New commissioner board

[Oz]

Originally posted by tipsy mcgee
Well, the county would probably survive, but there would be tons of empty housing developments and empty shopping centers. If the base were to leave, all military personnel would be gone, and I guess those who work for contractors would have to decide if they wanted to depart to another location or maybe they would just be canned. The county would survive, but at a tremendous cost, and we would be much like an Eastern Shore county relying on SMECO, State and County Highways, PEPCO and other county/local government. For a country boy who doesn't work on the base or for a contractor, sometimes that doesn't sound all that bad.

It's not like they would roll up the dirt as they left, but survival is relative. When opportunity closes the door behind itself, what future remains to survive on? It's not like we can bulldoze what's here and start farming again for $5 a day. It sounds aweful to this country boy who doesn't work on the base or for a contractor or the government.

 

[Oz]

Originally posted by Tonio
You make a good point about the guy with the 5-acre lot. But I believe most of the people affected are the developers with the 50-, 200- and 500-acre lots. The Enterprise has suggested that the developers financially backed Randall's and Anderson's opponents to allow for more rural development. Do you think there's any truth to this?

Maybe instead of dictating rural densities, the county should offer incentives for developers to build closer to town centers, on the edges of the current developed areas. That pattern is how cities grew for centuries.

What about the farmer who wants to walk off a 1 acre lot for his son to build a home on? He subdivides the farm to reflect the lot for his son. That kid doesn't need a 20 acres lot for his 1200sq ft home. 5 acres is a nice lot size. 20 is ridiculous! That's almost a million square feet of dirt to put a 1200 sq ft home on - 833 times the footprint of the home.

If you develop within the development district, then your density is "1-in-one quarter" acre instead of one in 5 outside of the DD/TC. One might consider that an incentive. But, then you depend on public facilities. If there isn't water/sewage/school space then you can't build anything. Which puts the burden on government to prepare the infrastructure of the DD/TC. Have they done that? I don't think so. We don't have the school capacity to support a home in First Colony. But it's in a Development District. Why can't they get started? Should a developer be denied an opportunity because government has failed to provide basic facilities? People fuss about the school administration all the time. Yet this organization currently determines what areas of our county can be developed. Their job is to educate children, not plan communities. Their job is to build the school capacity as needed, and where needed. Time for some Zoning revisions.

As for the Enterprise, they are always anti-business. If Mr Knott and Mr Dorsey supported Tommy and Kenny, who is the Enterprise to speculate on why? I tend to think that is a little short-sighted, sour grapes type of position to take. Did you see the insulting comments from Merv Hampton? The Liberals got their butts kicked. That upsets the editors of the Enterprise, and party "leaders" like Hampton, and they haven't learned dignity in defeat. Quite frankly, after these demonstrations there's no better time to change your party affiliation!

 

[tipsy mcgee]

I didn't mean so much as good for the county or economy-wise as I did for the lifestyle it would go back to. I am in no way saying I hope this is what happens, just that sometimes you do get tired of the newborn traffic, population, et cetera.

 

[Tonio]

Originally posted by Nodnarb
What about the farmer who wants to walk off a 1 acre lot for his son to build a home on? He subdivides the farm to reflect the lot for his son. That kid doesn't need a 20 acres lot for his 1200sq ft home. 5 acres is a nice lot size. 20 is ridiculous! That's almost a million square feet of dirt to put a 1200 sq ft home on - 833 times the footprint of the home.

The way I understand it, it's not a 5-acre lot or a 20-acre lot. It's carving a half-acre or so from a 5-acre or 20-acre parcel and leaving the rest undeveloped.

If you develop within the development district, then your density is "1-in-one quarter" acre instead of one in 5 outside of the DD/TC. One might consider that an incentive. But, then you depend on public facilities. If there isn't water/sewage/school space then you can't build anything. Which puts the burden on government to prepare the infrastructure of the DD/TC. Have they done that? I don't think so. We don't have the school capacity to support a home in First Colony. But it's in a Development District. Why can't they get started? Should a developer be denied an opportunity because government has failed to provide basic facilities? People fuss about the school administration all the time. Yet this organization currently determines what areas of our county can be developed. Their job is to educate children, not plan communities. Their job is to build the school capacity as needed, and where needed. Time for some Zoning revisions.

Good question about the school system. Believe it or not, the school board and administrators say that their school plans follow development. In fact, Most of the blame belongs to the state government. For several years Maryland has refused to fund any new schools in St. Mary's. All the school construction money has gone toward expanding and renovating the existing schools. I don't know if this is a good strategy, because schools like Dynard and Banneker aren't in the growth areas.

