The Sentinel has ignored our story on GOP activist Glynis Kazanjian, whom it allows to craft propaganda on health care for the Republican Party at the same time that she submits "news" articles on the same subject to the newspaper. Below is its latest article from Kazanjian. It is increasingly apparent that the Sentinel has as much respect for its readers as con artists have for their victims.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Sentinel Ignores GOP Activist Scandal
State Teachers Lobbyist Comments on George Owings
In response to our post on former Delegate and current Governor hopeful George Owings' Facebook supporters, state teachers lobbyist Diana Saquella sent us the following remarks. Ms. Saquella is listed on Owings' Facebook page as a supporter.Maryland Politics Watch’s classification of me as a Facebook friend and supporter of George Owings gives the misimpression that I have endorsed his candidacy for governor. As chief lobbyist for and a professional representative of the Maryland State Education Association (MSEA), it is my obligation to remain publicly neutral in any political race until my organization indicates who they endorse. I also have an obligation to continuously gather information on all candidates for all state offices, which is why I became one of Mr. Owings’ Facebook friends, not because I was declaring support for his candidacy.
Defining Progressive Priorities in Bad Times
By Eric Luedtke.
I suspect it’s not much fun right now being Governor O’Malley or a member of his staff, who have spent the better part of their term trimming the budget. I have some sympathy. People get involved in politics either due to idealism or ego, and repeatedly paging through the budget book for good programs to annihilate can’t be good for either. It’s a constant test of priorities, and as the next round of cuts necessarily digs deeper and deeper into the state budget, the decisions being made will almost certainly have long-term implications for policy priorities in Maryland.
Last week, I sat down with Garland Nixon for a taping of his show The Edge, and he asked what I thought was an interesting question about the state’s crisis. He wanted to know what priorities Maryland progressives should have in such an apocalyptic budget atmosphere. Sadly, I don’t think the progressive movement in general has an answer to that question. We’ve been so busy dealing with each incremental cut, each additional shaving of program dollars, that we have yet to formulate a big picture response to the budget crisis. We are, frankly, missing an opportunity. Perhaps the only conceivable positive result of all this could be that it may force us to define distinctly what matters most in state government, what the core legislative values of Maryland progressives are.
For me the answer is fairly straightforward; maintain as much as possible our investment in the state’s human infrastructure. The first fundamental reason for this is that our programs that help people – K-12 education and community colleges, services for people with developmental disabilities, mental health programs, the various supports for people who the recession has severely impacted – are governmental extensions of basic human decency. If my neighbor needs a helping hand, I give it, whether they live across the street or across the state.
But moral arguments aside, there are long term economic and social implications of cutting programs like these. If a kid’s schooling suffers due to budget cuts, they will in all likelihood be less productive as an adult. Abandoning people who need temporary government support to feed and house their families invites increases in a wide variety of social ills. And cutting support for people with developmental disabilities has tremendous impact on them, their families, and their communities. This last group is perhaps the most threatened. People with developmental disabilities are not a wealthy and powerful interest group. They don’t hold big dollar fundraisers for candidates. Is it any surprise, then, that they have seen painful cuts in the Developmental Disabilities Administration? Before these last couple rounds of cuts, Maryland was ranked 42nd in the country for state support of people with developmental disabilities. We’re now in danger of dropping all the way to the bottom of the barrel.
I don’t suppose that people with developmental disabilities are all that surprised. We have a society that too often underestimates, denigrates, and ignores them, all the while paying lip service to how much we care. And it absolutely is only lip service when we have almost as many people waiting for DDA services as receiving them. At last count, almost 20,000 people were on the state waiting list to get the basic services to which they are entitled as human beings.
This, then, should be the core progressive agenda in times of need – help people. And deal aggressively with those whose leadership has been so warped by special interest dollars or high paid lobbyists that they forget this basic precept. Here’s one place to start:
Money cut from the DDA in the last round of budget cuts: $21.7 million
Money we’ve left on the table by not closing tax loopholes that allow out of state corporations like Wal-Mart to avoid taxes that in-state corporations pay: $25 million to $150 million
Bluntly, there are some in the State Senate who seem to care more about Wal-Mart’s profit margin than about the kid next door with an autism spectrum disorder. We have the next few months before the legislative session begins to change their minds. And, failing that, we may simply need to change their job titles come election day next year.
Eric Luedtke is exploring a run for Senate in District 14.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Sligo Creek Golf Association Comments on PHED Committee Vote
Following is the press release from the Sligo Creek Golf Association.
Widening Projects Abound
I-270 is not the only road widening project under consideration by the state. The Maryland Department of Transportation is proposing to widen I-97 between Baltimore and Annapolis and to widen part of the Baltimore Beltway. Howard County Executive Ken Ulman wants the state to widen US-29 near Columbia. And the state is spending $830 million to install Express Toll Lanes on I-95 northeast of Baltimore.
So where are the protests from the Baltimore Sun against these projects? Where is the opposing petition drive from D.C. blogs? And where is the money-raising campaign from Action Committee for Transit?
Could it be that only MoCo road widening projects are evil?
Why Deeds Matters to Maryland
By Marc Korman.
Every Saturday until the Virginia election on November 3 volunteers from Maryland are meeting at the Montgomery County Democratic Party offices to carpool across the river to canvass and phone bank for Virginia’s next governor, Democrat Creigh Deeds. Why does the governorship of Virginia matter to Maryland?
There are obvious political reasons for Maryland Democrats to help elect a Democrat in Virginia. Because Virginia’s election always comes the year after a presidential election, pundits always draw conclusions from it about national politics. Virginia based political pundit Larry Sabato has pointed out that the party that won the presidential election has not won the Virginia Governor’s race since 1973, so any correlation between a president’s political strength and their party winning in Virginia is overblown.
For example, in 2001 Democrat Mark Warner was elected Virginia’s governor while President Bush’s approval ratings were in the 80s and 90s following 9/11 and the Republican Party was heading towards a victorious 2002 mid-term election, bucking historical trends. But despite history, political pundits will associate Deeds’ performance in Virginia with Obama’s political strength.
But there are also specific policy reasons for Marylanders to care about who is elected Virginia’s governor:
Transportation
Transportation is a regional issue, particularly the Metro system. The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) is jointly funded by Virginia, Maryland, and DC. WMATA board members are appointed by the chief executives of those three jurisdictions. The two states also share the Capital Beltway.
While Deeds has been somewhat evasive on the issue, he recently announced a transportation plan. The plan is coupled with his history of advocating for more comprehensive transportation fixes, including expressing a willingness to face reality and raise Virginia’s gas tax, which is among the lowest on the east coast. His opponent’s plan is almost designed to be ineffective. It is loaded with one time revenue raisers and raids on general funds that the Virginia legislature will likely not allow, such as education.
Chesapeake Bay
Virginia and Maryland are key partners in programs to clean up the Chesapeake Bay, including the Chesapeake Executive Council and the Chesapeake Bay Commission. They are the only two states that actually border the Bay, though many other states are a part of its watershed.
Deeds has a history of support for the environment, including creating tax incentives for Virginians to conserve rather than develop land, which has a direct effect on runoff polluting the Bay. Maryland needs a strong environmental partner in Virginia if any progress will be made on the Bay.
