Two days ago, this blog applauded the recent focus on crime by the city council, but lamented the circumstances that have caused this issue to stay on the back burner for so long.
Yesterday The Capital, clearly paraphrasing the excellent ideas of this site, ran an editorial saying roughly the same thing.
I think we have reached somewhat of a turning point in this argument. The prevailing political climate--which usually lags behind the will of the people (unless ignoring it completely)--is that the department needs to fill the 20+ vacancies. There is probably no amount of reluctance from the police chief, or anyone else, to stop this from happening.
So now let's ask the next question. How are we going to use these extra officers to reduce crime?
The first step is proactive enforcement. No sitting around and waiting for things to happen. This requires no new legislation; rather, simply a directive from the powers that be.
The second step is harsh penalties. If the penalties as they currently exist do not provide enough of a deterrent for crimes, those penalties have to be increased by law.
Alas, these are the relatively obvious solutions that can be used to address relatively minor violations--perhaps littering or public intoxication.
We, the citizens, are probably focused on violent crime right now. It occurs to me that violent criminals have a higher disregard for the consequences that the normal person. We need to ask how the new police officers will be used to combat violent crime. Will there be more foot patrols? Will there be cooperation with the county police? Are there other successful models that we can follow?
It is not enough to pledge to fill the police officer vacancies. There must also be a pledge to combat crime, and a proper plan to do it.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Enforcement of Laws
First, some technical business--I have been informed that the official city logo is to be used solely for official city business. Since this blog is the most unofficial endeavour since network news declared Al Gore the new President, I have removed the logo and will now feature various photos of our city.
Let's now move quickly into this letter to the editor. It will be an easy read, as all commentary is at the end.
Our mayor wants to assign police officers to crack down on merchants who put illegal sandwich-board signs out on the sidewalk.
I applaud her. This must have taken courage. We should enforce the law!
It's about time that our elected officials focused on the real criminals. The sooner we get these vicious criminals behind bars, the safer our streets will be.
TOM RIBIS, Annapolis
It took me a minute--mostly because I was in the sun all day today--but I eventually observed the sarcasm in your tone of voice. On the one hand, I agree with your point. There are many more important issues that the mayor should be worrying about, including crime and perhaps a more cooperative relationship with the county. The fact that the administration and police chief have failed to address or even acknowledge the crime problem has been a constant complaint of AP and others.
On the other hand, and this is important, ALL laws should be enforced. If a law is silly, outdated, or over burdensome, we really need to take a look at whether we should have the law at all. If a law exists, the forces of democracy have conspired to deem that ordinance necessary, and it should be enforced. And, we should devote as many resources as we can to enforce the laws.
Trying to prioritize which laws are enforced is a slippery slope. Think about the illegal immigrant debacle! All laws, by the mere fact they are laws, should be enforced equally and to the fullest extent possible.
Let's now move quickly into this letter to the editor. It will be an easy read, as all commentary is at the end.
Our mayor wants to assign police officers to crack down on merchants who put illegal sandwich-board signs out on the sidewalk.
I applaud her. This must have taken courage. We should enforce the law!
It's about time that our elected officials focused on the real criminals. The sooner we get these vicious criminals behind bars, the safer our streets will be.
TOM RIBIS, Annapolis
It took me a minute--mostly because I was in the sun all day today--but I eventually observed the sarcasm in your tone of voice. On the one hand, I agree with your point. There are many more important issues that the mayor should be worrying about, including crime and perhaps a more cooperative relationship with the county. The fact that the administration and police chief have failed to address or even acknowledge the crime problem has been a constant complaint of AP and others.
On the other hand, and this is important, ALL laws should be enforced. If a law is silly, outdated, or over burdensome, we really need to take a look at whether we should have the law at all. If a law exists, the forces of democracy have conspired to deem that ordinance necessary, and it should be enforced. And, we should devote as many resources as we can to enforce the laws.
Trying to prioritize which laws are enforced is a slippery slope. Think about the illegal immigrant debacle! All laws, by the mere fact they are laws, should be enforced equally and to the fullest extent possible.
Monday, August 13, 2007
Test
I enabled this blog to accept comments, but it does not work retroactively. So I have to make this post to see if it works.
Aldermen Finally Recieve Crime Memo
Now that violent crimes are starting to make their way into the rich, white neighborhoods, city officials appear to be serious about addressing the problem.
Following assaults and robberies in Eastport and downtown, many alderman have publicized their belief that the vacant positions on the police department need to be filled, a fact that is obvious to most of us and disputed by the mayor and the police chief. Some of what they have been saying:
There are stepped-up efforts in downtown and Eastport, but I'm still convinced we need more police officers on the street per shift. We really need to fill out the ranks of the police. DAVE CORDLE, WARD 5
I'm very convinced we need to fill all the vacant positions in the city cops. We need to give them a little more power in recruiting and get affordable housing for police. SAM SHROPSHIRE, WARD 7
She (Classie Hoyle, Ward 7) also wants to focus attention on enforcing the laws against dark-tinted windows on vehicles. "I think that adds to criminal activity within these cars", she said.
Some other quotes were attributed to Alderwoman Hoyle, but I got a kick out of that one.
