St. Mary's Budget

[Clare Whitbeck]

Have you paid attention to what is in the proposed St. Mary's County budget for next year? There is no money for asphalt overlay to maintain our roads. The BOCC did not fully fund either the Sheriff's Department or the schools. State funding appears to have shrunk to practically nothing. But our BOCC is talking about a tax cut. Am I wrong or is something not logical in these priorities?
Clare

 

[alex]

Mr. Mckay has it right "Fully funded does not mean giving everyone everything on their wish list. " I would like to see better oversight on how the money is spent, especially by the Board of Ed before I give them any more of my tax money.

When kids are not allowed to take home text books because there aren't enough to go around, yet they can build million dollar buildings, outfitted with leather chairs and top of the line furniture I wouldn't give them any more money either. 2% of their current budget is still alot of money.

Instead of giving everyone more money maybe it is time to look at all the things that government does and start cutting out some things. I would like to see them stop doing all the federal and state programs that are passed without funding. Bascially tell the feds and state no money - no program! That alone should free up quite a bit of $$ for other things.

Bluto - copies of the recommended budgets are available for public review any any of the the county's three libraries.

 

[Tonio]

Good thoughts, Alex.

As I see it, the problem is too many administrators. I've written here before about my idea of eliminating their jobs and sending them back to the classroom.

As far as I can tell, every time St. Mary's changes superintendents, the school system acquires more administrators. In the past two decades, at least two levels have been added to the administrative structure. What happened to 1980, when the school system had only two instructional supervisors below the superintendent?

Also, in lean budget times, I suggest both the county and the school system cut top salaries by 5 percent.

Instead of giving everyone more money maybe it is time to look at all the things that government does and start cutting out some things. I would like to see them stop doing all the federal and state programs that are passed without funding. Bascially tell the feds and state no money - no program! That alone should free up quite a bit of $$ for other things.

I like the spirit of that, except that most of those programs are requirements. The term for this is "unfunded mandate." You're exactly right--the attitude is "You must do this, and we won't give you any money to help you do it."

 

[Kain99]

What? A tax cut? Seems like a butt kiss move to me! Personally, I am not so sure the Board of Ed or the Sheriffs Dept. deserve further funding. Talk about a bureacratic nightmare! This entire county is run by a hord of howdy-doody's!

Sorry guys, but I saw your show at the Maryland Day fesitivities.... I am so dissappointed!

I wish L. Jarboe had spoken, maybe he would have redeemed you................ If ya'll thought Jackass the movie was good, you should have been at the St. Clements Is. Museum on Maryland Day! Uggghhhhh!!!

 

[alex]

Tonio - while unfunded mandate is true you can't get blood from a stone. If you don't have the money or people do the program what are they going to do?

Also, often the feds and the state will dangle a carrot that goes like this.... We will give you enough to hire an intern for the summer to do this job. Well by the time you hire that person and train them their time is up, the money is gone and the job is not done. Then the job has to be done by an existing employee that cuts into their other tasks.

Usually this work that they should be doing themselves but just don't want to. If the county would resist this ploy they would be better off.

 

[Tonio]

Originally posted by alex
Also, often the feds and the state will dangle a carrot that goes like this.... We will give you enough to hire an intern for the summer to do this job. Well by the time you hire that person and train them their time is up, the money is gone and the job is not done. Then the job has to be done by an existing employee that cuts into their other tasks.

Usually this work that they should be doing themselves but just don't want to. If the county would resist this ploy they would be better off.

Good idea. Those intern grants are hard for local governments to resist. They should find the willpower to turn them down.

Tonio - while unfunded mandate is true you can't get blood from a stone. If you don't have the money or people do the program what are they going to do?

They would take away funding for other programs. I've seen that done. It's not right, and I want our legislators to stand up and refuse the whole "unfunded mandate" nonsense.

 

[SurfaceTension]

Bluto: Check Dates

Ms. Whitbeck's post was for next year (04). Unless something changes, there will be no overlaying for at least a year after the 03 list is complete. This is a false economy (it's cheaper to maintain them than to reconstruct them), but it's a matter of priorities.

Tar & chip surface, anyone?

 

[Clare Whitbeck]

Hi Friends. I guess what annoys me is that when I ran for office I didn't say I would fully fund the education budget. I knew it couldn't be done. Nor did I say I would fully fund the Sheriff's budget. But Mr. McKay . . .
He promised all kinds of things he couldn't deliver. I don't think he knew he was making empty promises. Now instead of 'fessing up, he tries to pretend he never said he would fully fund the education budget. Sorry, I heard him make that promise more than once.
This week he blames any County budget problems on the legislature which didn't pass Governor Ehrlich's budget. Governor Ehrlich's budget was short $320 million in revenue. The Maryland constitution forbids an unbalanced budget, so there is no way the legislature could have passed Ehrlich's budget.
But McKay won the election, empty promises and all. Does that show what sort of person he is or what sort of people the voters are?
Clare

 

[Kain99]

McKay won the election, empty promises and all. Does that show what sort of person he is or what sort of people the voters are?

Wow Clare! You've got big kahunas! I must say, I respect you more each time you post. When Mckay took the primary over Rocky Rowland I wanted to curl up and die.

The American public tends to thrive on marketing..... Mckay is a big family name and small minds, looked no further. Did Mckay make false promises knowingly? Great question! All I can say is...... History tends to repeat itself.

Most county residents never attended the first public forum to learn about the candidates...... They robotically went to the polls and cast their votes. I say let em' pay! You got what you asked for, now shut up and live with it!

 

[demsformd]

Here's some buzz that I heard from a source very familiar with the local government.

