Mary M. Washington

[awpitt]

The St. Mary's BOE representatives get paid something like $4000 a year. Why would anyone want to run?

The BOE spots are not considered a full time job. The $4000 is meant to cover time they spend in meetings and other expenses associated with the position.

 

[Dymphna]

To make a difference :shrug:

That's a nice warm fuzzy goal, but the reality is if you work a 9-5 job, you have to take off work a minimum of once per month to attend a board meeting. That's fine for some, but a lot of employers aren't too understanding about their employees taking on an obligation that they KNOW will take them out of the office like that. Then, BOE members must also spend some time in their offices, doing the practical duties of the job, making phone calls, reading proposals, etc. Then there's one board meeting a month that is in the evening. Then there is a certain expectation that members put in appearances at school functions like graduations, school concerts, special events, etc. Some of these are during the day, some during the evening.

Many of the Board members sign on "to make a difference" because they have children in the school system and they see ways they think it can be improved. But because they have children, they have afterschool activities as well, which may or may not conflict with all those special events, evening meetings, time in the office etc.

It's all well and good to want to make a difference, but the reality is that it's not practical for $4000 a year. That's why these candidates run unopposed and when there is the occasional newbie getting elected to the board, many of them are in for one term and disappear.

 

[Dymphna]

The BOE spots are not considered a full time job. The $4000 is meant to cover time they spend in meetings and other expenses associated with the position.

But anyone worth having in the position will be spending more than $4000 worth of time doing it. I can't find the salaries of the other local counties online now, although I saw them a few years ago. I don't remember about Calvert, but Charles pays qute a bit more...something more in line with the real amount of time needed to do a good job.

 

[awpitt]

But anyone worth having in the position will be spending more than $4000 worth of time doing it. I can't find the salaries of the other local counties online now, although I saw them a few years ago. I don't remember about Calvert, but Charles pays qute a bit more...something more in line with the real amount of time needed to do a good job.

I agree. I know all the BOE members, except for Gary, on a personal level and am aware of how much time each puts into their BOE job.

The Enterprise put out their endorsements today....

Southern Maryland





.

 

[ImnoMensa]

But look beyond what Hoyer has done and continues to do to bring federal resources to Southern Maryland and there is another reason to return him to Congress. He is the strongest and most powerful voice moderate and conservative Democrats have in the House of Representatives. He speaks to them and for them. He also has a solid working relationship with the Republican leadership. In a year when many are predicting that the Democrats will increase their majorities in Congress, Hoyer can be an important voice to keep his colleagues from pushing an agenda that drifts farther and faster from the center than voters may intend.

Are they $hitting us? A voice for Moderate and Conservative Democrats??
A working relationship with Republicans??
an important voice to keep his colleagues from pushing an agenda that drifts farther and faster from the center than voters may intend.

Whoever wrote this is an idiot.

85% of his constituents asked him not to vote fot the bailout and he told them to Go #### themselves.

 

[awpitt]

Are they $hitting us? A voice for Moderate and Conservative Democrats??
A working relationship with Republicans??
an important voice to keep his colleagues from pushing an agenda that drifts farther and faster from the center than voters may intend.

Whoever wrote this is an idiot.

85% of his constituents asked him not to vote fot the bailout and he told them to Go #### themselves.

Where'd you get that number from?

 

[Ken King]

Where'd you get that number from?

Come on Tony, you know where it came from, Hoyer himself.

Hoyer: We are in the eye of the storm
Meredith MacKenzie

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) likened the U.S. financial crisis to a hurricane saying that if any bailout bill passes the House it will be “the eye of the storm.” He recalled the scenes of devastation left by the recent powerful storms Ike and Katrina, saying that if emergency bailout legislation does not pass there will be broad damage nationwide.

Hoyer began his regular sit down with reporters by summing up the changes made to the bailout bill since it failed to pass in the House on Monday. Hoyer said that the new bill had more transparency and oversight including a congressionally-appointed oversight board. There have also been taxpayer protections added to the legislation. One of these provisions will give equity in any potential payback to the residents of all states equally. There is also an outline for assessment of how the government-owned assets are doing in the market. After five years out, if these mortgages and mortgage-backed securities have not yielded significant returns a fee will be paid by the financial industry at large to cover the government’s costs. Hoyer also reassured the press that the portions of struggling companies that the federal government plans to buy will not involve them in any voting on company boards, “We are not going to get into the business of the government running private companies,” Hoyer said.

Hoyer said that while calls to his congressional office continue to have three to one of constituent callers against the bailout, the number has gone down from six to one early in the week. Hoyer said people saw the effect of the bill’s failure on the state of the market. The significant loss caused people to recognize the downside of not passing some kind of financial intervention. “People saw on Monday the direct impact on them,” he said. “Then the wind started to whip up on this hurricane.”

The Democratic leader said he didn’t expect a vote on this legislation until Friday, as he said there are still discussions of add-ons including increased unemployment insurance, which Republicans oppose. He said that the House continues to listen to constituents. “Most people say we need to act,” Hoyer said. ” But they are not sure what we need to do. Which would put them in the same position as the Congress.”

You might have to do some math but 85% is pretty damn close of a round off or will you argue that 83.33% is nowhere near 85%?

 

[mAlice]

Where'd you get that number from?

Are you kidding? Is this a joke? Is that a real question?

 

[awpitt]

Come on Tony, you know where it came from, Hoyer himself.
You might have to do some math but 85% is pretty damn close of a round off or will you argue that 83.33% is nowhere near 85%?

You're right on, Ken. I wasn't questioning if it was true or not I just hadn't paid much attention to what Steny was doing because the news was talking so much about McCain and Obama fighting about suspending campaigns, etc.

 

[ImnoMensa]

You're right on, Ken. I wasn't questioning if it was true or not I just hadn't paid much attention to what Steny was doing because the news was talking so much about McCain and Obama fighting about suspending campaigns, etc.

Its time we started paying attention to what Steny is doing Tuesday we cast a vote. Mine will be for Collins Bailey

No more incumbents.

 

[charlielpc]

Looks like Crosby got the Enterprise endorsement

Looks like Crosby got the endorsement.

I agree. I know all the BOE members, except for Gary, on a personal level and am aware of how much time each puts into their BOE job.

The Enterprise put out their endorsements today....

Southern Maryland





.

 

[charlielpc]

County Commissioner

She is getting ready to run for County Commissioner in two years, that's my guess.

My question is that why does this woman have signs in about a gazillion yards but yet she is the only one running? Couldn't that money be put to better use?

 

[awpitt]

My question is that why does this woman have signs in about a gazillion yards but yet she is the only one running? Couldn't that money be put to better use?

Most of those signs are recycled form last election. At the end, they just pull'em and store them until next time. Now, if she runs for a different office then that'll be a new cost.