Letter to the Editor
Having followed Mr. Conway's political career for over the past 20 years - it is most unfortunate that our citizens get such little respect from this elected official. Throughout his extensive political career that now spans several decades - he has chosen not to enrich the lives of taxpayers - but instead - has authored and co-authored legislation to bolster the lifestyles of special interest groups like the Board of Education and the Maryland State Teachers union.
During his tenure - he has aligned himself with the likes of notable liberal spenders; Delegate Sheila Hixson who herself has close ties to the Maryland State Teachers union. Together, Mr. Conway and Mrs. Hixson helped to co-author HB-1412 - Maintenance of Effort, the companion bill to SB-848 - Maintenance of Effort. The bill contains spending formulas that seek to harm the citizens of Wicomico County by 'enjoining' Wicomico taxpayers to collective bargaining agreements whereby they have no input. It is a form of extortion that ought not to be allowed. Moreover, the bill provides for overriding our county's revenue cap limitation in order to fund this special interest group - the Board of Education.
It wasn't enough for him to have drawn a salary from the same entity-(BOE)-that he seeks to enrich - but he has the audacity to vote on these initiatives knowing full well that it represents a clear conflict of interest.
But what really irks me the most - is that at the same time he seeks to covertly insulate the Board of Education from the economic downturns of our recesssion - he continues to 'rub shoulders' with liberal representatives like Sheila Hixson. As the old say goes - 'you are judged by the company you keep'.
That being said - lets take a closer in-depth look at what Mrs. Hixson has previously sponsored. In 2005 - Mrs. Hixson co-sponsored HB-965. HB-965 is legislation that would exempt all school teachers from having to pay any real estate taxes on their own personal homes. It is particularly interesting to note - that the Fiscal Note attached to the bill specifies that everyone else's taxes are to be raised in order to exempt this elite group of individuals. Here is the precise wording contained in the fiscal note for HB-965:
'Local Effect: Potentially significant reduction in local government property tax revenues.'
Delegate Hixson attempted this action not once - but twice. The very following year - 2006 - she did it again and co-sponsored similar legislation, HB-197, but this time she lumped-in the school teachers with law enforcement and fire fighters in order to try and exempt these groups too from having to pay any real estate property taxes.
My question to Delegate Hixson and Delegate Conway - What about the electricians, plumbers, beauticians, UPS and FedEx workers? What about the secretaries, laborers, chicken catchers, realtors, accountants, garbage collectors, among others. Are not these groups also entitled to the same perks and benefits?
As for myself - I have had about enough of this self-serving malarkey. Isn't it high time for our society to rid ourselves of the likes of these self serving career politicians?
Johnnie Miller
5786 Argyle Drive
Parsonsburg, Maryland 21849
New Posts to fall below.
43 comments:
Thank you John Miller!!!!
It is high time people open their eyes---Mr. Conway has needed to retire a long time ago!!! His main interest is the Board of Ed & himself!
I agree 100%. He is corrupt to the bone. It is past time for him to go.
All this while Conway and his wife draw retirements from the county and she is back working for the BOE under contract.
Its time to vote this fat slob out of office
He has to protect the families income..:) and take ours away.
It is time to move out of this God forsaken state...I know I am.
i do not think he is a crook, but i think he needs to go, the man can barely talk in complete sentences... time to retire
Let's all just keep the pressure on and maybe Conway will see the handwriting on the wall and announce he won't seek reelection in order to spend more time with his family.
Well according to Josh Hastings that sent in an article to the daily times this dude is an angel that we should cherish. lol
Conway is a disgrace
And don't forget who raises all the money for Norm Conway, Marty Neat and First Shore Federal. The late William Duvall had a pet name for him....Mr.Money Grip.
Mr. Conway you were always a role model to us Pinehurst kids and when you were the young whipper snapper teacher & Vice Principal there under Mrs. Culver you were different people then as teachers and new administrators. Now Mr. Conway you and your minions in the schools that today have had a top heavy board of ed. and the bulk of the unionized teachers my my family and I to the ground! We are now forced to leave the state of Maryland as so many people we know that have or are in the process as well. You Mr. Conway, Mr. Smoot and others like you I thank you for sticking it to the citizens of Wicomico County once again you selfish backward think people drive me nuts with your logic! You liars, wolves in she eps clothing you've laid this trap for the citizens of Wicomico County & now you've sprung it with grins on your fat, wrinkled faces! Once I am out of this state I will do anything I can to help people realize the real truth about your motives!! I could go on about how lousy some of my teachers were, the Principal that drank during school daily and everybody knew it and laughed at him for his stupidity, the female teacher that offered myself and several others an opportunity to let's just say do something that today would have gotten her 15 years in jail these days! I want to lastly say thank you for the few teachers that actually taught the truth and help me have my head screwed on straight enough to say citizens of Wicomico county bend over, hold your breath you're go to feel real uncomfortable with what these bozo's are getting ready to do! Thanks Joe for what your doing and remember you can be judged by no man, or woman, for being in the battle trying to do what's right for the citizens of Salisbury who are getting a double dose of what we in the county are getting shoved down our throats!!!! Sorry lf I sound angry but, I AM!!