It's a matter of getting it out in front of people so the bad guys know Annapolis is paying attention and there is a higher likelihood of being caught than in the past. ROSS ARNETT, WARD 8
It's sad that it has taken this long to act! Violent crimes happen every day--I have the police reports to prove it. Why has it taken this long to fill the police vacancies? Because now the crimes are happening in the tourist areas and not just the housing projects?
The city is offering the entrance exam for new officers for the first time in a year. That's a start. Couple that with the authority to proactively prevent crime, and you've got yourself a safer city.
Following assaults and robberies in Eastport and downtown, many alderman have publicized their belief that the vacant positions on the police department need to be filled, a fact that is obvious to most of us and disputed by the mayor and the police chief. Some of what they have been saying:
There are stepped-up efforts in downtown and Eastport, but I'm still convinced we need more police officers on the street per shift. We really need to fill out the ranks of the police. DAVE CORDLE, WARD 5
I'm very convinced we need to fill all the vacant positions in the city cops. We need to give them a little more power in recruiting and get affordable housing for police. SAM SHROPSHIRE, WARD 7
She (Classie Hoyle, Ward 7) also wants to focus attention on enforcing the laws against dark-tinted windows on vehicles. "I think that adds to criminal activity within these cars", she said.
Some other quotes were attributed to Alderwoman Hoyle, but I got a kick out of that one.
It's a matter of getting it out in front of people so the bad guys know Annapolis is paying attention and there is a higher likelihood of being caught than in the past. ROSS ARNETT, WARD 8
It's sad that it has taken this long to act! Violent crimes happen every day--I have the police reports to prove it. Why has it taken this long to fill the police vacancies? Because now the crimes are happening in the tourist areas and not just the housing projects?
The city is offering the entrance exam for new officers for the first time in a year. That's a start. Couple that with the authority to proactively prevent crime, and you've got yourself a safer city.
AA GOP
VERY interesting things going on in email and media statements regarding the possible resignation of Mike Collins. I advise you to check Maryland Politics for the most comprehensive coverage--simply because they have 6 contributors (including myself) and can provide a wider array of timely information.
As of early this morning (Crossposted):
This past week, there have been several mass email blasts concerning StateGOP issues and my leadership on the Anne Arundel County Republican CentralCommittee. Unfortunately, some of these emails contain inaccurateinformation. For the record, I am not stepping down early as chairman.
I learned long ago that nobody wins in an email tit-for-tat, but everybodyloses. We all deserve better. I encourage anyone with any issuesconcerning me to contact me directly.
I believe we are stronger as a party when we are informed. I encourageanyone with any issues concerning the Central Committee, the State GOPfinances, or the status of the State GOP by-law amendments (i.e., theproposed change that would allow the State GOP to pick sides in RepublicanPrimaries), to attend the next Central Committee on Wednesday, September 5,at 7:00 pm. for a civil discussion.
Best regards, Mike Collins
As of early this morning (Crossposted):
This past week, there have been several mass email blasts concerning StateGOP issues and my leadership on the Anne Arundel County Republican CentralCommittee. Unfortunately, some of these emails contain inaccurateinformation. For the record, I am not stepping down early as chairman.
I learned long ago that nobody wins in an email tit-for-tat, but everybodyloses. We all deserve better. I encourage anyone with any issuesconcerning me to contact me directly.
I believe we are stronger as a party when we are informed. I encourageanyone with any issues concerning the Central Committee, the State GOPfinances, or the status of the State GOP by-law amendments (i.e., theproposed change that would allow the State GOP to pick sides in RepublicanPrimaries), to attend the next Central Committee on Wednesday, September 5,at 7:00 pm. for a civil discussion.
Best regards, Mike Collins
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Our Best Neighborhoods
I have decided to fulfill my Public Service Announcement requirement with this post. I have taken the time to rank the top 9 neighborhoods in the Annapolis metropolitan area, using several criteria.
The purpose of this exercise is twofold:
1. Help me stay awake longer so I can enjoy watching my new flat screen tv in the background.
2. Serve as a reference for myself later in life when I can actually afford to buy a home in any of these neighborhoods.
The criteria used, all on a 1-10 scale, are:
-awesomeness of houses: sheer 'wow' factor of interior and exterior
-uniqueness of houses: all the same from a builder or custom, different designs
-exclusivity: how many people in the neighborhood, and how many non-residents travel through regularly
-accessibility: access to highways
-convenience: ease of parking, proximity to services/stores
-water privileges: % of homes on the water, marina, boat slips, which body of water
-seclusion: how intimate the neighborhood is
To see all of the scoring, click.....nevermind, can't figure it out....email me.
And the order is................
1. The Downs ------------Score: 61
Diverse, amazing homes. Plenty of water, great access to 97, decent access to 50. Very secluded, only 1 entrance. Only semi-problem: too damn far from downtown and not really part of the city culture.
2. Fishing Creek Farm ----------Score: 54
These are probably the most incredible houses I have ever seen. Almost all the way to the Bay, which is good for water, but bad for being close to the city or highways. Although the score is somewhat not close, this is a close substitute for The Downs if you want to live on the peninsula.
3. Hillsmere-----------Score: 45
Houses are not as exciting on the whole, but some are very impressive. Great water stuff, decent accessibility. Good, secluded location, not a lot of rif-raf. Plus, my parents still live there. Not an outright winner in any category, but the classic tortoise/hare success story.
