What forum for discussion of home rule in St. Mary's
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NorthBeachPerso
Honorary SMIB
I'd say you just did.
Is this real home rule (like having municipal governments and incorporated towns) or just fewer checks on county government from the state?
Forkian
Member
Take it to Politics and Govt.
kom526
They call me ... Sarcasmo
The latter
The discussion of where some of you think we should get rid of the County Commissioners?
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Hmm...lessee. Sounds like the subject is about Life in Southern Maryland. Where would that best go?...thinking...thinking...
3CATSAILOR
Well-Known Member
The Commissioners will have you believe it is the best thing since Swiss Cheese. Changing our current form of government which we have had for a long, long time is the wrong answer. Why try to fix something that isn't broken? Only someone that doesn't understand politics would try to do that.
I'd like some opinions as well. I'm undecided because there are benefits and drawbacks to both.
awpitt
Main Streeter
You're right. It is a new thing that many of us don't know a whole lot about. One for sure, under our current form of govt, state delegates and senators from PG and Baltimore get to make decisions about local laws in St. Mary's County yet they are in no way accountable to the voters in St. Mary's County. On top of that, our local state delegation has no decision making powers over PG and Baltimore. Just doesn't seem right.
Here's the discussion in Politics:
http://forums.somd.com/threads/3143...-code-county-as-proposed-by-the-commissioners
http://forums.somd.com/threads/3143...-code-county-as-proposed-by-the-commissioners
That's true, but as I understand it there's been an unwritten rule in the Legislature that delegates/senators do not oppose things requested from/for other counties. For example, St. Mary's County wants to implement a new regulation that requires Legislature approval. Assuming that the St. Mary's delegation to the Legislature is on-board with the new regulation, delegates/senators from the other counties would not oppose it.
awpitt
Main Streeter
Well, I've heard that too but it hasn't always been true in practice. What ends up happening is that delegates/senators from the other counties will hold local legislation hostage in exchange for support for other legislation. So, that unwritten rule you mentioned is in name only.
awpitt
Main Streeter
Here's a Power Point presentation about Code Home Rule... http://www.stmarysmd.com/docs/PPCodeHomeRuleGovernmentDraft9-21-15.pptx
More often than not, the unwritten rule works. Which is why it is like checks and balances.
What is interesting is when the local delegation does not support something coming up from the county. I believe that happened a few years back when Roy Dyson didn't support something from St. Mary's. I don't remember the specifics, but possibly someone else here does.
awpitt
Main Streeter
It was over the commissioners wanting to build a new courthouse. Dyson was against it because of the cost and wanting to preserve the existing courthouse. Dyson didn't not support state money for the project. Instead, the existing courthouse received and addition and renovation which has worked out great. Code Home Rule would've had nothing to do with this as it was an issue about state money being provided or not. This had nothing to do with local legislation.
resident21613
Member
Need to do more research. I am curious what the pro and cons of a Charter form of government are since it is the most popular form. Looks like with the exception of Charles, all of the home-rule counties are significantly smaller in population than St. Mary's.