DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
95 comments:
Any news on the actual budget? Yes, I support a modest increase such as this.
With the PIO position and Ted Shea still there?
Absolutely not.
He just doesn't get it.
MAKE SOME CUTS!!
NO! There's still too many places that the budget can be cut starting with Mr Pollitts PIO.
NFW - I support the county living within it's current income....like the rest of us are required to.
HELL YES!
NO, he is taxing us when we are already down. Olinger was a better choice than tax and spend. Pollitt is giving back to whom got him in office though. More money for fire departments.
No - I am adamamantly opposed to ANY tax increase - period.
The County is going to have to learn to live within their means. I had to cut back dramatically and so can they.
You've got to be kidding!
He has lost mhis feeble little mind!
Hell NO!
Yes, it's a net zero proposition. We really have no choice.
NO! Do with what they already have...CUT THE FAT. We the tax payer did not get a raise!
LOSER! Just another example of elected officials not knowing how to handle taxpayers money wisely. He can't budget because he doesn't know how. Answer? TAX INCREASE!
He probably can't balance a checkbook. Talked a great game during campaign, but the public has been cheated on this one. Voters remember!!
Yes.The equalization formula in the revenue cap isn't intended to work just one way i.e. downward. It was intended to limit the revenue derived from preoperty taxes to no more than the CPI or 2%. Joe Ollinger's letter in the DT this morning layed out a very logical and sound agrument for applying the equlaizer, as porovided under the revenue cap this year.
Can we achieve more efficiencies and eliminate some costs...sure...but I frankly do not beleive we can cut our way to $ 8 Million. Taking us down that path will surely lead to a deterioration in the citizen's quality of life and further deterioration of our infrastructure; eventually making this county a place where the only people who live here will be ones who cant live anywhere else.
NO!
Shame it's not lots more - Ricky needs to spend lotsa money foolishly. Rather than cutting back severely like everyone else he needs more. Unfortunately - for him - he's limited to how much he can gouge the hard working citizens that haven't defected from Wicomico County - yet.
County Council please hold his feet to the fire!
Cut back some of the line items we dont need...PIO ring a bell?
no
YES!Rick is a good man. He wouldn't ask if he didn't think we needed it!
YES
Yes.
You have got to be kidding me. I am struggling right now with just paying my mortgage, food prices going up and gas prices, too. These are all necessities. I can't believe he even proposed this.
Why the tax increase now that the "Bennett Middle School" nonsense has been shelved?
What a difference a year makes -- no election this fall for Ricky to survive.
I support dees.
Yes. Because it is necessary to provide the services that we all need. Besides, if you voted for the tax cap, this is part of what you voted for which is allowing the county to increase revenue by 2%. (which may cover cost of living, but doesn't account for growth)
No I do not!
YES, do you?
On PAC 14 this morning:
Slick Rick made me sick.
To all of you that continue to say "run the county like a business", don't you think that a business would try to grow their bottom line by 2%, especially if they weren't able to sell their widgets and break even?
no. reduce your spending by the amount that would have brought in. thats hard to do.
Yes
yes, we need to keep the services we have
It is permitted under the resgtrictions of the revenue cap which was voted into place by a majority of those County voters that voted for the revenue cap.
NO!
No, but I would fully, enthusiastically, and completely support a reduction of 5% in the overall County Budget, even if it included a reduction in pay and benefits for County emloyees.
Only Pollitt would be contemplating a tax increase in such an econonmy. He must be receiving his directions from the O's: Obama and O'Malley!
Well - this is it for Pollitt's political career. He is definately not going to run for re-election as he is destined for retirement.
I'm really shocked that he would come out in favor a property tax increase as opposed to severe budget cuts. After all - Wicomico's citizens have all had to make some rather dramatic adjustments in light of the current state of the economy. The public sector does not need to be insulated from the stark reality that our County coffers are deficient. My pockets are deficient too - but to impose the public sector will on ordinary folks is unfathomable.
Yes...It makes sense.
only if it is reduced when home values go back up...
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He just keeps trying doesn't he. He needs to GOOOO!
Absolutely NOT. If he took the lead and eliminated his own oversight (executive staff & county government workers) first, he could then ask for other departments to do the same thing. Until he does that, he needs to just shut up about raising anyone's taxes in Wicomico county.
Sussex County: Here we come!
Bye, Bye Rick!
Where is the "T-Party" and our Republican Central Committee now that we need them???
And what about John Bartkovich, John Palmer and VOICE?
No!
Last year Pollitt saw that Prettyman and Bartkovich were unwilling to stand up to him in the budget process -- now he knows that he can get away with murder in this year's budget -- Stevie and Ms. B. will whine, for sure, but won't walk the walk by cutting this budget.
No
Now lets see which council members can say the same.
Hell NO !
Message to the Wicomico County Council. Start the cuts with Pollitt's office, make him work five days a week.
NNNNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!! He has lost his mind, what little he had about governing to begin with. He doesn't have the b@## to cut his own department big shots & flunky communications guy and is going to ask for others to do it for him. He is the biggest whimp in government in the entire western hemisphere!!!
NO!! As a retired county employee, put me in charge for just six (6) months and give me the power to cut the "fat" and positions and Wicomico County would be rolling in the money. I have watched their smoke and mirrors shows in the past, and know how they "cry" wolf. Looks like Ricky's motto is "they are making more taxpayers every minute, so spend, spend, spend."
Today on TV Pollitt talked about the tax not costing us any more than a tank of gas or a meal out. This from someone who drives a county car with county gas and dines at the taxpayers expense. What a dumb%$#@ thing to say.
Rick:
Thanks for kicking us when we are down.
We will never vote for you again!
Joe:
I can't wait to hear Pollitt's pal Pretl defend this outrage.
5:28-
He's never worked a fuil week inn his life! And now he's got the "PIO" to give him cover,
Don't tax me;
don't tax thee.
Tax that man
behind the tree!
5:23pm Please explain.
4:57, you must not pay attention. The county budget has already been cut over the 5% you requested, and county employees have seen paycuts and reductions in benefits.
5:04, if you understood the cap, you wouldn't even post that. It will go down when home values go up.
5:16, voice is hiding because they realize they helped create this mess. Where is the fat VOICE? You have had years to find it.
5:40, you are full of it. Name the positions, and tell how the county will be rolling in the money.
I whole heartedly agree with it. If I am the one that gets to do the tax appraisal on ALL city council staff properties.
NO freaking way! this is what we get thank the fools that voted for him!
no no and no way should this ever happen this day and time
Wicomico County council, please cut positions funding starting with Shea, joe and curly & the PIO. Then an across the board 10-15% cut in positions at the county office. Then cut ALL take home cars. Then cut the workday hours and overtime. Then bid out ALL county jobs to publicly run companies and start replacing as many as possible with contract workers. Cut the 'KINGDOM FIRST' then start with the WCSO (some of the same things as above) and then the WBOE. Then, we won't need a tax increase. Because we all know it won't go down when the property values go back up. Do not back off!!! We are behind those who want to Cut Taxes and NOT to those who want to increase them.
Yes - Ollinger's letter was very smart. Some of you clueless people should read it.
6:02 -
Are you Rip Van Winkle? --read the minutes (on line) from the County Council meetings back then.
Prettyman and Bartkovich bowed down to Pollitt.
No. Rick even said that audit reports said that even before we had an executive form of government the budget money was wisely managed.
That tells me all we need is a referendom to do away with a county executive form of Gov. and all his cronies.
I guess Pollitt has never heard the word 'AUSTERITY'.
If ever there was a time for budget trimming - it is now. There is no industry - so to speak - here in Wicomico County. They have all folded-up shop and moved out of here. Pollitt is clueless as to why revenues have dried-up. With no jobs - there is less piggyback tax. This is not rocket science.
Maryland is a great state alright - I'll tell you what the State of Maryland is - it is in a STATE OF CONFUSION.
Time for Pollitt to reduce the BOE budget and bring things back into kilter.
Nope, Definately do not as it won't stop with this. The Pork needs to be cut----Cramer & others need to go---Expenses can & should be made for every dept except our 1st responders!
7:13:
Ollinger's letter is really stupid. He says that the population growt plus inflation is less than the additional tax revenue that has been received since the tax cap was passed. Why, then, is a tax increase necessary???
ABSOLUTELY NOT. NO. Cut the fat just like I have to do in my own household. Get rid of the fat at the top (Shea & Fineran & Creamer).
How about 2.5 cents and look for more cuts, the cuts are there. Anyway, it's in the hands of the Council now.
No! I have lived in my house for 10years. My taxes have doubled in that time. My income has been reduced due to a company closing its doors. Gas and food are higher.
I can barely afford to go to work traveling 50+ miles a day to get there. What this county needs to do is work on bringing new companies back to the county and quit taking from those that can't give anymore. "The American dream used to be to own their own home. Now it is to have a stable job."
i support as long as all wico taxpayers see were the money is gonna be used. also i hope this is not the opening of a floodgate. i still think some department brainstorming can fine tune some aspects of efficency. all departments really need to downsize the v8 automobiles and trucks for local and non
equipment/personnel transport to smaller 4 cylinder trucks and cars. this fuel thing is gonna really start eroding at all departments budgets.supervisors really need to map out gameplans for all employeees to not over drive and in house carpool when ever it suits the job. this should be one of the sheriff departments main objectives since they have the most vehicles on the road in county goverment.like i say this fuel thing is to the point were it cannot be brushed under the table anymore because in my opinion the days of the 2.50 a gallon of gasoline and diesel are gone
I just cannot believe some of the comments on this question. This county voted on the tax cap and felt it was a great victory to hold the property tax income to a max of 2% increase. You rejoiced that there was no provision for growth and your tax rates went down because your valuations went up. Now, your valuations have gone down and it's only fair that the county be provided with the 2% property tax gain you overwhelmingly approved. Actually, because of the assessments being lowered, many people will still probably pay less. What's fair is fair, so stop whining.
