text:
OP Senior Member
Thanks Meter: 944
753 posts
Join Date:Joined: Sep 2011
This is not Windows Phone 7 , it is a MIUI ROM which is modified to look and behave like it!
*Based on MIUI ROM (1.12.23)
*All apps zipaligned and fully deodexed
*Useful apps added (Titanium Backup, ROM manager etc.)
*CRT Animations
*Butter smooth , just like the real thing
*Some apps removed (updater,forum app etc)
*Multi-device support
Thanks to:
*72ls1 for the theme http://forum.xda-developers.com/show....php?t=1174126
*MIUI for the great base
Screenshots are in the attachments, for icons and other themes go to post 2
Installation Notes
Just flash like any other ROM. Make sure you do a full wipe before installing. If you want to change the icons long click on a tile and click the pencil. Some icons are in the add-ons
DISCLAIMER: I am not responsible for any damage done to your device. Flash at your own risk!
Download Link 7.0.3
If you like my work hit the Thanks button or donate :P
Last edited by mmmcfc; 15th February 2012 at 06:02 PM.


text:
Book your room at Meliá Jardines del Teide All Inclusive
Please enter your travel dates.
4-star family-friendly hotel with 3 outdoor swimming pools in Adeje (Costa Adeje)
This family-friendly hotel is located in Adeje (Costa Adeje), close to Del Duque Beach, Fanabe Beach, and Aqualand Costa Adeje. Also nearby are Gran Sur Shopping Center and Bobo Beach.
Hotel Features
Onsite meals and beverages are included in the room rate at Meliá Jardines del Teide All Inclusive. The hotel also features a restaurant and a poolside bar.
Room Amenities
In addition to satellite television, guestrooms include sofa beds and bathrooms with bathtubs and bidets.Information missing or incorrect? Tell us!
Hotel Amenities
All-Inclusive Details
This hotel is all-inclusive. Onsite food and beverages are included in the room price (some restrictions may apply).
Gratuities and taxes
Taxes are included.
Food and beverages
- All buffet meals, snacks, and local beverages included
- 24-hour room service
- Number or type of beverages limited at one or more venues
- Surcharges for premium or imported alcoholic beverages
Activities and facilities/equipment
All land activities and use of recreational facilities and equipment are included.
Land activities
- Fitness facilities
- Onsite entertainment and activities
Not included
- Airport transfers
- Childcare
- Use of golf cart
- Use of golf equipment
- Golf green fees
- Laundry/dry cleaning services
- Minibar
- Premium and/or non-domestic beverages
- Room service
- Spa/beauty facilities and services
- Activities and services offered by independent operators
- Offsite tours
- Gratuities
Hotel Amenities
Meliá Jardines del Teide All Inclusive is an all-inclusive hotel. Room rates include meals and beverages at onsite restaurants and bars. Other items and amenities, including taxes and gratuities, and access to recreational activities and entertainment may also be included. Additional charges may apply for meals at some restaurants, special dinners and dishes, certain beverages, and other amenities.
Meliá Jardines del Teide All Inclusive features 3 outdoor swimming pools and a children's pool. The hotel offers a restaurant. Guests can unwind with a drink at one of the hotel's bars, which include a poolside bar and a bar/lounge. A complimentary breakfast is offered. Public areas are equipped with complimentary high-speed wireless Internet access.
A business center is on site at this 4-star property. Event facilities measuring 7661 square feet (712 square meters) include conference space. This all-inclusive hotel also offers a rooftop terrace, a library, and a complimentary children's club. For a surcharge, a roundtrip airport shuttle (available on request) is offered to guests.
- Conference space
- Conference space size (feet) - 7661
- Conference space size (meters) - 712
- 24-hour front desk
- Babysitting or childcare (surcharge)
- Children's club (free)
- Airport transportation (surcharge)
- Number of floors - 9
- Bar/lounge
- Barbecue grill(s)
- Coffee/tea in lobby
- Free newspapers in lobby
- Concierge services
- Dry cleaning/laundry service
- Elevator/lift
- Free beach shuttle
- Express check-in
- Express check-out
- Gift shops or newsstand
- Hair salon
- Free WiFi
- Airport transportation
- Tours/ticket assistance
- Business center
- ATM/banking
- Shopping on site
- Total number of rooms - 300
- Rooftop terrace
- Laundry facilities
- Library
- Multilingual staff
- Poolside bar
- Luggage storage
- Restaurant
- Pool sun loungers
- Number of buildings/towers - 2
- Children's pool
- Free breakfast
- Number of outdoor pools - 3
- Beach/pool umbrellas
- Year Built 2001
- Number of meeting rooms - 3
- Garden
Available in all rooms: Wireless internet access ( 30 EUR per week )
Available in some public areas: Free WiFi
Room Amenities
- Access via exterior corridors
- Air conditioning
- Balcony
- Bidet
- Satellite TV service
- Rollaway/extra beds available
- Climate control
- Hair dryer
- Free newspaper
- Private bathroom
- Daily housekeeping
- Sofa bed
- Phone
- Free toiletries
- In-room massage available
- Bathtub only
- Room service (24 hours)
- Connecting/adjoining rooms available
- Free cribs/infant beds
- In-room childcare (surcharge)
- In-room safe
- Blackout drapes/curtains
- WiFi (surcharge)
Where to Eat
Guests are offered a complimentary buffet breakfast.
