Like the better known case of Solyndra, Oregon taxpayers are waiting to find out if they will ever recover any of their hard earned money after the San Jose, CA based firm has announced that it is closing shop.

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For attorneys, burying the dead seems to come a distant second after filing lawsuits.

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The newly elected Salisbury city council is on its way to adopting a budget for FY 2014.  Included is a tax rate hike of nearly 8% coupled with a DROP in water and sewer rates.  One thing that appears to be missing is mayor Jim Ireton’s promised “storm water authority”, now laughingly referred to across the country as the “Rain Tax”.

Newly minted council president Jake Day is backpedaling on his campaign commitment not to support a tax hike.  He now claims that he won’t support a tax hike above constant yield.  We’ll give him that one (on style) since the net affect of the rate increase should be revenue neutral.  We wonder if the people who stayed home at the last election will be as forgiving since a sizable number of them will see their taxes rise?

The section of Ireton’s proposed budget that disturbs us most is a cut in the water and sewer rates.  WHAT?  A self-identified conservative is against a cut in government fees (water and sewer fees are not really a tax)?  Sorry to disappoint, but … YES!

Here’s the problem.  Salisbury is showing a sizable surplus in its Water and Sewer Enterprise Fund.  HOWEVER, Salisbury is having to PAY TWICE for its failed waste water treatment plant (WWTP).  By cutting rates now, the city will have to raise them that much more in the future.  The problem is simple.  Ireton hopes to justify future general fund tax hikes because he’s decreased the water and sewer rates.  Given that Ireton makes Barack Obama look like a Reaganite, he just can’t sit idly by and watch tens of millions sit unspent, even if it is in Salisbury’s best interest.  That money needs to be SPENT!  Sadly for Ireton, he can’t spend water and sewer money for every fly by night leftist scheme that comes down the pike, even if he thinks that Jake Day will rubber stamp Ireton’s every whim. (The jury is still out on Day, we all know that Laura Mitchell and Shanie Shields will rubber stamp all sorts of craziness.)

Looking at Ireton’s water and sewer proposal, we’re reminded of his proposal for downtown.  Ireton wants to sell ALL of the city’s parking lots, including lot between the Library and the Plaza.  There’s just one problem – the math doesn’t work on parking:

The math is pretty simple.  If Ireton’s downtown plan comes to fruition, you will need an ADDITIONAL 697 parking spaces (assuming 1.5 cars per unit).  We guess that Jim and his new council majority think everyone who will move downtown will either bike or walk everywhere they want to go.

Ireton’s approach to the water and sewer fund is similar.  He wants to give away water and sewer capacity to subsidize downtown development.  At the same time the city is having to use septage trucks to pump sewage out of the Northwoods industrial park.  He hasn’t finished paying for the first WWTP fiasco, but he wants to cut rates knowing that the city will have to pay for the retro-fit.

By all accounts, Ireton is a pretty good teacher.  Obviously no one has asked him to teach basic arithmetic.

The purchase price for the property is approximately $150,000.  However, the price was originally $250,000 $220,000.  The price came down only after the county government was offered nearby parcels at a much lower price.  This calls into question the legitimacy of the original appraisal.  In addition, there are questions regarding personal ties between the family of the landowners and County Executive Rick Pollitt.

This comes on the heels of the county’s approval of a lease / purchase agreement for new office space for the State’s Attorney’s office.  Questions were raised when county purchasing director Rick Konrad informed two bidders that their proposals must meet certain requirements or their proposals would be automatically rejected.  The winning bidder did not meet those same requirements.

As in the case of the State’s Attorney office deal, it is expected that the pro-Pollitt majority coalition of council members John Hall, Matt Holloway, Stevie Prettyman, and Sheree Sample-Hughes will approve the purchase.

"The supreme command of the Korean People’s Army Tuesday issued an ultimatum to the South Korean puppet group," Pyongyang’s official news agency, KCNA, said.

Threatening that it would not give any advance notice before attacking South Korea, the North warned: "Our retaliatory action will start without any notice from now."

North Korea said it was responding to insults from the "puppet authorities" in the South, who yesterday held a rally against the North in Seoul.

While North Koreans were celebrating the 101st anniversary of Kim Il Sung’s birth, South Koreans protested recent threats from the North including burning North Korean leaders in effigy.

SALISBURY, MD – This weekend NASA will host the second International Space Apps Challenge.  Scientists, software developers, hackers, and ordinary citizens from around the world will gather in over 75 cities, including Salisbury, to help solve various space exploration problems.  The program is part of the Open Government Partnership.

Individuals and teams will tackle one of 53 challenges.  The Salisbury site for the challenge will be at the HotDesks small business incubator at the Tri-County Council building across from Wor-Wic Community College.

SALISBURY, MD – Newcomer Jake Day, along with incumbent Shanie Shields, were sworn-in to the Salisbury city council Monday night.  In a surprise move, Day was also elected as council president.  Councilwoman Laura Mitchell was elected vice president.

Mayor Jim Ireton was also sworn in to a second term.  The terms of Ireton and all five council members will end in November 2015 as the city adopts a new election cycle.

At the end of the meeting Ireton delivered his FY 2014 budget to the council.  In his budget Ireton calls for a $0.065 rate increase.

photos courtesy of Jeremy Cox via Twitter

It seems that the U.S. Secret Service uses a cottage on the grounds of Biden’s estate outside Wilmington.  This property is used as part of Biden’s protection detail but Biden charges the taxpayers $2,200 per month!

Typical of most high-profile liberals, Biden and his wife donated less than two percent of their adjusted gross income to charity in 2012.

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photo courtesy of the Washington Times

Rather than unveil his budget, Pollitt and the Wicomico County Board of Education used the event to call for more spending on Education.  While I came late to the event it appears that little was missed.  When I asked two individuals after the event if I missed anything of substance, the responses were nearly identical – “If you heard one teacher speak, then you pretty much heard the whole thing.”

I recognize that Pollitt again faces tough budget decisions.  However, repeated acts of political theater do not solve problems.  While the Daily Times is giving prominent coverage to Delmarva Public Radio’s current “begathon”, Pollitt needs to realize that public hearings are not supposed to be begathons.  They require information for open citizen input.  Given that this event was held without providing that information (like his proposed budget), there is no point other than to politicize an already volatile issue.

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It appears that this is not the case.  Any viewer of CNBC or Fox Business know that the release of minutes of the Federal Reserve’s Open Market Committee (FOMC) or of a Board of Governors’ meeting can, and do, move markets.  Why then did copies of the minutes of the March Fed meeting go out a day early to several banks, at least one hedge fund, a law firm, and several Congressional staffer?

WASHINGTON, DC – While the Obama Administration continues to insist that children are starving and old people are dying because of the cuts required under sequestration, ESSENTIAL federal spending continues for … BAGPIPES.

H/T – the Drudge Report

The Daily Press’s Shad Plank blog calls this video released by GOP gubernatorial candidate Ken Cuccinelli an “attack” ad.  No one questions the facts imparted in the video.  The outlets which have been covering Democrat candidate Terry McAuliffe’s less than open departure from GreenTech certainly don’t share a reputation for conservative or Republican bias.  They include Politico, the Washington Post, and the Associated Press.

Billions in spending increases.  Billions in tax hikes.  Same-sex marriage.  Repeal of the death penalty.  “Green energy” subsidized by taxpayers.  A state with already limited gun rights transformed into one of the most restrictive states in the nation.  These are just a few examples of Martin O’Malley’s political “accomplishments”.

When O’Malley first ran for governor he was hailed as a “moderate” and “pragmatist”.  Kennedyesque – more John than Teddy.  O’Malley wouldn’t touch issues such a gay marriage or more restrictive gun control with a ten foot pole.

While he never hid his disdain for the death penalty, he attributed this to his Roman Catholic faith.  I sympathize.  I too am opposed to the death penalty – because of my pro-life beliefs.  Sadly, O’Malley doesn’t allow the Church’s teachings to interfere with Democrat orthodoxy.

What happened?  Barack Hussein Obama.  In 2008 the Democrat party abandoned the center-left compromise which delivered two terms to Bill Clinton.  National Democrats became more radical than in 1972.  O’Malley, who has never hid his personal ambition and has always demonstrated fluid political and moral compasses, moved farther to the left.

In 2011 O’Malley felt even more pressure from the left – in the form of New York governor Andrew Cuomo.  Fearing that Cuomo would emerge as the leftist compromise to a Hilary Clinton candidacy, O’Malley doubled down.  Yes, Cuomo was able to shepherd through gay marriage before O’Malley but the newly minted Maryland radical would push for higher taxes and more spending.

Then along came Newtown.  Never allowing a good crisis to go to waste, O’Malley set out to enact some of the most restrictive gun laws in the nation.  To even further bolster his leftist bona fides he also pushed for an end to Maryland’s death penalty – a great radical didactic.  Punish law abiding citizens while showing leniency towards the criminal class.

O’Malley’s statist policies are bad enough.  Unfortunately it is the people of Maryland that are bearing the burden of his personal ambition.  Benefits, once given by the government, are seldom rescinded.  At some point the federal largess heaped upon the Once Free State will have to slow.  Businesses will engage in a mass exodus, towards bankruptcy or a more business-friendly home.  How will Marylander than afford O’Malley’s folly?

Mother Jones has published an article based, in part, on illegal recordings made of Sen. Mitch McConnell discussing the possibility of a challenge from actress Ashley Judd.

While Judd has announced that she will not run in 2014, her response to the illegal act sounded and awful lot like a candidate:  “This is yet another example of the politics of personal destruction that embody Mitch McConnell and are pervasive in Washington, D.C.”

The mainstream media’s response seems to be more concern about McConnell “digging up dirt” on Judd rather than the fact that an illegal act had taken place.  We can only assume that ABC News has never heard of opposition research.

We thought that children were starving and old people were dying because of the sequester?  Yet … we would dare deprive the Obama’s of a little in-house entertainment (or multi-million dollar vacations).

See video at RealClearPolitics.com

While the amendment’s stated purpose may seem noble, and sound policy for Maryland taxpayers, some legislators are questioning whether or not the proposal is real, or little more than political theater.  The amendment would require a 60% vote of both houses to raid the highway user fund.  However, each time in recent years this has occurred it was accomplished by a vote of greater than 60%:

House Minority Leader Tony O’Donnell objected, “Every time we raid the Transportation Trust Fund, it meets the three-fifths vote” in both houses.

Even here on the Eastern Shore we’re not exempt.  While legislators like Del. Norm Conway (D-38B) and Sen. Jim Mathias (D-38) don’t mind coming home to tell constituents that they voted against bills like the recent gas tax hike, they also haven’t hesitated to vote in favor of raiding the highway user fund.

For those members of the business community looking for a a “one-stop shop” for permitting, registration, and other bureaucratic entanglements, Ireton’s presentation will be viewed either with disappointment or as a baby step in the right direction.  Newly elected councilman Jake Day and unsuccessful mayoral candidate Joe Albero both focused heavily on the need to court new business and on the need to streamline things like the permitting process, often viewed as an impediment to doing business in Salisbury.

Ireton’s plan involves setting up a kiosk on the first floor of the Salisbury / Wicomico Government Office Building (GOB) with form packets useful to developers.  Ireton also hopes to install a similar kiosk at the Chamber’s office on East Main Street.

According to the Daily Times’ Jeremy Cox:

…Those changes will be accompanied by a new, business-friendly atmosphere in the city’s staff offices, Ireton said. Those adopting the customer-service approach are the Mayor’s Office; Public Works; Building, Permits and Inspections; and Planning and Zoning.

… (Asst. City Administrator Lore) Chambers, though, said city administrators have worked on the plan for more than a year. Ireton said he was loath to announce the effort during the election season out of concern it would be criticized as a self-serving campaign ploy.

It should be noted that Ireton’s plan for downtown redevelopment was released two years ago.  Some members of the business community are skeptical that this “customer-service” approach has been in the works for over a year.  One local business owner, who asked that his name be withheld, stated, “I can’t believe that the mayor expects us to believe that it took a year to put some forms together.  No one, certainly not the mayor, talked about treating businesses as customers until Joe Albero decided to run against him.”