Mr. Miller,
You have not fully educated yourself about the Maintenance of Effort(MOE) law. The MOE law requires full funding of education, however, if you had read up on this you would know that there are two amendments to the law for Wicomico County(also written by Conway). The law would require Wicomico to fund the BOE with 50 million, however, the two amendments basically allow Wicomico to waive 14.5 million bringing their total funding requirement to a little more than 36 million (a 2002 level of funding).
What does this mean? This means that the BOE is constantly screwed over by Conway as well. Wicomico is currently number 23 out of 24 counties in the state for funding education.
This was nothing more than a political strategy by Conway, making it appear he is supporting education, but backstabbing education at the same time.
Also, just so you know, there are no property tax breaks for teachers or any other public servants like police and firefighters.
I only agree with one statement you have made...Conway has to go.
Thank you.
it's take over twenty years for enough new people to move into this area that this good ole boy dinoaur may finally have to pack his bags. That's the trouble with this area. A bunch of eastern shore hillbillies that let this kind of crap fester for way to long. Hopefully the come here's now outnumber the from heres and this kind of bs will be over!
Ditto 4:11 My house is on the market and I'm looking to virginia for a relocation
always fight the liberal "agenda and ideas". don't call people names about their physical condition. it get us nowhere.
the liberal democrates haven't had a good plan or idea in years. all they know is tax and spend others money.
yes conway and those of his ilk need to go soon. enough said...
Mr Miller maybe you can check on something,I have been told Conway owns a large number of rentals in the Laurel Del. area. If this is true people should know that he increases our taxes while investing his money in Delaware.
Yep - I agree. It is high time for this bureaucratic fat cat to step down.
That is why I'm all in favor of term limits. At least with term limits - we can try and at least limit the corruption. He has been our Delegate for far to long.
He and his family are personally responsible for advancing the liberal agenda in public education.
Take a close look at our schools.
Not the statistics they provide.
Look at what they have produced.
Especially the title 1 group that he personally championed for a decade or more.
I would suggest most of those students are now living productive lives in their grandmothers basement, running drugs or in prison.
He is a failure to Wicomico county and raking in the cash from retirement and politics. I do not think we got our money's worth. Matter of fact we get ripped every time the man cashes his check.
I have heard about these types of things going on - but when you click onto the link and see the very living proof - it is time for a change.
Joe - this is very compelling information. The school officials want to lift the citizens revenue cap - yet they try and exempt themselves to a standard that they want to impose on others. SHAME ON YOU CONWAY!
Joe - I swear I have never witnessed anything like this in my entire life. Talk about hypocricy - you have definately found the goods on these individuals.
Very well spoken. When one is armed with the truth - people will listen. This is a very sad state of affairs in wicomico county.
The politicians must know with the advent of the internet that they will be found out. Things are done differently now that the people are equipped with almost instantaneous information. That is why the Health Care bill has failed so miserably - because the politicians have tried to hide the details. The devil was in the details just like here in Maryland.
I agree - Mr. Conway has made a lot of enemies in our county. I guess he just doesn't realize there are other people to consider besides his own.
And so most of you think he can be replaced with an honorable man? A politician who WON'T enrich himself, pay back the ones who bribed them with sweetheart contracts and no-bid projects? Who won't hink that he/she has found a new lifetime career? One who says he will "fix" things and "change the way things are done? And make it sound so convincing? who won't appoint members to various commissions and boards who will then make rules and laws that will also favor his extended family and people who can bribe him in the NEXT election? Lol!!! Conway is NO DIFFERENT than the rest of these snakes. ALL of them gladly accept bribes and kickbacks and LAUGH at your anger and frustration. They know you are really powerless.
Norm would never vote for State sponsored gambling when there was a Republican Governor but it was all well and good when O'Malley arrived at the job. At one time, Norm did look out for us on the Shore, and I as a Republican, voted for him. Somehow he lost his way and I'am sorry for that. As a person, Norm is a good guy. As a Congress man, somehow, in the past few years , he lost it.
To paraphrase Will Rogers, "If a man ain't ruined when he goes into office he's ruined when he comes out, so there's no need to ruin a good man."
There's no need to ruin someone else so we may as well re-elect Conway because we already know what kind of charlatan he is. The devil you know is better than the devil you don't know. We could end up with someone like Obama, or even Mike Pretl, for God's sake.
9:12pm We would never end up with Mike Pretal replacing Conway. He doesn't live in his district.