Guns
Creigh Deeds is not a leader on gun control issues, having been endorsed by the National Rifle Association in his campaign for Attorney General in 2005. But since then he has advocated for closing the so-called “gun show loophole.” The loophole allows individuals to buy firearms at gun shows without conducting the requisite background checks of purchasers normally required. Maryland closed the gun show loophole for handguns, but Virginia has not. As New York City proved by tracking Virginia guns, those guns flow out of Virginia and into other states. Deeds’ commonsense on the gun show loophole cost him the NRA’s endorsement, which unlike in Maryland actually carries some weight.
And for anyone reading this who may argue that criminals will get guns anyway, you may be right. But closing the loophole would provide another check, reduce the ease for the wrong people to acquire firearms, and ensure that if they are caught there is a crime to prosecute them for.
To help elect Creigh Deeds Governor of Virginia, meet any Saturday at 9:00am in the parking lot at 3720 Farragut Avenue in Kensington. Email me at mkorman@gmail.com for more information.
No Sane on Wayne
Peeved at Purple Line pontification? Why not take a poke at an MTA bureaucrat? That’s what one pugnacious Purple protestor did last night. Perish the thought, people!
Last night, Silver Spring anti-train-on-Wayne activist Jonathan Jay roughed up Purple Line project manager Mike Madden at a meeting of the county’s advisory group for the project. In a widely circulated email, Madden said:Thanks for your concern, I am fine and not at all hurt. Obviously, Jonathan is not able to control his emotions and I would certainly recommend that members vote him off the advisory group. I simply went over to him after our part, shook his hand and said, “Jonathan, take it easy.” That is when he told me that I could go to hell as he swung my arm back forth as hard as he could. If I was less sturdy or if he did this to a woman, I believe he would have caused harm.
Jay is the Vice-President of the Seven Oaks-Evanswood Citizens Association and favors a Purple Line tunnel under Wayne Avenue. Perhaps when he found out that MTA wouldn’t build a tunnel, Jay decided it would be best to throw Madden into one!
But Jay is about to be thrown overboard himself. Specifically, sentiment is building to toss him off the Purple Line Advisory Group. If that happens, Jay will receive a harsher hit than hiker harasser Isaac Hantman, who was allowed to remain on the Capital Crescent Trail board after strangling a saucy-tongued slur slinger.
Now we know that some anti-Purple people are purring pussycats. You know who you are, you softies! And let’s also recognize that Jay is a Silver Spring resident who has nothing to do with the Chevy Chase rail opponents. The latter prefer to sue rather than slug, a key cultural difference with Silver Spring.
But you all have to be more creative, folks! Will rail antis do a mass mailing of purple Kool-Aid packs to MTA? Will rail supporters park ten buses on blocks in the middle of the Connecticut Avenue – Jones Bridge Road intersection?
Come on, you Purple pooh-poohs. Help a blogger in need!
Herman Taylor Works Prince George's
Delegate Herman Taylor (D-14), who is considering a run for Congress against incumbent Donna Edwards, is hosting an awards reception for Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs) at National Harbor next month. MBEs are a key part of the power base in Prince George's County, and if Taylor can build a base among them, that will aid him against Edwards. Following is the solicitation.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Why Do People Get Angry with Government? A Golfer’s Story
By Woody Brosnan.
The moment was surreal. I was being ordered to leave an open meeting of the board of the Montgomery County Revenue Authority so they could meet behind closed doors with their lawyer to discuss... the Open Meetings Law.
Why, I asked. “It’s in the state code,” the lawyer responded.
But upon reflection the action Tuesday was only the latest example of the disdain for the public that I have seen from two of Montgomery County’s most powerful agencies as I worked with others to try to save the Sligo Creek Golf Course.
Public officials who express alarm over the hostility and lack of civility at town hall meetings and health care forums might consider that this behavior may not be just a reflection of the impact of hyperbolic talk show hosts, but also is the result of the encounters of citizens with the agencies to which elected officials have entrusted so much power.
As a reporter for 35 years, I covered both elected bodies and regulatory agencies. I received an AP award in Tennessee for a series on how state regulatory agencies often became captive of the industries they regulated and stifled competition.
But I gained a new perspective this summer as an activist for Sligo Creek Golf Course in dealing with the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission and the Revenue Authority. (I won’t go into the entire history of the golf course so well documented in this blog’s series. These opinions are my own and not that of the Sligo Creek Golf Association.)
On May 26, parks staff members held a community event to gather opinions on the reuse of the golf course. They encountered more than 100 golfers, many of whom had only learned of plans to close the course the week before. After some boisterous discussion, the parks staff, to their credit, agreed to include a golf course option in their recommendations to the planning board.
In the next few weeks, I and other golfers and non-golfers submitted their ideas to the staff for how to combine golf with other purposes at Sligo Creek. We and the County Council operated in the belief that M-NCPPC would come back to the Council in December with golf and non-golf options.
Those hopes were dashed July 16 when the planning board met. Perhaps it was a signal of the evening to come when Chairman Royce Hanson and then-board member John Robinson dallied over dinner, keeping the standing-room only crowd waiting 15 minutes past the scheduled start time.
After hearing from more than 30 witnesses, the vast majority of whom favored golf, Hanson declared he did not want “our staff to waste their time” on the golf course option. Gee, don’t they work for us, not them, I thought.
Jean Cryor looked down from the dais, and in a mama-to-little-children voice, said she did “not want to raise our expectations.”
That night spawned the Sligo Creek Golf Association, a community of golfers, neighbors and environmentalists who were once strangers. Now 68 days, 1,000 yard signs, and 2,000 signatures on petitions later, we have hope.
The County Council has met with us individually and collectively, and we are hopeful they will find a way on Tuesday to keep the course open past Oct. 1 so we can work together on a long-term solution.
So maybe I was expecting a little more receptiveness when fellow SCGA board member Ted Power and I dropped by the Revenue Authority board meeting Tuesday morning.
The authority’s Executive Director, the oft-maligned Keith Miller, was courteous. The board was another story.
Chairman Stephen Edwards accused me of setting “pre-conditions” when I said that SCGA wanted to discuss many options at the course but could not support lights or night-time activities on the course. Another board member asked our opinion on the Revenue Authority’s original proposal for a two-decker, 72-stall, course destroying, and lighted driving range. My god, I thought, they still think they can peddle that old chestnut.
Perhaps they had not seen the “Keep Sligo Golf Open” signs.
Four out of the five board members live in Potomac or North Potomac, according to the most recent appointment announced by County Executive Ike Leggett. Nothing against Potomac, but is it the only repository of knowledge about revenue bonds in the county?
But the reception was no better from the Silver Spring, but not-near-Sligo member, Phillip Feliciano. When I talked about making the course more attractive and an environmental education by planting flowers and native plants, Feliciano sneered, “Why don’t you make it into a park?”
Feliciano went on to recommend that the county close and sell the Margaret Schweinhaut Senior Center on Forest Glen Road near the course and use the proceeds and part of the property to build a driving range and a putt-putt course.
When I suggested that Sligo needs to be marketed as a community course to inside-the-Beltway businesses and residents, I was told that that the Revenue Authority markets “the system,” not individual courses. (Not true, in my opinion. The authority expends a great deal of effort to try to market Little Bennett Golf Course, the biggest money-loser in the system.)