Ireton will present his plan in the lobby of the Salisbury Area Chamber of Commerce at 1:30 PM today.

Much is being made about a possible 2014 match between incumbent Maryland senator Jim Mathias (D-38) and Del. Mike McDermott (R-38B).  While McDermott would have to overcome Mathias’ huge money advantage (Senate President Mike Miller will THROW hundreds of thousands of dollars Mathias’ way), a Mathias vs. McDermott race will show the unfathomable divide between “Annapolis Values” vs. “Eastern Shore Values”.

Listen to McDermott on the recently passed budget bill:

While I am a fan of Public Radio Delmarva (actually WSDL), I don’t support Maryland tax dollars going to support it.  While I actually believe that SU needs a new library, I can’t imagine where $135 million is going.  What about all of that money in the SU foundation?  Why can’t it go to help build and equip a new library?

If you attended the recent town hall on Gov. O’Malley’s gun bill you would have witnessed a stark contrast in approaches.  McDermott has FOUGHT this bill from the start.  Mathias just voted against it (I would suggest for political reasons).  You would have seen and heard the passion McDermott brings to this issue.  While Mathias wasn’t in attendance, he sent an envoy to read a letter.  The categorical difference was apparent to all – McDermott was fighting to protect one of our most sacred liberties while Mathias was tinkering around the edges to make a loathsome bill slightly less loathsome.

As a political junkie, I think a Mathias – McDermott race in 2014 will be exciting.  As a citizen of Maryland, I believe that a McDermott candidacy and victory will send a message to those here and in Annapolis who believe that giving up our God-given liberty in pursuit of a few cups from the public trough is a worthwhile pursuit.

DelMarVa Dealings appears each Monday and discusses local politics and its impact on the Delmarva peninsula.

We dare any gun control proponent to attempt to refute this.

Transcript PDF

H/T – David Anderson @ DelawarePolitics.net

Take time to watch this portion of Prime Minister Thatcher’s last question time before parliament.  At approximately 2:45 into this video you will see the typical attack from the left regarding “income inequality”.  As Mrs. Thatcher so ably points out, despite that fact that this “gap” has widened, even the poor in Britain were much better off under her policies.  Of course, that doesn’t hold much sway with those who believe that re-distribution of wealth will always succeed, despite the fact that it has NEVER succeeded.

… he would rather the POOR BE POORER provided that the RICH WERE LESS RICH.

Thatcher’s comments regarding the left are as true today as they were in November of 1990.  One need only listen to the rhetoric coming from today’s Democrat party leadership.

This weekend a group of volunteers and the urban planning firm Team Better Block will unveil a temporary “makeover” of a neglected section of Granby Street (once Norfolk’s vibrant main thoroughfare).  The key word in this is “temporary”.

Why would a municipality spend thousands of dollars to temporarily fix-up a section of town?  It gives people a chance to not only visualize, but actually experience, a re-vitalization plan.  Rather than spend hundreds of thousands, or millions, of dollars on a plan that may be good … or bad, Team Better Block’s approach is simple:

• Do Something
• Do it CHEAPLY
• Do it QUICKLY

People get to see the potential of an area.  Potential developers / investors can be attracted.  Bureaucracy is curtailed.  The advantages are almost endless.

Many think of San Antonio as a “forward thinking” city.  Turning what was little more than a fetid ditch into the now world famous “Riverwalk” has generated billions in economic development for the city.  However, the “Riverwalk” is just a small section of a large city.  San Antonio has used the Team Better Block approach in three separate areas of the city, including in front of the Alamo – an area which inflames passions anytime the word “development” is used:

Last August, on Davy Crockett’s 226th birthday, Better Block closed the street in front of the Alamo – a previously controversial concept in the community – and set up an outdoor market and a QR-code walking trail for those with smartphones. Historical re-enactors re-created the famous battle. Hundreds of people, including locals, attended.

The project was so successful that once-staunch opponents warmed to the possibility of closing the street once a week, said Colleen Swain, the city’s redevelopment officer.

"They were able to test something that we would have never tried on a permanent basis, but it was OK on a temporary basis," Swain said. "It allowed us to gather feedback."

While self-identified fiscal conservatives may wail at the concept, they should think back to Ronald Reagan’s approach to federalism – 50 state “laboratories” competing in the marketplace of ideas for the best solutions to our most pressing problems.  The Team Better Block approach is a public / private answer to a public problem.  It’s something that Salisbury should look into before committing millions of dollars to a plan that can’t be experienced until after its completed.

WGMD HOST NOT READY FOR PRIME (OR ANY OTHER) TIME

When I’m cruising through Delaware (or northern Worcester or Wicomico counties) I often bump my dial over one tick from WICO-FM to hear what’s going on at WGMD-FM.  While I like talk radio, I prefer some local content and WICO is now 99.9% syndicated. (two public radio stations are now the only source of real local content on the Lower Shore)

Two Sundays ago I happened to tune in and heard some guy named Bill Rogers spouting the most ridiculous nonsense this side of MSNBC.  The problem?  Rogers claims to be a conservative.  Personally, I think we should trade this guy to the left for a future third round draft pick.

What was Rogers’ crime?  The guy’s entire show (I only listened for about 90 minutes while I was driving to Seaford and back) was an attack on Libertarians.  Sure, everyone has a right to their opinion.  I don’t disagree with Rogers’ premise that voting Libertarian is often equivalent to voting Democrat, but Rogers’ reasoning was based on a false premise that I found quite offensive.

Rogers claimed that Libertarians were foolish because of their stance on gay marriage.  He specifically claimed that same-sex marriage laws would require churches to marry same-sex couples.  He didn’t say this once either.  Rogers must of repeated this at least a dozen times in the period I was listening.

It’s bad enough that my party (the GOP) is systematically driving libertarian-minded voters away, now we have a supposedly conservative, local talk host trying to do the same with what are basically lies.

I will concede that the day may come that some court, even the US Supreme Court, may make such an outrageous ruling.  However, that day has not arrived … YET.  It’s bad enough that nominally Christian denominations such as the Episcopal Church perform what are de facto gay weddings.  We have enough battles to fight in the present.  People like Rogers don’t need to make up problems.  If he is a conservative, as he claims, he also doesn’t need to deliberately offend a portion of the electorate we need to win.

PARKER, CLAYBAUGH SHOW TRUE COLORS … AGAIN

Where’s my screed against the Daily Times?  Don’t worry, there is always something to criticize.

Earlier this year op-ed chief Susan Parker and publisher Tom Claybaugh refused to run a letter to the editor from Kay Gibson because she criticized Salisbury councilwomen Laura Mitchell and Shanie Shields.  Their reasoning was that there was not sufficient time to give the two women an opportunity to respond.  Last week they chose to publish a letter from Salisbury resident Eleanor Mulligan.  For the non-initiated, Mulligan is a mouthpiece for former councilwoman Louise “17% Tax Hike” Smith.

Under the guise of “opinion” Mulligan told a few whoppers:

Over the years, Salisbury has had its moments in the sun, but never one more joyous than Tuesday’s big election moment, when a surge of voters penetrated the complacent dictatorship of the Salisbury City Council majority.

“Surge of voters”?  I knew Mulligan was not the brightest bulb on the tree but turnout was down almost 18% from four years ago.

… But we will not forget the dishonorable trickery the majority foisted on us when, in October 2012, without notifying the public, they seized control of the government by hurrying through a vote to trasnfer (sic) power and legal oversight from the executive branch to their hands.

In Mulligan’s bizarre alternate reality work sessions and public hearings equate to “dishonorable trickery” and “hurrying through a vote”.  While I admit that the charter change was probably the most politically foolish act of the Campbell-Cohen-Spies council majority, questioning their motives is even more foolish.

Despite the fact that the current stable of DT reporters is doing the best job we’ve seen in years from this once reputable outlet, Parker and Claybaugh have turned the op-ed pages into little more than a one-sided rant against conservatives, Republicans, and any Democrat that believes your tax dollars should be spent wisely.  While they have a perfect right to do so, they need to man up.  Their so-called “citizen editorial board” is little more than a retirement home for liberals.  An occasional op-ed by Cathy Keim or Greg Belcher doesn’t balance out against the onslaught of leftist attacks by Ron Pagano, et al.  Don’t claim to be the “voice of the community” when your market is among the most conservative-leaning in the state.

I do admit, printing lies on the opinion page is much better than printing them as news.  While the jury is still out on Executive Editor Michael Kilian, that may be his legacy.

On Tuesday, newly re-elected Salisbury mayor Jim Ireton is presenting his plan for improving downtown Salisbury.  He is not expected to unveil the fee structure.  Businesses question whether or not investment in Salisbury is cost-effective given that lower tax Delaware and Virginia are just a few miles to the north and south.

In Baltimore and other counties, businesses are being charged this fee even if they treat their own stormwater:

David C. McKenzie, vice president of Liquid Transfer Terminals Inc. in Curtis Bay, said his company pays about $58,000 in property taxes and could get hit with nearly $44,000 in stormwater fees. That fee is too high, McKenzie argues, because his company treats its own stormwater.

"A facility that manages its own stormwater is not treated any differently than a facility that does nothing to mitigate its stormwater pollution," he said.

One Baltimore business, Rukert Terminals Corp., estimates that its fee could be in excess of $300,000 per year.

Public schools are important to a community on multiple levels.  The perception of high quality schools impacts whether or not a county or city is a desirable place to call home.  That same perception can even impact whether or not businesses choose to locate in an area.  It is a widely held belief that quality public schools impact an area’s crime rate.  There is also the moral argument, which is probably the strongest of all, that we owe our next generation a decent education.

Yet, Fredericksen makes none of these arguments.  Instead he tells us that Wicomico County’s public schools are an “economic engine” which grows our local economy.  While I realize that none of Fredericksen’s degrees are in something as practical as finance or economics, that does not excuse ignorance about something so basic.  I would be happy to suggest several easy reads which might get him up to speed.

Fredericksen’s argument is equivalent to Nancy Pelosi’s laughable statement that unemployment benefits are an economic development tool.  Government spending, whether on education, unemployment benefit, or food stamps is a transfer of wealth – NOT a creator of wealth.  In the case of state or local spending, where the government cannot run a deficit, this is even more so.  Money taken from individuals and businesses for government spending could be put to better use by those individuals or businesses.  It could be invested in new plant or equipment.  It can create jobs through the CREATION of wealth rather than through its transfer.

Does this mean that public schools are bad?  No.  We, as a civilized society, have decided that funding public education is something we need to do.  Unfortunately, people like Fredericksen attempt to equate spending ON education with quality OF education.  Unfortunately people like Fredericksen want you to believe that the spending, in and of itself, is the net benefit to our community.

It’s little wonder that Wicomico taxpayers have such little respect for Fredericksen or the system he is charged with running.  That’s the real shame.

“Our drive is to raise up a citizenry that understands these issues and can act on them from a basis of knowledge, not just petty personal interests,” said Michael Anthony Peroutka, a lawyer from Pasadena, Md., and founder of the institute.

Christopher argues that the state’s constitution provides his office with law enforcement powers.  Delaware governor Jack Markell, AG Beau Biden, and several state courts have disagreed.

photo courtesy of the Cape Gazette

While the Obama administration has all but stopped new drilling on public lands, energy exploration on private lands has grown and yielded results.  North Dakota has the lowest unemployment rate in the nation thanks to “fracking” for natural gas.  The method being used by Roosevelt has the potential to bring another 3 – 4 million barrels per day to market.

Photo courtesy of Bloomberg

It seems that simple, basic economic truth is coming home to roost in the European socialist utopia.  It’s already occurred in Canada.  Why can’t our own politicians grasp the obvious?

In a study released Friday at the annual conference of the Royal Economics Society, economists Luca Agnello and  Vitor Castro of Italy and Ricardo Sousa of Portugal tracked austerity programs from 1978 – 2009.  They found that the best programs shoot for the greatest deficit reductions in the 2nd and 3rd years of a program.  They also show empirical data that opposition mounts to austerity programs lasting more than nine years.

