reinvestment Act.
Really she wants to Give Ocean City that much power
If Mary Beth is smart she'll stay out of the fracus. Mayhen's anti H2O event will draw her into going against her easternshore core base constituency. Just this publicity alone could cost her dearly come election time. Believe me - the easternshore's mantra is guns, nice looking women, and hot rod cars.
OC is no place to visit. West OC is the place to be. Take my advise, stay the hell out of OC if you want to retain your money and dignity. The OC municipal government is nothing more than a license to steal. I know because I have worked there for more than a decade.
The extra $$$$ on the tickets is a good start, but that is only what it is - a good start.
Last weekend, you could burn-out, smoke your tires (jeopardizing the crowd that is watching), get your prized car on a viral video and become a hero and thereby "fame", for just a $70.00 fine and no points.
70 bucks and you're famous. Most of these kids would pay ten times that for being a viral part of OC's history.
The answer? Harsh penalties. Let me put that another way: HARSH PENALTIES! That is the only thing kids of that age understand. (I used to be a kid. I know.)
Here's all you gotta do:
1. Call for a State of Emergency. There is absolutely NO doubt that this is an emergency situation. It was basically a 12-mile riot of anarchy over two entire days.
2. Rules change under a State of Emergency.
3. During this period the penalties for auto infractions would be this:
Car impounded or even confiscated.
License suspended immediately (as done with DUI)
12 points on the driving record.
Minimum $1000 fine for even the lesser infractions.
It may sound drastic, but this is the ONLY thing these kids will understand.
To residents and vacationers, it is a riot. To the participants, it's just one hell of a great party.
The harsh penalties will bring them down to earth very quickly.
Take thier cars away to an impound lot (park & ride). Can't get them back until they go to court and make the court date a couple of weeks away.
2:28 nailed it. extreme, harsh penalties. Cuff them and confiscate their cars. Throw the little turds in jail.
OC gets what it deserves..i aviod that cesspool of Hypocrites. Good luck
OC sold its soul years ago. Making money has been their God. It is a tacky, honky tonk mess. Have you ever noticed how many locals head to the Carolinas for vacation? Their beach towns are a whole different world than OC.
oh come on, the politco's and business owners wanted the crowds no matter what, and so now when this monster gets outta control they want to kill it! to damn funny!
take their cars, take their drivers licence, fine them heavily and throw them out
Wait a minute...public nudity (topless) is okay but a burnout is verboten?
H2Oi - what does the "i" stand for - immature, ignorant, incite, idiocy, idiots, infestation, what?????
This seems like a sensible solution. But, if the street urchins come back unannounced, does this bill provide the town emergency and immediate action to create a special event zone at a moments notice? I noticed last week that it took about 2 days to change signs.
And, how about this time, reduce to 25 mph.
O.C. has not been the same since Mayor Kelly left office. I am in agreement with many of the above posters, stay-a-way from OC at all costs. The tourist and more particularly its residents are indentured slaves.
She's joining the Democrats and RINOs to go one the attack against an entire large group of visitors to OC, where a small percentage showed off for their peers? I don't think she is going to last long in her position if she is going to join forces with dims and RINOs. We Republicans are pretty touchy about that behavior. If she is going to be like Hogan, she has gotten my last vote.
They simply can’t take their cars, get that through your heads. The courts have determined that is confiscation and deemed it an unreasonable punishment. You can only push different penalties in different areas so far. They got the special event zone passed similar to a construction zone, the next steps failed miserably! The clown self serving Mayor and some council members are 100% responsible as they supported business and heads in beds at any cost, now you have it.
October 2, 2019 at 2:28 AM:
And what communist country are you from anyway? That's NOT how we treat Americans. Perhaps someone should have done all that to you in your younger days when you misbehaved with a car. And don't try to tell us you never did. Hypocrites, and old fuddy-duddies, each and every one. Your "harsh" penalties are anti-American. You can't punish groups for individuals behavior. What are you, some kind of nut? You don't think right. Can't wait to shoot somebody someday? And by the way, " To the participants, it's just one hell of a great party." is what most tourists go to OC for. If they're not loud on the streets, they're loud in their hotels rooms, at the clubs raking in the money, and in the public areas. You are singling out a large group of people that you are so old you can't relate to anymore. Your communist "state of emergency" is a stupid idea that nobody in their right mind would propose, just because they don't like the group or their cars. It's the off season, and a money boom for OC. OC has to clean up after every large crowd comes to town. Large crowds are why OC brings in tons of money. This group is no different. Bad actors in every large crowd that vists OC. And just how much property damage did you personally suffer as a result of this group's visit last weekend? That's right, NONE. State of Emergency, like hurricanes, natural disasters, flooding, looting and riots? I think you're so angry you are delusional. Save the National guard for real emergencies. Not just for groups that tee you off. There's a reason the 2019 bill did not pass. It will not withstand a legal challenge.