These are the folks that SCGA is expected to work with in the coming months if we can keep the course open. I expect we’ll manage with the help of the county executive and the council.
In contrast to the agencies, county elected officials have treated the Sligo Creek community with respect and openness, even when some have a different point of view.
But I have a couple of suggestions for the executive and the council members when they appoint or confirm the members of these powerful boards.
Don’t just look at their technical qualifications or political background.
Quiz them on their knowledge of the Open Meetings and Open Records laws and make them swear fealty to both.
And then write up some guidelines for how to deal with citizens and make them swear to follow those too.
Why are these suggestions important? Because in the final analysis these boards/commissions will continue to negatively impact the public's image of elected government to the citizens of Montgomery County.
Woody Brosnan is the Chairman of the Political Outreach Committee, Sligo Creek Golf Association.
Joe Biden Comes to Leisure World
Following is an account from Leisure World resident Paul M. Bessel.
Today (Wed, Sep 23, 2009) at Leisure World VP Joe Biden came to a town meeting to talk about the Obama-Biden administration’s health care reform efforts. Also there were HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and the White House director of the health care reform effort. In the audience there were Senator Mikulski, Senator Cardin, Congressman Van Hollen, about a dozen Maryland State Senators and Delegates including all those who represent LW: Mike Lenett, Hank Heller, Ben Kramer, and Roger Manno, County Executive Leggett, State’s Attorney McCarthy, and Councilmembers Navarro and Ervin.
VP Biden spoke for about an hour and a half and also answered questions about the administration’s work to reform health care insurance, emphasizing over and over that he and the Democrats in Congress have worked for decades to create and improve Medicare and there is nothing in the current effort by them that would in any way harm Medicare and its coverage for seniors. He urged seniors to strongly show their support for the administration’s health care reform efforts.
There were a few funny moments, such as when VP Biden climbed over the security partition to sit in an empty chair in the audience between two ladies. HHS Secretary Sebelius pointed out that Joe looked like he belonged in the LW audience.
This event was sponsored by the Leisure World Community Corporation and Marian Altman, the Chair of LWCC, arranged and organized this town hall meeting.
Dereck Davis Comments on George Owings
In response to our post on former Delegate and current Governor hopeful George Owings' Facebook supporters, Delegate Dereck Davis (D-25) sent us the following remarks. Delegate Davis is listed on Owings' Facebook page as a supporter.George Owings is a good friend of mine whom I had the pleasure of serving with on the House Environmental Matters Committee for 8 sessions (1995-2002). I found him to be thoughtful, conscientious, and eloquent during his tenure in the legislature. It goes without saying that he was well-respected by his colleagues. That said, I have not endorsed anyone for Governor. Quite candidly, I think it is premature to endorse anyone until after the 2010 legislative session has been completed. Then, and only then, will I be able to make an informed decision about what’s best for the community I represent. I regret any confusion relating to Facebook. Generally speaking, I will accept a “friend request” from anyone whose name I recognize. There was nothing more to it than that.
George Owings Builds Support on Facebook
Former Delegate George Owings III (D-27B), who represented Calvert County as a House Democrat but served Republican Governor Bob Ehrlich as Secretary of Veterans Affairs, is drawing some notable support on Facebook for his nascent campaign against Governor O'Malley. Here's a few of his Facebook fans who jump out for us.
Delegate Gail Bates (R-9A) from Howard County
Delegate Bob Costa (R-33B) from Anne Arundel County
Delegate Dereck Davis (D-25) from Prince George's County, Chair of the House Economic Matters Committee, who has not endorsed O'Malley for re-election
Chip DiPaula, former Chief of Staff for Governor Bob Ehrlich
Larry Hogan, former Cabinet Member for Governor Ehrlich and a potential Republican candidate for Governor
Gregory Massoni, former Media Advisor to Governor Ehrlich
Justin Ready, former Executive Director, Maryland Republican Party
Diana Saquella, lobbyist for the Maryland State Teachers Association
Delegate Mike Smigiel (R-36) from the Eastern Shore
Former Delegate Joan Stern (D-39) from Montgomery County
Maria A. Topper, staffer for Delegate Tom Hucker (D-20), who has endorsed O'Malley for re-election
Delegate Richard Weldon (I-3B) from Frederick and Washington Counties
On September 7, Owings told his supporters:Well, my Dear Friends, you joined this group for one reason or another and so to hold you here for a bit longer, let me bring you up to date. What has been going on is alot of travel; Baltimore, Ocean City, St. Mary's County, Prince George's County and a few other places as well. I am talking candidly ( as if there was any other way) about the state of the state, my ideas, suggestions, and when necessary, why what we have is just not working, in my opinion. All my life I've been told that "the tent" is large enough for all to enter. My entire political career has been just right of center ,but what we have seen these past three years has been too far to the left. It will be interesting to watch the evolution of and, in my case, the participation in, action under the big top. The website will be launched in 3-4 weeks so I do hope you stay tuned. I need not remind any of you about the seriousness of the next election, inclusively, it is about our future.
Does the Governor's staff know about this? Um... now they do.
Have a good night,
george
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Tax Authorities: Democratic Annapolis Mayor Nominee is Not a City Resident
Zina Celestine Pierre, the embattled Democratic Mayor nominee in Annapolis, has been under fire for revelations concerning her financial litigation history. But she has another problem that the media has only hinted at: state and county tax authorities regard her as a resident of Prince George’s County.
Article II, Section 3(b) of the Annapolis City Charter states, “The mayor must be a registered voter in the city for at least two (2) years immediately preceding the date of the general election.” The city’s general election is scheduled for 11/3/09. Pierre’s voter registration lists her address as 1901 McGuckian Ave Unit 231 in Annapolis.
The date on which she moved to Annapolis is unclear. She made a federal campaign contribution of $1,000 to the Democratic Party of South Carolina on 3/9/07 from Mitchellville in Prince George’s County. She then made a federal campaign contribution of $1,000 to Hillary Clinton on 2/10/08 from her Annapolis address. She must have lived in her Annapolis apartment since at least 11/3/07 to be eligible for office.
Her big problem concerns the tax status of her house at 1915 Woodshade Court in Mitchellville. The State Department of Assessments and Taxation shows her claiming it as her principal residence.
The Prince George’s County Office of Finance confirms this.
Pierre bought the house in Mitchellville for $239,269 on 10/16/98. She began claiming it as her principal residence in the 1999-2000 tax year and has claimed it ever since. She has saved a total of $4,283.94 off her property taxes due to her homestead tax credit, including $1,393.09 in the 2009-2010 tax year, when she was registered to vote in Annapolis. The Prince George’s County Government is entitled to question whether Pierre should have received homestead tax credits for the period during which she claimed to be an Annapolis resident for purposes of compliance with city election law.
It’s an open question whether Pierre is complying with the letter of the law since it only refers to voter registration, not home ownership. But the GOP can make the case that she is not complying with the spirit of the law, is improperly claiming property tax credits and is in any case a carpet bagger. This is a true debacle for the Democrats.
Credit: Paul Foer of Annapolis Capital Punishment began putting together this story yesterday.
Two-Seventy Two-Step
Some people favor widening I-270 as one component of dealing with the corridor’s infamous state of gridlock. Other people oppose widening and would like to see an all-transit solution. Those would seem to be diametrically opposed views, right?
