SALISBURY, MD – As Wicomico County homeowners again face an increase in their property tax rates, County Executive Rick Pollitt held a “public hearing” on his soon-to-be-released FY 2014 county budget. It should be noted that no real budget detail was provided for citizens to comment on.
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.
The state of Maryland has just passed a $37 billion budget, chock full of the expected tax hikes and wasteful spending. Wicomico County Executive Rick Pollitt will unveil his proposed budget on Thursday during his annual dog and pony show at the Wicomico Youth and Civic Center. We can expect a proposed $0.07 rate hike. In a lead up to this, Wicomico School’s superintendent 
WESTOVER, MD – Daily Times reporter Deborah Gates describes a free-for-all at this month’s 
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA – An 
SALISBURY, MD – Yesterday it was announced that Maryland governor 
CAPE CHARLES, VA – Virginia governor Bob McDonnell has appointed Northampton County Supervisor and businessman Willie Randall to the Virginia State University Board of Visitors. Randall is a 1976 graduate of VSU. After retiring from a 20 year career in the U.S. Army, Randall opened the Exmore office of the Edward Jones Investments.
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CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA – Mark Kington, Vice Rector of the University of Virginia’s Board of Visitors has submitted his resignation after the board appointed McIntire School of Commerce dean Carl Zeithaml as interim president. The appointment was necessitated by the 
CHESTER BASIN, NS – A school has ruled that a student’s t-shirt promoting Christianity is “hate speech”. William Swinimer, a student at Forest Heights Community School, was punished for wearing a shirt that read, “Life is wasted without Jesus.” Swinimer, who has been disciplined in the past for wearing t-shirts promoting Christianity, is threatened with suspension for the rest of the school year if he wears the shirt to school again.
SALISBURY, MD – Under the moniker “Consistent Attire Program” (CAP), the Wicomico County Board of Education adopted a school uniform policy at their meeting yesterday. The vote was 5 – 2, with members Michelle Wright and Tyrone Chase opposed to program. The CAP will be a one year pilot program implemented in nine county schools.
SALISBURY, MD – Taxpayers in Wicomico and Talbot counties need to batten down the hatches. The tax man is coming and he wants a LOT more of your hard earned cash. (Taxpayers in other counties should get ready as well).
Delegate Norm Conway (D-38B) and Wicomico County Executive Rick Pollitt may be getting an early Christmas present – the death of Wicomico County’s revenue cap. Conway’s bill, HB 1412, received a favorable report yesterday from his Appropriations Committee, as well as the House Ways and Means Committee. If the bill passes both houses, Wicomico (along with Talbot and other counties that have some form of a property tax cap) will no longer have protection from a county government that chooses to hike rates at whim. The county government will merely need to claim “It’s for the children”.
ANNAPOLIS, MD – Del. Mike McDermott (R-38B) and Wicomico County Council president Joe Holloway appeared before the House Ways & Means Committee Thursday afternoon in support of 
In addition to McDermott and Holloway, local citizens Greg Belcher and John Palmer travelled to Annapolis to appear before the committee. Both voice their strong support for the bill. No one spoke in opposition of the measure.
RICHMOND, VA – The Virginia Supreme Court has blocked an attempt by Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli to secure documents in his investigation of work performed by former University of Virginia instructor Michael Mann regarding climate change. The high court ruled that the state’s “Fraud Against Taxpayers Act” was not intended to apply to state entities.
LEWES, DE – Jordan Thomas, the JV Girl’s basketball coach at Cape Henlopen High School, was arrested March 1st after it was reported that he kissed a 15 year old student while giving her a ride home. Thomas has been suspended from all coaching duties.
ANNAPOLIS, MD – An “Emergency” bill, co-sponsored by Del. Norm Conway (D-38B) proposes to circumvent tax caps passed by counties such as Talbot and Wicomico counties and steal income tax revenue from counties to directly handover to local Boards of Education. 
DENTON, MD – Caroline County Public Schools could see an increase of $2.3 million in state funding in FY 2013 according to Milton Nagle, Assistant Superintendent for Administrative Services. This would increase the state’s funding of Caroline public schools to $43.8 million.
ANNAPOLIS, MD – Members of the Wicomico delegation to the Maryland General Assembly will try again to get straw vote on this year’s ballot for voters to determine whether or not they wish to have an elected school board. Del. Mike McDermott (R-38B), along with Del. Addie Eckardt (R-37B), Del. Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio (R-37B), and Del. Charles Otto (R-38A), have introduced 
DENVER, CO – Colorado, along with Iowa, New Mexico, and Tennessee, is considering legislation that would require third graders who fail to pass a basic literacy exam to repeat the grade. Similar legislation has already been passed in Arizona, Indiana, and Oklahoma. The aim is to help address a nationwide deficiency in basic literacy. The legislation has revived a decades long debate as to whether holding students back increases achievement or increases the probability that a student will drop out.
EASTON, MD – Talbot County councilwoman Laura Everngam Price explained her concerns abut the county’s upcoming budget while speaking to the Mid-Shore League of Republican Women Wednesday night. Price stated that last year the county was forced to dip into its reserve in order to balance the budget. With declining revenues from property taxes, continuing to dip into the county’s reserve was simply not an ongoing option. Price said that all departments, including the Talbot County Board of Education could not be held harmless in cutting costs in the FY 2013 budget.
WASHINGTON – The Obama administration is being accused of violating federal law and circumventing the will of Congress by granting waivers to ten states who will not meet the 2014 proficiency goals set out in the “No Child Left Behind” act (NCLB). The administration claims that it is doing so only because Congress has failed to re-write the law.
ANNAPOLIS, MD – 
RICHMOND, VA – Approximately 800 parents and children rallied on the steps of the state capitol in support of broader school choice. The rally was organized by the Family Foundation.
SALISBURY, MD – The Daily Times’ Callum 
We should also remember that Supt. John Fredericksen and the WCBOE has just spent months promoting the notion that MILLIONS would be cut from the FY 2013 budget. After Pollitt committed to MOE funding, Fredericksen now wants MORE. If there was ever any doubt that the WCBOE has ZERO regard for the county’s taxpayers and that their approach to budgeting is akin to the average citizen buying a car, there shouldn’t be now.