Yet, here in the United States, our politicians are unwilling to make real cuts to government spending or to reform entitlement spending.  Don’t expect too much media coverage of this study; it violates the current political narrative too much to receive serious consideration.  Among the common sense findings:

• Reducing public spending lowered deficits more than raising taxes
• Trading nations are usually more successful at restoring their public finances
• Low interest rates and “sound macro-economic” conditions improve the odds of financial consolidations
• Spending cuts are typically deepest in the second and third years of austerity programs before rising again in the final years

IMAGINE – Reducing Spending is MORE EFFECTIVE than Raising Taxes!  I wonder what Barack Obama’s reaction would be if he was actually made aware of this study?

Lord Keynes gets a bad rap these days.  If he had lived to see the mess that was made from his General Theory he would be ashamed to see what the term “Keynesian economics” has come to mean.  Rationalism reigns.  Liberal politicians and economists tell us that if you spend X the economy will improve.  After spending X, we don’t see the desired result.  What is the left’s answer?  We didn’t spend enough! (don’t worry, Paul Krugman didn’t receive his Nobel Prize for spouting this macroeconomic drivel)

Common sense has fallen to men and women who fancy themselves gods.  While this statement may seem extreme, it is fact.  Omniscience and omnipresence are required to “manage” a national economy.  That’s either Adam Smith’s “invisible hand” or a god.  Since most of these folks don’t believe in either Smith or God …

H/T – D. J. McGuire @ Bearing Drift

The Observer appears on weekends in the DelMarVa Observer and provides commentary on a variety of issues.

In 2009 Fisker received a $529 million Federal loan and $21 million in other incentives from the state of Delaware.  President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden heralded Fisker as a big part of the administration’s “Green Energy” initiative.

Maryland governor Martin O’Malley wants to be President of the United States.  He’s term limited as governor.  He’s spent his life as a political executive – first mayor of Baltimore and then a two-term governor.  His temperament just doesn’t fit the life of a legislator.  So … what’s a guy to do?

In O’Malley’s case he’s looking towards 2016 -  when he leaves the governor’s office he’ll have a year to get geared up for the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary.  No slouch, O’Malley is already starting to build an organization so he’s not going to be left in the dust in this age of the infinite presidential cycle.

O’Malley has been busy burnishing his lefty bona fides for the activist crowd that selects Democrat (and Republican) presidential nominees.  Here in Maryland we know – we’re paying the freight.  For eight years O’Malley has punished the Once Free State in order to craft his statist gravitas.

In less than 400 well crafted words, the Wall Street Journal’s Stephen Moore explains what our nation has to fear:

• 34 Tax Increases since taking office (and he has one more session to go)
• O’Malley has cost Marylanders an additional $3.1 Billion each year in office.
• One of the nations worst gun-control measures
• Repeal of the death penalty
• Gay marriage (civil unions, we don’t need no stinking civil unions)

The prospect of an O’Malley presidency gives new meaning to “Fear the Turtle” (the diamondback terrapin is the mascot of the University of Maryland).  O’Malley may be doing all of the right things to win the hearts of the leftist elites, but his policies have been dangerous for Maryland and will be even more dangerous for our nation.

The Spectator appears on Fridays, focusing on issues which impact our nation and the world.

At several points during the meeting BOE chair William Miles had to gavel the crowd to order.  Several Johnson supporters called for the resignation of BOE members Dan Kuebler and Robert Wells because of their public criticism of Johnson.

At several points in the evening a Johnson supporter attempted prevent Gates from taking pictures of Johnson.  After the meeting, Johnson supporter went so far as to steal Gates’ cell which she was taking pictures with.  A police officer had to retrieve Gate’s property.

While the bill must be reconciled with the Senate version passed last month, the bill is expected to become law and Maryland will join the ranks of New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and the District of Columbia as having the nation’s most restrictive gun laws.

Del. Mike McDermott (R-38B) observed that this bill is equivalent to banning legal gun ownership:  “…the licensing requirement would add even more delay, amounting to a “defacto ban” on gun sales in Maryland”.

While these results are not official, the margin of victory for each candidate was large enough to negate any impact from the counting of absentee and provisional ballots.  There are approximately 300 absentee ballots outstanding.  As of today, approximately 250 ballots had been returned.

In addition to the margins of victory, probably the biggest surprise was voter turnout.  While Salisbury has a reputation of abysmal turnout in municipal elections, it has continued to grow each cycle.  This year’s turnout saw a dramatic drop – to 17.32% citywide compared to 21.10% four years ago.  While the addition of absentee and provisional ballots will increase the turnout percentage slightly, there will still be a large decrease.

The council will reorganize later this month.

*****************************

For additional analysis of the 2013 Salisbury election, tune in to WSDL (90.7 FM) at 9 AM Friday when DelMarVa Observer’s G. A. Harrison joins WSDL’s Don Rush and SU political science professor Michael O’Loughlin on Delmarva Today for an election post-mortem.  The show can also be seen on-demand at a later date.

One of the arguments against Maryland governor Martin O’Malley’s gun control measure is that it punishes law-abiding Marylanders while doing NOTHING to punish criminals or actually prevent gun crime.

The video was prepared by pro – Second Amendment group The Maryland Minutemen.

