Today, our panel of thirty-seven readers picks the top stories in Maryland outside Montgomery County. Let ‘er rip!
1. Budget Crisis, State
25 votes
Reader: No mon, no fun.
Reader: What else is there?
Reader: Nothing else significant will get done that isn’t related to the budget.
Reader: The biggest issue for the state last year and next year. I’m sure Martin O’Malley says to his staff, “Why won’t this budget problem go away so I can be a great governor!” But he is stuck with it and stuck navigating the politics that comes with any and every cut or tax.
Reader: This is a top story mainly because Democrats continue to recreate the crisis everyday. O'Malley's refusal to spend within the state's means is amazing, even more so when you think about the tax revenues that continue to decline thanks to higher taxes and a worsening business climate.
Reader: The 2009 legislative session will seem mild compared to what we’ll see in 2010.
Reader: Although Maryland is better off than other states, the fiscal situation is real and there will be cuts to local governments. The challenge for Montgomery County is for our Delegation in Annapolis to quit being wimps and start playing hardball to bring home the bacon, provided it is not smoked bacon, it is low in trans fats and the packaging is properly labeled with a calorie count. Baltimore City doesn’t care about either our county or calories, they just want our money. Enough is enough.
2 (tie). Economic Crisis
18 votes
Reader: Hurt is all around us. Here’s hoping for a brighter future in 2010.
Reader: The State suffers from the same problem as the County - both have a complete lack of vision about how to create jobs. The State could benefit from some out-of-the-box thinking and politicians with the balls to push through some big ideas.
Adam: The story that drives so many other stories: the state and county budget crises, political tumult, the drive towards slots, the postponement of transportation projects and much, much more. How many politicians will be unemployed come 2010?
2 (tie). Slots Problems
18 votes
Reader: So much for the “magic bullet” that many voters thought would solve our fiscal problems! No one wanted to invest. If they did, they didn’t have the capital. And that was before slots opponents spoke out!
Reader: Slots were supposed to be the budget savior. It will be a long time before they are up and running, with many locations not on track to even be awarded a license by the state let alone start producing revenue. Coupled with this is the limited benefit slots will have for horse racing. I don’t have too much of an interest in horse racing, but a long time ago supporting that industry was a big part of the point of slots. Increased purses from slots, but no slots at the tracks, does not look like enough to keep an active industry in the state outside of the Preakness.
Reader: No money, mo’ problems. Not even the Wright Brothers could get this flawed idea off the ground.
Reader: Like a burrowing maggot, slots have infested the State with a host of problems. Here’s a stone cold lock: there will be more problems once slots are up and running.
Reader: The irony is simply incredible, but Montgomery has lots at stake here since it has no location but will be a benefactor – at least the millionaires in Montgomery will. Electing Anthony Muse as County Executive would guarantee a casino at National Harbor since you’ll need religion on your side – could be a “MoCo most selfish / best pick.”
Adam: I can’t wait to compare the original projections of slots revenue to what actually comes in.
4. Sheila Dixon Trial
17 votes
Reader: Finally, the people of Baltimore and the people of Maryland can feel somewhat certain that somebody is watching the henhouse....even though lord only knows how many other Maryland Democrats (and you notice they are always Democrats) are getting away with it....
Reader: Does it get more low rent than using gift cards intended for the underprivileged?
Reader: My Monopoly game is missing a “get out of jail free” card. Maybe Dixon took it.
Reader: Clearly, the City has finally officially passed the torch for graft and corruption onto Prince George’s County after 100 plus years – this is history in the making.
Reader: So what if she thought it was the gift cards that her boyfriend developer gave her (in small denominations) or if it really was the gift cards that were intended for the poor kids? The jury got it right. Another blemish on Maryland politics. Law students (you too Adam) should read the trial transcript, particularly the defense’s opening statement that made the case for the prosecution that the prosecution never put on. Oops!
