On the front page of Sunday’s “Daily Times” we got to experience something unusual. Both Salisbury and Wicomico County Councils will finally address growth (rather than merely rolling over for residential developers) or they are giving us a bold new version (at least for local politicians) of political spin. Which is it? Only time will tell.
The bottom line is that the Councils have done nothing of merit to date. At last week’s Salisbury Council meeting, Mayor Barrie Tilghman went on (ad infinitum) about all of the things they have done to help neighborhoods. Passing ordinances may make for great press releases and sound bites, but without enforcement they do the citizens of Salisbury no good. Just ask the folks who report disturbances to the police or call the Department of Building, Housing and Zoning to report junk cars or dilapidated housing in their neighborhoods. They haven’t even shown any pretence (other than press conferences) when the subject is residential development.
City Council President Mike Dunn tells us that “Growth Pays for Growth”. Well, let’s start with utility hook-up (capacity) fees. After much fanfare, City Council implemented “stiffer capacity fees”. These “stiffer” fees still don’ cover the full cost. Why should taxpayers pay for them? Residential developers want to be annexed into the city because they can more easily market their units and charge more because they have city water and sewage. They can also pack more units onto a given plot of land with city water and sewage. Why can’t they cover the full cost?
If developers have to pay for any road construction costs, they still are off the hook for maintenance; yet their development is the cause of increased traffic and the need for increased road maintenance costs. Where are the impact fees to cover these costs? Mike Dunn states that City Council “has been talking about growth challenges for a year”. Discussion is great, but how about some action.
What about schools? Wicomico County schools are already over capacity. Where will we find the additional funds to pay for needed school renovation and new school construction? According to developer Henry Hanna, “there was a consensus that we wanted to be a part (of the solution).” Well, do I expect to see Mr. Hanna at Tuesday’s County Council meeting asking that the County adopt a strong APFO (Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance)? I hope not, because I’m too young to keel over from a coronary.
One issue that ties development to our neighborhoods is affordable housing. Since City Council wants to back the slumlords in single family residential neighborhoods by claiming that enforcement of the 4-2 ordinance was discriminating against the poor, are they going to force residential developers to put aside units for affordable housing? I doubt it, but I might be surprised … someday.
According to area developer Jack Causey, “the problem should've been addressed 30 years ago when the last new school was built”. He’s right. But guess what guys, the Councils didn’t do there job then or since. The only thing that everyone seems to agree on is that something needs to be done. The questions are when and how.
County Council President Tony Sarbanes is opposed to an APFO. They have the legislative authority to enact one and just won’t do it. Mr. Sarbanes wants the revenue cap repealed. Good luck, Tony! Why should the average taxpayer have to pony up more when you are letting your buddies get off on the cheap? Theses guys don’t even pay the full boat on the real estate transfer tax (more on that another day).
Most Americans are capitalist by nature. We’re for making a profit. We’re definitely for property rights. The problem is our property rights, and our hard earned money, are being forfeited so that a relatively few residential developers can make a fortune while we suffer in traffic and our children suffer in the classroom.
12 comments:
Developers pay???
Based on public records, W. Hearne deeded 49.5 acres to Hearne Properties,LLC. No taxes!! And legal!! Mr Hearne joined CDW. Mr. Hearne sold his interest in CDW. Bottom line= $70K Wicomico County Recordation Tax and $50K State Transfer Tax side stepped. It may be legal but it shows how slick these guys are. Like hook up fees, Joe Six-Pack pays the bill through higher taxes.
Dunn is trying to avoid the public outcry about the Council's upoming action on the Hearne property on Dykes Road (almost 500 units - set for Nov. 14) and the old mall (over 800 units -- set for Nov. 28) and some smaller but still sizeable projects, such as annexation for another Causey deal, set for Nov 14. His "growth pays..." slogan is pure poppycock.
Thanks to Dot Truitt and a few others spokespersons for the public interest the tide has turned against over-dense development and the Dream Team's effort to mislabel it "smart growth" when it is nothing of the kind.
The Hearne property deal has also revealed like never before the web of conflicted interests in uncontrolled residential growth --as recent posts at duvafiles.com have pointed out, the investors who are involved include those with ties to a firm that has one of its partners on the Planning & Zoning Commission, as well as one who is and officer at a local bank with tracks to the Mayor.
The jack is definitely out of the box now.
No wonder BPT wants the FBI to shut down duvafiles.com
FORGOT MR. TOM--
I believe that Ruark also has an annexation scheduled for the Nov. 14 City Council meeting.
Dunn and his Dream Team cohorts are running scared of public opinion and Deb. Campbell. They have made fools of themselves by trashing her during & after the election this Spring.
Ms. Campbell speaks for the people not the special interest groups that have controlled the mayor's office for many years and the City Council since Dunn, Comegys & Cathcart were elected (Nov. 2003).
If Dunn is serious about what he wants us to believe, he will push for a moratorium on annexation and rezoning (Hearne, mall, etc.) until the growth controls are established and there has been some popular agreement on how much more development we need and want.
And if he doesn't do that, in the next election let's make Mike a dunn deal.
The "Mayoress" of Salsbury can spout all she wants about what she does for communities but heres my story of her efforts
i had to call police on almost a daily basis because a certain corner on my street was jam packed night and day with cars pulling up to buy dope from guys standing on the corner-the last straw was the night the police finally came after my 4th call in an hour and i overheard on them(referring to me)saying "maybe now she will shut her complaining ass up!" i reported this to the mayor,with my name,as a complaint and nothing was ever done or said-she never even called me back-a month later we moved to Somerset county and i dont even go to Salisbury to shop anymore,because they have a pathetic do-nothing mayor and a police chief who is just as clueless as Roscoe on "Dukes of Hazzard"apparently the only thing that motivates Chief Webster is imminent retirement-
We are very fortunate that Dunn's meeting with developers was "outted" by the "Transchoptankia Gazette" at duvafiles.com. Now The Daily Times is trying to make it appear that he was there on public business.
Mr. Dunn's election campaign manager was the wife of a prominent developer. Get ready for another "4 to 3 compromise," in which nothing changes. It's let the public be damned, just like always.
CORRECTION:
Both Dunn & Comegys were at the developer's confab (where was Cathcart-?).
At the Nov.1 County Council meeting, all they did was cry about the "Cap" and how much it is costing the county in lost revenue. What I took from that meeting was TAX the little guy and let the developers and big money folks off the hook. I guess they will study the problem for another year and try to push for repeal of the "Cap".
Post a Comment