As for the Enterprise, they are always anti-business. If Mr Knott and Mr Dorsey supported Tommy and Kenny, who is the Enterprise to speculate on why? I tend to think that is a little short-sighted, sour grapes type of position to take. Did you see the insulting comments from Merv Hampton? The Liberals got their butts kicked. That upsets the editors of the Enterprise, and party "leaders" like Hampton, and they haven't learned dignity in defeat. Quite frankly, after these demonstrations there's no better time to change your party affiliation! [/B]

I've said this before, but I don't detect an anti-business drift in The Enterprise. If anything, the paper seems to bend over backward not to offend local businesses. Now, the paper has advocated stronger controls on development, and I don't necessarily consider that to be anti-business. Many people who consider themselves fanatically pro-business believe in controls on development. Even Larry Jarboe, who's as anti-government as they come, advocated 1-in-20 zoning.

 

[smcdem]

Merv

Nod, I can explain bout Merv. He is still very upset about the election and he takes every election very personal. Please do not use his quote as the entire representation of the county Party.

 

[Oz]

Re: Merv

Originally posted by smcdem
Nod, I can explain bout Merv. He is still very upset about the election and he takes every election very personal. Please do not use his quote as the entire representation of the county Party.

That quote demonstrates the true arrogance of the guy. St. Mary's hasn't "grown up" in their choice of politicians? An elitist jerk snob like that has no business speaking on behalf of the party.

Because my choice in candidates doesn't match his, then I am looked down upon by this jerk? If he's so smart, why is he too dumb to quote something intelligent to the reporters?

There is no excuse for this. It's just a sour-grapes comment that is typical of the way the Democrats handled defeat, from KKT on down to the bottom of politics where Merv resides. Frank Taylor has his hands full with this bunch of jokers.

I was a Democrat for the 2002 election, but in 2004, I will be registered as a Republican. I'm sure it will make Merv happy.

 

[Oz]

Originally posted by Tonio
The way I understand it, it's not a 5-acre lot or a 20-acre lot. It's carving a half-acre or so from a 5-acre or 20-acre parcel and leaving the rest undeveloped.

Right. Simply put, you're taking the useful part, and making the rest useless, which I don't consider a good thing. If you have 300 acres, and you want to build homes, then it devalues that land severely. But if you have family property, and want to give pieces to your kids, it makes that nearly impossible, and you can forget about future value. Granted that we're only talking about RPD land, but let's say I have a 13 acre parcel of farm land in an RPD right now. What right does the county have to render that perfectly good piece of property useless?

Good question about the school system. Believe it or not, the school board and administrators say that their school plans follow development. In fact, Most of the blame belongs to the state government. For several years Maryland has refused to fund any new schools in St. Mary's. All the school construction money has gone toward expanding and renovating the existing schools. I don't know if this is a good strategy, because schools like Dynard and Banneker aren't in the growth areas.

I don't think the school board is real comfortable with being in that position either. I think we will see that change, rather quickly.


I've said this before, but I don't detect an anti-business drift in The Enterprise. If anything, the paper seems to bend over backward not to offend local businesses. Now, the paper has advocated stronger controls on development, and I don't necessarily consider that to be anti-business. Many people who consider themselves fanatically pro-business believe in controls on development. Even Larry Jarboe, who's as anti-government as they come, advocated 1-in-20 zoning.

I'm not the biggest Larry Jarboe fan because of his 1:20 stance, (but I do believe that he will be fiscally conservative, and do a good job.) He even takes it deeper by saying that he doesn't want to see Mechanicsville developed at all, and it's a Town Center/Development District zoning which, according to the document formerly known as the ULDC, requires water and sewage. Not only do the schools need to catch up, but Metcomm needs to catch up too .

 

[Darlene]

Re: Re: Re: New commissioner board

Originally posted by Delilah903
Someone please tell me that we didn't elect someone as President of the Commissioners that could be that dumb.

Delilah...I didnt vote for McKay, I wrote in Rocky Rowland...but McKay is as dumb as a rock.:sad:

 

[alex]

If I remember correctly, the all Republican Board of commissioners, of which Mr. Jarboe was one, voted to RAISE the piggyback tax to its current rate.

As for a leaner, meaner government that would be great IF and its a big IF they cut programs and not just people. Right now the Feds mandate a program to the States and they funnel it to local goverment. However, neither also provide the funds to implement it.

I think that VA Governor Warner is right, local government needs to take a serious look at the services it provides, ignore the "squeaky wheels" and make tough decisions on what needs to be and what can to be cut.

 

[smcdem]

Why don't we just enforce a HUGE tax on everyone, that will solve our problems.

 

[Kain99]

What's the matter Smcdem... Tired of fighting? Finally admitting the error of your party's ways? Well, I'm proud of you!

 

[smcdem]

Nah, just tired in general that is all. I loved the Al Gore interview tonight, I still don't know who to support though Kerry or Gore.
I will be happy who ever wins the nomination.

 

[Kain99]

Originally posted by smcdem
Nah, just tired in general that is all. I loved the Al Gore interview tonight, I still don't know who to support though Kerry or Gore.
I will be happy who ever wins the nomination.

Please Smcdem do not support Gore. He is such a creepy whiney baby. I don't trust him at all!

 

[Oz]

Originally posted by smcdem
Nah, just tired in general that is all. I loved the Al Gore interview tonight, I still don't know who to support though Kerry or Gore.
I will be happy who ever wins the nomination.