4. Murray Hill ------------Score: 43
Good location, nice houses, but overall pain in the ass. Tourists messing with your area all the time, limited (although adequate) parking. Annoying to get on the highways. But within walking distance to almost anything you want. No neighborhood marina/water access (that I know of.) Cumbersome historic conservation requirements.
5. Eastport--------------- Score: 41
Good scores for water and convenience, accessible to downtown, fairly pedestrian for everything else. Some houses are nice, but most are vanilla if you ask me. Major downfall: accessibility. A horrible pain to get to highways or the other side of town. Plus, dealing with civic association can be frustrating.
6. Bay Ridge --------------Score: 41
Perfect water options, slightly out of the way. Houses are OK but you have to drive down to the water to find the nice houses. Plus, a ton of people live there--the community is big enough that there can be cliques within the community, which is not ideal.
7. Monticello---------------- Score: 40
Nice, new houses. Convenient to mall and highways. But, boring neighborhood with houses that all look the same. No water, no trees. But the governor lives there. Whoops, ex-governor.
8. Hunt Meadow------------------- Score: 34
Nice houses, but not awesome houses. Outside of the city but not too far outside. No water stuff located in the neighborhood, although it is nearby. Not terribly unique. Fox Hollow Ct. has a lot of republican activism.
9. Kingsport----------------- Score: 31
Big, cool, new houses, but that's about it. Definitely not secluded, no water, no uniqueness, no character to neighborhood. No such thing as a 'cute little district', as Mrs. Politics would say.
So there you have it, the end-all list of the best places to live.
Email me with any comments, or if you want your neighborhood rated!
The purpose of this exercise is twofold:
1. Help me stay awake longer so I can enjoy watching my new flat screen tv in the background.
2. Serve as a reference for myself later in life when I can actually afford to buy a home in any of these neighborhoods.
The criteria used, all on a 1-10 scale, are:
-awesomeness of houses: sheer 'wow' factor of interior and exterior
-uniqueness of houses: all the same from a builder or custom, different designs
-exclusivity: how many people in the neighborhood, and how many non-residents travel through regularly
-accessibility: access to highways
-convenience: ease of parking, proximity to services/stores
-water privileges: % of homes on the water, marina, boat slips, which body of water
-seclusion: how intimate the neighborhood is
To see all of the scoring, click.....nevermind, can't figure it out....email me.
And the order is................
1. The Downs ------------Score: 61
Diverse, amazing homes. Plenty of water, great access to 97, decent access to 50. Very secluded, only 1 entrance. Only semi-problem: too damn far from downtown and not really part of the city culture.
2. Fishing Creek Farm ----------Score: 54
These are probably the most incredible houses I have ever seen. Almost all the way to the Bay, which is good for water, but bad for being close to the city or highways. Although the score is somewhat not close, this is a close substitute for The Downs if you want to live on the peninsula.
3. Hillsmere-----------Score: 45
Houses are not as exciting on the whole, but some are very impressive. Great water stuff, decent accessibility. Good, secluded location, not a lot of rif-raf. Plus, my parents still live there. Not an outright winner in any category, but the classic tortoise/hare success story.
4. Murray Hill ------------Score: 43
Good location, nice houses, but overall pain in the ass. Tourists messing with your area all the time, limited (although adequate) parking. Annoying to get on the highways. But within walking distance to almost anything you want. No neighborhood marina/water access (that I know of.) Cumbersome historic conservation requirements.
5. Eastport--------------- Score: 41
Good scores for water and convenience, accessible to downtown, fairly pedestrian for everything else. Some houses are nice, but most are vanilla if you ask me. Major downfall: accessibility. A horrible pain to get to highways or the other side of town. Plus, dealing with civic association can be frustrating.
6. Bay Ridge --------------Score: 41
Perfect water options, slightly out of the way. Houses are OK but you have to drive down to the water to find the nice houses. Plus, a ton of people live there--the community is big enough that there can be cliques within the community, which is not ideal.
7. Monticello---------------- Score: 40
Nice, new houses. Convenient to mall and highways. But, boring neighborhood with houses that all look the same. No water, no trees. But the governor lives there. Whoops, ex-governor.
8. Hunt Meadow------------------- Score: 34
Nice houses, but not awesome houses. Outside of the city but not too far outside. No water stuff located in the neighborhood, although it is nearby. Not terribly unique. Fox Hollow Ct. has a lot of republican activism.
9. Kingsport----------------- Score: 31
Big, cool, new houses, but that's about it. Definitely not secluded, no water, no uniqueness, no character to neighborhood. No such thing as a 'cute little district', as Mrs. Politics would say.
So there you have it, the end-all list of the best places to live.
Email me with any comments, or if you want your neighborhood rated!
Parking
A letter-to-the-editor writer broached the parking and crime topics in the same letter today....let's get right to it.
I would be hard pressed to find anyone in Annapolis who does not believe that we have the world's best parking enforcement department.
You're kidding, right?
The city leaders should be very proud of this unit. It provides a necessary service and a lucrative revenue stream to the city's treasury.
Ha-ha!! Funny!! No? You're serious?
If you live in Annapolis, you know that as soon as a parking violation occurs or a meter expires, a member of this elite enforcement squad is on the scene. It is as if they can anticipate where the crime will take place.
Have you lost your mind? I know that all of us have received violations from the city at one point or another, but even a blind squirrel finds a nut every once in a while.