Not if you’re in politics!
On July 29, a group of state legislators signed a letter to the State Highway Administration calling for both I-270 widening and a light rail Corridor Cities Transitway (CCT). On I-270, the letter said:Additionally, we support two Express Toll Lanes (ETLs), as a component of this project, to help reduce congestion on I-270. We also think that the Montgomery County Planning Board's recommendation of reversible lanes is worth further exploration, as it could alleviate traffic congestion while mitigating negative environmental impacts. These ETLs should be combined with general-purpose lanes without tolls, so that these new transportation facilities will be financed in large part by private investments.
On September 8, a group of state legislators signed a different letter calling for study of an all-transit alternative to road widening. The letter said in part:The large transportation investments proposed along I-270 will take years to implement, and they will shape the development of the corridor for decades. There is time to decide carefully and wisely. We request that you ask MDOT to add an all-transit alternative to this study. After a complete range of options is evaluated, policy-makers and the public will be able to choose the solutions that are best for our communities, our economy, and our environment.
Five Delegates signed both letters: Kathleen Dumais (D-15), Craig Rice (D-15), Jim Gilchrist (D-17), Charles Barkley (D-39) and Kirill Reznik (D-39). We asked them how they could call for road widening plus transit and then – just two months later – call for nothing but transit. Here are the responses we received:
Delegate Kathleen DumaisWith reference to your specific question, I do not think that the two letters I signed are inconsistent. All options should be explored. I strongly support the CCT and studying Express Toll Lanes for I-270.
In a second email, Delegate Dumais stated:As I indicated in my previous E-mail, I do not think the letters are inconsistent. I believe all options should be reviewed -- without excluding one or the other. The truth of the matter is that a solution to the congestion should include both road improvements and transit.
Delegate Craig RiceI went back and read both letters again and don’t believe they contradict each other. In Senator Garagiola’s letter the point was clear that the CCT was our top priority and in Chairman Hixson's letter it says we want them to look at a transit alternative. I have always been of the position that the CCT is our number one priority and as far as other transit needs, everything needs to be considered.
Delegate Kirill ReznikIn response to the concern over my having signed two letters to the Governor, one from Senator Garagiola and one from Delegate Hixson, I wanted to provide a response.
First, let’s credit Delegates Dumais, Rice and Reznik for being willing to discuss this issue on the record. They have not joined Delegates Barkley and Gilchrist in whatever undisclosed location they are hiding.
I do not believe that signing onto both letters was a contradiction. I have always advocated for and will continue to advocate for the Corridor Cities Transitway. It is imperative that mass transit is extended into Germantown and points north and long term, sustainable solutions are found to our ever growing need to travel and commute between Washington, DC, Montgomery and Frederick counties, and beyond.
That being said, I do not believe that any single solution will be satisfactory in dealing with traffic, and all reasonable options need to be explored. I also do not believe that a continued effort to explore other options should be an excuse for delay and inaction on the Multi-Modal Corridor Study.
But there is a real failure of logic here. The I-270 letter was an unambiguous statement of support for road widening as well as a light rail CCT. In their responses, Delegates Rice and Reznik omit any reference to their previous support of extra road lanes and proclaim only their fealty to transit. It is as if they never signed the first letter, which called for both. (Delegate Saqib Ali, on the other hand, withdrew his signature from the widening letter when he realized that it indeed called for widening.) Delegate Dumais reiterates her support of road widening while saying “all options should be reviewed.”
The problem is that review is costly. In planning money alone, the state has allocated $38 million for Baltimore’s Red Line, $36 million for the Purple Line, $9 million for the CCT and $17 million for I-270. Every additional project sent to study will cost millions – and probably tens of millions – more from a Transportation Trust Fund that is nearly broke. For a person who has never wanted more road lanes like Senator Brian Frosh (D-16), advocating use of that funding for extra transit projects is a logical and consistent position. But why would anyone who has already declared their support for road widening – as have the five Delegates above – advocate for spending tens of millions of dollars to study an all-transit plan that explicitly excludes the option that they have already picked?
Saying that you want both road widening and all-transit is like saying that you root for the NFL team that wears Redskins helmets and Cowboys uniforms. If football fans know better, shouldn’t our elected leaders?
MoCo Nearly Shut Out of O’Malley Cabinet (Updated)
The Governor’s announcements of Beverley Swaim-Staley as the new Secretary of Transportation, Edward J. Chow, Jr. as the new Secretary of Veterans Affairs and Alex Sanchez as the new Secretary of Labor, Licensing & Regulation cement one reality not reported in the mainstream media: Montgomery County has been almost totally excluded from the Cabinet.
Maryland’s Executive Branch contains twenty Departments. Here are their Secretaries as well as their residence and experience.
Only three Cabinet Members have any connection to Montgomery County. Thelma Eloise Foster, the Secretary of Budget & Management, is a Silver Spring resident. But her work experience is in state government and the University of Maryland Baltimore rather than in any Montgomery-specific position. Beverley Swaim-Staley lives in Anne Arundel County but served as the Director of Montgomery County’s Office of Management and Budget in Doug Duncan’s last term. Secretary of Natural Resources John R. Griffin, an Anne Arundel County resident and Glendening Cabinet Member, ran WSSC for five years before getting run out of his job after an ugly dispute over minority contracting.
In contrast, ten Secretaries – or half of the Governor’s Cabinet – live in Baltimore City or Baltimore County. At least four Secretaries have served in the Baltimore City or County local governments. No Secretaries live in the Eastern Shore or Western Maryland and only one lives in Southern Maryland (Agriculture Secretary Earl F. Hance).
The Governor’s pick of United Way executive Alex Sanchez to succeed Tom Perez at Labor rankles not just because he is a resident of Virginia. It is also troubling because Sanchez’s chief rival for the position was Takoma Park resident Holly Fechner, a former staffer for U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy and a former attorney for the AFL-CIO. That experience makes Fechner FAR more qualified to serve at Labor than Sanchez. It also would have given Montgomery County a Cabinet position to replace Perez and former Business & Economic Development Secretary David Edgerley. And Sanchez is not the only non-Marylander to serve in the Governor’s Cabinet. Chow is a resident of Washington, D.C.
Montgomery County is the largest jurisdiction in the state and is the uncontested Economic Engine of Maryland. But apparently, almost none of its public servants are qualified to serve the Governor of Baltimore.
Update: One source reminds us that there are three additional Cabinet Members who do not run state departments: Secretary of State John P. McDonough, Secretary of Higher Education James E. Lyons Sr. and Adjutant General James A. Adkins. Their residences are Prince George’s County, Prince George’s County and Dorchester County, respectively. McDonough won the Secretary of State position over Kensington Mayor Pete Fosselman, one of the very tiny number of MoCo electeds who supported O’Malley over Doug Duncan in the 2006 primary.
New Gonzales Poll: O’Malley Holding Steady
A brand new poll by Gonzales Research shows lots of voter concern about the economy but also shows no significant reduction in Governor O’Malley’s approval rating from January. Additionally, U.S. Senator Barbara Mikulski looks to have an easy ride to re-election.
Here are the key findings of the poll, which has not yet been posted on Gonzales’ website.
