Strange Bedfellows

They Said it, Part 4

Bryan P. Sears — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 05:38:11 +0000

A look back at the politics and government stories of 2008 in the words of those involved. (Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3 can be found here.)

October

• “It’s difficult for the public to trust the police to help them when most (police officers) are hunters, and they let other hunters get away with a lot,” Enid Feinberg, an opponent of the bow hunt in Loch Raven Reservoir, said on Oct. 1. Feinberg said statements made by county and state officials about the orderly nature of the hunt intentionally downplayed reports she was receiving from people who live near the reservoir.

• “They should only be charging for the duplication of the report,” said Jim Lee, chairman of the Society of Professional Journalists Sunshine Committee for Maryland. “They should run it through the copy machine and 50 cents should be sufficient to cover that.” County officials agreed to reduce the fees it charges for copies of police incident and accident reports after Patuxent Publishing Co., publisher of the Towson Times and this Web site, raised questions about the $15 per report fee.

• “Obviously I have no support from my fellow council members,” Councilman Bryan McIntire, a Republican, said Oct. 6 before withdrawing a bill that would ban truck-based advertising sometimes called moveable billboards.

•”It kind of all fell into position,” Dr. Gregory Branch said Oct. 15 after agreeing to remove the word “acting” from his county health officer title. “The moon aligned with Mars and with Jupiter and Venus, and it kind of all just worked out personally and professionally.”

• “I’m more of a campaign manager than a campaign chairman,” William Chase, the campaign manager for Councilman Ken Oliver, said Oct. 23. In an interview, Chase confirmed state prosecutors interviewed him related to the ongoing investigation of Oliver’s campaign finances. Chase called himself a political guru who “runs campaigns at election time” rather than someone who handles the day-to-day operations of a campaign finance committee.
• “They’re the very people who brought us, less than a year ago, a record tax increase for the state that damaged our state economy just as we were going into a recession,” state Comptroller Peter Franchot said Oct. 29 of Gov. Martin O’Malley and other supporters of a state referendum on slot machines. “They promised it would end the deficit. Well, we now have billion-dollar deficits as far as the eye can see.” Voters ultimately approved expanded gambling in the state.

• “Slots bring government corruption. Bet on it,” was written on a sign held by John Bailey, an Edgemere resident and opponent of the slot machine referendum. Bailey brought his sign and one man protest to Towson for an Oct. 27 news conference where County Executive Jim Smith urged voters to support the referendum.

• “Baltimore County is restricting small business owners from promoting their businesses,” Keith Scott, president and chief executive officer of the Baltimore County Chamber of Commerce, said after the Nov. 3 passage of a county law that restricts electronic changeable copy signs to one change every 15 seconds. The chamber and some businesses urged the County Council to pass a one change per 3 seconds law.

• “I suffer from a terrible disease - I’m hopelessly addicted to reality,” Sergio Vitale, a Glen Arm resident who expressed an interest in filling Sen. Andy Harris’ seat in the state legislature, said on Nov. 18. “If the seat isn’t available, I’m not running for it.” Harris lost a close congressional race to Democrat Frank Kratovil. The loss ended the senate aspirations of at least three Republicans including Vitale.

• “Our first step will be to get our own house in order,” County Executive Jim Smith said during a Nov. 21 press conference where it was announced that the county would seek to reduce it’s greenhouse gas emissions by 10 percent by 2012.

• “It comes as little solace to families who had to read these lies for months and months,” Don Mohler, a county spokesman, said Nov. 26 about the dismissal of a federal lawsuit filed by a former county employee who claimed she had been wrongfully terminated in retribution for witnessing some sort of “awkward scene after hours” in a county office. The dismissal is being appealed.

December

• “I don’t chase down caterpillars or farmers’ almanacs,” Tim Burgess, chief of the county Highways Bureau, said Dec. 10. “I just take what they give me.” Burgess said he doesn’t pay much attention to long-range forecasts and folklore when it comes to preparing for winter weather.

• “We have one of the worst, absolute worst recycling programs I’ve ever seen,” Councilmn Vince Gardina, a Democrat who represents the 5th District, including Perry Hall and Towson, said in a Dec. 25 story.

They said it, Part 3

Bryan P. Sears — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 18:38:23 +0000

A look back at the politics and government stories of 2008 in the words of those involved. Look for part four of four tomorrow. (Part 1 and Part 2 can be found here.)