When I attended the University of Maryland, a community with roughly the same number of students as Annapolis has citizens, I determined that I had 15 minutes of being illegally parked before getting a ticket. Here: not even close. And the numbers support my theory. The city collects some $900,000 annually in parking violations. In 2006, the University of Maryland issued 73,000 parking tickets worth $2.2 million in revenue. This is 144% more than the city of Annapolis. If you include the city of College Park--where many of the residential violations occur-- the UMD number goes to $3.5 million. Since the higher number is more indicative of the overall situation, the UMD conglomerate is 288% more prolific at writing tickets than your 'elite enforcement squad'.
And I will not entertain the argument that more people break the regulations there than here.
The mayor should replace the current police chief with the individual who heads up the parking enforcement division. This new police chief could bring proven and effective techniques to curbing and enforcing crime in this city.
The first part of that comment is awful but the second part redeems you. Although it is common sense, I agree with you in that ENFORCING THE EXISTING LAWS AND METING OUT MEANINGFUL PENALTIES IS THE WAY TO DETER CRIME. (See: 2 am license debate)
The current police chief's major fault is in his deployment of resources. I see a lot of seat-belt stings on Forest Drive and driving-under-the-influence checkpoints on Rowe Boulevard, but no presence in the areas where the more violent crimes are being committed.
JEFF MILLER, Annapolis
Unless you live in a helicopter, you cannot make this assertion. You cannot possibly see where ALL of the police are being deployed. However, I would guess that you are right. I would also guess that the department is understaffed, and that part of the problem is that any officer can only be in 1 place at a time. I would guess one more time that if the police force that we do have was allowed to be more pro-active, we would have less of a problem.
I would be hard pressed to find anyone in Annapolis who does not believe that we have the world's best parking enforcement department.
You're kidding, right?
The city leaders should be very proud of this unit. It provides a necessary service and a lucrative revenue stream to the city's treasury.
Ha-ha!! Funny!! No? You're serious?
If you live in Annapolis, you know that as soon as a parking violation occurs or a meter expires, a member of this elite enforcement squad is on the scene. It is as if they can anticipate where the crime will take place.
Have you lost your mind? I know that all of us have received violations from the city at one point or another, but even a blind squirrel finds a nut every once in a while.
When I attended the University of Maryland, a community with roughly the same number of students as Annapolis has citizens, I determined that I had 15 minutes of being illegally parked before getting a ticket. Here: not even close. And the numbers support my theory. The city collects some $900,000 annually in parking violations. In 2006, the University of Maryland issued 73,000 parking tickets worth $2.2 million in revenue. This is 144% more than the city of Annapolis. If you include the city of College Park--where many of the residential violations occur-- the UMD number goes to $3.5 million. Since the higher number is more indicative of the overall situation, the UMD conglomerate is 288% more prolific at writing tickets than your 'elite enforcement squad'.
And I will not entertain the argument that more people break the regulations there than here.
The mayor should replace the current police chief with the individual who heads up the parking enforcement division. This new police chief could bring proven and effective techniques to curbing and enforcing crime in this city.
The first part of that comment is awful but the second part redeems you. Although it is common sense, I agree with you in that ENFORCING THE EXISTING LAWS AND METING OUT MEANINGFUL PENALTIES IS THE WAY TO DETER CRIME. (See: 2 am license debate)
The current police chief's major fault is in his deployment of resources. I see a lot of seat-belt stings on Forest Drive and driving-under-the-influence checkpoints on Rowe Boulevard, but no presence in the areas where the more violent crimes are being committed.
JEFF MILLER, Annapolis
Unless you live in a helicopter, you cannot make this assertion. You cannot possibly see where ALL of the police are being deployed. However, I would guess that you are right. I would also guess that the department is understaffed, and that part of the problem is that any officer can only be in 1 place at a time. I would guess one more time that if the police force that we do have was allowed to be more pro-active, we would have less of a problem.
Health & Aquatics Director: Update
Upon returning from a fantastic weekend in Michigan, AP was greeted with an answer to a cheeky question he posed with regards to the city hiring a Director of Health and Aquatics.
Normally, of course, city department heads have to request funds ahead of time. So, if they want to hire someone, they say "we want to hire XXXXXX position for $XX,XXX per year". Then, everyone can see what the money is going to be used for, and if we want that.
In this case, and this is not the only one, the department head hired someone using "contract services" money. Most departments receive money for contract services, and very little detail is provided as to where the money goes. Assumedly, the city does not have to offer benefits to contract employees, but the downside is: the public has no idea what we are spending money on.
AP looked up the budget for the rec and parks department, and noticed no money was put aside for a Health and Aquatics Director. But, never fear! The city will always find a way to spend your money! As quoted in The Capital:
Hired on a contractual basis for the remainder of this fiscal year, she will be paid about $36,000 for filling the 10 month position. If her contract is renewed next year, she will make about $45,000 for the full term.
Ok, great. So a miraculous $36,000 that was sitting around is now being used to fund this position. So what will she do?........
Ms. Bistrack was recently employed by the county to develop programs to prevent disease through exercise and nutrition. She will do similar work in her new position with the city, and in addition to her current swim coach duties at Truxtun Park, she will work as pool manager, recruiting and training life guards.