Sterlizia - This buffet restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
La Palapa - This gastropub is located by the pool.
24-hour room service is available.
Nearby Things to Do
3 outdoor swimming pools are on site along with a children's pool.
The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or nearby; fees may apply.
- Personal motorized watercraft on site
- Scooter/moped rentals nearby
- Bicycle rentals on site
- Fishing on site
- Helicopter/airplane tours on site
- Hiking/biking trails on site
- Horse riding/rental on site
- Motor boating on site
- Mountain biking on site
- Parasailing on site
- Racquetball/squash on site
- Sailing on site
- Snorkeling on site
- Surfing/boogie boarding on site
- Water skiing on site
- Windsurfing on site
Spa Services
- Manicures and pedicures
To make requests for specific accessibility needs, complete the "Special or Accessibility Requests" section of "Trip Preferences" when you book your hotel.
- Accessible path of travel
- Roll-in shower
- Accessible parking
- In-room accessibility
- Braille or raised signage
Hotel Policies
Check-in time starts at 2 PM
Check-out time is noon
Payment types
Pets allowed, Pet maximum weight in kg is 15
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on hotel policy.
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card or cash deposit are required at check-in for incidental charges.
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges. Special requests cannot be guaranteed.
- Fee for in-room wireless Internet: EUR 30 per week (rates may vary)
- Self parking fee: EUR 6.42 per day
- Valet parking fee: EUR 6.42 per day
- Pet fee: EUR 12.84 per pet, per day
We should mention
Cash transactions at this property cannot exceed EUR 2500, due to national regulations. For further details, please contact the property using information in the booking confirmation. This property offers transfers from the airport (surcharges may apply). Guests must contact the property with arrival details before travel, using the contact information on the booking confirmation. The property has connecting/adjoining rooms, which are subject to availability and can be requested by contacting the property using the number on the booking confirmation.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Visit our other Wisconsin Historical Society websites!
Refine or narrow your results by clicking any term in the gray boxes below.
Expand your results by removing any breadcrumb in a gray outlined box above. Click on the blue "X" to remove the term.
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If you did not find what you are looking for or you did not get any results, try changing your search term(s). See our Search Help page for more tips.
Description: Outdoor group portrait of women and one child alongside the graves of Colonel Hans Heg, commander of the 15th Wisconsin Infantry, and his daughter Annetta....
Date: 1910 ca.
Description: Waldheim Sanatorium, front view with a woman sitting on front porch.
Date: 1936 ca.
Description: Okauchee House main entrance detail. Printed on plaque: "880".
Description: View of Leonard Martin's Tavern in Chamberlain, with large Martin house in front.
Date: date unknown
Description: Street with retail shops, automobiles. Some of the signs read: "Majestic Hotel, ...tap room, Pabst Blue Ribbon"; "Coffee room"; "Western Union"; "The Bank...
Date: 1920 before
Description: A view of the Octagon House from the southwest.
Date: 1884 ca.
Description: View of buildings in Delafield, with two men and a dog standing in the foreground.
Date: 1925 ca.
Description: View of the Oneida cottage for women at the State Tuberculosis Sanatorium.
Date: 1915
Description: A view looking down a road. A body of water is on the right.
Description: Postcard from Lake Five, showing an early open automobile driving on a rustic road.
Date: 1967-06-17
Description: Allen De Karske shows off his full beard and waxed, handlebar mustache. De Karske is also wearing a hat and is smoking a cigarette.
Description: Stockman Inn, built in 1837 by Charles B. Stockman.
Description: View of the Waushara cottage for men at the State Tuberculosis Sanatorium.
Date: 1920 ca.