7:43, you just answered your own question. If the growth the county has seen, and the cost of living, exceed the increases realized in order to provide services, that is why it is necessary to raise the taxes.
7:06, you are completely nuts. The tax rate will go down when property values go back up. It has to because if it didn't, the county would exceed the 2% maximum additional revenue allowed by the cap. I know it is hard for you to understand, especially judging by the rest of the post, but the rate will go down. Look how much the rate has fallen over the last several years. That is because of the rising home values, and also because of growth and new homes that would have pushed the revenue above the 2% mark. If you don't understand the way the cap works, why did you vote for it? Also, by voting for it, you were allowing for a 2% increase in revenues, which is what this 5 cent increase will do. Make up your minds. (you probably also voted for the executive form since voice told you that is what you should want)
man! with all this tax increase talk i am gonna go to the civic center for a beer.
Bartkovich & Prettyman do your job and do not, I repeat do not, bow down to Ricky and his plan. We, out here, can't take it any more. We are down to bare nothing in our own homes, he needs to learn how to cut fat in all the departments, including his own. Matter of fact we don't even need a Rick Pollitt, that would save alot of money.
Bob Culver we are counting on you. Please dont "bend". Make Pollitt tow the line. Cut the fat...
That's funny 8:36 I didn't vote for that. My taxes haven't went down even though my selling value has. I bet I could find ways to cut the budget because I am forced to do it in my household.
8:36 Shutup! If you want to write a check to cover for Tricky Ricky's stupid budget, go ahead. We don't want NEW TAXES! PERIOD! Believe what the truth is...we don't want new taxes. We want CUTS is cost, services if we have to. Enough is enough! Write a check for me too! Thanks!
NO!!!-This county gives all the contracts to out of state contractors but wants to raise our taxes-NO
9:53, spoken like a true contractor. It is called competetive bid. Legally, unless the lowest bidder has issues, you have to or can be sued. Sorry, go fight the law.
The more the government gets the more they will spend. Absolutely no more taxes. There is plenty of waste in every department that has not been addressed. Eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse and taxes will not have to be raised. If Rick cannot do that he should resign and let someone else do what is best for the citizens.
No - plain and simple.
We are over-taxed, over-legislated,and over-regulated. No new taxes!!!! When things get tight for us, we have to cut back, we don't have the public to get more from.
Attend the public hearing and let the council know your feelings
incredible I recently paid my prop tax and it was 250.00 more than last yr while the value is far less and now he wants more???
11:18 you are absolutely wrong. Contractors are NOT a protected class. Rick Pollit and the Council can definitely decide to choose contractors from within Wicomico County. It's done all the time on different levels. It could be done at this level too. Our tax money should be kept here at home. Our economy could be stimulated right here at home. There are many things that Pollit could do to ease some of the financial pain felt by the citizens. The problem is that the former councils (and every other level of government) have made the public so dependent upon "programs", that society has become unable to function without them. Now, by default, a major part of society is dependent upon the government for its very existence. Now in order to reverse this dependency, we will have to endure the pain. Much the same as any other addiction. It must come in the form of cuts and the necessity to learn to once again do for ourselves.
7:50, I don't want my taxes going to pay some good ole local boy 20% more than some guy from somewhere else. If you want the jobs, lower your bids. I could see the county legislating a 10% offset for local businesses, but the way contractors are, once they realize the offset, they will be factoring that into the bid.
All of you complaining about yout taxes, have you compared them to the rest of the state? In case you haven't noticed, they are some of the lowest. Quit your whining, and posturing, and tough guy stuff and either move, or deal with it. Half of you have no friggin clue of what you are talking about and clearly don't understand the revenue cap that you voted for.
Before we have a tax increase Mr. Pollitt should let Matt Creamer and Ted Shea go. They were only supposed to stay on and show him the ropes. How long does it take him to learn his job? Two employees making big buck doing what? They did the county executives job before he was elected.
No, in fact, those people that own homes in Salisbury, Delmar and other towns are already paying too much! The County regularly cuts services to people that live in town, yet expect us to pay the same amount at county residents. They don't provide us snow removal, roads, etc... heck now they want Delmar and Fruitland to cut a separate deal with the Humane Society since they have their own animal control person (because the county wasn't doing their job!). So no, I do not want to pay more for ever decreasing services.
Looks like the county has already cut the Sheriff's dept patrols here in salisbury. that's OK, I think the city's new police chief seems to have things well in hand.
YES !
You fools, you fools, you fools who believe Rick Pollitt can just let Matt Creamer go. The position of Wicomico County Council Administrator was created when a majority of voters voted in our new form of government for WIcomico County. Matt Creamer serves solely at the discretion the Wicomico County Council. It is the Wicomico County Council who must and can only fire Matt Creamer.
How about a referendum to get rid of the manager position for Wicomico county.
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