People, the city has ONE pool. Do we need to pay somebody $45,000 per year to measure the chlorine and hire, like, 4 people to work from, like, May-September?
Ms. Bistrack, if you please, state your case for being hired....
The whole reason this is coming to be is the growing obesity epidemic. Recreation and Parks in general offer low-cost programs for physical activity and it's one of the increasing ways to turn the tides.
Pardon my Canadian, but this is bullshit. (I was a short swim or tunnel ride away from Canada during my trip, so they can replace 'French' in this reference.) Why should the taxpayers be paying to fix the obesity epidemic? Here are the problems with this proposition:
1. This is a private matter if I have ever seen one. Unless you favor national healthcare, you have no business saying we should be paying for people who neglect themselves. Why would any of us try and stay healthy if we know that somebody else will pay when we get sick?
(I am resisting the urge to go on a health care tangent.)
2. Why does the city need its own Recreation and Parks Department? The county has one....why don't we actually work with the county (gasp!) to save some freekin' money? Let's use their obesity programs! Let's use their rangers! Let's use their $120,000 director!
This is totally obvious to me. Why is there so little cooperation between the city and the county? They surround us. On all sides. I'll give you an example: the county is building a fire station on the Annapolis neck. It will be on the same road (Forest Drive), about 4 miles away, from a city fire station. The county fire chief will have to pass by the city fire station to get to his county location. WHAT THE HECK?!!!! Can't we save some money by combining efforts in:
-fire?
-police?
-rec and parks?
-public works?
-global warming? (That was a bonus item, just so the list could have 5 things.)
Unbelievable.
There is so much waste between the city and the county. I bet that there is an amazing amount of overlap of job responsibilities that the taxpayers are funding. Why? Well, as Capital Punishment says, the mayor is more concerned with sister cities in Europe than the sister county that is right next door.
Normally, of course, city department heads have to request funds ahead of time. So, if they want to hire someone, they say "we want to hire XXXXXX position for $XX,XXX per year". Then, everyone can see what the money is going to be used for, and if we want that.
In this case, and this is not the only one, the department head hired someone using "contract services" money. Most departments receive money for contract services, and very little detail is provided as to where the money goes. Assumedly, the city does not have to offer benefits to contract employees, but the downside is: the public has no idea what we are spending money on.
AP looked up the budget for the rec and parks department, and noticed no money was put aside for a Health and Aquatics Director. But, never fear! The city will always find a way to spend your money! As quoted in The Capital:
Hired on a contractual basis for the remainder of this fiscal year, she will be paid about $36,000 for filling the 10 month position. If her contract is renewed next year, she will make about $45,000 for the full term.
Ok, great. So a miraculous $36,000 that was sitting around is now being used to fund this position. So what will she do?........
Ms. Bistrack was recently employed by the county to develop programs to prevent disease through exercise and nutrition. She will do similar work in her new position with the city, and in addition to her current swim coach duties at Truxtun Park, she will work as pool manager, recruiting and training life guards.
People, the city has ONE pool. Do we need to pay somebody $45,000 per year to measure the chlorine and hire, like, 4 people to work from, like, May-September?
Ms. Bistrack, if you please, state your case for being hired....
The whole reason this is coming to be is the growing obesity epidemic. Recreation and Parks in general offer low-cost programs for physical activity and it's one of the increasing ways to turn the tides.
Pardon my Canadian, but this is bullshit. (I was a short swim or tunnel ride away from Canada during my trip, so they can replace 'French' in this reference.) Why should the taxpayers be paying to fix the obesity epidemic? Here are the problems with this proposition:
1. This is a private matter if I have ever seen one. Unless you favor national healthcare, you have no business saying we should be paying for people who neglect themselves. Why would any of us try and stay healthy if we know that somebody else will pay when we get sick?
(I am resisting the urge to go on a health care tangent.)
2. Why does the city need its own Recreation and Parks Department? The county has one....why don't we actually work with the county (gasp!) to save some freekin' money? Let's use their obesity programs! Let's use their rangers! Let's use their $120,000 director!
This is totally obvious to me. Why is there so little cooperation between the city and the county? They surround us. On all sides. I'll give you an example: the county is building a fire station on the Annapolis neck. It will be on the same road (Forest Drive), about 4 miles away, from a city fire station. The county fire chief will have to pass by the city fire station to get to his county location. WHAT THE HECK?!!!! Can't we save some money by combining efforts in:
-fire?
-police?
-rec and parks?
-public works?
-global warming? (That was a bonus item, just so the list could have 5 things.)
Unbelievable.
There is so much waste between the city and the county. I bet that there is an amazing amount of overlap of job responsibilities that the taxpayers are funding. Why? Well, as Capital Punishment says, the mayor is more concerned with sister cities in Europe than the sister county that is right next door.
AA GOP
(Much ado (about something) has been made over the secretive proceedings to challenge and/or remove Mike Collins from his chairmanship of the A.A. County Central Committee. AP would have liked to follow this more closely, but he took Mrs. Politics for a surprise weekend getaway in Michigan. Kudos to Brian Griffiths for keeping up on this story.