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color: #999; text-transform: uppercase; } .s-attribution .s-posted, .s-attribution .dot, .s-attribution .permalink { float: left; line-height: 16px; margin-right: 3px; } .s-attribution .s-posted, .s-attribution .permalink { color: #999; } .s-attribution .s-element-attr-title { color: #333; } .s-attribution .s-author { float: left; margin-right: 3px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 16px; } .s-attribution .s-author .s-author-name { color: #256bbe; } .s-attribution .s-author .s-author-twitter-handle { color: #999; margin-left: 5px; } .s-attribution .s-via { float: left; margin-right: 8px; line-height: 16px; } .s-attribution .s-source { margin-right: 5px; } .s-element:hover .s-source { opacity: 1; -ms-filter: none; filter: none; } .s-source { float: left; } .s-source img { -webkit-border-radius: 3px; border-radius: 3px; display: block; } .s-source a { display: block; } .s-source .s-source-name { display: none; } .s-source .s-source-icon, .s-source .s-author-avatar { margin: 0; width: 16px; height: 16px; vertical-align: middle; background-repeat: no-repeat; -webkit-filter: grayscale(1); opacity: 0.5; -ms-filter: progid:dximagetransform.microsoft.alpha(opacity=50); filter: alpha(opacity=50); } .s-element[data-source='twitter'] .s-attribution { padding-top: 10px; margin-right: 50px; } .s-appdotnet .s-source-icon { background-image: url('//storify.com/public/img/sources/appdotnet-16px.png'); } .s-facebook .s-source-icon { background-image: url('//storify.com/public/img/sources/facebook-16px.png'); } .s-getglue .s-source-icon { background-image: url('//storify.com/public/img/sources/getglue-16px.png'); } .s-chute .s-source-icon { background-image: url('//storify.com/public/img/sources/chute-16px.png'); } .s-stocktwits .s-source-icon { background-image: url('//storify.com/public/img/sources/stocktwits-16px.png'); } .s-flickr .s-source-icon { background-image: url('//storify.com/public/img/sources/flickr-16px.png'); } .s-google .s-source-icon { background-image: url('//storify.com/public/img/sources/google-16px.png'); } .s-gplus .s-source-icon { background-image: url('//storify.com/public/img/sources/gplus-16px.png'); } .s-rss .s-source-icon { background-image: url('//storify.com/public/img/sources/rss-16px.png'); } .s-twitter .s-source-icon, .s-twitpic .s-source-icon, .s-yfrog .s-source-icon { background-image: url('//storify.com/public/img/sources/twitter-16px.png'); } .s-wikipedia .s-source-icon { background-image: url('//storify.com/public/img/sources/wikipedia-16px.png'); } .s-youtube .s-source-icon { background-image: url('//storify.com/public/img/sources/youtube-16px.png'); } .s-storify .s-source-icon { background-image: url('//storify.com/public/img/sources/storify-16px.png'); } .s-foursquare .s-source-icon { background-image: url('//storify.com/public/img/sources/foursquare-16px.png'); } .s-reddit .s-source-icon { background-image: url('//storify.com/public/img/sources/reddit-16px.png'); } .s-tumblr .s-source-icon { background-image: url('//storify.com/public/img/sources/tumblr-16px.png'); } .s-share-dropdown { display: none; position: absolute; top: 5px; left: 5px; background: #fff; padding: 10px; z-index: 99; } .sb-share-dropdown { display: none; position: absolute; top: 26px; left: 0px; background: #fff; padding: 8px 10px; z-index: 99; border: 1px solid #ccc; } .story-tile.share .sb-share-dropdown { display: block; } .comment { overflow: hidden; } .s-elements .comments, .shared-element-comments .comments, #import .comments, #comments, .engage { word-wrap: break-word; background: #f7f7f7; padding: 0 10px; -webkit-border-radius: 0 0 5px 5px; border-radius: 0 0 5px 5px; -webkit-transition: 0.1s border-color; -moz-transition: 0.1s border-color; -o-transition: 0.1s border-color; -ms-transition: 0.1s border-color; transition: 0.1s border-color; text-align: left; } .s-elements .comments .action-container, .shared-element-comments .comments .action-container, #import .comments .action-container, #comments .action-container, .engage .action-container { padding: 10px 0; } .s-elements .comments .action, .shared-element-comments .comments .action, #import .comments .action, #comments .action, .engage .action { position: relative; padding: 0 46px 0 0; margin: 0; display: block; width: 100%; -webkit-box-sizing: border-box; -moz-box-sizing: border-box; box-sizing: border-box; background: #fff; border: 1px solid #ddd; -webkit-box-shadow: inset 1px 1px 5px #ddd; box-shadow: inset 1px 1px 5px #ddd; -webkit-border-radius: 3px; border-radius: 3px; } .s-elements .comments .action.focus, .shared-element-comments .comments .action.focus, #import .comments .action.focus, #comments .action.focus, .engage .action.focus { border-color: #bbb; } .s-elements .comments .action .story-comment-input, .shared-element-comments .comments .action .story-comment-input, #import .comments .action .story-comment-input, #comments .action .story-comment-input, .engage .action .story-comment-input, .s-elements .comments .action .element-comment-input, .shared-element-comments .comments .action .element-comment-input, #import .comments .action .element-comment-input, #comments .action .element-comment-input, .engage .action .element-comment-input { display: block; width: 100%; height: 26px; -webkit-box-sizing: border-box; -moz-box-sizing: border-box; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333; border: 0; background: none; -webkit-box-shadow: none; box-shadow: none; padding: 0 0 0 6px; } .s-elements .comments .action .story-comment-post, .shared-element-comments .comments .action .story-comment-post, #import .comments .action .story-comment-post, #comments .action .story-comment-post, .engage .action .story-comment-post, .s-elements .comments .action .element-comment-post, .shared-element-comments .comments .action .element-comment-post, #import .comments .action .element-comment-post, #comments .action .element-comment-post, .engage .action .element-comment-post { position: absolute; right: 5px; top: 5px; } .s-elements .comments .action .story-comment-post i, .shared-element-comments .comments .action .story-comment-post i, #import .comments .action .story-comment-post i, #comments .action .story-comment-post i, .engage .action .story-comment-post i, .s-elements .comments .action .element-comment-post i, .shared-element-comments .comments .action .element-comment-post i, #import .comments .action .element-comment-post i, #comments .action .element-comment-post i, .engage .action .element-comment-post i { float: left; width: 16px; height: 16px; opacity: 0.2; -ms-filter: progid:dximagetransform.microsoft.alpha(opacity=20); filter: alpha(opacity=20); -webkit-transition: opacity 0.4s; -moz-transition: opacity 0.4s; -o-transition: opacity 0.4s; -ms-transition: opacity 0.4s; transition: opacity 0.4s; cursor: pointer; } .s-elements .comments .action .story-comment-post i.story-comment-twitter, .shared-element-comments .comments .action .story-comment-post i.story-comment-twitter, #import .comments .action .story-comment-post i.story-comment-twitter, #comments .action .story-comment-post i.story-comment-twitter, .engage .action .story-comment-post i.story-comment-twitter, .s-elements .comments .action .element-comment-post i.story-comment-twitter, .shared-element-comments .comments .action .element-comment-post i.story-comment-twitter, #import .comments .action .element-comment-post i.story-comment-twitter, #comments .action .element-comment-post i.story-comment-twitter, .engage .action .element-comment-post i.story-comment-twitter, .s-elements .comments .action .story-comment-post i.element-comment-twitter, .shared-element-comments .comments .action .story-comment-post i.element-comment-twitter, #import .comments .action .story-comment-post i.element-comment-twitter, #comments .action .story-comment-post i.element-comment-twitter, .engage .action .story-comment-post i.element-comment-twitter, .s-elements .comments .action .element-comment-post i.element-comment-twitter, .shared-element-comments .comments .action .element-comment-post i.element-comment-twitter, #import .comments .action .element-comment-post i.element-comment-twitter, #comments .action .element-comment-post i.element-comment-twitter, .engage .action .element-comment-post i.element-comment-twitter { background: url('//storify.com/public/img/sources/twitter-16px.png') no-repeat; } .s-elements .comments .action .story-comment-post i.story-comment-facebook, .shared-element-comments .comments .action .story-comment-post i.story-comment-facebook, #import .comments .action .story-comment-post i.story-comment-facebook, #comments .action .story-comment-post i.story-comment-facebook, .engage .action .story-comment-post i.story-comment-facebook, .s-elements .comments .action .element-comment-post i.story-comment-facebook, .shared-element-comments .comments .action .element-comment-post i.story-comment-facebook, #import .comments .action .element-comment-post i.story-comment-facebook, #comments .action .element-comment-post i.story-comment-facebook, .engage .action .element-comment-post i.story-comment-facebook, .s-elements .comments .action .story-comment-post i.element-comment-facebook, .shared-element-comments .comments .action .story-comment-post i.element-comment-facebook, #import .comments .action .story-comment-post i.element-comment-facebook, #comments .action .story-comment-post i.element-comment-facebook, .engage .action .story-comment-post i.element-comment-facebook, .s-elements .comments .action .element-comment-post i.element-comment-facebook, .shared-element-comments .comments .action .element-comment-post i.element-comment-facebook, #import .comments .action .element-comment-post i.element-comment-facebook, #comments .action .element-comment-post i.element-comment-facebook, .engage .action .element-comment-post i.element-comment-facebook { background: url('//storify.com/public/img/sources/facebook-16px.png') no-repeat; margin-left: 4px; } .s-elements .comments .action .story-comment-post i:hover, .shared-element-comments .comments .action .story-comment-post i:hover, #import .comments .action .story-comment-post i:hover, #comments .action .story-comment-post i:hover, .engage .action .story-comment-post i:hover, .s-elements .comments .action .element-comment-post i:hover, .shared-element-comments .comments .action .element-comment-post i:hover, #import .comments .action .element-comment-post i:hover, #comments .action .element-comment-post i:hover, .engage .action .element-comment-post i:hover { opacity: 0.5; -ms-filter: progid:dximagetransform.microsoft.alpha(opacity=50); filter: alpha(opacity=50); } .s-elements .comments .action .story-comment-post i.active, .shared-element-comments .comments .action .story-comment-post i.active, #import .comments .action .story-comment-post i.active, #comments .action .story-comment-post i.active, .engage .action .story-comment-post i.active, .s-elements .comments .action .element-comment-post i.active, .shared-element-comments .comments .action .element-comment-post i.active, #import .comments .action .element-comment-post i.active, #comments .action .element-comment-post i.active, .engage .action .element-comment-post i.active { opacity: 1; -ms-filter: none; filter: none; } .s-elements .comments .previous ul, .shared-element-comments .comments .previous ul, #import .comments .previous ul, #comments .previous ul, .engage .previous ul { margin: 0; padding: 0; list-style: none; } .s-elements .comments .previous ul li, .shared-element-comments .comments .previous ul li, #import .comments .previous ul li, #comments .previous ul li, .engage .previous ul li { zoom: 1; padding: 5px 0; border-top: 1px dotted #ddd; } .s-elements .comments .previous ul li:before, .shared-element-comments .comments .previous ul li:before, #import .comments .previous ul li:before, #comments .previous ul li:before, .engage .previous ul li:before, .s-elements .comments .previous ul li:after, .shared-element-comments .comments .previous ul li:after, #import .comments .previous ul li:after, #comments .previous ul li:after, .engage .previous ul li:after { content: ''; display: table; } .s-elements .comments .previous ul li:after, .shared-element-comments .comments .previous ul li:after, #import .comments .previous ul li:after, #comments .previous ul li:after, .engage .previous ul li:after { clear: both; } .s-elements .comments .previous ul li .avatar, .shared-element-comments .comments .previous ul li .avatar, #import .comments .previous ul li .avatar, #comments .previous ul li .avatar, .engage .previous ul li .avatar { display: block; float: left; margin-right: 5px; -webkit-border-radius: 3px; border-radius: 3px; width: 16px; height: 16px; } .s-elements .comments .previous ul li .container, .shared-element-comments .comments .previous ul li .container, #import .comments .previous ul li .container, #comments .previous ul li .container, .engage .previous ul li .container { position: relative; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; padding-left: 21px; } .s-elements .comments .previous ul li .container .author, .shared-element-comments .comments .previous ul li .container .author, #import .comments .previous ul li .container .author, #comments .previous ul li .container .author, .engage .previous ul li .container .author { font-weight: bold; padding-right: 5px; color: #333; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; } .s-elements .comments .previous ul li .container .content, .shared-element-comments .comments .previous ul li .container .content, #import .comments .previous ul li .container .content, #comments .previous ul li .container .content, .engage .previous ul li .container .content, .s-elements .comments .previous ul li .container .fullcontent, .shared-element-comments .comments .previous ul li .container .fullcontent, #import .comments .previous ul li .container .fullcontent, #comments .previous ul li .container .fullcontent, .engage .previous ul li .container .fullcontent, .s-elements .comments .previous ul li .container .morecomment, .shared-element-comments .comments .previous ul li .container .morecomment, #import .comments .previous ul li .container .morecomment, #comments .previous ul li .container .morecomment, .engage .previous ul li .container .morecomment { padding-right: 5px; } .s-elements .comments .previous ul li .container .morecomment, .shared-element-comments .comments .previous ul li .container .morecomment, #import .comments .previous ul li .container .morecomment, #comments .previous ul li .container .morecomment, .engage .previous ul li .container .morecomment { color: #256bbe; } .s-elements .comments .previous ul li .container .hide, .shared-element-comments .comments .previous ul li .container .hide, #import .comments .previous ul li .container .hide, #comments .previous ul li .container .hide, .engage .previous ul li .container .hide { display: none; } .s-elements .comments .previous ul li .container .date, .shared-element-comments .comments .previous ul li .container .date, #import .comments .previous ul li .container .date, #comments .previous ul li .container .date, .engage .previous ul li .container .date { color: #999; } .s-elements .comments .previous ul li .container .remove, .shared-element-comments .comments .previous ul li .container .remove, #import .comments .previous ul li .container .remove, #comments .previous ul li .container .remove, .engage .previous ul li .container .remove { display: none; position: absolute; top: 0; right: 0; font-size: 10px; padding: 0 3px; background: #eee; border: 1px solid #ddd; -webkit-border-radius: 2px; border-radius: 2px; text-decoration: none; color: #333; } .s-elements .comments .previous ul li .container .remove:hover, .shared-element-comments .comments .previous ul li .container .remove:hover, #import .comments .previous ul li .container .remove:hover, #comments .previous ul li .container .remove:hover, .engage .previous ul li .container .remove:hover { color: #ca352c; } .s-elements .comments .previous ul li .container:hover .remove, .shared-element-comments .comments .previous ul li .container:hover .remove, #import .comments .previous ul li .container:hover .remove, #comments .previous ul li .container:hover .remove, .engage .previous ul li .container:hover .remove { display: block; } .s-elements .comments .previous .more, .shared-element-comments .comments .previous .more, #import .comments .previous .more, #comments .previous .more, .engage .previous .more { border-top: 1px dotted #ddd; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; display: block; font-weight: bold; padding: 5px 0; } .s-elements .comments .previous .more a, .shared-element-comments .comments .previous .more a, #import .comments .previous .more a, #comments .previous .more a, .engage .previous .more a { color: #333; text-decoration: none; } .s-elements .comments .previous .more a:hover, .shared-element-comments .comments .previous .more a:hover, #import .comments .previous .more a:hover, #comments .previous .more a:hover, .engage .previous .more a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } .s-elements .comments .previous .more span, .shared-element-comments .comments .previous .more span, #import .comments .previous .more span, #comments .previous .more span, .engage .previous .more span { font-weight: normal; color: #999; } .s-elements .comments { -webkit-box-shadow: inset 0px 10px 20px -10px rgba(0,0,0,0.15); box-shadow: inset 0px 10px 20px -10px rgba(0,0,0,0.15); } .s-elements .no-comment { display: none; } .s-elements .has-comments { display: block; } #comments { -webkit-border-radius: 0; border-radius: 0; background: transparent none; } #comments .previous { max-height: 300px; overflow: auto; } .s-element-stats { zoom: 1; border-top: 1px dotted #ddd; text-align: center; font-size: 10px; line-height: 1em; padding: 6px; color: #999; cursor: pointer; -webkit-user-select: none; -moz-user-select: none; -ms-user-select: none; user-select: none; text-transform: uppercase; } .s-element-stats:before, .s-element-stats:after { content: ''; display: table; } .s-element-stats:after { clear: both; } .s-element-stats:hover { color: #666; } .s-element-stats div { display: inline; } .s-element-stats.hide, .s-element-stats .hide { display: none; } #big-like { position: fixed; top: 50%; left: 50%; width: 230px; height: 206px; margin-left: -115px; margin-top: -103px; background: url('//storify.com/public/img/heart2.png'); -webkit-background-size: cover; -moz-background-size: cover; background-size: cover; opacity: 0; -ms-filter: progid:dximagetransform.microsoft.alpha(opacity=0); filter: alpha(opacity=0); display: none; z-index: 100003; } input, textarea { color: #333; font-size: 11px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; } .gc-bubbledefault { display: none !important; } .s-info { margin-left: -3px; } .s-info .s-author { font-size: 12px; line-height: 30px; float: left; margin: 0 10px 20px 0; color: #888; background: #f7f7f7; padding: 0 10px 0 20px; height: 30px; display: inline-block; -webkit-border-radius: 0 5px 5px 0; border-radius: 0 5px 5px 0; border: 1px solid #e7e7e7; -webkit-box-shadow: inset 0 1px 0 0 #fff; box-shadow: inset 0 1px 0 0 #fff; } .s-info .s-author a.logo { display: block; float: left; width: 57px; height: 14px; overflow: hidden; margin: 8px 3px 0 0; background: url('//storify.com/public/img/logo.blue.small.png'); } .s-info .s-author a.logo span { visibility: hidden; } .s-info .s-author-follow { font-size: 11px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top; margin-left: 4px; color: #8da452; } .s-info .s-author-avatar { float: left; max-width: 32px; max-height: 32px; margin: 2px 10px 0px 0px; } .s-info .s-published { display: inline-block; font-size: 11px; line-height: 30px; } .s-info .s-published a { color: #666; } .s-published-date { color: #555; } #story { position: relative; } .s-story { margin: 0px auto; padding: 0px; background: #fff; color: #333; font-size: 15px; line-height: 18px; border: 1px solid #e7e7e7; border-bottom: 1px solid #c0c1c2; -webkit-border-radius: 5px 5px 0 0; border-radius: 5px 5px 0 0; -webkit-box-shadow: 0 1px 0 #e7e7e7; box-shadow: 0 1px 0 #e7e7e7; } .s-story.noborder { border: none; -webkit-border-radius: 0; border-radius: 0; } .s-story.noborder .s-element-text, .s-story.noborder .s-text, .s-story.noborder .s-info, .s-story.noborder .s-actions, .s-story.noborder .s-title, .s-story.noborder .more-on-storify { padding-left: 0; padding-right: 0; margin-left: 0; margin-right: 0; } .s-story a { text-decoration: none; color: #333; } .s-story a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } .s-story .icon { float: left; width: 16px; height: 16px; margin-right: 3px; background-image: url('//storify.com/public/img/web.png'); background-repeat: no-repeat; } .s-thumbnail { max-width: 64px; max-height: 64px; float: right; margin: 0px 20px; } .s-clear { display: block; height: 0px; clear: both; } .s-header { padding: 16px 0 0; border-bottom: 1px dotted #ddd; } .s-actions { height: 30px; position: absolute; top: 20px; right: 20px; z-index: 101; } .s-actions a, .shared-element-actions a { zoom: 1; display: block; float: left; border-left: 1px solid #e7e7e7; border-bottom: 1px solid #e7e7e7; } .s-actions a:before, .shared-element-actions a:before, .s-actions a:after, .shared-element-actions a:after { content: ''; display: table; } .s-actions a:after, .shared-element-actions a:after { clear: both; } .s-actions a span, .shared-element-actions a span { float: left; display: block; min-width: 30px; height: 28px; border-top: 2px solid #e7e7e7; } .s-actions a span i, .shared-element-actions a span i { display: block; background: url('//storify.com/public/img/icons.png'); -webkit-background-size: 80px 64px; -moz-background-size: 80px 64px; background-size: 80px 64px; width: 16px; height: 16px; margin: 6px 7px; } .s-actions a:last-child, .shared-element-actions a:last-child { border-right: 1px solid #e7e7e7; } .s-actions a.embed span, .shared-element-actions a.embed span { border-top-color: #85a8d2; } .s-actions a.embed span i, .shared-element-actions a.embed span i { background-position: -64px 0; } .s-actions a.embed:hover span, .shared-element-actions a.embed:hover span { background: #85a8d2; } .s-actions a.embed:hover span i, .shared-element-actions a.embed:hover span i { background-position: -64px -16px; } .s-actions a.repost span, .shared-element-actions a.repost span { border-top-color: #85a8d2; } .s-actions a.repost span i, .shared-element-actions a.repost span i { background-position: 0 0; } .s-actions a.repost:hover span, .shared-element-actions a.repost:hover span { background: #85a8d2; } .s-actions a.repost:hover span i, .shared-element-actions a.repost:hover span i { background-position: 0 -16px; } .s-actions a.like span, .shared-element-actions a.like span { border-top-color: #c5889c; } .s-actions a.like span i, .shared-element-actions a.like span i { background-position: -16px 0; } .s-actions a.like .count, .shared-element-actions a.like .count { border-top-color: #c5889c; } .s-actions a.like:hover span, .shared-element-actions a.like:hover span { background: #c5889c; } .s-actions a.like:hover span i, .shared-element-actions a.like:hover span i { background-position: -16px -16px; } .s-actions a.like:hover .count, .shared-element-actions a.like:hover .count { background: #c5889c; color: #fff; } .s-actions a.like.active i, .shared-element-actions a.like.active i { background-position: -16px -32px; } .s-actions a.comment span, .shared-element-actions a.comment span { border-top-color: #efbd81; } .s-actions a.comment span i, .shared-element-actions a.comment span i { background-position: -32px 0; } .s-actions a.comment .count, .shared-element-actions a.comment .count { border-top-color: #efbd81; } .s-actions a.comment:hover span, .shared-element-actions a.comment:hover span { background: #efbd81; } .s-actions a.comment:hover span i, .shared-element-actions a.comment:hover span i { background-position: -32px -16px; } .s-actions a.comment:hover .count, .shared-element-actions a.comment:hover .count { background: #efbd81; color: #fff; } .s-actions a.share span, .shared-element-actions a.share span { border-top-color: #9fc582; } .s-actions a.share span i, .shared-element-actions a.share span i { background-position: -48px 0; } .s-actions a.share:hover span, .shared-element-actions a.share:hover span { background: #9fc582; } .s-actions a.share:hover span i, .shared-element-actions a.share:hover span i { background-position: -48px -16px; } .s-element .buttons { zoom: 1; margin-left: -7px; padding: 3px 0; } .s-element .buttons:before, .s-element .buttons:after { content: ''; display: table; } .s-element .buttons:after { clear: both; } .s-element .buttons a { display: block; float: left; width: 30px; height: 30px; } .s-element .buttons a span { float: left; } .s-element .buttons a i { display: block; background: url('//storify.com/public/img/icons-story.png'); width: 16px; height: 16px; margin: 6px 7px; float: left; } .s-element .buttons a.like i { background-position: -16px 0; } .s-element .buttons a.like:hover i { background-position: -16px -16px; } .s-element .buttons a.like.active i { background-position: -16px -32px; } .s-element .buttons a.comment i { background-position: -32px 0; } .s-element .buttons a.comment:hover i { background-position: -32px -16px; } .s-element .buttons a.share { width: auto; line-height: 30px; } .s-element .buttons a.share i { background-position: -48px 0; margin-right: 3px; } .s-element .buttons a.share span { font-weight: bold; color: #52748f; } .s-element .buttons a.share:hover i { background-position: -48px -16px; } .s-element .buttons a.share:hover span { color: #ababab; } .s-element .buttons em { float: left; height: 30px; line-height: 30px; font-style: normal; color: #b4c4d1; font-size: 12px; margin-right: 5px; } .s-element .buttons em.zero { color: #dde4ea; display: none; } .count { float: left; color: #999; line-height: 28px; font-size: 12px; border-top: 2px solid #e7e7e7; padding-right: 5px; } .s-actions-share { list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; } .s-actions-share li { display: inline-block; } .s-actions-share { float: left; } .s-actions-share li { float: left; padding-right: 10px; } .s-actions-share li a { display: block; width: 32px; height: 32px; text-indent: -9999px; background-image: url('//storify.com/public/img/share-icons.png'); } .s-actions-share li.s-share-facebook a { background-position: 0 0; } .s-actions-share li.s-share-facebook-loading a { background-image: url('//storify.com/public/img/facebook-loading.gif'); } .s-actions-share li.s-share-facebook-done a { background-image: url('//storify.com/public/img/facebook-done.png'); } .s-actions-share li.s-share-twitter a { background-position: -32px 0; } .s-actions-share li.s-share-pinterest a { background-position: -160px 0; } .s-actions-share li.s-share-googleplus a { background-position: -64px 0; } .s-actions-share li.s-share-linkedin a { background-position: -96px 0; } .s-actions-share li.s-share-email { padding-right: 0; } .s-actions-share li.s-share-email a { background-position: -128px 0; } #s-share-dropdown, #s-embed-dropdown, #s-comment-dropdown { z-index: 102; display: none; position: absolute; top: 50px; right: 20px; background: #fff; border: 1px solid #e7e7e7; border-bottom: 1px solid #c0c1c2; -webkit-box-shadow: 0px 1px 0px #e7e7e7; box-shadow: 0px 1px 0px #e7e7e7; } #share-footer-dropdown { display: none; z-index: 102; position: absolute; top: 36px; left: 95px; background: #fff; padding: 6px 10px; border: 1px solid #e7e7e7; border-bottom: 1px solid #c0c1c2; -webkit-box-shadow: 0px 1px 0px #e7e7e7; box-shadow: 0px 1px 0px #e7e7e7; } #comments-footer { display: none; z-index: 102; position: absolute; top: 36px; left: 95px; background: #fff; padding: 6px 10px; border: 1px solid #e7e7e7; border-bottom: 1px solid #c0c1c2; -webkit-box-shadow: 0px 1px 0px #e7e7e7; box-shadow: 0px 1px 0px #e7e7e7; } #s-share-dropdown { width: 200px; padding: 10px; } #s-embed-dropdown { width: 278px; } #s-embed-dropdown label { font-size: 11px; } #s-embed-dropdown .s-embed-code { padding: 15px; } #s-embed-dropdown .s-embed-code label { margin-bottom: 5px; } #s-embed-dropdown .s-embed-code input[type='text'] { width: 100%; -webkit-box-sizing: border-box; -moz-box-sizing: border-box; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Monaco', 'Courier', monospace; } #s-embed-dropdown .s-embed-options { padding: 17px 15px 5px; background: url('//storify.com/public/img/border2px.gif') top repeat-x; } #s-embed-dropdown .s-embed-options .s-embed-template { margin-bottom: 10px; } #s-embed-dropdown .s-embed-options .s-embed-template label { float: left; line-height: 18px; padding-right: 5px; } #s-embed-dropdown .s-embed-options .s-embed-template select { height: 18px; margin: 0; } #s-embed-dropdown .s-embed-options .s-embed-show, #s-embed-dropdown .s-embed-options .s-embed-seo { margin-bottom: 10px; } #s-embed-dropdown .s-embed-options .s-embed-show label, #s-embed-dropdown .s-embed-options .s-embed-seo label, #s-embed-dropdown .s-embed-options .s-embed-show input, #s-embed-dropdown .s-embed-options .s-embed-seo input { display: inline; } #s-embed-dropdown .s-embed-options .s-embed-show input, #s-embed-dropdown .s-embed-options .s-embed-seo input { vertical-align: baseline; } #s-embed-dropdown .s-embed-options .s-embed-show label, #s-embed-dropdown .s-embed-options .s-embed-seo label { padding: 0 5px; } #s-embed-dropdown .s-embed-options .s-embed-show label:first-child { padding-left: 0; } #s-comment-dropdown { width: 350px; } #s-copy-code { color: #333; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; } .s-email-send { padding-top: 18px; } .s-email-send button { margin-left: 0px; } .s-elements { position: relative; min-height: 200px; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; color: #333; list-style: none; padding: 0px; margin: 10px 0; } .s-elements a { text-decoration: none; color: #333; } .s-elements a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } .s-title, #s-title { display: block; font-family: 'Georgia', serif; font-size: 32px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.1em; color: #000; padding: 0px 20px; margin: 0px; } .s-section { zoom: 1; margin: 0; } .s-section:before, .s-section:after { content: ''; display: table; } .s-section:after { clear: both; } .s-section a.name, .s-section a.edit { float: left; display: inline-block; } .s-section a.name { font-family: 'Helvetica', sans-serif; color: #b30c00; font-style: normal; padding-left: 20px; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-transform: uppercase; } .s-section a.name:hover { text-decoration: none; color: #000; } .s-section a.edit { margin-left: 5px; width: 16px; height: 16px; background: #000; text-indent: -9999px; background: url('//storify.com/public/img/web.png') -128px 0px; } .s-description, #s-description { display: block; margin: 0px; padding: 10px 20px 20px; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.6em; color: #666; } #s-title, #s-description { width: 100%; padding: 7px; margin: 0px -7px 10px; border: 1px solid #eee; resize: none; -webkit-box-shadow: none; box-shadow: none; } #s-title:hover:not(:focus), #s-description:hover:not(:focus) { background: #fffbe3; border-color: #ccc; } #s-title:focus, #s-description:focus { -webkit-box-shadow: inset 0 2px 1px rgba(0,0,0,0.07); box-shadow: inset 0 2px 1px rgba(0,0,0,0.07); border-color: #aaa; } #s-title::-webkit-input-placeholder, #s-description::-webkit-input-placeholder, #s-title::-moz-placeholder, #s-description::-moz-placeholder { color: #ddd; } .s-load-more { display: block; height: 50px; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 10px 0px; color: #eee; background-color: #0083cb; background: -webkit-gradient(linear, left top, left bottom, color-stop(0, #1e8ac7), color-stop(1, #0083cb)); background: -webkit-linear-gradient(top, #1e8ac7 0%, #0083cb 100%); background: -moz-linear-gradient(top, #1e8ac7 0%, #0083cb 100%); background: -o-linear-gradient(top, #1e8ac7 0%, #0083cb 100%); background: -ms-linear-gradient(top, #1e8ac7 0%, #0083cb 100%); background: linear-gradient(top, #1e8ac7 0%, #0083cb 100%); -webkit-box-shadow: 0px 0px 2px rgba(0,0,0,0.3); box-shadow: 0px 0px 2px rgba(0,0,0,0.3); -webkit-border-radius: 3px; border-radius: 3px; width: 628px; -webkit-border-radius: 0px; border-radius: 0px; cursor: pointer; text-align: center; text-shadow: 0px -1px 0px rgba(0,0,0,0.5); } .s-load-more:disabled { background: url('//storify.com/public/img/load.gif') no-repeat center; font-size: 0px; } .s-load-more#embed-footer { display: block; width: auto; text-align: center; background-color: #0083cb; border: 1px solid #0083cb; -webkit-border-radius: 3px; border-radius: 3px; font-family: 'Museo Sans', sans-serif; color: #fff; text-align: center; height: 40px; line-height: 40px; font-size: 1.4em; padding: 3px 0; margin: 0px 10px; } .s-load-more#embed-footer:hover { color: #fff; text-decoration: none; background: -webkit-gradient(linear, left top, left bottom, color-stop(0, #017cc0), color-stop(1, #0068ac)); background: -webkit-linear-gradient(top, #017cc0 0%, #0068ac 100%); background: -moz-linear-gradient(top, #017cc0 0%, #0068ac 100%); background: -o-linear-gradient(top, #017cc0 0%, #0068ac 100%); background: -ms-linear-gradient(top, #017cc0 0%, #0068ac 100%); background: linear-gradient(top, #017cc0 0%, #0068ac 100%); } .s-load-more#embed-footer:disabled { background: url('//storify.com/public/img/load.gif') no-repeat center; font-size: 0px; } .s-story .s-created-with { background: url('//storify.com/public/img/created.with.png') right no-repeat; display: block; height: 16px; margin: 3px; } .s-story .footer { color: #666; display: block; padding: 15px 15px; background: -webkit-gradient(linear, left top, left bottom, color-stop(0, #f9f9f9), color-stop(1, rgba(255,255,255,0))); background: -webkit-linear-gradient(top, #f9f9f9 0%, rgba(255,255,255,0) 100%); background: -moz-linear-gradient(top, #f9f9f9 0%, rgba(255,255,255,0) 100%); background: -o-linear-gradient(top, #f9f9f9 0%, rgba(255,255,255,0) 100%); background: -ms-linear-gradient(top, #f9f9f9 0%, rgba(255,255,255,0) 100%); background: linear-gradient(top, #f9f9f9 0%, rgba(255,255,255,0) 100%); border-top: 1px solid #f7f7f7; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px; overflow: hidden; } .s-story .footer .subscribe { display: inline-block; padding-top: 2px; } .s-story .footer span, .s-story .footer a, .s-story .footer .subscribe-button { display: block; float: left; } .s-story .footer a.logo { display: block; float: left; width: 79px; height: 20px; overflow: hidden; background: url('//storify.com/public/img/embed-header-logo.png') 0px -20px no-repeat; margin: 0px 12px 0px 0px; } .s-story .footer a.logo:hover { background-position: 0px -20px; } .s-story .footer a.logo em { visibility: hidden; } .s-story .footer .subscribe-label, .s-story .footer .subscribed-label, .s-story .footer .subscribe-user { height: 20px; line-height: 20px; } .s-story .footer .subscribe-button { height: auto; margin: -2px 0 0 10px; } .s-story .footer .subscribe-button span { font-size: 11px; height: 20px; line-height: 20px; padding: 0 7px; } .s-story .footer .subscribe-button:hover { text-decoration: none; } .s-story .engage { position: relative; padding: 10px 20px; font-size: 12px; border-top: 1px dotted #ddd; background: #f7f7f7; -webkit-border-radius: 0; border-radius: 0; } .s-story .engage a { font-weight: bold; } .s-story .engage .intro { color: #666; margin: 0 0 10px; } .s-story .engage .liked { display: none; position: absolute; top: 10px; right: 20px; color: #008000; font-weight: bold; } .s-story .engage .action-container { padding-top: 0; } .s-story .engage .recent { padding: 0; margin: 10px 0 0; list-style: none; } .s-story .engage .recent li { zoom: 1; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; padding: 5px 0; border-top: 1px dotted #ddd; } .s-story .engage .recent li:before, .s-story .engage .recent li:after { content: ''; display: table; } .s-story .engage .recent li:after { clear: both; } .s-story .engage .recent li:last-child { padding-bottom: 0; } .s-story .engage .recent li img { width: 16px; height: 16px; float: left; display: block; -webkit-border-radius: 3px; border-radius: 3px; } .s-story .engage .recent li .container { padding-left: 21px; } .s-story .engage .recent li .container a { text-decoration: none; } .s-story .engage .recent li .container .date { color: #999; } .s-story .engage.embed { background: transparent; border: none; padding: 0px; } body#embed .s-story { -webkit-border-radius: 0; border-radius: 0; } body#embed .s-story .s-info { margin-left: 0; } body#embed .s-story .s-info .s-author { border-left: 0; } .left-content { position: relative; float: left; max-width: 630px; width: 100%; } .right-sidebar { float: right; width: 300px; } .fluid { width: 100%; } .fixed { position: relative; max-width: 960px; margin: 0px auto; padding: 0px 15px; } .left { float: left; } .right { float: right; } .inline { float: left; margin: 0px 3px 0px 0px; } .clear { float: none !important; clear: both; } input { vertical-align: top; margin: 0; } input[type='text'], input[type='password'], textarea, .input-text { background: #fff; font-size: 12px; padding: 6px; border: 1px solid #ddd; -webkit-box-shadow: inset 1px 1px 5px #ddd; box-shadow: inset 1px 1px 5px #ddd; -webkit-border-radius: 3px; border-radius: 3px; font-size: 11px; } input[type='text']:hover, input[type='password']:hover, textarea:hover, .input-text:hover { border-color: #ccc; } input[type='text']:focus, input[type='password']:focus, textarea:focus, .input-text:focus, input[type='text'].focus, input[type='password'].focus, textarea.focus, .input-text.focus { border-color: #5695db; -webkit-box-shadow: inset 1px 1px 5px #ddd, 0 0 5px #5695db; box-shadow: inset 1px 1px 5px #ddd, 0 0 5px #5695db; } input[type='text'].search, input[type='password'].search, textarea.search, .input-text.search { padding: 8px 6px 8px 0px; background: transparent; border: 0; -webkit-box-shadow: none; box-shadow: none; } input[type='text'].error, input[type='password'].error, textarea.error, .input-text.error { border-color: #f07070; -webkit-box-shadow: inset 1px 1px 5px #ddd, 0 0 5px #f07070; box-shadow: inset 1px 1px 5px #ddd, 0 0 5px #f07070; color: #9d3434; } body#editor .input-text { -webkit-border-radius: 0; border-radius: 0; } .input-text { padding: 0; } .input-prepend { display: inline-block; margin: 11px 0 0 5px; font-weight: bold; font-size: 11px; color: #ccc; } .form input[type='text'], .form input[type='password'], .form .input-text { display: block; padding: 10px; margin: 3px 0px 10px; width: 300px; } .form button { float: right; margin-right: 0px; } .form input[type=checkbox] { display: block; margin: 10px 6px 0 0; } .field { clear: both; } label { display: block; font-size: 10px; color: #888; } ::-webkit-input-placeholder { color: #ddd; } :-moz-placeholder { color: #ddd; } button::-moz-focus-inner { padding: 0; border: 0; } .button-group { list-style: none; } button, a.button { display: inline-block; -webkit-box-sizing: border-box; -moz-box-sizing: border-box; box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-border-radius: 3px; border-radius: 3px; background-color: #cacaca; background-image: -webkit-gradient(linear, left top, left bottom, color-stop(0, #dedede), color-stop(1, #b7b7b7)); background-image: -webkit-linear-gradient(top, #dedede 0%, #b7b7b7 100%); background-image: -moz-linear-gradient(top, #dedede 0%, #b7b7b7 100%); background-image: -o-linear-gradient(top, #dedede 0%, #b7b7b7 100%); background-image: -ms-linear-gradient(top, #dedede 0%, #b7b7b7 100%); background-image: linear-gradient(top, #dedede 0%, #b7b7b7 100%); padding: 1px; border: 0; } button span, a.button span { -webkit-box-sizing: border-box; -moz-box-sizing: border-box; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Museo Sans', sans-serif; border: 0; -webkit-border-radius: 2px; border-radius: 2px; display: inline-block; font-size: 12px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 1em; padding: 6px 8px; position: relative; text-decoration: none; background-color: #ececec; background-image: -webkit-gradient(linear, left top, left bottom, color-stop(0, #fbfbfb), color-stop(1, #dedede)); background-image: -webkit-linear-gradient(top, #fbfbfb 0%, #dedede 100%); background-image: -moz-linear-gradient(top, #fbfbfb 0%, #dedede 100%); background-image: -o-linear-gradient(top, #fbfbfb 0%, #dedede 100%); background-image: -ms-linear-gradient(top, #fbfbfb 0%, #dedede 100%); background-image: linear-gradient(top, #fbfbfb 0%, #dedede 100%); -webkit-box-shadow: 0 0 0 1px rgba(255,255,255,0.5) inset, 0 1px 0 #fff inset, 0 1px 2px rgba(0,0,0,0.5); 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DAILY TIMES PREPARES “OCTOBER SURPRISE”
What Happened to “Stick to the Issues”?