At a recent commissioner meeting, Larry Jarboe warned against funding for the Minority Business Coalition (or something to that effect) based on the fact that the budget did not stipulate money for the Sons of Confederacy. He really should have used some better words than that. Even his GOP colleagues had to shake their head after that statement.

 

[Clare Whitbeck]

Wow! If everyone paid as much attention as you folks do to what's going on, the election might have had a different outcome.
Kain 99, the trouble with letting them live with it is that we have to live with it, too. I say tell everyone you know everything you know about what the BOCC is doing. If enough of us do that, maybe people will catch on.
Bluto, I voted for her, too. It didn't do us much good, did it? I think you are right about who people voted against. Sometimes it's better to take the lesser of the evils than to vote against the current board no matter what.
Demsformd, I was there when Jarboe made that remark. Yuk! Even worse was his later comment that the livability code complaints should have to be made in person and in writing. How does he think folks who can barely afford their rent are going to get to Leonardtown to file their complaint in person and in writing? If you get the Washington Post, you can see my letter regarding County Government's information about livability code complaints. If you don't get the Post try the Southern Maryland extra on line. No one in Government seems to really know what's going on with those complaints. Meanwhile, Commissioner Jarboe is trying to protect the poor landlords. Why does Jarboe want to change the system? Every livability code complaint made for the last two years was found to have basis in fact.
Clare

 

[Kain99]

I was there when Jarboe made that remark. Yuk! Even worse was his later comment that the livability code complaints should have to be made in person and in writing. How does he think folks who can barely afford their rent are going to get to Leonardtown to file their complaint in writing?

Now you're goiing to call me the "Devil's Advocate." Maybe Larry thought that the poor folk in the county had access to the U.S. mail! Maybe the point was, that the complaints were not being properly forwarded to the governing authority through mere phone calls. The statement sounds resonable to me.

Honestly I have a much bigger concern over the "Sons of the Confederacy" statement. Wish I'd been there to hear it.

Kain 99, the trouble with letting them live with it is that we have to live with it, too. I say tell everyone you know everything you know about what the BOCC is doing. If enough of us do that, maybe people will catch on.

So, we beat the street telling everyone that we know that the BOCC is failing to keep it's promises. That doesn't solve our problem come election time. The county will most likely again sit at home watching "Malcom in the Middle" instead of researching the candidates. The BIG question is.... How do we make them care?

 

[Clare Whitbeck]

Hi Kain99,
I don't think we'll have to do anything but make sure people know who is responsible. The schools will all be overcrowded, the County roads will not get paved, the convenience centers will be closing early on Sunday (for lack of storage) , and you and I will get a $50 tax cut while businesses save $1,000's. This group is on a trail to disintegration unless they change some things.
Clare

 

[Clare Whitbeck]

One more thing on the livability code, Jarboe not only wanted complainers to fill out a compliant form, he also want them to appear in person at the Planning Office to turn it in. I think you may have missed the point. If the landlord has a livability code violation, and according to the County every complaint received last year had one, what difference does it make who called attention to the violation? When the Sheriff's Deputies are called to a robbery and arrive while it is in progress, what difference does it make who called them?
Clare

 

[Tonio]

Originally posted by Clare Whitbeck
you and I will get a $50 tax cut while businesses save $1,000's.

Clare, can you give us more detail?

 

[alex]

You can tell all the people you want but by the time the next election rolls around a good majority of the citizens will be new residents.

I was amazed how many people that I spoke with didn't know about Larry Jarboe's attempts to stop the acquistion of Myrtle Point and then the attempted "bush hogging" he and Mr. Brugman were going to do there.

I wish the BOCC would spend a week in each dept - not visible to the public. They would see how things get done, what doesn't and why. They might also see how abusive some of the public can be towards govt employees. Not all of them deserve that treatment as often they are only doing what they are told. This quick little half day visits are a waste of everyone's time and money.

 

[Kain99]

Originally posted by alex
I was amazed how many people that I spoke with didn't know about Larry Jarboe's attempts to stop the acquistion of Myrtle Point and then the attempted "bush hogging" he and Mr. Brugman were going to do there.

What?

 

[alex]

During Mr. Jarboe's last term on the BOCC, the county aquired the land for what is now known as Myrtle Point Park. The citizen groups that pushed for the acquisition did so to have a nature park.

Once the land became a county park, there was a large and vocal debate on how to use it. Mr. Jarboe and Mr. Brugman (another BOCC member at the time) I believe supported the development of a boat ramp and other structures that would be in direct conflict with the nature park. I vividly remember flyers and newspaper articles where they stated they would be down there with bush hogs (is that a type of mowing machine?) to clear out the park so people could use it - before any decision on how to develop the park had been made.

Mind you the land was acquired without the use of county funds - I believe State Open Space money was used.

 

[Kain99]

O.K. so LJ and Brugman thought that families could make better use of the park if the weeds were cut.

What's the big controversy?

An instance such as this, appears to be a VERY far reach!

Clare's web site is down or gone..... I could really use a hit right now.

 

[SurfaceTension]

Just to be fair to the new Board...

....It should be noted that the overwhelming majority of the proposed 04 capital budget are big-ticket obligations from recent years past....$4 million for landfill capping that was forseen for many years but not saved for, $1 mil for Nicolet & Chaptico Park construction, and $14 mil for school construction. Not much left after those, and certainly no influx of "pet" projects.

Not to mention payments on outstanding debt of over $90 million.

I would imagine that it would be very easy to slam prior Boards, but insofar as I've seen, they are only picking on those currently in office/in a position to do something.

(Note: I did not vote for the majority of this Board, but can appreciate when the high road is taken)