One explanation is that Don Dwyer is behind the push, and Mr. Dwyer circulated this email in response:
Dear Dear Friends, Club leaders and Fellow Republicans,
Regrettably the Anne Arundel County Republican Central Committee finds itself in somewhat of a sticky wicket. By that, I mean to say that it very unfortunate that Mike Collins (the current chairman) has opted to release confidential e-mails to the press in an attempt to stop the super majority of central committee members from removing him as chairman. Mr. Collins is simply grasping at straws by trying to drag others like State Party Chairman, Jim Pelura and me into the decision to remove him. (See theCapitol Article)
It is also regrettable and inexcusable that Mr. Collins would release the confidential State Party finances to the Sun (Baltimore Sun Article) in an attempt to discredit Chairman Pelura while all along hoping to build consensus against his removal. It should come as no surprise that the Party would struggle financially after loosing the Governors seat. Mr. Pelura seems to be addressing the financial issues and making the necessary decisions to keep the Party a viable force in Maryland.
In regards to Mr. Collins accusations that I am somehow involved, I would simply like to say that of the ten people who are supporting his removal, all have addressed individual issues related to his inability and unwillingness to lead the committee in a respectful, orderly and amicable manner. None of them are plotting (to my knowledge) as Mr. Collins alleges to see him removed. The reasons being offered for his removal have nothing to do with a agenda of any kind and simply have to do with Mr. Collins poor leadership skills, his lack of ability to hear the people he was suppose to lead, his lack of general direction, his constant infighting with the state party and his misrepresentation of the views of the committee. The opinions of the committee members is in actuality a mixture of many positions, backgrounds and beliefs and in the end I believe the committees simply desires to build a strong Republican base in Anne Arundel County.
I will admit that I will not be sorry to see Mr. Collins removed. I hope whoever succeeds him will work to build the Republican Party. It is my personal opinion is that Mr. Collins is not in concert with the values or beliefs of former president Ronald Reagan and that If he truly cares about the future of the Maryland Republican Party, that he should step down and put a stop to the public release of information intended to fracture what is left of the Party. This is no way for a Republican leader to act.
I respect the members of the Central Committee and have full confidence in their ability to deal with and address the internal issues of the organization. For that reason, I hope that Mr. Collins will respect the will of the majority of the committee and resign peacefully. I would ask that if you are concerned about the future of the Republican Party in Anne Arundel County, that you consider urging Mr. Collins to step down immediately.
Constitutionally yours,
Delegate Don Dwyer, Jr.
ps. Please feel free to reply with your comments
One explanation is that Don Dwyer is behind the push, and Mr. Dwyer circulated this email in response:
Saturday August 11, 2007
Dear Dear Friends, Club leaders and Fellow Republicans,
Regrettably the Anne Arundel County Republican Central Committee finds itself in somewhat of a sticky wicket. By that, I mean to say that it very unfortunate that Mike Collins (the current chairman) has opted to release confidential e-mails to the press in an attempt to stop the super majority of central committee members from removing him as chairman. Mr. Collins is simply grasping at straws by trying to drag others like State Party Chairman, Jim Pelura and me into the decision to remove him. (See the
It is also regrettable and inexcusable that Mr. Collins would release the confidential State Party finances to the Sun (
In regards to Mr. Collins accusations that I am somehow involved, I would simply like to say that of the ten people who are supporting his removal, all have addressed individual issues related to his inability and unwillingness to lead the committee in a respectful, orderly and amicable manner. None of them are plotting (to my knowledge) as Mr. Collins alleges to see him removed. The reasons being offered for his removal have nothing to do with a agenda of any kind and simply have to do with Mr. Collins poor leadership skills, his lack of ability to hear the people he was suppose to lead, his lack of general direction, his constant infighting with the state party and his misrepresentation of the views of the committee. The opinions of the committee members is in actuality a mixture of many positions, backgrounds and beliefs and in the end I believe the committees simply desires to build a strong Republican base in Anne Arundel County.
I will admit that I will not be sorry to see Mr. Collins removed. I hope whoever succeeds him will work to build the Republican Party. It is my personal opinion is that Mr. Collins is not in concert with the values or beliefs of former president Ronald Reagan and that If he truly cares about the future of the Maryland Republican Party, that he should step down and put a stop to the public release of information intended to fracture what is left of the Party. This is no way for a Republican leader to act.
I respect the members of the Central Committee and have full confidence in their ability to deal with and address the internal issues of the organization. For that reason, I hope that Mr. Collins will respect the will of the majority of the committee and resign peacefully. I would ask that if you are concerned about the future of the Republican Party in Anne Arundel County, that you consider urging Mr. Collins to step down immediately.
Constitutionally yours,
Delegate Don Dwyer, Jr.
ps. Please feel free to reply with your comments
**********
Well, there you go. It's hard to know what to make of this. As a party official, I received a copy of the state party finances, along with a note from Mike Collins to keep it confidential. I would probably need more proof (although I have not sought any out) before I accept that Mr. Collins was responsible for the leak.
It's hard to know who is using the media as a pawn--perhaps neither party, perhaps both. One thing is for sure, there is a rift in the AA GOP. Before you decide what side of the rift you are on, take time to make your own determination as to why republicans did not fare well in the recent election cycle. Did we lose the governor's seat because we were not conservative enough? Were voters rebelling against the President? To what degree does name recognition outweigh political stances in local elections? Answer these questions, then voice your position on the direction the party should take.
Friday, August 10, 2007
The Mayor Is Angry!