Adam: No matter what goes on in Baltimore, the rest of the state will put up with it. Why? Because we have made the judgment that the city is too big to fail. Unfortunately, our leaders do not see that the city failed decades ago and the rest of us have been paying the price ever since.
5 (tie). Donna Edwards Problems/Ivey and Taylor Challenges
16 votes
Reader: Who would have thought less than two years after she beat an incumbent by 20 points we could be seriously talking about her losing in a primary?
Reader: Just because her predecessor held the seat for 15 years doesn’t mean she’ll hold on to it that long. But if Ivey and Taylor both jump into the race, they’ll cannibalize each other. The game of chicken continues into 2010.
Reader: The consequence of taking out any established incumbent with seniority.
Adam: I can’t take a single phone call about Donna Edwards without the subject of her staffing problems coming up. That is creating an opening for her opponents.
5 (tie). Purple Line/Red Line Selections
16 votes
Reader: Transportation will always be a major issue.
Reader: It is big news on two fronts. One, it is a major step forward for an issue of great importance to Montgomery and Prince George’s. Two, it confirms once again that the Governor of Baltimore will not put himself out for the DC suburbs.
Reader: The Red Line more than the Purple Line is destined to remain a major story, because it seems like when you talk to residents in Canton that nobody likes the proposed solution. When you consider the yuppie class that lives in Canton that won’t trend as Democratically as the rest of the city, O’Malley may have awakened a sleeping political giant.
Reader: What is there to debate? The Red Line’s single-track design is a death trap. Which would you want to ride on?
Reader: Who will get the money and when?
5 (tie). Teacher Pension Debate
16 votes
Reader: Last stand for Montgomery.
Reader: This has huge implications for county governments, with none positioned to lose more than good old Montgomery.
Reader: There should be no “debate.” The Montgomery County, Baltimore County, Baltimore City, and Prince George’s County delegations should put an end to the “debate.” Tell Big Daddy (trust me, hear me, “this is my last term,” maybe) Mike Miller that the State has already burdened the local jurisdictions with teacher social security and the state needs to find the resources to pay its share toward teacher pensions.
Adam: Come on, politicians – tell us what great champions of education you are while you cast down teacher pensions to jurisdictions that can’t afford them.
5 (tie). WSSC Issues
16 votes
Reader: Who will finally tame this beast?
Reader: Reform this agency. Three votes from each county is a recipe for stasis. Although there has been some movement with a new manager and some necessary fee increases, much more remains to be done.
Reader: Deserves its own blog to catalog all of the water main breaks and political infighting. Potential title: “WSSC or Bust.”
Adam: WSSC is a less entertaining place these days with the hiring of a General Manager and the departure of Commissioner Juanita “Wild Child” Miller. But the resolution of those issues just exposes the agency’s deeper problems even more: the fixation of the Prince George’s Commissioners with minority contracting and the inability of the two counties to agree on capital fees sufficient to make progress on repairing aging pipes.
9. No Progress on Transportation Funding
9 votes
Reader: Transportation funding and economic development go hand in hand. $$ for transportation (emphasis on mass) and economic development = jobs.
Adam: The biggest single failure of leadership in Annapolis.
10. Electricity Reregulation Debate
8 votes
Reader: What better way to highlight Martin O’Malley’s outright lie from the 2006 campaign about keeping energy costs low than to talk about the fact that, ten years after the fact, Mike Miller and Company still take no responsibility for their involvement in the ass-backwards deregulation scheme that wasn’t really deregulation at all. Insanity...
Reader: Because of the complicated nature of this issue, it is often ignored by the general public and misunderstood by many politicians - which is unfortunate for consumers.
Adam: Any politician who promotes independent green energy suppliers like Clean Currents but supports re-monopolization that would eliminate their ability to attract customers is a complete hypocrite.
Most Underrated Story: Washington Post Boy King
The Post could not have shown more contempt for its Maryland readers if it had sent garbage trucks to dump stinking waste onto our lawns. The paper’s bosses have never even acknowledged, much less apologized for their use of an ignorant, out-of-area intern to write local editorials. What more is going on inside the mainstream media that has not yet come out?
