What services do you think we should get? (could be another poll question for you):Is So. Maryland lacking adequate services for the high taxes we pay?
What services do you think we should get? (could be another poll question for you):
Professional firefighters?
Professional medical treatment in ambulances?
Sufficient police?
Garbage pickup?
Enough water for most?
Enough classrooms for all the students?
{add yours here}
What services do you think we should get? (could be another poll question for you):
Professional firefighters?
Professional medical treatment in ambulances?
Sufficient police?
Garbage pickup?
Enough water for most?
Enough classrooms for all the students?
{add yours here}
Anne Arundels police and fire depts have command posts, boats, helicoptors, armored vehicles, etc. I don't think I've seen any of the above in Calvert. .
For the garbage, it's the "IF" part that's wrong - like water and sewer that should be a part of what you pay for in your taxes.I would agree with the classrooms, more police officers (although the ones we have are good), garbage pickup is available IF you pay for it.
I'd have to disagree with the Firefighters and EMT - the ones we have are highly trained, passionate individuals that give a ton of thier own personal time to help save the lives of others. I commend them for thier duties and give them many thanks
And, let's be serious - they are paid. They're paid with the schooling, the tax breaks, etc. How many "calls" (or, drive-bys right as the call goes out) does a f/f have to make to meet his/her quota of calls to get the tax break? It actually works out to a reasonable hourly wage.
Is So. Maryland lacking adequate services for the high taxes we pay?
$3,500/year, non-taxable, off of state taxesCare to show references for that claim?
If you think that making 50 calls in one year equals 50 hours of actual effort, you are using JPC logic.$3,500/year, non-taxable, off of state taxes
50 points required for benefit
(from personal observation)Half of the points can be gotten with a "drive-by" call
But, let's not even take that into account. 50 calls/year at about 1 hour/call = 50 hours per year.
$3,500/50 hours = $70/hour untaxable.
Not good enough? Make the calls and attend at least one meeting a month. For two hours!
$3,500/74 hours = $47.30/hour, untaxable.
So, yes, I feel they're getting paid. To do their hobby.
Now, their hobby supports all of us, and they do what most won't. Don't get me wrong. I'm all in favor of at least having the volunteers (as opposed to no one at all). I just think we pay more than enough property tax and state tax to justify someone who does it professionally. At least in PF, Leonardtown, California, Lex Park....... Maybe not in Ridge? Valley Lee? Maybe volunteer is good enough for there.
If you live in Baltimore, Annapolis, or the suburbs of those cities, I'm sure you're getting some bang for your buck.
I'm seeing some road improvements down here ... I guess that's something.
Although I'd like to see more intersections turned into roundabouts. Those things are great.
Those are all choices, though. Training for many is done as a part of their job - the one they get paid for for real. Not for all, but for many. The time issue you state (two hours vice one) may be true sometimes, but other times it's 10 minutes vice an hour, so I was averaging - some things which meet the requirements for calls are turnarounds before they ever get anywhere.If you think that making 50 calls in one year equals 50 hours of actual effort, you are using JPC logic.
I am not a volunteer, but I do know many of them and I see the time they actually put into it. I strongly recommend that you get better acquainted with how it works before making such a baseless accusation.
I'll give you one quick example: an EMT that rides in the ambulance. Each call takes at least two hours, more often three. Add to that training time and drills. Next, count the time they are on call.
Most of these people I know put in hundreds of hours. Anyone that only put in 50 or 74 per year would not be welcome in most departments.
...or the RNC.Congratulations on creating the most biased, ambiguous poll in history. Have you considered applying for a job with the DNC or Zogby?
Been driving thru beautiful downtown Lusby lately?
Those are all choices, though. Training for many is done as a part of their job - the one they get paid for for real. Not for all, but for many. The time issue you state (two hours vice one) may be true sometimes, but other times it's 10 minutes vice an hour, so I was averaging - some things which meet the requirements for calls are turnarounds before they ever get anywhere.
I do know many of these people. I do know, in general, how the process works at many houses. And, I do know that there are the few that put in hundreds and hundreds of hours per year, earning far more than the pittance of support they get.
There are also the minimum requirements, which is what I was alluding to.
I'll state it again; I'm not speaking derogatorily to the volunteers - they do what most people won't do, and it helps the neighbors a great deal. These men and women that volunteer their time for nothing more than a few thousand dollars of tax relief and (what is it, $500/month) retirement pay are grossly underpaid for the sacrifices they make. I just think we pay enough in property and state taxes to get professionals due to the high volume of calls in many areas (Bay District, L'town, Lex Park, Prince Frederick, etc.).
I live there.
It's a mess - but I think the payoff will be worth it.
Besides, that particular spot is one of the very few places in this god-forsaken area where there is actually more than a single solitary way to get from point A to Point B.
Thank you for volunteering!Don't get me started on this. You are full of shiat! I was a volunteer for 16 years in this county as an EMT. If you think that tax break is enough for all the time and effort it takes, I challenge you to volunteer for a year and see if it's worth it. MOST do it for other reasons, not a piddlely little tax break! And the last I heard, 20 years of volunteering only gets ya about $200.00 a month AFTER the age of 65. Do the figures on that and tell me how much they are getting paid!
It's not even worth the effort for me to type this. YOU are probably one of the many who take advantage of the volunteer system because you think if you call that ambulance at two o'clock in the morning because you broke a finger nail, you'll get seen quicker in the ER. I sincerely hope you never require the assistance of our VOLUNTEER rescue/fire department.
Tax credit (off the tax bill, not off of income). The IRS started taxing this benefit, and the lobby got that squashed just recently.Is the $3500 a deduction from taxable income or a tax credit?
Not that I'd sneeze at either, but most people get about that reduction in income or more by simply putting money into a 401(k) or flex spending account.