The post by the TOOC employee is spot on. We have regular staff meetings, and the focus is always on who’s in town, how much money they generate, and what we can do to bring more people. 95% of Town employees live off the island, HELLO, paid the highest salaries, with no stake or loyalty. Good job Rick and crowd. They will laugh all the way to Florida when they retire.
A small percentage? Where were you watching from? This town was a mess. Visitors?
I agree with the last two comments. Nothing is gonna happen. A ton of needed money to pay the outrageous salaries and union wages the same Mayor and Council agreed to, they built the off season at any cost to the very few year round residents and other visitors that aren’t part of these groups. Every major tax payer by income lives off the island and could care less about the tears of the crybabies about a little noise and disruption for what amounts to a few weekends. Let’s see, Hale and John Harrision Leighton Moore, Buddy Jenkins, Lenny Burger, the list goes on, all moved years ago to WOC. The poor second home owner that wants to come in the shoulder season after they rent all summer, you can’t vote, and no one wants to hear from you anyway. Now, that’s not fake news!
I think it is necessary for at least one lane to be closed in the event that fire/EMS has to get through; I also think impounding the cars until a court appearance would be helpful; taking away the privilege to drive would also get their attention. I think the town would be wise to focus on the safety aspect rather than a punishment - that just eggs them on more. As for some people calling for the guard to be deployed, I just think that is a terrible idea on many levels, not the least of which is the PR nightmare that would come out of that
The Council did this by their total lack of foresight and planning. Strategic planning, to date the biggest joke ever. A Recor leftover of a political circle jerk!
My Mommy said you cant do that to me
for bringing my car she bought for me to burn rubber
If the car doesn't meet safety standard, it can be impounded
Impounded but you can’t seize it
Amen, I have attended every one, I retire next year and will never look back. The Mayor cares about one thing, himself! Both city managers including this one, just paper pushers at their best. I’ve only witnessed two or three Department Heads that actually cared, they retired except for Hal. The Town is destined to be another Baltimore one day, but I’ll be long gone.
Visitors?
October 2, 2019 at 11:19 AM:
They came, stayed a couple of days, and left. That's what visitors do. What part don't you understand about the word "visitor?"
Those streets are public streets, and OC can't stop one group of the public from using them, just because they don't like them. They are not private roads. Quit acting like they are. Keep throwing down the gauntlet Ricky. And they will respond to the challenge. He's an idiot and is doing nothing to resolve the situation. He only makes it worse with threats that can't be enforced. Sitting here on the mainland, it is hilarious what they are doing, and the response they are getting. They were all over the shore when they were coming and going back home. A little loud (much less that the typical redneck truck on the shore), and rather courteous to the other drivers around them. But OC brings out the worst in them, and I think OC asks for it by trying to intimidate them. OC is getting what they deserve.
At 2:28:
Man are you wrong.
The situation last weekend was a textbook case for calling a State of Emergency in this town.
You must not have been there.
If this type of thing were to happen in, say, Baltimore, the troops would've been sent in and a curfew would've been imposed.
(BTW: A "State of Emergency" basically allows special rules to be made, nothing more.)
I've been in this town over 50 years, from teen to resident, I've been through some pretty damn good riots here (anyone remember the Seascape riot when they called in the Guard?). This one was WAY over the top.
I wouldn't have broken the law, but if I was a teenager again, I would've been right in the middle of that party last weekend! It was something to see.
Fast forward to next year, " they're baaaack". Haha haha!
Nobody ever accused marybeth of being smart
2:28 I do believe there are points with all moving violations
October 2, 2019 at 8:23 AM:
Sir, let me help you overcome your ignorance. H2Oi, stands for Water Cooled Import Vehicles. There. Feel better?
October 2, 2019 at 7:01 PM:
I'm pretty sure you don't own a textbook. A car rally doesn't require a state of emergency. Get real. Call out the troops! What a freaking over-reaction by a Socialist supporter. I say that because that is what socialists do when crowds gather in protest of government actions. OC banned the event. See what they got for it? I'm all for the kids. Wish I wasn't too old to participate.
11:49 hit the nail right on the head.
October 2, 2019 at 7:01 PM:
There is something seriously wrong with your town and it's administration if you need the National Guard to stop kids from burning rubber with their 4-bangers. They weren't rioting or looting, like the typical State of Emergency. How freaking helpless can a city be? Their "solution" banning the event really worked out well, didn't it? Your city can't pour pee-pee out of a boot with the directions written on the heel.
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