That’s all for 2009, folks!
Tuesday, January 05, 2010
The Top Stories of 2009, Maryland
Monday, January 04, 2010
The Top Stories of 2009, Montgomery County
Just as we did last year, it’s time to review the top stories of 2009 in both Montgomery County and the rest of Maryland. Everyone who reads this blog knows that your author is wholly unqualified to choose these stories on his own, so naturally I chose the people who know all: you the readers. Thirty-seven of you rose to the challenge. Here are your picks for the county.
1. Budget Crisis, County
28 votes
Reader: Duh!
Reader: The budget crisis was the beginning and ending of every story in Montgomery County in the year 2009. It was in the background, the foreground, and the elephant in the room. All politics, priorities, and policies were shaped in one way or another by the ongoing budget crisis.
Reader: This is the driver of county business right now. Because of a lack of political leadership, at every level of government in the county, no one knows how this will really be dealt with.
Reader: Montgomery County’s been pretty spoiled over the years, and for the first time, voters will have to get used to hearing “no.” This won’t help anyone in elected office next year as they all have to play the bad guy.
Reader: This story is an iceberg: we saw it in the distance but it keeps getting larger and larger. We thought we knew how deep it was, but boy were we wrong. And unlike the victims of the Titanic, we see this one coming and are going to have to push something overboard.
Reader: Did we somehow miss the gnashing of teeth, the wringing of hands here? As one who attended the budget hearings, I was struck by how much seemed to be the usual speeches by the local educational clusters all sent in to make certain school budgets were untouched – inordinate numbers of cluster coordinators all saying pretty much the same things as if they were pre-scripted. Both they and the few community groups that got a chance to speak in this three minute exercise of democracy known as public testimony were mostly ignored by the Council Members who often chatted amongst themselves, scrolled through their blackberries and asked no questions, except occasionally of the legal teams representing some corporation or official entity in the county. Was there ever adequately conveyed a sense of this financial mess – a proverbial voice from on high –this dismay was just not seen at the council level. We are going into an election year with no money; can we really assume that this council will properly make these hard decisions? At the level of the County Executive – there were town hall meetings on the budget and forums where people could email or call-in that explored the budget issues much more in an in-depth bread-and-butter approach that sent a message of urgency.
Reader: This is really a management crisis. The county has $119 million in reserves, pays upfront for many capital projects, has wasted money on Strathmore and Blackrock, and failed to plan. With an AAA bond rating, a relatively low debt level, low unemployment rate, and generous waivers of negotiated pay increases by employee unions, the County can pull through. It is time for county managers to sacrifice their pay, bonuses, and benefits to show some leadership. Ike needs to part with his perks like a staff of drivers and a private bath. His predecessors did fine, in better fiscal times, without the frills.
2. District 4 Special Election
26 votes
Reader: People we assumed would never vote came out to support Nancy Navarro in an election characterized by mud-slinging and melodrama. We may have awakened a sleeping giant in MoCo’s Latino community, increasingly empowered, affluent, and demanding a role in County politics.
Reader: Nancy’s win shifts the balance on the Council in ways we’re only just beginning to see. Kudos for MPW’s coverage of the primary campaign. It was the “go-to” resource and outshone the Post and the Gazette by a mile.
Reader: Changed the balance of power on the council, elected the first Latina to the council, proved that organization can beat old money in MoCo, and elevated David Moon and Jackie Lichter.
Reader: Two special elections in such short order, each with intriguing back stories, made for interesting reading and lots of dirt.
Reader: Not so clear at the time, but what a pivotal election it turned out to be, in terms of turning the tide of power on the County Council. Don't believe it -- ask Roger Berliner!
Reader: The election in District 4 that changed the council alignment was a big deal that led directly to the “coup” that selected Nancy Floreen contrary to tradition. This was the single biggest story and will likely have further repercussions and increase polarization on the Council, as Nancy is not likely to bring unity.