July

• “There’s a lot of people who didn’t get notices and found out through other people, and there’s some who got them and didn’t feel they could comply in the required amount of time,” Councilman Vince Gardina, a Democrat who represents the 5th District, including Towson, Carney and Perry Hall, said July 2. Gardina sponsored a bill that extended the deadline for the county’s Rental Registration program to Jan. 1. (more…)

It won’t stain

Bryan P. Sears — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 19:32:02 +0000

County Executive Jim Smith is all about making public statements of support for various causes that involve a dash of color.

Today, Smith announced he was ordering that the Old Courthouse in Towson be bathed in purple lights in a show of support for the Baltimore Ravens making the playoffs this weekend.

A few years ago another show of support didn’t quite go as planned. (more…)

They said it, Part 2

Bryan P. Sears — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 13:51:48 +0000

A look back at the politics and government stories of 2008 in the words of those involved. Look for part three of four tomorrow.

April

• “The highlights are slim,” County Executive Jim Smith said April 16 about his proposed $1.72 billion budget for fiscal year 2009. Smith called called it “austere” as it offered no cost of living raises or other frills. The budget is on pace to produce a $14 million surplus and the county is not furloughing employees this year as is the state and other local governments. (more…)

They said it, Part 1

Bryan P. Sears — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 21:20:54 +0000

A look back at the politics and government stories of 2008 in the words of those involved. I’m posting the first three months today. Look for part two of four tomorrow.

January

• “I was sitting in my office looking out my window about six months ago, and I saw the garages,” Bob Barrett, county Recreation and Parks director said Jan. 3 regarding the need for additional gymnasium space in Towson. “I wondered if we could go up another level and add a gym.”

So far, the idea has not been acted upon.

• “Jim Smith loves public service and is definitely going to run in 2010,” Don Mohler, Smith’s spokesman, said Jan. 16 in response to questions about his boss’ political future which could include challenging Democratic state Comptroller Peter Franchot in 2010. (more…)

Fiastro pays up

Bryan P. Sears — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 21:22:36 +0000

If you happened to be in Cafe Troia in Towson today for lunch you might have seen Democratic Sen. Jim Brochin lunching with John Fiastro, president of the 42nd District Republican Club.

Politics was not only on the menu, it was the reason the two were there as Fiastro was making good on a wager the two made about the outcome of one precinct in the Sen. Andy Harris - Frank Kratovil congressional race. (more…)

Furlough math

Bryan P. Sears — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 17:11:33 +0000

Gov. Martin O’Malley and Maryland legislators want state employees facing unpaid days off this holiday season to know they feel their pain.

The guv and the others are taking a pay cut, too, after all.

But not all are taking quite as big a cut, relatively speaking. State workers will lose full before-taxes pay while O’Malley and the legislators are giving back an amount based on their net, or after-taxes, income. (more…)

It’s all about the toys

Bryan P. Sears — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 23:23:56 +0000

Jim Smith became one of the onlookers at his own press conference to announce the purchase of four new digital license-plate readers that will be used by county police.

The car-mounted cameras link to a laptop inside the patrol car and can capture and read license plates on vehicles moving at up to 100 mph or when the police car is moving at 60 mph. The system then checks the tags in a national crime database and alerts the officer if, for example, the car or tags have been reported stolen or expired.

Smith was beaming as he made the announcement but soon reporters and television cameras were crowding around the police car used in the Dec. 18 demonstration in Loch Raven Village. Smith couldn’t help but join and acknowledge that the gear was going to get all the attention on the noon, 6 and 11 p.m. newscasts. (more…)

A unique interpretation

Bryan P. Sears — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 20:52:45 +0000

The public lost out when the quasi-public county Revenue Authority board awarded a $5,500 severance payment to Nevins and Associates at its Dec. 4 meeting.

The five-member board voted unanimously to close the meeting at the request of Hanan Sibel, the board’s chairman, who said he wished to discuss a “matter pertaining to compensation and personnel.” That’s one of 14 exemptions recognized by the state Open Meetings Act.

The act is designed to ensure that public officials do the people’s business in the open. (more…)

It’s OK, now

Bryan P. Sears — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 21:06:53 +0000

Barack Obama needs some extra police officers for his inauguration and Councilman Vince Gardina is happy to help.

Gardina voted along with the other six councilmen Dec. 15 in favor of a bill that allows the county police department to send 55 officers to assist with security at the Jan. 20 inauguration. The federal government is reimbursing the county $98,000 for overtime and other related expenses. (more…)