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Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Business Through the Eyes of Jim Ireton

Last week, Don Rush of Delmarva Public Radio interviewed both candidates for mayor of Salisbury.  The contrast was startling.  While this was not candidate (and SBYNews publisher) Joe Albero’s best interview, he was relaxed and discussed the issues facing the city.  Incumbent mayor Jim Ireton was agitated, sarcastic, interrupted Rush numerous times, and let the world know that Salisbury is NOT a business-friendly community.

See the interviews below.  Ireton’s starts at about 29 minutes in.


Ireton claims great accomplishment.  Nothing is his fault.  If something didn’t happen it was because of the city council, specifically Debbie Campbell.  If businesses believe that Salisbury isn’t business-friendly, it’s THEIR fault, not the city’s.  Oh … and he PLANS to do lots of things IF he’s re-elected.
For every ten people that come to the city, five feel they’ve been treated OK. – Salisbury mayor Jim Ireton

What is most disturbing is Ireton’s attitude towards business.  If you make a profit, you need to pay more.  If the police have to come to your business TWICE in TWO YEARS, the city (NOT a judge) should be able to shut you down.  If you appeal, you have to appeal to the same person who already decided to close your doors.
If you are a businessperson looking to move to Salisbury and you hear the mayor sarcastically asking questions like, “Who made that profit?” or “Somebody’s making money somewhere.” do you think that Salisbury is a great place to do business?
Ireton states, “For every ten people that come to the city, five feel they’ve been treated OK.”  Ireton thinks that’s acceptable!  Do you deal with businesses who take the attitude that they only need to satisfy 50% of their customers?  If you are a business do you want to move to a city that takes this attitude?  If you are a businessperson in Salisbury, do you want to expand in a city that takes this attitude?
You don’t have to give away the store to attract businesses.  You don’t have to make Salisbury unsafe to encourage businesses to expand.  You do need a sea change in attitude.  Satisfying 50% of your customers is NOT acceptable.  Making Salisbury “more progressive” isn’t going to attract business.
Thanks to PAC-14 for providing the video.

G. A. Harrison is a former editor of SBYNews and a regular contributor.  He also writes at the DelMarVa Observer.

27 comments:

  1. Are you happy with status quo? If NOT vote Albero for mayor on April 2.

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  2. Just look at the permit process,that tells it all how anti-business they are.

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  3. Albero has good ideas. Too bad his past attacks and arrogance will defeat him.

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  4. Anon 9:16 ireton has no past attacks?

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  5. Joe DON'T ever give up!

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  6. How about Ireton's attacks? He has used his $500,000 a year office and staff to launch attack after attack on council members he does not like and to raise his political profile...not to mention his "attacks" on other women (Mojos) and on people who have the audacity to disagree with him on anything. Ireton has a new group of friends and they include Barrie Tilghman and Mike Dunn, some of the slumlords (different from the good landlords in the city). Look at the campaign contribution lists of Ireton and Day for some clues about who is behind the turmoil in Salisbury. It has been staged in anticipation of this election and vilifying Debbie Campbell to try to push a great public servant out of office.

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  7. If he could screw the city up so bad in such a short time I can only imagine what kind of crap he must have been filling students heads with in his many years as an "educator". I can hear him now, do whatever you want then cry, kick, & scream when you get busted (defensive). I wonder if he could have been jakey's teacher at one time.

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  8. 9:55 I totally agree. Great ideas but arrogance and nastiness have turned me off. I won't vote for him because of that.

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  9. WOW what a crying Bitch.

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  10. " but arrogance and nastiness have turned me off. I won't vote for him because of that. "

    You describe Ireton to a "T".

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  11. Well DUH JOE, I tried to tell you and the rest of these idiots (not you JOE) that Ireton is acting like Rick Pollit and Pollit is acting like O'malley at the same time O'malley is acting like Obama, So how do you all think this will or would be?

    I can't hate on the politician because at least they are smart enough to out smart the dumbest people in america I.E PRETTY MUCH EVERYONE...

    I don't care what you say, you all are pretty much dumb asses for not seeing the pattern let alone think that this wouldn't or couldn't happen and happen here in SBY...

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  12. Why would we want a mayor who goes on a drunk and probably don't know what he even does. Like in a ladies room :(

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  13. What a jerk to campaign against his friend of 20 years whose coattails he rode into office. Lying to us that he supported what she stood for.

    Ireton is scum in my book, the kind that would sell his own mother to become king of his little world.

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  14. 3:49 pm. Now Mrs. Ireton, that's no way to talk about your son.

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  15. Jim's mom and Dad are good people. They are probably ashamed of his actions and what he has become.

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    1. 5:40 PM, maybe he's got them convinced that nothing is his fault. You know, blames the council, the weather, & God knows who or whatever else.

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  16. No businesses ="AFFORDABLE HOUSING" AKA The Projects.

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  17. Man. If you (Joe) lose this election, Salisbury is doomed to become the next Detroit. A vicious cycle of business flight, expanding ghettos, a shrinking tax base, disillusionment, crime, and run down "affordable" housing units full of single mothers and drug dealing kids. The current mayor wants to give away our most valuable property, punish the job creators, and squeeze the wage earners for every dime and then some. Did I mention hangings? We are really close to having THAT as the only viable solution to these autocratic losers. They are multiplying worse than roaches...

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  18. Was surprised to see a website "The Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund" soliciting donations for Jim Ireton " Salisbury cities first openly LGBT mayor". Wasn't aware that Ireton had come out of the closet.

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  19. 9:04 I saw that on wikipedia. It was an article right after the first election. I didn't know he was out either

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  20. He never has come out. He just lets people assume.

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  21. You can be a horrible mayor but if you are a gay or lesbian that is what counts to LGBT.

    I've got news for you LGBT- the fact that you are out of closet does not automatically qualify you to become a mayor.

    It just says what you want everyone to know, that you are a gay or a lesbian. Period.

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  22. Forgive me for being heterosexual but what does lgbt mean?

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  23. Anon 2134 and Anon 2312 -

    I wish people like you had the stones to at least comment under your own name. Frankly, if Albero loses this race it will be largely because of people like you.

    Yes, Jim is gay. Yes, he is "out of the closet". So what? No one is claiming that being gay "automatically qualifies you for office". That's foolish.

    Personally, I don't care if Ireton raises money from outside the city or outside the area. I think that many of his contributors are more indicators of Jim's extreme leftist politics than his sexual orientation.

    Believe it or not, there are conservative gay and lesbians too. They just don't wear their sexual orientation on their sleeve. I'm willing to bet that groups like the "Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund" (which I have never heard of) only contribute to LEFTIST gay and lesbian candidates. I find that disturbing; not who the candidates choose to sleep with.

    Please do me a favor. If you want to discuss crap like this, at least do it on a post that I haven't signed my name to.

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    1. 7:18am. I don't even know who you are as I'm sure most people dont. I wouldn't worry about what others post just because your name is somwhere amongst the comments. I'm sure those who know you will see your name obviously along with your written feelings. It's not that big of a deal.

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  24. What is more important is the garbage Ireton spewed in this interview. A bunch of accusations, blame the council, blame Debbie Campbell, blah, blah, blah.

    No stones on this guy.

    Ireton's message only had to be a minute long:

    "I want a rubber stamp council so I can give the city away. Jake Day will be my rubber stamp.P.S. Debbie Campbell and Terry Cohen are to blame for everything, including stopping me from getting my tax increase out of your pockets."

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  25. So if i am gay does that mean i can become the president and i have no credentials or background, but since i am gay i am a Shoe IN?

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