Reader: The District 4 special election in my view has been a game-changer in Montgomery County politics. Nancy Navarro crushed the myth that old political names and family dynasties are unbeatable. That myth has been totally busted. The second myth she crushed was “Ike Leggett has major coattails.” She beat Ike in his precinct, Ben Kramer’s precinct, and in Mr. and Mrs. Praisner’s precinct. The most important myth of all is that in order to win an election in the East County you must win Leisure World. Nancy held her own in Leisure World by keeping the same percentage of voters from the first special election to the second election. Her campaign targeted neighborhoods that had been forgotten and overlooked for many years. They were able to tap into the youth vote, the union vote and the immigrant/people of color vote. Nancy went on Spanish language radio and was able to recruit volunteers and new voters. She won in all of the African American precincts. As we await the 2010 census we will see the enormous demographic shift that has occurred in Montgomery County over the past decade. The paradigm has shifted. Let’s see if it has any bearing on the future of election results in the county for 2010 and beyond.
Reader: Three points. (1) Elections have consequences and this one tipped the balance of power. (2) This was a bona fide election. That is important because when there has been an election, the Council vice-president has not always moved up to be president. Such is the case this year. (3) Elections matter. Roger Berliner made an ass of himself in not acknowledging the will of the voters in District 4.
Reader: This race was the only game in town this year, and it was a nail-biter. Not only that, Navarro’s victory upended conventional wisdom, as well as the old power structure in the County. This can only foreshadow the shifting political dynamics in the County that will be driven by demographic changes in the future.
3. Maintenance of Effort
23 votes
Reader: Education is the most important issue to county voters and the county government has treated it that way for decades. Their reward? A kick in the face by a policy that is in no way designed to target Montgomery County. This has implications for the budget and Council/School Board/Superintendent/MCEA relations.
Reader: A well intentioned rule applied in an idiotic manner. Still, it’s great theatre when Wily Weast tries to cast blame in public.
Reader: The rhetoric regarding the process until now borders on the absurd, not the least of which is Mr. Leggett calling the MOE legislation “Stupid” at the CFM breakfast. It’s likely to get stranger before it’s over.
Reader: The cacophony of whining coming out of Rockville on this issue is extraordinary, and it’s going a long way towards showing that even the most avowed supporters of education start to falter when the going gets tough.
Reader: It is a good thing King Jerry has said he is going to be leaving or his head may roll on this one; if he backtracks and tries to stay – he may be in for a rough ride. If the County had not been spending more than was required for years and years, (it even built some of its own schools during the Ehrlich years), perhaps we could be faulted. This is another power play and should be couched as that. Why not take an accounting all of the dollars over those minimally required for all those years and apply those over expenditures to the credits for Maintenance of Effort – we would probably be laden with educational spending credits far into the future. Jerry Weast was in error for complaining to the state and he should remember he is an employee; he was out of line on this one.
Reader: A well-intentioned, but obviously ridiculous law that does not allow for use of the “smell test” when economic circumstances render it to be out of step with reality. In one sense, Montgomery County is consistently criticized for paying its teachers and staff too much, with pay raises that are criticized as too generous. In another sense, when Superintendent Weast begins the ball rolling for the elimination of all pay raises - a cost-savings of $89 million, to help solve the county's budget problems - that very action leads, ultimately, to... a state penalty? This from the same state government that a year earlier had underpaid Montgomery County for schools, thanks to a $24 million “accounting error,” and hoped nobody would notice!
Reader: A joke. No credit for exceeding the MOE level in other years. But gives Jerry Weast an angle to outsmart Ike and to squeeze the County Council.
Adam: What a cruel irony that MoCo is paying the price for Baltimore City’s sins. As a matter of fact, that central fact summarizes the state’s entire fiscal structure.
4. Council Infighting (includes Council President)
22 votes
Reader: This is a political blog and when it comes to county politics, this intrigue is where it is at.