Description: Exterior side view of Skofstad cabin, possibly the oldest building in the settlement. An early pastor of a Norwegian Luthern Church, Reverend Stub, lived h...
Date: 1931
Description: A man loads cement into the back of an International Model A-5 truck. The automobile is marked on the driver's side door with the words "Cayll & Barrett Qu...
Date: 1931-05-25
Description: The Waukesha Flying Club and their jointly owned Waco 10. The members are (row 1, left to right) Charles Gittner, Joe Rombough, and Roy Winzenreid and (row...
Date: 1963
Description: A woman and three children watch from the sidewalk as a parade of circus wagons carried on the beds of International trucks proceeds down a commercial stre...
Date: 1933
Description: Miss Harriet Cruver, teacher at Hillcrest School, Dist. No. 6, Towns of Waukesha, Pewaukee, Brookfield and New Berlin, stands at the rear of her classroom...
Date: 1940 ca.
Description: Cushing Memorial.
Date: 1937
Description: Winter scene with an International D-70 truck owned by the Waukesha County Highway Department and outfitted with a scraper clearing snow from a rural road.
If you didn't find the material you searched for, our Library Reference Staff can help.
Call our reference desk at 608-264-6535 or email us at:
© 1996-2015 Wisconsin Historical Society, 816 State Street, Madison, WI 53706


text:
Mar 03 - Homily: St Drexel, the Rich Young Woman
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Fr. Elias comments on the readings of today with the rich young man who went away sad when Our Lord invited him to give everything he had to the poor and how this contrasts to the life of St. Katherine Drexel, a rich young woman, daughter of an American financier, who gave her life and substantial fortune for the betterment of the poor and followed the Lord as a religious sister. Father relates this to the upcoming season of Lent and how we can become less attached to things and more committed to people. Ave Maria! Mass: St. Katharine Drexel - Opt Mem - Form:ĀOF Readings:ĀMonday 8th Week of Ordinary Time 1st: 1pe 1:3-9 Resp: psa 111:1-2, 5-6, 9, 10 Gsp: mar 10:17-27 To Download Audio go to http://airmaria.com?p=41501
Lent Poor Rich St. Katherine Drexel
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text:
If there are 2012 ... ... If there are 2012 ... ... ? 【When people away from prayer, when people of integrity who usurped the throne, when the lies become an art, is respect for the truth, when the skyscrapers there, when people sell their own beliefs to society, when the relationship between people is getting worse, When the fair has become rare, when a woman than a man ... ... end of the world is approaching. 】 ? In 2009, Roland Emmerich's science fiction masterpiece "2012" opened the end of the world's off ... ... October 21 the same year, Singapore's Lianhe Zaobao reported that a Russian baby boy was born, the skin appears regularly, "the Koran" scriptures. Priests said, "the Koran" has been predicted before the end of the world, scripture may occur in some people who now come. Similarly, in January 2010, The Times reported that the Mediterranean region presents a huge sky "MAD" days of fog, a large number of Catholics to repent for the days of fog Zhang Gui, suspected doomsday days trillion. Of course, even more shocking is the earth tremble! In 2001, China Seismological Network Center of external claims, the crust into the active state. Soon, December 26, 2004 off the coast of Sumatra, Indonesia 9.0 earthquake, from kick off a chain of earthquakes. According to scientists, statistics, nearly 10 years, the population centers to 6 earthquakes occurred in the past 500 years combined. So we wonder, if there were really 2012, which is the three things we most want to do? ? The smaller the better dream reality If there are 2012, we want to do it? If the problem is thrown Bill Gates, I believe he will not say, want the world's richest. Because he has long done, people often can not be achieved in real life things more interesting. In this investigation, three individuals have not filled the three dreams, 2 personal dream is alive, as usual, we have reason to believe that the 5 individuals to live well, even if some small problems would not hurt. Unfortunately, we found 13 individuals with at least one dream can not be achieved, which means that the gap between reality and dream, do not help us to be happy. As the "Kangxi" on the interpretation of dreams: delusions; fantasy, and sometimes equal to the ideal, different from the ideal. ? Happy to send PK to avoid flow Dream not a dream, the difference between the two usually have a very worth pondering the distance. Remember correctly, and this is the famous Cologne. The survey, 93% of people referred to as out of travel, eat good food, marriage and other dreams, those dreams are predictable, understandable. Can these seemingly plain between the dream and the dream of how far it? Perhaps, there is no way to go in realizing their dreams is the key. Dreaming friends, we are doing for themselves what the dream! Humans are not always like what was not liked, that is, Scrapped, by this logic, a dream not important. The only fun is to get the process, but the process they often bumpy, so some people do not want to go. Painful way to go in the pursuit of happiness, or