Strange Bedfellows

Joseph “Prince of Darkness” Steffen offers his take on Al Redmer’s entry last week (officially, anyway) into the 7th District Senate race, where he’ll square off in the GOP primary against two-term Republican Del. J.B. Jennings.

Two’s company and three’s a crowd as Steffen, the former staffer for Gov. Robert Ehrlich who was caught up in the whole political firing brouhaha, muses about the possible entry of  Republican former Del. Ken Holt, who has been named as a possible candidate for several races in 2006 and again in the coming 2010 election cycle.

“Still, the possibilities for a raucous 7th District primary campaign are rife and if, as is being chattered about, well-heeled former Delegate Ken Holt enters the race as a bit of a dark horse, the possibilities will be even rifer. (Rifer?),” writes Steffen on his political blog, Darkness Rising.

If you missed it, here’s my weekly chat with Bill Vanko on local politcs and Al Redmer’s return to the campaign trail.

“I have my clock radio set to WBAL. If there’s anything I don’t want to wake up to in the morning, it’s your voice. How would you like to wake up to your voice?”

~ Les Pittler, Baltimore County Revenue Authority board member, referring to yours truly speaking on the radio.

The folks over at Maryland Politics Watch had an interesting post Monday about Rep. Frank Kratovil and his vote Saturday against the House version of health care reform.

One Montgomery County union official sent out an e-mail blasting Kratovil’s vote.

“The way I see it, if not for President Obama and Labor’s help, Congressman Kratovil would not have won,” wrote Bob Stewart, Executive Director of the county chapter of Municipal and County Government Employees Organization. “Remember also that this is the Congressman who was ‘hung in effigy’ in August by the Tea-baggers, birthers and assorted other right-wingers. Running scared and showing fear by voting how they want him to will probably not get them to vote for him next year.”

You can read the rest of Stewart’s e-mail at Maryland Politics Watch.

One by one the county’s seven councilmen are speaking about the possibility of reforming the pension plan that has been in place for the last 50 years.

The issue attracted attention after it was revealed that Democratic Councilman Vince Gardina would retire after completing an unprecedented fifth term and be eligible immediately for a pension equal to 100 percent of his current $54,000 annual salary.

Since then, some on the council, including Gardina, have expressed an opinion about possible changes to the system. Not everyone, however, has made up his mind.

“It’s something I haven’t thought about,” said Councilman John Olszewski Sr., a three-term Democrat who represents the 7th District, including Dundalk, Essex and part of Rosedale.

Current Council Chairman Joseph Bartenfelder said he wanted to cap council pensions at 60 percent 10 years ago but had no support. Two weeks ago, he said he’d sponsor a bill with a similar cap if he could find at least three more votes.

Olszewski said he couldn’t comment on Bartenfelder’s idea, repeating that it wasn’t something he had thought about.

Would you support an effort to reform the pension system, I asked Olszewski.

Olszewski smiled and said, “You never say never.”

“You hope property owners start to comply immediately. We’re just recognizing the fiscal impact. I don’t think they want to dilly-dally.”

~ County spokesman Don Mohler, expressing his belief that area rental property owners won’t need more than a year to install carbon monoxide detectors.

Sen. Larry Haines returned four days of his $43,500 annual legislative salary late last year. Haines, a five-term Republican who represents the 5th District, released documents showing he participated in a furlough program requested by House Speaker Michael Busch and Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller.

The 5th District includes parts of northern Baltimore County, including Parkton and Hunt Valley and Phoenix.

Both Busch and Miller returned five days’ salary and asked fellow legislators to also give up between one and five days’ pay at the same time 67,000 state employees were being furloughed for up to five days based on individual salary levels.

By law, the salaries of state lawmakers cannot be increased or decreased during their term.

More than 150 legislators participated in the voluntary furlough days, including 25 of 29 legislators who represent Baltimore County, according to lists released by the House of Delegates and state Senate.

The lists did not contain the number of days each legislator voluntarily gave up. State officials said such information was protected by law as a personnel matter. Patuxent Publishing Co., publisher of this Web site, is asking each legislator who represents the county to voluntarily release information on the furlough days taken in late 2008 and early 2009.

Haines provided a copy of a form dated Dec. 22, 2008 showing that he authorized four days pay totaling $483.36 to be withheld.

Sorry for the delay I was out of town yesterday. Here’s the audio from my weekly chat with Maryland’s Morning News anchor Bill Vanko on WBAL AM 1090 where we talked about Mike Pappas, tanning beds and three councilmen who want to be County Council chairman.

One small correction. Larry Hogan is NOT a Democrat. Not sure how to account for the brain cramp since I later mention that he wouldn’t run against Republican Robert Ehrlich, should the Republican former governor decide to seek a rematch against O’Malley.

There are no mulligans on live radio.

Mike Pappas, a Perry Hall resident and Towson attorney, said Wednesday he has ended his bid for the Republican nomination for governor.

Pappas announced in December that he was going to seek the nomination. Since then, he has spent time traveling and meeting Republicans around the state.

At the time, Pappas said he would seek the position unless former Gov. Robert Ehrlich entered the race.

Pappas said he made the decision to withdraw now for two reasons. (more…)

Del. Todd Schuler returned five days of his $43,500 annual legislative salary late last year. Schuler, a first-term Democrat who represents the 8th District, released documents showing he participated in a furlough program requested by House Speaker Michael Busch and Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller.

The 8th District includes Perry Hall, Parkville and Overlea. (more…)