1. Economy, Health Care and Taxes are Top Issues
The economy is ranked as the top issue by 43% of voters, down from 61% in January. The next most important issues are health care (13%), taxes (12%), the budget deficit (7%) and education (7%). Gonzales says, “The fact that 55% of Maryland voters cite either the economy or taxes as most important issue is a warning signal for incumbent officeholders.”
2. O’Malley’s Approval Rating Nearly Unchanged
The Governor’s approval rating is 48% in September, virtually identical to January’s rating of 49%. His disapproval rating holds steady at 37%. (Incidentally, our readers gave O’Malley a 51% approval rating, almost the same as this finding by Gonzales.)
O’Malley benefits from the partisan slant of the state. Gonzales says, “By party, 68% of Democrats approve of the job O’Malley is doing as governor and 20% say they disapprove; but among Republicans, only 16% approve of the job O’Malley is doing, while 66% disapprove; among independents, 41% approve and 39% disapprove.”
Former Governor Bob Ehrlich has a 42% favorable and 26% unfavorable rating. Former Lieutenant Governor Michael Steele has a 40% favorable and 34% unfavorable rating. O’Malley leads Ehrlich 49-38% in an election matchup. He leads Steele 52-37%.
3. Mikulski Looks Strong
U.S. Senator Barbara Mikulski has a 67% approval rating, her highest in Gonzales’ tracking. Gonzales says, “Among Maryland voters, 55% say they will re-elect Barbara Mikulski next year, only 19% say they’ll definitely vote to replace, while 26% say they would like to consider another candidate… Barbara Mikulski has averaged 67% in her 4 elections… she appears headed toward another easy re-election.”
4. Voters Oppose All Budget Deficit Remedies
Seventy-five percent of the voters say the budget deficit is “a very big problem.” But here are the voters’ reactions to each potential solution for the deficit.
Reduce state aid for public education
Favor: 16%
Oppose: 80%
Reduce state services for the poor
Favor: 22%
Oppose: 70%
Increase the state income tax
Favor: 26%
Oppose: 67%
Reduce state aid for higher education
Favor: 27%
Oppose: 67%
Increase the state sales tax
Favor: 31%
Oppose: 64%
Reduce state funding for environmental programs
Favor: 38%
Oppose: 56%
Reduce state funding for transportation projects
Favor: 40%
Oppose: 51%
5. Many Potential O’Malley Challengers Have Low Name Recognition
The primary is less than a year away. O’Malley’s potential rivals have little time to build their statewide name identification, a key advantage for the Governor.
All in all, the poll is good news for Martin O’Malley but contains some warning signs for incumbents in competitive districts.
Monday, September 21, 2009
MDOT Raises Concerns on Gaithersburg West
The Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) and two of its subordinate organizations, the State Highway Administration (SHA) and the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA), sent a letter of concern to the Montgomery County Council over the pending Gaithersburg West Sector Plan. Their points raise doubt as to whether the plan, which proposes 20 million square feet of commercial space, can pass in its current form.
MDOT’s four-page letter, which we reprint below, raises issues centered around three areas.
1. Sequencing with CCT
MDOT points out that the plan requires realignment of the Corridor Cities Transitway (CCT) through the Life Sciences Center but MDOT has not yet picked an alignment or mode for the project. MDOT says:The entire sector plan requires some form of the CCT (funding, construction etc.) to be in place. We would like to bring to your attention that neither the determination on the feasibility of the realignment or a selection of the locally preferred alternative or mode have been made. We recommend that the sector plan approval be delayed until these decisions are made. The proper sequencing of plans, one for land use and the other for transportation infrastructure, is especially significant in this sector plan. It would be counter-productive to increase the density in the sector plan area if it was revealed that the realignment is not cost-effective and the transit project could not be realized.
2. Cost of Infrastructure Improvements
MDOT estimates the cost of realigning the CCT through the Life Sciences Center and rebuilding interchanges to be $1.3 billion. Additionally, they say that the county’s requests for state projects currently total $800 million and that the cost of improvements to I-270 and the Beltway could exceed $7 billion. MDOT states, “Given the current economic and fiscal climate, we suggest that a financial feasibility analysis be added as part of this document to fully demonstrate the viability of the proposed development program.”
3. Imbalance of Jobs and Housing
MDOT notes that one version of the plan provides for 47,000 more jobs than households in the area, and that the recommendations of the Planning Board may lead to an even bigger imbalance. That imbalance will result in greater commuting levels to Gaithersburg from across the Washington region, and without additional lanes and I-270 ramp modifications, would mean that “over 21,000 new daily trips will be forced onto the local road network resulting in severe congestion.”
Let’s sum this up in one sentence: the Maryland Department of Transportation believes the state may not be able to afford to build the significant number of infrastructure improvements necessary to prevent this plan in its current form from creating gridlock. That’s a serious blow to the advocates of Science City.
MDOT’s letter appears below.
Independent Political Blogs Spank MSM
How do independent political blogs stack up against the mainstream media (MSM) “blogs” run by the Post and the Sun? Let’s have a look.
The MSM never releases their site visit counts, treating them like Cold War secrets. Many independent blogs have no problem with statistical exhibitionism, especially this one. So we need to use a proxy to compare them. One measure that’s easy to find is Google Reader subscribers. These folks get a variety of content through Google and the company releases subscriber counts for each content source. They may be a minority of blog readers, but data on their activity is available for blogs and other sites of all kinds.
Here’s how Maryland’s most prominent state and local political blogs, both independent and MSM, stack up in Google Reader subscribers at the moment:
MPW: 210
Maryland Politics (Sun): 108
Red Maryland: 98
Free State Politics: 67
Howard County: 67
O’Malley Watch: 66
Jay Hancock (Sun): 46
Legum's New Line: 46
Annapolis Capital Punishment: 44
Bay and Environment (Sun): 36
Maryland on My Mind: 35
Maryland Politics Today: 34
Maryland Politics (Post): 32
Baltimore Reporter: 25
Getting There (Sun): 24
Brian Griffiths: 20
Dan Rodricks (Sun): 19
PG Politics: 19
Darkness Rising: 17
Monoblogue: 14
Second Opinion (Sun): 7
Robert McCartney (Post): 3
Now let’s put these counts in perspective. The Maryland blogosphere is still in its infancy. DCist, the King of all DC blogs and part of the Gothamist LLC for-profit network, has 4,018 Google subscribers. Blog audiences still skew heavily urban and none of us in Maryland are any great shakes – yet.
But look at the stats above. Only one MSM political blog – the Sun’s Maryland Politics - is in the state’s top six. If you include MPW, the independent blogs above average 55 subscribers compared to the MSM’s average of 34. Even without MPW, the other independents average 43, still better than the MSM.
The MSM blogs are expensive to produce. First, they need at least one paid full-time writer. That individual could be making eighty grand a year or more in pay and benefits. Second, each of these blogs require some administrative and web staff time. Third, some of the MSM blogs actually have multiple writers. The Sun’s Second Opinion blog has five writers and seven Google subscribers! Meanwhile, the independents are producing their content for free and are actually getting more readers. How can any of this make sense to the corporate bean-counters at MSM headquarters?
The MSM would be better off reprinting the independents’ content and paying them a royalty.