I am sickened with these comments on here. No, I'm not a fan of Norm Conway. I am totally upset with this Bill but, with that said, I can't believe you people have bashed him as badly as you have.
If someone in office, and it doesn't matter who it is, doesn't vote for an issue you are for/against, it seems you just trash their names.
No wonder good people don't want to represent you all. And, I would likely bet if you were in their positions and knew the behind the scenes information, you would do exactly like they do.
And, by the way, Mr.Miller you need to read that Bill again. You have so many incorrect statements but I won't bash your name and run it thru the mud. Please take a class somewhere to understand how to read a Bill and articulate the contents of it. You are dead wrong on a lot of things. Oh, but maybe it is by design on your part to get all of us upset with Mr. Conway.
To 10:66
I have read every word of the HB-1412 and SB-965. I have read every word of HB-965 and HB-197.
The proof is in the pudding.
In fact, I HAVE READ EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THE House and Senate Bill's synopsis for each of the last 6 legislative sessions! That is over 2500 bills for each session.
If I have made a mistake then I'll admit to it. But there is no exaggeration in what I have said. I could bring out a lot more, and not on just Democrats as many Republicans have had their hands in this mess to.
In just a few days - you will soon see another round of tax increases that will be imposed upon you. Yoy - as an ordinary working class citizen will not have any say in the matter. It will be just like the health care bill;
"First we have to pass it to see what is inside of it"
Exact same scenario with this Special Session.
"Anonymous said...
Very well spoken. When one is armed with the truth - people will listen. This is a very sad state of affairs in wicomico county.
May 11, 2012 6:30 PM"
I agree with the above and would like to add that these letters need to be sent here and not the Daily Times for maximum impact.
It's gotten to the point where if you mention the Daily Times not too many people even know what you are talking about and you have to prod them with something like "the Salisbury newspaper that you have to pay for."
6:33am Try reading SB152 with all the admendents. That's what's up in this special session.
I believe Mr. Conway used to be in touch with mainstream Wicomico. But like so many other politicians, he has lost his grounding.
Now to 4:32 Posting - You are full of crap. I guess you didn't read the article. The whole MOE mess is a union poly to 'enjoin' the taxpayers into recession proofing their salaries. Don't you get it? It is extorsion - plain and simple. There is no other definition for this type of behavior.
lmclain once again has hit the nail right smack on it's head.
How evident is it just after this week's release of Omalley's emails with Perdue's general counsel?
They are claiming to be law schools chums. How amusing! Try Brotherly Love and the fact that the law firm just recently hired Omalley brother.
I believe our only hope is with Del Mike McDermott.
Please everyone make it a point to forward on any and all updates from Del McDermott to your email contacts.
And people seem to amazed that there is a Tea Party.
With legislation like the ones cited in this article - it is no wonder why there is a Tea Party.
It is pretty self explanatory.
First - the school officials swear up and down that the revenue cap is suffocating them and their budget requests. Yet they turn right around and attempt to exempt themselves from paying any real estate tax what-so-ever.
Is there something here that I am missing? Maybe I just don't get it.
To 11:43 Posting
You definately get it. It is some of our elected officials that do not get it.
And soon you will really be getting it once this special session adjourns. You see the school teachers pensions are going to be shifted onto the counties and that will be another unfunded mandate. They'll get you there to as your property taxes are going to have to be raised. Then O'Malley will say - 'we have balanced the budget with no new taxes' which is a LIE!
Marylanders are being set-up once again.
I believe Conway and Cane are finished - politically. It should not take much to oust either one as they have dug their own graves. I agree - they have lost their grounding in our community.
When weighing the illustrious history on Conway & Hixson, it is a shame for these types of activities to be happening in our community. I just got through reading HB-965 and also HB-197 - (and thanks for providing the links)and it is really disturbing. I am going to call Conway's office tomorrow and give their staff my two cents worth.
To SBYnews - this is a very good investigative piece.
I'll say one thing about the photo. He looks like he is a conniving individual.
You know how some people live the look. Well his photo certainly depicts his description as conniving.
I believe Mr. Conway has finally been 'made'. If it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck, then it must be a duck.
Mr. Conway is all about serving special interest. That is obvious.
I have always said Maryland has the best politicians that money can buy. This is yet another classic example of just that.
To 4:19 Posting
Don't you worry - the people in and around Salisbury will not be so quick as to forgive this politician the next time around. I have lived among the eastern shore for my entire life and if there is one thing they cannot stand - it is for an individual to exclude them from some perk or give-a-way that they cannot participate in.
9:00 AM Posting
I agree. Once a neighbor sees another get some perk that he or she should be entitled to getting and is not getting, it can get pretty hairy-carrie in my neck of the woods. This time ole Norm may have stepped into a pile of manure that he can't squirm out of.
Run this again! Hold Conway accountable!
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