Will Wicomico county succumb to the city of Salisbury’s grand scheme to provide free taxes to a lucky few in the Horizon Zone ? Little is known about the grand plan other than five ,ten or even twenty years of no taxes for any new buildings with a cost of 10 million or more in the zone. Councilmember Bill McCain said that there was no plan but lets just pass it and then see what happens. While the rest of the property owners in the city and county pay up every year and now are facing increased assessments four members of the county council, Cannon, Davis, Hastings and McCain voted to send a letter of support to the local delegation so this could be approved at the state level . Our State delegates and senators need to hear from the taxpayers on this . This is a slap in the face of every taxpayer in Wicomico County , while touted as a economical program it is nothing more than a bailout for the rich and famous of Wicomico County. Also call Wicomico county and voice your concerns. 410 548 4801
Risk taking is part of business. Bailouts to preferred
customers under the guise of the greater good are
both theft and a lie.
Once again Canon, realtor, votes against fellow conservatives for protection of the citizens and in favor of his developer buddies. 2022 election it’s time for him to go.
Can someone tell me what the acting county executive has done since taking office. Does he have a opinion on this? When asked about the B.O.E. and input by taxpayers and council members he had no comment. Just sit on the 3rd floor and pull that easy 85k in.
Try $122K, not 85!
There was no reduction for the “acting “ executive. What does that smell like?
And why is Strausburg still being paid as a consultant? Why hasn’t anyone been appointed for Deputy Director of Administration? Psota filling 3 positions. I guess it’s easier for the puppeteers to control 1!
McCain, Cannon, Davis & Hastings are either slum lords or business owners trying to make more on those without the clout, money and media attention we are tired of them getting what they want all the time while more of us declare bankrupcy, worry about holding on to our homes and watch our neighborhoods decline at their hands more every year. Time for them all to go away bankrupt another town , since Bob as the County Executive is no longer here we have no one to hear much less fight for us. I say it all the time but all of us that drive up route 13 North can see businesses that haven’t been painted in 50 years or more, and tire stores and piles of tires on both sides of Rt 13. Why doesn’t someone get after the businesses to either clean up or abandon the properties (which they have already done) and sell to business owners that will make a difference, and do the right thing instead of more slum lords like the ones listed above.
All Wicomico taxpayers need to familiarize themselves with this proposal and the way it was introduced. Go to PAC 14 on December-1st and view the meeting. Note the following:
1. timing of when this was introduced – during the beginning of the Christmas season when everyone is focusing on Christmas and how to protect their families against Covid.
2. the inability of the two Salisbury representatives to present a professional presentation. They were unable to answer many of the questions presented by the council members. When one presenter went off script, the other tried to get that person to stop talking by pulling on their arm.
3. it appeared that they fully expected to come away from this meeting with a full agreement by the Council
4. the actions by some members of the Council was definitely not in favor of protecting the taxpayers. The “Nancy Pelosi” attitude of “we have all the information we need right now so let’s sign this and fill in the details later,” should sound a high : “Red Alert Taxpayers”.
5. the were four Council members who at a later session were the same ones who didn’t want any type of public hearing on this proposal. I believe if you listen carefully you’ll hear one member even say that its really not required. ( Yeah right! Let’s turn this into The Bank of Wicomico and just keep it quiet). As you will notice this proposal has been kept pretty quiet. Why?
6. on the PAC-14 video you can see that some Council members are in a terrible rush to get this done during this legislative session and that is why they should sign it now and fill in the detail later. Now folks, in my personal opinion, this proposal wasn’t just thought about overnight. It was carefully planned out long before that presentation. I believe it was presented to the City of Salisbury by a group of developers in the Salisbury Area Chamber of Commerce and I surely don’t know who they all are and why didn’t they assist in the presentation instead of letting the two city representatives flounder around. Perhaps it was purposely presented at this time just to rush it through. What’s your thoughts?
What I expect to happen if this does pass then the next action you will see is one of the four council members who wants this action will then introduce, ” A Resolution” that will authorize the same four council members to vote in favor of granting huge tax credits to the developers”. ( and yes taxpayers at this time where will those tax credis come from ?). When I first saw this presentation it reminded me of something my grandmother use to say to me,” Never use your own money if you can use someone’s else’s. ).
Now I’m all in favor of development in Wicomico County. I would like to see someone come up with a plan to bring back manufacturing and permanent jobs back to the county which in turn will create a need for residential development such as that proposed.
Just out of curiosity. How many people remember that not so long ago Salisbury made this great pitch of why we needed this large building on the waterfront that would become the Art Center of the Eastern Shore. It would bring in the artists, the musicians, the singers and so forth and we just had to have it. What happened there? Anyone want to elaborate?
I believe our Eastern Shore Delegation needs to provide some protection for the taxpayers and not just say ” well it’s really up to your Council”. That’s an easy way out. The vote to get this measure should show them how this will go. I propose they should delay this measure until the taxpayers and voters will have some reassurance that they will not become the “Bank Of Wicomico”. So what say you Delegation, are you going to get creative or just pass the buck?
I know I will get all kinds of nasty comments on this but I’ve never been shy to put my name on what I believe in. At this point I do not believe this legislation is in the best interests of the taxpayers and voters of Wicomico County.
John Palmer, Delmar, Md.
Thank you, John. I so agree with you. This is nothing more than the same scam they used for the “Arts Camp” on the river. Ten million dollars of tax money the lowly citizens will have to come up with. Keep up the fight, sir.