Transportation in Trouble
Starting next year, the State of Maryland will be spending less money on transportation projects than it did nine years ago. That’s right folks, you read that correctly. And if we do nothing, things will get worse.
The Maryland Department of Transportation’s latest draft Consolidated Transportation Program (CTP), the state’s six-year transportation spending plan, establishes a capital budget of $8.9 billion from FY 2010 through FY 2015. That’s well below the state’s peak of $10.6 billion in FY08-13, and even below the FY01-06 level of $9.5 billion.
Here’s the history of MDOT’s six-year capital spending plans from FY92-97 through FY01-06. Note how a strong economy and hikes in federal aid resulted in large increases in transportation funding near the end of this period.
Now look at what happened to transportation spending from FY00-05 through FY10-15. The six-year budget bounced around between $7.7 and $9.5 billion until FY08-13, when the special session’s tax hikes yielded $10.6 billion. However, the poor economy has evaporated those gains.
One factor explains the drop in transportation spending since FY01-06: declining federal aid. In the FY01-06 plan, federal aid totaled $4.2 billion and accounted for 45% of the state’s transportation budget. In the FY10-15 plan, federal aid totaled $3.2 billion – down 25% - and accounted for 36% of the state’s transportation budget. State funding rose by 15% but could not make up for federal stinginess.
Even though total transportation funding is down, transit funding is up. Money for Maryland Transit Administration projects has increased by 19% since FY01-06. WMATA capital support has risen by 9%. Road support has dropped by 12%. Much of this pattern is driven by the O’Malley administration, which has directed a greater percentage of resources towards transit than its predecessor.
Despite transit increases, new project construction is scant compared to the state’s needs. The chart below shows additions and subtractions from MDOT’s construction program since FY01-06. The only plan year that contained a big increase in construction additions was FY05-10, during which the ICC, I-95 improvements northeast of Baltimore and the Red Line were all added to the construction program. (The Red Line has $99 million of authorized right-of-way and construction spending while the Purple Line has zero.) The recession’s decimation of the special session tax hikes caused a gigantic retrenchment of minus $468 million last year. And of this year’s ten new projects (at a comparatively puny cost of $124 million), none are in Montgomery County.
So despite the state spending more of its own money on transportation, our capital spending plan is down 6% over the last nine years. But that understates the extent of our problem. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the following producer price increases in construction-related commodities between 2001 and 2008:
Construction Machinery: 24%
Ready-Mixed Concrete: 41%
Paints: 42%
Construction Sand, Gravel and Crushed Stone: 47%
Iron and Steel: 125%
Asphalt: 184%
Gasoline: 191%
Clearly, we are getting FAR less real product for our tax dollars today than we were nine years ago.
What about future revenues? MDOT says this:The largest decrease in revenues continues to be seen in the titling tax as sales of light vehicles continue a downward trend. Nationwide 2009 light vehicle sales are projected to be down 20-24 percent from calendar year 2008. Most forecasters predict that light vehicle sales will reach the lowest point in the latter half of calendar year 2009 and then begin to recover.
Translation: without a tax hike, the situation will get worse.
In addition, consumers are continuing to shift away from purchases of SUVs toward smaller, less expensive and more fuel-efficient vehicles. This trend has recently increased with the federal CAR Allowance Rebate System (CARS) or “cash for clunkers” program. The CAR Allowance Rebate System (CARS) is a $3 billion government program that helps consumers buy or lease a more environmentally-friendly vehicle from a participating dealer when they trade in a less fuel-efficient car or truck. The program is designed to energize the economy; boost auto sales and put safer, cleaner and more fuel-efficient vehicles on the nation’s roadways. While the trend to smaller cars is positive with respect to transportation’s impact on the environment, it will result in significant decreases in revenue for transportation programs.
Why is all this so important? Consider the following facts reported by the state’s own transportation plan: Our transportation system is increasingly inefficient due to traffic congestion and dispersed land use patterns. Over the next 20 years, Maryland’s 6.2 million acres of land will be home to 547,000 households, 762,000 jobs and more than 6.6 million people. Maryland’s growing population will increase demands on our land, water and air as well as demands on our man-made infrastructure. Developed land has consumed about 1.3 million acres of Maryland. Although it took 300 years to develop the first 650,000 acres in our State, it took a mere 30 years to develop the second.
This is an enormous challenge. Given the above facts about our transportation budget, can anyone believe we are ready?
The average household size is decreasing and therefore with the population increase statewide, it will take more houses to hold us. Fueled by improvements in transportation infrastructure and a differential in housing costs and consumer demand, residential development is increasingly dispersed and employment has followed.
By 2026, licensed drivers are expected to increase in Maryland by more than 23% and the number of registered vehicles is expected to increase by 40%.
Congestion is increasing as demand for the movement of people and goods increase.
Until last year, Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) has increased every year since WWII. In 2006, Marylanders drove 57 billion vehicle miles, an average of 10,000 miles per person. This represents a 40% increase from VMT in 1990, a growth rate that significantly outpaces growth in both population (17%) and new lane miles (8%) during the same time period.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
MCEA President Doug Prouty Welcomes Members Back to School
Politicians, pay attention. This is a new kind of labor leader.
County Executive Comments on Growth Policy
Jim Humphrey, Chair of the Montgomery County Civic Federation's Land Use Committee, wrote this column in reference to the County Executive's comments on the new growth policy.
"Federation Corner" column
The Montgomery Sentinel - September 17, 2009
County Executive comments on growth policy
by Jim Humphrey, Chair, MCCF Planning and Land Use Committee
This week's Federation Corner is a follow-up to the column published last week ("County Executive silent on plans to improve traffic tests," Montgomery Sentinel--September 10, 2009). In that column, I asked why County Executive Ike Leggett had been so slow to weigh in on making improvements to the transportation test approved by the County Council as part of the growth policy two years ago, since at that time he declared it was not effective, reliable or easily understood.
This past Tuesday, September 15, Mr. Leggett transmitted a memo to Council containing his comments on the new round of changes to the growth policy being proposed by the Planning Board, and in that memo he reiterates his concern about the transportation test adopted in 2007.
"A key concern that I raised two years ago is that the test for transportation capacity, 'Policy Area Mobility Review' or 'PAMR,' is fundamentally flawed," Leggett states in his September 15 memo. "Despite Planning Board review of PAMR, they did not recommend an alternative to PAMR."
"Montgomery County needs a Growth Policy that results in achieving balance in the timing of private development and public infrastructure to avoid failure of our transportation system, overburdening of schools or economic stagnation through moratoria," the County Executive continued. "The importance of a sound Growth Policy is even more compelling with the recent action of the Council removing staging from the Germantown Employment Center Sector Plan. If staging of development is not to be included in Master Plans, then the role of the Growth Policy remains a key mechanism to ensure that there will be adequate public facilities to support new development."
Now that sounds like the same County Executive who summed up his concerns with the growth policy transportation test in a 2007 Washington Post editorial by stating "We need a new traffic test to ensure that adequate road and transit capacity is in place before development goes forward. Tests are not tests if everyone gets a passing grade. What we put on paper should reflect the reality that county residents experience on the roads every day. We should not adopt a policy that claims there is adequate transportation infrastructure to accommodate growth in any area where the traffic stacks up regularly."