Reader: MoCo no-growthers got to make a spectacular fuss about “special interests” ignoring the will of the public. District 1 residents got to whine that ritzy Bethesda and Potomac somehow weren’t being given enough attention. And everyone else, including the five Council Members who voted for Nancy Floreen, went on with their daily lives.
Reader: This reality became exacerbated after the passing of Marilyn Praisner. But as you have written, “elections have consequences,” so when Nancy Navarro finally won a seat on the council, the power shift was felt in Rockville. Like it or not, we only have one more year of this dynamic. Or not.
Reader: The council bickers while the county burns. Seriously, there are three members of the council I would keep. The rest are little more than children.
Reader: They make the words “pathetic” and “moronic” look kind.
Reader: Here is a shout-out to all the Gen-Xers. I don’t think I need to say anything else.
Adam: Unfortunately for the Council Members, many in the general public lump them together. So when Council Member X does something outrageous or Council Member Y blows a gasket, some people will blame it on “the Council” and assume that the entire body is dysfunctional. That accounts for at least part of the reaction to the recent disputed election for Council President and will only intensify as the primary approaches. All of this increases the chances of success for Robin Ficker’s term limits initiative.
5 (tie). Montgomery College Scandal
18 votes
Reader: The impact of Dr. Johnson’s spending, leadership style, and dismissal may be felt for a while. The Trustees managed it beautifully. Thanks to Valerie Ervin, Ike Leggett, and Herc Pinckney, it did not become a racial issue…but it could have!
Reader: An important lesson for all Montgomery leaders, present and future: Communicate with key audiences, respect the community and play the MoCo political game. Oh, and it helps not to excessively spend public money on yourself.
Reader: Wait, let me get this straight... it is Harvard on the Pike, right? “Why would anyone be denying me ‘Harvard-like’ benefits and lavish spending sprees on my AmEx card?” Hit the road, Brian K. Johnson. Charlene Nunley was a friend of ours... and you, sir, were no Charlene Nunley.
Reader: Scandalous. Forget a background investigation, did anyone do a Google search? The Trustees failed us and we will pay the price.
Adam: Next time, I’d be happy to help with the background check!
5 (tie). Silverman Joins the Leggett Administration
18 votes
Reader: This was a combined stroke of genius for Ike… and a signal as to how desperate his administration was for business outreach. It’s remarkable how quickly Pradeep’s name has faded. I wonder where he is…
Reader: A coup on a number of fronts. Good man for the job and bringing a formidable election foe onto the team. Skillful move by Ike.
Reader: One of the clearest signs of Ike’s inability to lead; a real show of weakness.
Reader: Ike’s admission of incompetence.
Adam: Why hire the best guy for the job and then cut his budget – TWICE? If the Department of Economic Development actually creates jobs, then its budget should be increased during a recession.
7 (tie). Growth Policy Debate
14 votes
Reader: Growth is why the Council is divided. As a broad issue, it covers so much of what local politics is about – housing, transportation, and education to name a few. The growth policy, for those of us who do not camp out in Rockville, was actually less of a story than one would have expected leading up to it, partly because Leggett punted which I thought was a failure of leadership on his part.
Reader: Planning Department head Rollin Stanley’s ideas are nothing short of revolutionary, and people are slowly catching on, as witnessed by support for the new White Flint plan. But those who aren’t jumping on the bus wonder if they’re being misled. We’ll see the Growth Policy and bigger questions surrounding it – like what kind of place MoCo wants to be – looming over the 2010 campaign.
Reader: If the budget crisis was the iceberg of 2009, this is literally the car engine under our hood. Approving the Purple Line was the easy choice for the council, but the debate has only just begun over Science City and continued growth in our urban cores and suburban areas. Hopefully the council’s new majority will be visionary when they select a new planning chairman in 2010.
Reader: Two words: Smart Growth. Build homes and jobs near Metro stations. You don’t need to build out when you still have under-utilized urban centers such as Wheaton.
Reader: Only in Montgomery County could this issue make the top 10 list.
7 (tie). Unions Give Up Raises
14 votes
Reader: They deserve a lot of credit for this, did not get much, and will likely be less and less accommodating in the future.