Salisbury’s Daily Times is planning its own version of the “October Surprise” for this Sunday’s edition. According to Daily Times city reporter Jeremy Cox, the paper plans to run a front page “expose” outlining the past legal difficulties of incumbent mayor Jim Ireton and his opponent, businessman Joe Albero.

“I’m really disgusted with the entire approach taken by our local newspaper”, stated Albero. “It’s small wonder that they’ve had to put their building up for lease. People just don’t want to read a paper that is one step above the National Enquirer. Who cares that Jake Day has a heavy foot, or that our three District 1 candidates have met with personal financial misfortune, or that both my opponent and I have had some minor brushes with the legal system? Why does the Daily Times think that these things take precedence over my plan to bring jobs to Salisbury, Jim Ireton’s repeated attempts to raise our taxes, or Jake Day’s plan to use our tax dollars to subsidize residential development in the city?”

Albero also noted that early in the campaign the Daily Times stated that they wanted to ONLY report on issues. “Throughout this campaign I have focused on how to make Salisbury a better place to work and to live. It’s unfortunate that they have gone back on their word and chosen to take this path. What have we seen from our local paper during this campaign? Most of the articles we’ve seen this election season have been thinly disguised attack pieces. Any discussion of real issues has been little more than fluff. I don’t believe that reporter Jeremy Cox is either lazy or a bad reporter. I can only conclude that publisher Tom Claybaugh and editor Michael Kilian believe that they can gin up advertising sales from certain business segments or somehow increase readership by attempting to use Gannett’s assets to impact a local election with salacious stories that have no real impact on Salisbury’s residents and businesses.”

Albero’s publication, SBYNews will print a response (written by a named contributor) after the Daily Times runs its piece.

The first question posed by Colburn was to council candidates about creating a business-friendly environment for the city.  After District 1 incumbent Shanie Shields read her answer from a prepared script, a stammering Colburn interjected that “No candidate had been provided the questions in advance”.  District 2 challenger Jake Day also seemed to have his answers well prepared in advance.  However, he was not as obvious as Shields.

After the first embarrassment, Colburn followed up by attempting to sandbag mayoral candidate Joe Albero.  Colburn stated that Albero had called for the closing of the Salisbury Zoo.  Albero was at ease when he corrected Colburn, “I’ve never said or written such a thing.  My wife worked at the zoo and she would kill me if I ever said such a thing.”  Albero has been a critic of the zoo in the past and has called on the zoo to be more financially self-sufficient.  Our research was unable to find any instance where Albero called for the zoo to be closed.

TAG TEAMING CANDIDATES

One new approach in this debate was a “tag team” approach taken by Day and incumbent mayor Jim Ireton.  Ireton never referred to Albero.  In a weak attempt to tie Albero and Campbell together, he would say “my TWO opponent”, while pointing to both Albero and Campbell.  Day attacked Albero directly by claiming that NO ONE has called for 500 affordable housing units to be built on existing downtown parking lots.  Ireton’s downtown plan does call for 500 housing units.  Speaking on the matter over the past two years he has called for some or all of those units to be “affordable” housing.  Even while trying to call Albero out, Day equivocated; saying “I think” and “I’m pretty sure”.