I am still puzzled that Mr. Leggett has taken two years to work on an alternative to PAMR, something he said could and should be done by mid-2008. Still, I am pleased to note his resolve in completing that effort in the next six to nine months, and offering an improved transportation test to Council for their consideration by the middle of next year.
"We need an alternative to PAMR," Mr. Leggett forcefully states in his memo submitted to Council this week. "I have directed the Department of Transportation to hire a consultant who will work to develop a workable alternative to PAMR. Through that effort, which will include outreach to Planning Board and Council staffs, specific stakeholders and the general public, I expect we will have a series of policy discussions that should lead to a more transparent and easily understood Policy Area (Transportation) Review."
I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the Council and Planning Board staff will work in earnest with the Executive Branch in crafting reliable, effective and easily understood tests for traffic and transit capacity to ensure there is adequate infrastructure before allowing new development projects to go forward. After all, that's the law in Montgomery County--the Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance. And the key purpose of the growth policy, as Mr. Leggett notes, is in implementing that law by staging the pace of growth to match the ability of the county government to provide supportive infrastructure to accommodate that growth.
In his September 15 memo, the County Executive included comments on several other changes to the Growth Policy which the Planning Board has recommended to the County Council. And a great many of those comments are in line with the Growth Policy position which the delegates to the Montgomery County Civic Federation adopted at our September 14 monthly meeting. We can only hope that the County Council will pay close attention to the County Executive, the Civic Federation, and county residents concerned about increasing traffic congestion, inadequate transit and overburdened schools, when they hold their hearing on the Growth Policy the evening of September 22.
The views expressed in this column do not necessarily reflect formal positions adopted by the Federation. To submit an 800-1000 word column for consideration, send as an email attachment to theelms518@earthlink.net
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Franchot Releases Re-Election Video
Here's the email he sent to his supporters:
From: Peter Franchot
To: [List]
Sent: Fri Sep 18 09:45:20 2009
Subject: My Announcement
Dear Supporter,
I'm in. Today, I officially filed papers seeking re-election as your Comptroller.
When I was elected Comptroller three years ago, I made a promise to serve the people of Maryland as an independent voice and a fiscal watchdog. I've kept that promise, and with your help we've made the Comptroller's office a national model for innovative taxpayer service, tax compliance, and responsible fiscal management.
Just moments ago, I filed for re-election. Watch the video we just shot before the filing. Then, please, make a generous contribution to help us meet our $15,000 goal. I need your help.
WATCH THE VIDEO AND MAKE A CONTRIBUTION!
We've accomplished so much already. We've made it so much easier for the vast majority of taxpayers who do the right thing and pay their fair share. We've collected hundreds of millions of dollars from major corporations that tried to shun their fair share through tax avoidance schemes. We are taking advantage of state-of-the-art technology to identify delinquent taxpayers and settle their accounts. We've even reunited Marylanders with over $160 million in unclaimed property!
I've joined with Governor O'Malley on the Board of Public Works to reinforce the State's 25% Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) goal, and have been a leading advocate of "green" businesses such as those in Maryland's growing life sciences, computer services and wine industries. As Vice-Chairman of the State Retirement and Pension System, I've worked to preserve the hard-earned financial security of working families across Maryland.
We've done so much together, but now is not the time to be complacent. We expect a hard fought campaign next year. It's why I need your help now to raise $15,000 by September 30th. Now more than ever, we need an independent voice and a fiscal watchdog in the Comptroller's Office, one who stands up for the taxpayers. Please, contribute $25, $50, $100 or more by September 30th.
WATCH THE VIDEO AND CONTRIBUTE $25, $50, $100 or MORE!
Thanks so much for your time and support.
Sincerely,
Peter Franchot
P.S. After you contribute, visit franchot.com to watch the crab fill up toward our goal!
To unsubscribe from future mailings, click here.
By Authority: Friends of Peter Franchot, Tom Gentile, Treasurer
Friday, September 18, 2009
Herman Taylor Closer to Running Against Donna Edwards
Check out this secret dispatch from the spies!
Delegate Herman Taylor (D-14) sent out this email to his supporters on Wednesday:From: Team Taylor [mailto:d14.gov@gmail.com]
Here's the invite. Anyone want to crash it?
Sent: Wednesday, September 16, 2009 11:04 PM
To: Herman Taylor's Office
Subject: Delegate Taylor's Poolside Reception this Saturday
Dear Friend,
I am exploring the possibility of a campaign for a higher position, and I would really appreciate your advice and input over the next couple of weeks as I come to a decision. Therefore, I would like to personally invite you to a Poolside Reception at the home of two very good friends, Randi and Karen Payton. There, we’ll have the chance to talk further about my plans.
The food for the event is being provided by one of my favorite restaurants in Prince George’s County, Carolina Kitchen. This will be a fun filled evening with great food and great networking. This is not a fundraiser; however anyone who wishes to donate to my cause is welcome to do so.
This is an invitation only event. If you plan on attending, please RSVP to ensure your name is on the list. I look forward to seeing you there.
The Paytons live at 1215 Heritage Hills Drive, Upper Marlboro, Maryland 20774.
Warmly,
Herman Taylor
Was This a Legal Robocall?
Delegate Luiz Simmons (D-17) sent out a robocall into his district on Monday without an authority line. Was that legal?
On September 14, many residents of Rockville and Gaithersburg received this phone message:This is Lou Simmons, your State Delegate. Recently your District 17 legislative team mailed you our Annapolis Report. Together with Senator Forehand and Delegates Barve and Gilchrist, we have made some tough decisions and there are tough decisions ahead in 2010. Please contact me at delegatesimmons@aol.com or call me on 301-589-6400 to share your suggestions and ideas.
Section 1-101 of Maryland’s election code defines an individual as a candidate if “a campaign finance entity has been established on behalf of that individual.” Delegate Simmons clearly qualifies. Section 1-101 also defines campaign materials as “any material that… relates to a candidate” and includes “an oral commercial campaign advertisement,” in other words, robocalls. Section 13-401 requires all campaign materials, whether they are distributed by candidates or not, to include authority lines listing the name and address of the campaign treasurer or other entity distributing the message. We have caught both Robin Ficker and the Parents Coalition breaking this rule before.
This is Delegate Lou Simmons. Thanks for listening.
We sent the following email of inquiry.Dear Delegate Simmons:
He responded:
My name is Adam Pagnucco. I am the author of Maryland Politics Watch blog (http://maryland-politics.blogspot.com/).
I am writing about a recent robocall you made in District 17. Can you tell me whether taxpayer money or campaign funds were used to finance the call? And can you explain why the call lacked an authority line?
Thank you, Adam PagnuccoDear Adam Thank you for your note. I think it very exciting that you have a Blog. I have not read it. Is this a high school project? Which high school do you attend. We need good journalists today. There so many bloggers today who write scurrilous items without respect for the facts. I am happy to respond to your questions. First I sent out a call to my district on Monday. The call will be paid for from my personal funds. I pay for thousands of dollars of constituent oriented expense from personal funds. The state does not give you much money for staff and outreach etc. The call was not a campaign call and so, in my opinion, it does not require an authority line. The call was part of my periodic outreach to the community I serve. The call begins with me identifying clearly who I am, the purpose of my call, and gives both my email address and telephone number. I hope this is responsive to your inquiry. If you and your class would like to visit Annapolis during the next session I would be happy to arrange it. I wish you success in all of your endeavors and trust you will always be faithful to the highest standards of the profession. Sincere Warm wishes, Luiz
Delegate Simmons says this was just “outreach to the community” and is exempt from state election law. We find no such exemption in the state code. If anyone can, please bring it to our attention. Furthermore, unlike End-of-Session letters written by state staff in Annapolis, this call referred recipients to the Delegate’s private email address. Is that sort of solicitation really outside the state’s regulatory scope? Finally, let’s recall that Simmons is a lawyer who should be sensitive to these types of issues.