Here's a little tip smcdem - Al Gore is a loser. But, there will probably be a more moderate Democrat who throws himself into the primary race.

Note to Democrats: Find yourself another Clinton, and you might find a Democrat who can unseat Bush. Start looking in sleazy strip clubs.

 

[demsformd]

Bravo, Nod. Agreed completely. smcdem, do you want a Democrat in the White House or a Republican? I love Al Gore too, he is a great leader yet the nation does not truly know who he is. He may have a shot at this time but come on, he did not carry a single state below the Mason-Dixon line. And John Kerrey? Come on, a Massachusetts liberal that stands up next to Ted Kennedy. This is not the image we need in the party. It's bad enough that we have Nancy Pelosi as minority leader and Boston as the convention city. smcdem, our party is the party of new moderate ideas, not the old liberalism of Walter Mondale and Michael Dukakis. We have redefined liberalism and when we emphasize this we will once again stop the Bush ultraconservative agenda. Go John Edwards!

 

[Oz]

Originally posted by demsformd
smcdem, our party is the party of new moderate ideas, not the old liberalism of Walter Mondale and Michael Dukakis. We have redefined liberalism and when we emphasize this we will once again stop the Bush ultraconservative agenda. Go John Edwards!

Unfortunately dems, your party, has NOT accomplished this.

Old liberalism lives in new faces. After the selections of Pelosi and Hoyer, they show no signs of moving towards the middle.

 

[demsformd]

Nod, I have read several of your posts that call Congressman Hoyer a liberal. This is not indicative of Mr. Hoyer. While he is liberal-leaning, he is a far cry from the liberalism that Mrs. Pelosi represents. The Congressman supported the Iraq resolution, voted against bills that trimmed defense spending during the Clinton administration, supports free trade, and he has received a 60 percent liberal rating as opposed to a 40 percent conservative rating from the National Journal, a nationally-recognized political review publication. So Mr. Hoyer is liberal how? Why do all the pundits disagree with you?
You are right to an extent Nod when you say what the party has done when it comes to liberalism and the party's image. President Clinton changed the face of thenational Democratic Party, not the congressional party. Congressional Democrats are still dominated by more liberal segments of labor unions, African-Americans, and urban leaders. So, without a President and only with congressional leaders to produce the message, of course it will seem that the party is once again liberal. I am still very confident that someone like John Edwards or Howard Dean, social liberals and fiscal moderates, will win the nomination.

 

[Oz]

Originally posted by demsformd
While he is liberal-leaning, he is a far cry from the liberalism that Mrs. Pelosi represents. The Congressman supported the Iraq resolution, voted against bills that trimmed defense spending during the Clinton administration, supports free trade, and he has received a 60 percent liberal rating as opposed to a 40 percent conservative rating from the National Journal, a nationally-recognized political review publication. So Mr. Hoyer is liberal how? Why do all the pundits disagree with you?

He's more like "liberal, falling over" than leaning.

Just because he voted in favor of defense spending, doesn't make him a conservative. ANY politician from this district would vote the same way.

NFIB gives him a ZERO percent rating as a politician who votes against the interests of independent small business. He voted against the Homeland Security Act, in favor of cumbersome and expensive labor union structure, labeled as "protections." This was a purely liberal vote. What other votes should we review?

He's smart enough to cater enough to his defense consituents, and still maintain a liberal ideology. His politics are masterful, but he's an absolute liberal. Maybe we should review his votes, weekly, and see how many would fall in the "middle."

Which conservative pundits disagree with me?

Don't misunderstand me. Hoyer brings it to Southern Maryland. For that, I appreciate him. He's a masterful politician. For that, I admire him. But he's still a left wing liberal, and he has a voting record to prove it.

 

[smcdem]

Demsformd john Edwards?? I don't think he will run, he may in 2008 or even 2012 he is REALLY young and a one term senator is not nearly enough experience to overtake a war time president. From what I hear in NC, 2004 will be very tough for him if he runs for re-election and they say REALLY tough.

 

[demsformd]

Senator Edwards is fifty years old, not very young if you ask me. Why wouldn't he run, he's positioning himself for it and he was on the vice-presidential short list for Al Gore. Experiece? Oh, that media ploy has helped in the past. Experiene = the status quo a.k.a. Bush. Anyway, name me a single candidate who emphasized his experience that won. Bush, a two-term governor, wins the presidency, President Clinton, a governor of the small Arkansas, defeats older George Bush, a man known for experience, President John F. Kennedy, an eight-year senator, defeats Vice-President Richard Nixon. Experience is not needed to win the presidency, in fact it is probably a downfall if you ask me. With experience comes political labeling. The whole nation knows that Kerry is a liberal and that Gore has a boring personality. Edwards is new and fresh, as Clinton was in 1992. But if you want our party to remain in the minority position, go ahead, support John Kerry or some other old-fashioned liberal. I don't want that so I am supporting the new liberals.