WHAT’S WRONG WITH TRANSPARENCY?

When asked about the proposed business disclosure ordinance, all of the candidates except for Campbell and Albero expressed disapproval.  Day’s response was the most interesting – if you had followed him on this issue during the campaign.  At the first PACE forum he stated that this (business disclosure) was “unprecedented” and that no municipality in Maryland did this.  As the public became aware that Day’s statement was untrue (the city of Frederick, Wicomico County, the state of Maryland, and others already have similar measures) he now tries to paint this measure as too broad and that the limits should be higher (Maryland only requires disclosure if you do $100,000 or more in business with the state).  While Albero did not endorse the proposed legislation, he did state that “As an investor in this city, I don’t have a big problem in it”.

IRETON DEFENDS LOCKOUT, ALLIES PILE ON CAMPBELL

While Albero commented on the disclosure ordinance, he added that it was Ireton’s proposed “lockout ordinance” which people should be really concerned about.  When asked directly about this proposal, every candidate except Ireton opposed the ordinance.

Ireton went on the offensive claiming that Albero was in favor of the Liquor Licensing Commissioner having the same power, but it was somehow different if the city had the same power.  Albero correctly pointed out that the Liquor Licensing Commissioners already had the authority to suspend or revoke liquor licenses.  Ireton’s proposal allows the city to shutter a business if they receive two police calls in a two year period.

While this proposal came from the administration, Day and Shields accused Campbell of “playing politics” with the ordinance.

WHEN IS $110,000 MORE THAN $87 MILLION

One interesting note was Day’s insistence that the current city attorney is costing the city more than his predecessor.  This is true, although it is difficult to compare legal services from one year to another.

Campbell asked for rebuttal time (which had been given to everyone else during the forum, both before and after Campbell’s request).  Colburn denied her request.  When asked after the forum what she had wanted to say, Campbell pointed out that the former city attorney (who Day implies did a better job) cost the city $87 million by approving contracts on the failed waste water treatment plant while greatly limiting the liability of the contractors involved.  Result – Salisbury rate payers will see their water and sewer rates skyrocket in the future because they are paying for the same plant TWICE.

CITY FOR SALE?

As stated in the lead, there were few surprises.  Jim Ireton, to his credit, defended his record without flip-flopping.  Ireton did continue to point fingers and argue that any problems with the city were the fault of council because “he doesn’t get a vote”.  Mayoral challenger Joe Albero continued to call for a more business-friendly city that can improve its quality of life by helping to foster the creation of new jobs and expanding the city’s tax base.

The District 1 candidates all continued on the same paths they have advocated throughout the campaign.  District 2 challenger Jake Day continued to call for subsidized residential development and a downtown-only focus on economic development.

The big surprise came from the usually mild District 2 incumbent Debbie Campbell.  On the day of forum, a second mailing from a national real estate PAC hit voters mailboxes calling for them to vote for Jake Day.  Holding up both mailings, Campbell asked why a national PAC would be interested in a city council race in a town the size of Salisbury.

Each speaker emphasized the individual’s God-given right to bear arms, not just for hunting and sporting purposes, but for the protection of one’s person, family and community.  Another common theme was the fact that pending federal and state legislation do nothing to stop gun crime, but will make criminals out of law-abiding citizens.

Wicomico Sheriff Mike Lewis spoke and acted as the moderator for the evening’s event.  He emphasized the importance of our second amendment rights.  He was obviously torn over the potential consequences of pending state legislation.  Lewis noted that he swears an oath to protect and uphold the constitution of the United States, the state of Maryland and to enforce the laws of the state;  given that most county Sheriff’s believe that this legislation strips Marylanders of their rights to keep and bear arms.  Lewis provided an excellent analogy from the infamous Dred Scott decision – Slaves could not bear arms, because they are not citizens.

Congressman Harris made a moving argument regarding the consequences of attempts to strip citizens of their guns:

Many of you already know my story.  My parents escaped from communism in the Ukraine right after World War II.  In communist regimes, the first thing they do is disarm the citizens.

Harris also demonstrated the hypocrisy of claims that more gun control is about keeping guns out of the hands of criminals:

In 2011, over 76,000 people were caught lying on their ATF form stating that they could legally purchase a firearm.  How many were actually prosecuted?  62! … Prosecute people who break the law!

While every speaker received a standing ovation from the enthusiastic crowd, Del. Mike McDermott was probably the most impassioned speaker among many impassioned speakers.  McDermott emphasized that pending state legislation calls for registration of firearms and will require gun owners to go through a background check (with fingerprint) and could cost each law-abiding gun owner over $200.  This is on top of the other tax and fee increases already heaped on citizens just in this session.

This legislation does NOTHING to stop criminals.  However, on November 1st it will make a criminal out of many of YOU.

State’s Attorney Matt Maciarello gave examples of current cases his office is working on:

Before I came over here tonight, I was in my office looking at some pending cases – burglary, armed robbery, murder, attempted murder.  Everyone involved a gun.  NONE of those crimes was committed with a LEGALLY OBTAINED firearm!

Photos are courtesy of SBYNews.

SHOWING BIAS IN A BETTER WAY?

The Daily Times seems hell bent on queering this year’s Salisbury mayoral / council elections just like they’ve tried every other time in recent memory.  Will they be successful?  We’ll know next week.

After a series of scandals destroyed what little credibility remained at Salisbury’s Daily Times, new publisher Tom Claybaugh and managing editor Michael Kilian faced a tough choice:

1. Report the news as fairly as possible (I don’t believe that anyone is 100% objective) and be honest on the op-ed pages (if you are going to claim to be the “voice of the community”, then print op-ed which reflect this).
2. Continue the paper’s old bias, just try to be more like their big city rivals and commit more “sins of omission” rather than print easily verifiable lies; and certainly don’t encourage reporters to actively participate in their own stories.

All the News That We WANT to Print

To most of us, choice number 1 is obviously the best path.  In an industry that appears to be dying, regaining credibility amongst readers is a good place to start if you want to rebuild.  The

Daily Times

can claim some good young reporters.  They’ve shown that, when allowed, they can provide good, accurate coverage of local news.  Alas, Claybaugh and Kilian have decided on a darker path.  Rather than report all of the news, the DT seems determined to only run stories which aid their preferred candidates.

How can I make such a claim?  Haven’t they run stories critical of Jim Ireton?  One!  Haven’t they run stories critical of Jake Day?  Less than one.  Who really cares that the Jakester has a heavy foot?

I’m not claiming that the DT has savaged Joe Albero or Debbie Campbell.  They haven’t.  That’s the

Daily Times

of old.  Besides, like Katherine Crowell four years ago, I don’t believe that Jeremy Cox would allow his name to be put on pieces that are riddled with lies and innuendo.  No, the DT is playing the stealth game.

Where is the story on Joe Albero’s economic development plan?  Where is a thoughtful analysis of Jake Day’s slick manifesto (which you can’t even download from his site anymore)?  Where is an analysis of Jim Ireton’s attempt to raise taxes (more than once) while he claims that he never raised your taxes (worth at least four Pinnochio’s over at the WaPo)?  Where is the story about Ireton and Day’s lack of basic math skills (how do to add 500 residential units downtown, plus commercial space when you have less than 100 available parking spots (after you have sold off all of the riverfront lots – which has merit – plus Lot 1 between the library and the plaza?).  WHERE is the story about national real estate interests doing a mailing  two mailings for Jake Day?

They’re no where to be found.  Why?  Mr. Kilian doesn’t want the public to learn too much about the candidates running for office.  If they did, the DT’s favored candidates wouldn’t stand much of a chance.  Unfortunately, things are worse on the op-ed side of the shop thanks to Mr. Claybaugh and op-ed editor Susan Parker.

WE Decide the News, WE Decide YOUR Opinion

Have you bothered to ask yourself why there haven’t been many letters to the editor in support of Joe Albero or Debbie Campbell?  The answer is simple … the Daily Times won’t print them.

I’ve only been sent letters regarding Mrs. Campbell’s race, but it seems that they are (almost) all too long, too short, too critical of Jim Ireton, too critical of Barrie Tilghman, too critical of other council members, too critical of the weather, printed on the wrong color paper or using the wrong type of ink.  NOW (from today’s paper) …

In other words, we will print your letter to editor IF it doesn’t talk about ANY issue other than the issues WE (the DT) deem worthy of having an opinion about.  Now, it’s the op-ed page.  They certainly have a right to print whatever they want.  Just don’t claim to be the voice of the community.

So… here’s what you can expect between now and Friday:

Dear Editor,

I’ve known Jake Day since he was at James M. Bennett HS.  He planted a garden.  He’s a good guy.  He went to some fancy schools.  He’s in the Army.  He’s a nice guy.  He has lots of ideas but I can’t talk about them because Jake doesn’t want the voters asking too many questions about the cost.

Signed – Someone who probably doesn’t live in Salisbury.

Messrs. Claybaugh and Kilian can be very proud of the business they are running into the ground.

AVAILABLE After April 2nd
Small City, Population 30,000+
Waterfront Opportunities Available
City Government willing to SUBSIDIZE Real Estate Development
Contact Jake Day

That’s the REAL message that showed up in voters mailboxes yesterday in a mailer from the National Association of Realtors.

When was the last time that a NATIONAL Political Action Committee got involved in a LOCAL race in a city the size of Salisbury?

If you read Salisbury council candidate Jake Day’s “plan” the reason is clear – Day’s “solutions” for Salisbury’s local economy are focused almost exclusively on DOWNTOWN and on SUBSIDIZING RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT.

Is Jake Day channeling the political corpse of the previous Salisbury administration?

• Developer Reimbursements
• Failed TIF’s
• FREE or SUBSIDIZED Capacity Fees

Are Day and his backers hoping that putting a NEW FACE on an OLD PROBLEM will make voters forget that they are still paying for past mistakes and that Jake Day wants the Salisbury taxpayer to DOUBLE DOWN?

You would be wrong.  The Tri-County Council is holding its meeting at … a brew pub.

Why are YOUR tax dollars – and that’s what funds the Tri-County Council – being used to hold meetings at a brew pub when you have already paid for perfectly good meeting space?

Wicomico County councilwoman Sheree Sample-Hughes is the chairman of the Tri-County Council.  Maybe you should ask her.

Rotten Boroughs

Across the sea in Great Britain, they used to have “rotten” or “pocket” boroughs.  These were parliamentary constituencies (districts to us Yanks) that were, in effect, controlled by one person (or a small group of people).  The British wisely changed their election practices in the 19th century.

At last month’s Democrat Club meeting Mr. Day announced that if he was elected he (along with councilwomen Laura Mitchell and Shanie Shields) would re-visit re-districting and change the council to a seven member body elected from individual districts.  He had previously announced at the Salisbury Chamber / PACE forum that he supported a seven member council.  (NOTE:  this would occur REGARDLESS of who is elected mayor as charter changes cannot be vetoed.)

What’s wrong with that?  If you divide Salisbury into seven districts which are roughly equal by population you will have created FOUR rotten boroughs.  Think about it.  Salisbury would be governed by AT LEAST four districts where the total votes cast to elect the majority of council would be less than half (probably less than a third) of the votes cast to elect the other seats.

The facts are simple.  The current District 1 simply doesn’t show up to vote in city elections.  Neighborhoods such as Church Street / Doverdale, the Presidents and Princeton Homes don’t show up to vote in city elections.  Residents of Camden, the Park area, the neighborhoods along North and South Schumaker Drives – they show up to vote.  Yet – they will be effectively disenfranchised when it comes to city council representation.  It is easily conceivable that you will have council members (from a majority of districts) elected with fewer than 100 votes.  Some could be elected with fewer than 50!

Bottom line – a group like SAPOA could literally buy a majority of the city council ON THE CHEAP!  Is this YOUR vision for a better Salisbury?

Slush Funds

Day also wishes to give council members access to “discretionary funds”.  If you have ever lived in cities where this practice is used you know that this breeds corruption.  These funds are used to, in effect, buy votes.  In some extreme cases the funds are funneled to “projects” that do not provide service to residents but actually give the council member of piece of your tax dollars in excess of their salary.