Here’s our advice: if there’s any question as to whether a communication is political or is directly related to government service, just throw on the authority line. It’s quick. It’s easy. And you won’t have your email asking a 39-year-old Dad to bring his high school classmates to Annapolis published anywhere. We promise!
Thursday, September 17, 2009
What People Are Looking For on MPW
Our new Statcounter premium account enables us to pay close attention to which subjects draw the most page views. This is unique political intel on what makes Maryland’s cyberspace buzz! And as usual, we provide it to our esteemed readers free of charge. Who loves you more than we do?
Among the 100,000 page views we drew between May 30 and August 23, here are the most-viewed blog posts:
1. Pols Party While Budget Burns
2. More Warnings of State Budget Apocalypse
3. How to Save Money on Your Electric Bill Right Now
4. People with Development Disabilities at Risk of Losing Services
5. Is WMATA Management Starting to Crack?
6. The MACO Moment
7. Young Guns of MoCo Part Two
8. MACO Mushroom Cloud
9. Young Guns of MoCo Part Four
10. Funniest Facebook Status of the Day
11. Ten Random Questions
12. Saqib Ali and Nancy King Discuss Progressive Issues Part Two
13. Eli El’s Domestic Abuse Record
14. Democrats for Pelura
15. Single Tracking is a Terrible Idea Except When it’s a Good One
16. Red Line Opposition is Good News for MoCo Transit Supporters
17. Saqib Ali and Nancy King Discuss Progressive Issues Part One
18. Is Leggett Undermining Navarro on Day One?
19. Why CCT Supporters Should Give BRT a Chance
20. Dereck Davis vs. Jim Rosapepe on Electricity Reregulation
Now here’s something interesting. What are people searching for on MPW? We found out the search terms used by people to find MPW content, usually on Google, and combined it with the terms that had the greatest number of searches once people arrived on the blog. Now in most cases, people searched on “Maryland Politics Watch,” “Maryland political blog” or some variant thereof to find us. We excluded those terms since they are little more than identifiers for MPW. Here are the remaining terms that drew the greatest number of searches to and inside this blog:
1. Montgomery
2. WSSC
3. Saqib Ali
4. Budget
5. Pagnucco
6. Taxes
7. Facebook
8. Blair Ewing
9. O'Malley
10. MACO
11. Boy King
12. Purple Line
13. Baltimore
14. Sligo Golf
15. Electric Bill
16. I-270
17. Eli El
18. Slots
19. Helicopter
20. Cheryl Kagan
What a list! This is what caught our eye:
WSSC
The MSM may occasionally relax their coverage on WSSC, but the issue never goes away. Discontent with WSSC is always simmering because people constantly struggle with perpetual matters like dirty water, small outages, street repaving problems and the like that really add up. Then when a big pipe bursts, the frustration boils over.
Here’s a prediction: if County Executive Ike Leggett draws a quality challenger and someone dies because of another River Road-style pipe break, that challenger will make major hay by framing it as a failure of leadership. You read it here first.
Saqib Ali
We all knew he was the King of Facebook, but it turns out that Saqib Ali is the Emperor of all on-line media. He has surely earned that title with his serial Facebook updates, Twitterings and constant MSM and blog coverage. We’ll see if his cyber-domination can actually translate into enough votes to beat District 39 Senator Nancy King if he challenges her.
Helicopter
The MSM may have woken up to the County Executive’s helicopter grab late, but this is a sleeper issue. It symbolizes the sort of county government cluelessness that first materialized during the $65,000 bathroom scandal. People are paying a LOT more attention to this than anyone in the Executive Branch wants.
Cheryl Kagan
Her hyper-charged insurgent campaign for Jennie Forehand’s District 17 Senate seat is drawing lots of interest. No current challenger equals her energy at the moment. This is yet another sign that Forehand has a big, big race on her hands.
We’ll have more exclusive intel on our next batch of 100,000 page views, probably in the fall. Stay tuned!
Support Inclusion of an All-Transit Alternative
By Marc Korman.
Earlier in the summer, the Action Committee for Transit (ACT), an organization I am a member of, released an all-transit alternative to the I-270/US 15 Multi-Modal Corridor project, popularly known as the widening of I-270 and construction of the Corridor Cities Transitway. The proposal has helped spur the debate as to whether we need to expand the highway and how much emphasis the county and state should put on transit.
As Adam wrote last month, Senator Brian Frosh sent a letter to the Governor encouraging him to add the study of the all-transit alternative to the Maryland Department of Transportation’s work on the I-270/US 15 Multi-Modal Corridor Project project. Senator Frosh was joined on the letter by Senators Madaleno, Lenett, and Raskin. Members of the House of Delegates agreed with ACT and Senator Frosh and sent their own letter promoting an all-transit alternative earlier in September, as Adam posted.
No one is better at crunching the numbers than Adam, but in my view his characterization of the Senate letter as “daft” was a poor adjective to use. I suspect all of the elected officials who signed the all-transit alternative letter agree with Adam that the county should be careful about suggesting they are not interested in transportation funding. That is why it is a good thing, not a bad thing, that these letters were sent when they were. Any action on the I-270 corridor study is years away and no decisions have been made yet. If elements of the all-transit alternative are going to be included, those considerations need to be taken into account now.
Adam also raised some concerns about ACT’s methods in promoting an all-transit alternative. As best I can tell, most of Adam’s specific objections could be satisfied if the state would study ACT’s proposal. Whether the transit options could pass the Federal Transit Administration’s Cost Effectiveness Index (CEI) is a question that the study could help answer and I do not believe we should assume the answer is no without further examination. As a side note, the feds’ current overreliance on the CEI could be changed at any time by the Obama Administration and remain consistent with the current law, which includes other factors when considering transit funding. Congress could also reform the law in support of the Administration’s focus on transit.
The question of how much the projects within the all-transit alternative would cost are also ones the state study could answer. ACT’s current numbers are based on work done by the 2001 Transportation Policy Task Force, but updated and more detailed costs could be determined by a state study. Adam rightly points out that Purple Line opponents invested in a third party study, but that was only after trying to convince the state to study their preferred option first.
Adam’s final assessment that ACT should use the downsides to I-270 expansion such as increased pollution and adverse effects to forests and wetlands is a bit baffling to me. First, ACT’s goal is not to simply torpedo the I-270 project. Their goal is to promote transit in the county. Second, we should want opponents of projects to offer meaningful alternatives and not just negative pronouncements of proposals.
If Adam is serious about his concerns, he should support the effort to add an all-transit alternative to the I-270 study. In fact, anyone interested in finding the best solution for I-270 traffic should embrace the study this early in the process.
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