Reader: The wave of the future?
Reader: I know I’m biased as a union member, but in the midst of all the political gamesmanship, the bickering, the childishness and backstabbing among our purported leaders, tens of thousands of county employees voted to give up negotiated raises so that their colleagues wouldn't have to lose jobs. Far be it from the politicians to acknowledge it, but it's the most decent and honorable thing to happen in county politics this year.
Reader: Did I not hear the Washington Post and Ficker saying thanks for going the extra mile? Damn greedy unions.
Adam: How can you give up your raises and still be the bad guys? I don’t get it and neither does the Washington Post.
9. I-270/CCT Debate
12 votes
Reader: It’s the future of county development and transportation and Phil Andrews actually did a great job of working it through the council.
Reader: We get to see who cares about the environment and who simply pays lip service.
Adam: For all the debate at the county level, the important decisions will be made by the state and federal governments.
10 (tie). ICC Tolls
11 votes
Reader: MoCo’s new millionaire tax!
Reader: Pro-ICC people are struggling to save face for supporting one of the most expensive highway projects in the state, if not the nation. Anti-ICC people get to say “I told you so” and legitimately say they’ll never drive it – because they can’t afford to.
Reader: Yes, it is possible to have been a long-time supporter of this roadway and be critical of the exhorbitant toll prices. Nothing hypocritical about that. Had this road been built when it was supposed to - when Glendening was Governor - things would have been a lot different.
Adam: Sit back and watch people run on this issue for offices that have absolutely no influence over toll setting!
10 (tie). Live Nation Deal
11 votes
Reader: Passed despite inept handling by the Leggett administration.
Reader: Another step forward. But when will we hear the music?
Reader: In bad fiscal times, Ike has money to pay for what DC gets for free. Incredible...
Adam: Stop bitching, people – this is a big achievement by Ike Leggett. When the place finally opens, no one is going to remember how long it took to get it done.
12 (tie). Council Challengers
10 votes
Reader: All the names dropped and it looks like it's coming down to a typical MoCo political campaign - a progressive (potentially) running and a person running who claims to be a progressive despite her past record.
Reader: Hans, please run. The County desperately needs a Gen-Xer to represent our interests.
Reader: This race could go many different ways, as there are so many moving parts right now. We’ll have to check back in May to see what the race will look like.
Adam: With the economy in shambles and some of the incumbents going after each other in public, you would think that more people would be running. In 2006, thirteen candidates ran for Council at-large.
12 (tie). Hilton Chooses Fairfax Over MoCo
10 votes
Reader: If people aren’t worried about this, they should be. There are a lot of things wrong with Fairfax County, but a lack of jobs is never one of them. Pro-growth elected officials and aspirants will point to this and say “we told you so.” With the economy as bad as it is, they might have a lot of people listening.
Reader: The message it sent to other corporations: No Vacancy.
Reader: MoCo threw in the towel before negotiations even began. Let’s just hope Marriott isn’t next.
Adam: Our competitive spirit is beginning to resemble the Washington Redskins.
Most Underrated Story: Hilton
Here’s how pathetic this is: our county was unwilling to put down more than $150,000 to get over 300 international headquarters jobs. The income tax revenues we would have received if we had won would have exceeded that amount in just one year. Yes, we lost this competition before Steve Silverman became the Director of Economic Development, but since our combined state and county offer was nearly doubled by Virginia, would we have a chance to win this fight even now?
“Whenever I talk to our elected officials about the need to compete with Fairfax,” says one of our business community sources, “most of them give me a blank stare and go silent.” Here’s some news for MoCo’s elite: we’re just not that special. If things continue as they are, we can very well get our butts kicked by Fairfax, D.C. and even (gasp) Prince George’s County. I challenge all candidates to read our Economic Engine of Maryland series and respond with a guest blog recommending specific measures that will help us compete. Come on people, surprise us!
Tomorrow, MPW readers will pick the top stories of 2009 in the rest of the state.