Mayor Moyer has written a letter to the editor, either by hand-writing a letter and mailing it across the Atlantic or by faxing it to her Annapolis office and having the public information officer send it (which is how she writes her blog.)
The Mayor is, apparently, fired up about 2 things: The Capital's coverage of her proposed salary increases and Dick Israel's contradiction of her on this issue.
Basically, Mr. Israel headed a commission to study aldermen and mayor salaries before he became an alderman. The mayor frequently refers to the findings of this commission in defense of her submitting the bill.
So says she:
Regarding The Capital's so-called salary increases for the City Council:
The mayor is actually correct here: the proposed bill would actually lower the mayor's salary by $5000 and the aldermen salaries by $600 for FY 2007. The problems are:
1. the aldermen would get a $1500 expense account "solely for training", that (i'm pretty sure) they don't have now. this in and of itself is not a terribly huge deal, but it is against city code as well as unconstitutional in the state of maryland to raise compensation of current officials--i.e. for FY 2007...........
Every four years a commission reviews compensation issues for the aldermen and the mayor.
...and 2. her proposed bill would eliminate this commission and automatically tie pay increases to rates of inflation.
Richard Israel chaired a commission in 2004 for the the 2005 council. The commission recommended:
-Increasing the compensation of the mayor and aldermen.
-Providing education money for aldermen to attend conferences.
Additionally, the commission considered providing fringe benefits similar to those received by city employees.
I can all but guarantee that the commission did not recommend the current council making these changes for themselves. I have requested a copy of the commission report from Mr. Israel, so I can make that guarantee.
The 2004 City Council accepted these recommendations and the raises and education money was provided for in 2005-2006.
Excellent. Kudos to them for following the city code.
Attorneys, including Mr. Israel, advised that providing fringe benefits could only be implemented with a change in the City Charter's language. As the mayor charged with carrying out policies recommended by the council, I asked some months ago that appropriate language be drafted to provide for fringe benefits, which does include cost-of-living increases. That is the responsibility of the mayor.
I HATE this...she says this kind of stuff all the time: 'I am just following up on something that started earlier', 'This is what the mayor does', 'This is out of my control', 'This is what has always happened--this is nothing new'. Take your pick. Nothing that goes wrong or is controversial is ever her fault.
And, since when is it written in stone that the mayor must implement the recommendations of any given panel? Here is what I imagine to be the mayor's list of the top 5 things that are written in stone, and therefore must be followed and cannot be changed.
1. The 10 Commandments (I don't know the mayor's religious beliefs, but since the 'written in stone' reference came from this, I decided to give respect where respect is due.)
2. Dick Israel City Compensation Report
3. Cliff Notes: How to Throw a 'Michigan' Party
4. The Communist Manifesto (a little extreme, I know, but I am a little cranky as a result of the humidity)
5. Union Contract with Police
...
...
...
...
123. Annapolis City Code
The bill was introduced in December 2006 and referred to the Rules and City Government Committee, chaired by Mr. Israel, where it languished.
Ooohhh....testy! "Languished"? That was a bit unnecessary. Most committees take time to research their bills, and you and I both know that Mr. Israel is purposely deliberate because he wants to gather ALL the facts. I bet that it was in committee a reasonable amount of time.
This council has determined not to pursue these changes.
Because they do not want to challenge the Constitution of the State of Maryland.
Unbelievable. We can't observe body language or tone of voice, but it seems to me that the mayor is upset about this, in utter disregard (or ignorance) of the Maryland Constitution.
The issue will be left to the next commission, which will be appointed in 2008, to consider.
And what do you think about this? Because your bill would have ended this process. Oops..you forgot that part, didn't you?
Therefore, this is no longer an issue.
Nor was it an issue before you introduced the new bill and made it an issue. Also, that's the beauty of having one of the top 150 political blogs in Ward 5--you can talk about anything you want at any time!
More importantly, if we--the taxpaying citizens--want to talk about this, then it is an issue!! Loyal readers, can you start to see where a lot of us political junkies are coming from? The mayor is too good, too well informed, and too busy to listen to our petty and mundane complaints. "Therefore, this is no longer an issue"....who are you to decide? What arrogance.
Your editorial, however, with anonymous statements fanning the issue, defied the standards you set for yourself regarding letters to the editor. This kind of journalism fosters division on the community and does not serve the public good.
ELLEN MOYER, Mayor, Annapolis
I suppose that the Mayor has the same right as anybody else to write a letter to the editor. But, I tend to think that her whining and grandstanding in this letter do not serve the public good either. I would much prefer if elected officials wrote only informational letters, for example if the newspaper omitted an important fact, etc.
The editorial that the Mayor is talking about (unless there was another editorial that I missed), along with some excellent commentary, can be found on this site by clicking here. If you are only concerned with what the editorial says, read only the bold font. If you are concerned with wit, humor, and overall excellence, read the normal type as well.
I personally could not identify any "anonymous statements fanning the issue"--I actually don't know what that means so I just looked for one of those smiley faces you can write using a cell phone text message, along with any type of fan. Both searches yielded no results.
The point of an editorial is that the editorial board gives their opinion. You know who it is; it's the editorial board at The Capital. Although they appear to have gotten the figures wrong as to the amount of the compensation changes (or maybe they were quoting an earlier version of the bill), the editorial doesn't appear to be the "kind of journalism (that) fosters division on the community and does not serve the public good."