Since coming out with this proposal at the Democrat Club he has been busy trying to put a little lipstick on this pig.  According to his Facebook page, he now claims:

Neighborhood Budget Prioritization

In writing the City’s operating budget and Capital Improvement Plan, 10% of Community Promotions, Neighborhood Services, Streets, Street Lighting, Sanitation and Parks should be allotted by number of households to each neighborhood of the City. At a community meeting held in each neighborhood, citizens will discuss and vote on priorities in the budget to be spent in their neighborhood. This process should determine how the apportioned funds are spent. Annual review can determine if the overall share to neighborhoods should be increased if this program proves popular.

While this sounds slightly better than advocating a slush fund for council members, Day is still calling for very small groups of people (imagine how many people will actually turn up at these “community meetings”) to determine where YOUR tax dollars are being spent.  In effect, Day proposes Balkanizing Salisbury.

The spending of your tax dollars will be determined by people who have no incentive to do what is best for the city as a whole.  Instead, we can expect horse trading for votes to spend money on projects that are only meaningful to a select few.  AGAIN – Is this your vision for a better Salisbury?

Making a Bad Situation Worse

Please don’t believe for one moment that this is an endorsement of the re-districting plan recently enacted by the city council.  I believe that their plan wasn’t particularly good for the city either.  Unfortunately, faced with threats of litigation from the ACLU I do understand why they came up with their plan.  It is my opinion that five seats, three by district and two at-large, was the best solution.  Unfortunately, that didn’t come to pass.

Compared to Day’s vision for the Federated Balkan Wards of Salisbury, the recently enacted plan looks almost perfect.  If Mr. Day sincerely believes that this type of governance is a good thing, might I suggest that he move to Chicago.

Rotten Boroughs

Across the sea in Great Britain, they used to have “rotten” or “pocket” boroughs.  These were parliamentary constituencies (districts to us Yanks) that were, in effect, controlled by one person (or a small group of people).  The British wisely changed their election practices in the 19th century.

At last month’s Democrat Club meeting Mr. Day announced that if he was elected he (along with councilwomen Laura Mitchell and Shanie Shields) would re-visit re-districting and change the council to a seven member body elected from individual districts.  He had previously announced at the Salisbury Chamber / PACE forum that he supported a seven member council.  (NOTE:  this would occur REGARDLESS of who is elected mayor as charter changes cannot be vetoed.)

What’s wrong with that?  If you divide Salisbury into seven districts which are roughly equal by population you will have created FOUR rotten boroughs.  Think about it.  Salisbury would be governed by AT LEAST four districts where the total votes cast to elect the majority of council would be less than half (probably less than a third) of the votes cast to elect the other seats.

The facts are simple.  The current District 1 simply doesn’t show up to vote in city elections.  Neighborhoods such as Church Street / Doverdale, the Presidents and Princeton Homes don’t show up to vote in city elections.  Residents of Camden, the Park area, the neighborhoods along North and South Schumaker Drives – they show up to vote.  Yet – they will be effectively disenfranchised when it comes to city council representation.  It is easily conceivable that you will have council members (from a majority of districts) elected with fewer than 100 votes.  Some could be elected with fewer than 50!

Bottom line – a group like SAPOA could literally buy a majority of the city council ON THE CHEAP!  Is this YOUR vision for a better Salisbury?

Slush Funds

Day also wishes to give council members access to “discretionary funds”.  If you have ever lived in cities where this practice is used you know that this breeds corruption.  These funds are used to, in effect, buy votes.  In some extreme cases the funds are funneled to “projects” that do not provide service to residents but actually give the council member of piece of your tax dollars in excess of their salary.

Since coming out with this proposal at the Democrat Club he has been busy trying to put a little lipstick on this pig.  According to his Facebook page, he now claims:

Neighborhood Budget Prioritization

In writing the City’s operating budget and Capital Improvement Plan, 10% of Community Promotions, Neighborhood Services, Streets, Street Lighting, Sanitation and Parks should be allotted by number of households to each neighborhood of the City. At a community meeting held in each neighborhood, citizens will discuss and vote on priorities in the budget to be spent in their neighborhood. This process should determine how the apportioned funds are spent. Annual review can determine if the overall share to neighborhoods should be increased if this program proves popular.

While this sounds slightly better than advocating a slush fund for council members, Day is still calling for very small groups of people (imagine how many people will actually turn up at these “community meetings”) to determine where YOUR tax dollars are being spent.  In effect, Day proposes Balkanizing Salisbury.

The spending of your tax dollars will be determined by people who have no incentive to do what is best for the city as a whole.  Instead, we can expect horse trading for votes to spend money on projects that are only meaningful to a select few.  AGAIN – Is this your vision for a better Salisbury?

Making a Bad Situation Worse

Please don’t believe for one moment that this is an endorsement of the re-districting plan recently enacted by the city council.  I believe that their plan wasn’t particularly good for the city either.  Unfortunately, faced with threats of litigation from the ACLU I do understand why they came up with their plan.  It is my opinion that five seats, three by district and two at-large, was the best solution.  Unfortunately, that didn’t come to pass.

Compared to Day’s vision for the Federated Balkan Wards of Salisbury, the recently enacted plan looks almost perfect.  If Mr. Day sincerely believes that this type of governance is a good thing, might I suggest that he move to Chicago.

I get up every day and barrel at 110%.

Really Jim?  What do you “barrel” at?

For the moment, let’s ignore the debate as to whether a “part-time” mayor can successfully operate a $51 million enterprise. (I believe the record indicates a big NO on that one.)  Let’s ask two other questions:

1. Is Jim Ireton really a part-time mayor?
2. Is Jim Ireton really devoting the time he supposedly spends as mayor to making Salisbury a better place to live and to work?

If your definition of being “part-time” is spending one second or more per week, month, etc. to the job of being mayor I’d have to give Ireton a free pass.  However, IF (like me) you define the term as spending 20 – 30 hours per week at a task then the answer is clearly no.  This ties directly in to question two.

For four years, and particularly during the last two, Jim Ireton has spent a fair piece of his “mayor time” engaged in political grandstanding, partisan politics, and pushing an agenda that is not even tangentially connected to making Salisbury a better place to live and to work.

In August, 2011 Ireton took time out of his supposedly busy day to picket the Salisbury office of Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD).  He has time to picket, but not to sit down with city council and engage in civil, honest discussion of issues facing our city?  Did this make Salisbury a better place to live and to work?

In June, 2011 Ireton called a press conference to attack the city council majority for not backing his planned luxury apartment project at “The Bricks”.  In his press conference Ireton implies that council members Debbie Campbell, Terry Cohen, and Tim Spies are racists (sound familiar?) and intimates that racial discord could follow (with councilwomen Laura Mitchell and Shanie Shields cheering him on).  Ireton’s rantings before the press are numerous, and (sadly) legendary.  Do any of these things make Salisbury a better place to live and to work?

Ireton has travelled to Annapolis to lobby for issues such as gay marriage.  Unless Ireton has some undisclosed plan to make Salisbury a mecca for gay marriage (with the tourism dollars that would follow) we have to ask – Do any of these things make Salisbury a better place to live and to work?

Ireton has lent his name and the prestige of his office to a campaign to strip gun rights from our citizens.  Do any of these things make Salisbury a better place to live and to work? (Criminals will still get guns.  C’mon … They’re CRIMINALS)

So … what’s your definition of “part-time”.

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.

Salisbury mayor Jim Ireton LOVES to spend other people’s money.  OK, he’s a liberal.  Actually, Jim’s politics are somewhere to the left of Karl Marx.  Ireton has seldom seen a government program he didn’t love.  If Ireton is re-elected, AND if Jake Day is elected to the city council, Jim has a plan to spend some MORE of YOUR hard earned money. It involves re-developing downtown.

Ireton wants to sell the downtown parking lots for a song, subsidize them by waiving the capacity fees for water and sewer, and HOPE that Salisbury will somehow be re-born.

Does anyone believe that adding 500 “affordable housing units” downtown is going to re-vitalize Salisbury’s local economy?  Evidently Ireton, along with Jake Day, councilwoman Laura Mitchell, and councilwoman Shanie Shields do.

The “logic” goes something like this:

1. You build X “affordable housing units” downtown.
2. Businesses such as grocery stores, pharmacies, and other retailers will RUSH to build stores.
3. Downtown will be MAGICALLY re-vitalized.
4. The world will be a better place.

Does that make sense to you?

500 Affordable Housing Units

OK, we sell off the parking lots, take EDU’s (water and sewer capacity) away from industrial development that could actually create jobs that pay a living wage, and 500 more housing units appear.  Do you think that businesses will then flock to downtown?  Ireton and his pals do.

Grocery Stores, Pharmacies, and Boutiques … OH MY!

Before a retail business decides to invest in a site they look at certain things, including traffic count and parking.  Would you build a grocery store based on a target population of less than 2,000?  Of course you wouldn’t!

But wait, wouldn’t people from outside the immediate area come?  Would they?  I live to the southeast of downtown.  There are at least  three grocery stores and at least seven pharmacies closer to my home than the downtown plaza.  Well, maybe the people who live over on the west side will come?  I can think of at least two grocery stores and two pharmacies that are closer.  Well maybe the folks from Newtown?  Maybe.  Where are they going to park?  Remember – Jimmy, Jake, Laura, and Shanie have sold all of the parking except for the parking garage.  Do you really believe that those folks from Newtown are going to walk across US 50 and then schlep their groceries back on foot?

OK, I’ll agree that one convenience store might succeed under the Ireton plan.

It’s MAGIC!

The notion that this will re-vitalize downtown, much less Salisbury’s local economy is too ridiculous for real comment.  Downtown CAN be salvaged.  It CAN be re-vitalized.  It just won’t happen by throwing subsidies at a few developers.

You need a solution that drives traffic.  Business people will then be willing to invest their own capital.  Look at Joe Albero’s plan.  It not only makes sense, it offers a REAL, free-market driven solution for downtown as well as a plan for the city’s entire economy.

Subsidizing residential development was a failure during the real estate boom!  Salisbury borrowed millions of dollars that were handed over to a select group of residential developers.  What did that yield?  Temporary construction jobs.  Subsidizing retail doesn’t yield jobs that pay a living wage.

The key is to allow development without unnecessary government interference.  The key is show potential employers – not just downtown, but throughout Salisbury – that the city will treat businesses, and residents, like valued customers.

Why can’t Jimmy Ireton learn from past mistakes; both his own and his predecessor’s?

Part 1 – Thrift Travel Inn

WANTED:  Pabulum, Pandering, and NO QUESTIONS

Sunday’s Daily Times provided one of the most disturbing editorials I have read in a long time.  Tom Claybaugh, Susan Parker, et al, have the chutzpah to rip their shirts and lament low voter turnout in city elections and then turn right around and call on candidates to shovel sh## rather than talk about real issues:

We do not want to hear anything from any candidate about what someone else has done or failed to do, might do, has said, really meant instead of did say or, worst of all, is thinking or intending to do.

It’s little wonder voters are so disengaged.

Voters don’t vote because they feel that little or nothing will change.  Yes, there is a certain amount of civic disengagement; but ultimately people will turn out IF they feel that their vote means something.

Jim Ireton has had almost four years to accomplish something, yet the Daily Times won’t examine his record and doesn’t want candidates OR citizens questioning it.  When Ireton announced his run for re-election he claimed that he had kept his promises.  At the top of his list – not increasing taxes.  Where is the front page expose on the FACT that Ireton not only proposed a tax hike, he tried to veto the FY 2013 budget BECAUSE it didn’t include his tax hike?  and … The list goes on.

DT readers, and all other Salisbury citizens, deserve a newspaper that asks ALL CANDIDATES tough question.  Candidates need to ask tough questions about their respective opponents’ records and proposals.  Citizens should do the same.  Unfortunately, Claybaugh & Co. simply want to feed voters pabulum about their chosen candidates, pander to the lowest common denominator, and most importantly – avoid asking their favored few any TOUGH QUESTIONS.

Let’s hope the reporting side of the shop didn’t get the memo.