It is my hope that this blog will serve the public good, so keep reading!
The Mayor is, apparently, fired up about 2 things: The Capital's coverage of her proposed salary increases and Dick Israel's contradiction of her on this issue.
Basically, Mr. Israel headed a commission to study aldermen and mayor salaries before he became an alderman. The mayor frequently refers to the findings of this commission in defense of her submitting the bill.
So says she:
Regarding The Capital's so-called salary increases for the City Council:
The mayor is actually correct here: the proposed bill would actually lower the mayor's salary by $5000 and the aldermen salaries by $600 for FY 2007. The problems are:
1. the aldermen would get a $1500 expense account "solely for training", that (i'm pretty sure) they don't have now. this in and of itself is not a terribly huge deal, but it is against city code as well as unconstitutional in the state of maryland to raise compensation of current officials--i.e. for FY 2007...........
Every four years a commission reviews compensation issues for the aldermen and the mayor.
...and 2. her proposed bill would eliminate this commission and automatically tie pay increases to rates of inflation.
Richard Israel chaired a commission in 2004 for the the 2005 council. The commission recommended:
-Increasing the compensation of the mayor and aldermen.
-Providing education money for aldermen to attend conferences.
Additionally, the commission considered providing fringe benefits similar to those received by city employees.
I can all but guarantee that the commission did not recommend the current council making these changes for themselves. I have requested a copy of the commission report from Mr. Israel, so I can make that guarantee.
The 2004 City Council accepted these recommendations and the raises and education money was provided for in 2005-2006.
Excellent. Kudos to them for following the city code.
Attorneys, including Mr. Israel, advised that providing fringe benefits could only be implemented with a change in the City Charter's language. As the mayor charged with carrying out policies recommended by the council, I asked some months ago that appropriate language be drafted to provide for fringe benefits, which does include cost-of-living increases. That is the responsibility of the mayor.
I HATE this...she says this kind of stuff all the time: 'I am just following up on something that started earlier', 'This is what the mayor does', 'This is out of my control', 'This is what has always happened--this is nothing new'. Take your pick. Nothing that goes wrong or is controversial is ever her fault.
And, since when is it written in stone that the mayor must implement the recommendations of any given panel? Here is what I imagine to be the mayor's list of the top 5 things that are written in stone, and therefore must be followed and cannot be changed.
1. The 10 Commandments (I don't know the mayor's religious beliefs, but since the 'written in stone' reference came from this, I decided to give respect where respect is due.)
2. Dick Israel City Compensation Report
3. Cliff Notes: How to Throw a 'Michigan' Party
4. The Communist Manifesto (a little extreme, I know, but I am a little cranky as a result of the humidity)
5. Union Contract with Police
...
...
...
...
123. Annapolis City Code
The bill was introduced in December 2006 and referred to the Rules and City Government Committee, chaired by Mr. Israel, where it languished.
Ooohhh....testy! "Languished"? That was a bit unnecessary. Most committees take time to research their bills, and you and I both know that Mr. Israel is purposely deliberate because he wants to gather ALL the facts. I bet that it was in committee a reasonable amount of time.
This council has determined not to pursue these changes.
Because they do not want to challenge the Constitution of the State of Maryland.
Unbelievable. We can't observe body language or tone of voice, but it seems to me that the mayor is upset about this, in utter disregard (or ignorance) of the Maryland Constitution.
The issue will be left to the next commission, which will be appointed in 2008, to consider.
And what do you think about this? Because your bill would have ended this process. Oops..you forgot that part, didn't you?
Therefore, this is no longer an issue.
Nor was it an issue before you introduced the new bill and made it an issue. Also, that's the beauty of having one of the top 150 political blogs in Ward 5--you can talk about anything you want at any time!
More importantly, if we--the taxpaying citizens--want to talk about this, then it is an issue!! Loyal readers, can you start to see where a lot of us political junkies are coming from? The mayor is too good, too well informed, and too busy to listen to our petty and mundane complaints. "Therefore, this is no longer an issue"....who are you to decide? What arrogance.
Your editorial, however, with anonymous statements fanning the issue, defied the standards you set for yourself regarding letters to the editor. This kind of journalism fosters division on the community and does not serve the public good.
ELLEN MOYER, Mayor, Annapolis
I suppose that the Mayor has the same right as anybody else to write a letter to the editor. But, I tend to think that her whining and grandstanding in this letter do not serve the public good either. I would much prefer if elected officials wrote only informational letters, for example if the newspaper omitted an important fact, etc.
The editorial that the Mayor is talking about (unless there was another editorial that I missed), along with some excellent commentary, can be found on this site by clicking here. If you are only concerned with what the editorial says, read only the bold font. If you are concerned with wit, humor, and overall excellence, read the normal type as well.
I personally could not identify any "anonymous statements fanning the issue"--I actually don't know what that means so I just looked for one of those smiley faces you can write using a cell phone text message, along with any type of fan. Both searches yielded no results.
The point of an editorial is that the editorial board gives their opinion. You know who it is; it's the editorial board at The Capital. Although they appear to have gotten the figures wrong as to the amount of the compensation changes (or maybe they were quoting an earlier version of the bill), the editorial doesn't appear to be the "kind of journalism (that) fosters division on the community and does not serve the public good."
It is my hope that this blog will serve the public good, so keep reading!
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