escape the hard way to give up happiness, Rengeyouzhi it! ? Spend all the money accounted 47% In addition to affection and pleasure, the highest rate of single dream there is the "spend all the money", this dream very representative. Massachusetts Institute of Mental early in 1999 under this dream a clear definition. First of all, most people have this dream are realists, mature, practical smart. Secondly, most people like smooth curry favor, but always under pressure to bow the strong inner sense of failure. Again, more easily brainwashed, and abide by the stereotypes, even before the end of the world, still persist in spending money, showing deep effect on them think outside the box. Finally, the hard-working, hard work, constantly moving back and forth the way of success, but the heart weight gain and loss apportion. ? Because there is no authorization, not published here, everyone's dream, and only talk about my own right, are also considered reciprocity. At first, I struggled to think of dreams, this should be a happy sign it! Wanted to have done, would not think of what to do. But eventually I found my dream: 1, back to school, back when the day of college students 2, buy a couple tickets to see a movie 3, together with a loved one to buy food to cook, eat and chat, but also through the dim light the best dance, although I would not jump. Carefully looked at their dreams, surprised to find, meet, I always consciously, the original most lacking is romantic ... ... ? (This article is only for entertainment, not to pigeon-holing)
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text:
Humorist's Ohio Home On National Register Of Historic Places
The suburban ranch-style home in Ohio where humor writer Erma Bombeck launched her nationally syndicated column has been added to the National Register of Historic Places.
Drivers in some Ohio counties are coming nose to nose with the aroma of manure wafting through the air.
Mechanicsburg dairy farmer Bonnie Ayars says this is the time of year farmers dig into the pack of droppings that builds up during the winter and spread it on the fields. She calls it recycling and returning nutrients to the soil.
Ayars says few people complain about the smell. Nonetheless, the Ohio Dairy Producers Association is running newspaper ads this week to alert the unsuspecting. The ad features a closeup of the face of a Holstein and the line: "Spring is in the Air."
Ayars says it's important to let people know what's going on down on the farm.
Mechanicsburg dairy farmer Bonnie Ayars mentioned the challenges of milking everyday. Then there's the feeding. The average cow weighs 1400 pounds and eats 50 pounds of hay, grass and/or grain every day.


text:
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text:
WILKES-BARRE — To open or not to open.
That was the question for businesses around Public Square and across Luzerne County as thick, wet snow blanketed the region early Wednesday.
And while the winter storm might have shuttered schools, colleges and some businesses, it wasn't quite strong enough to stop the flow of commerce, though it did dampen the usual pace.
"We opened late and we're closing early," said Bill Scholl, a 16-year veteran deli employee at Circles on the Square, as 4 p.m. drew near.
Circles might have missed a bit of the breakfast crowd, and some of the late-afternoon diners, but Scholl said there was still a lunch crowd, although somewhat diminished.
"I would say it was a good decision to open — I'm sure our customers who came in think so," he added. But it also required a little extra effort, as with the boss driving in two employees from Nanticoke, Scholl said.
That was the key calculation for many businesses on Wednesday: Would enough staff be able to reach work safely, and would there be customers to justify their presence?
For Frank's News down the block, there was an added twist: the shop was open as usual at 6:30 a.m., manager Dharmesh Patel said, but a later-than-usual start for Luzerne County Transportation Authority buses meant that many of Frank's stalwarts, who are transit riders, were absent.
Boscov's Department Store on South Main Street waited until noon to open, manager Ryan Thomas said, largely in order to make sure the retailer was adequately staffed. Some workers could not make it in, Thomas noted, and the store would rather everyone play it safe given hazardous road conditions.
The store employs between 110 and 115 people overall at this time of year — though not all at one time — Thomas said, and had reached a complement of about 30 by mid-afternoon.
Aside from the cast of regular customers, foot traffic was noticeably down during the day, Thomas said, by 10 percent or more.
At Mimmo's, another restaurant on the square, owner Mark Bronsburg said he also believed business was down by about 10 percent Wednesday, but that wasn't as bad as he had feared.
In fact, opening as usual at 7 a.m. probably helped Mimmo's take advantage of early diners who may have found other eateries, such as Circles, not yet open.
"You'd be surprised how many people were out wandering around in the snow, looking for breakfast," Bronsburg said.
After 32 years, that didn't surprise Bronsburg, who said he has closed when flood emergencies demanded, but never in the winter.
Like Boscov's, the Wyoming Valley Mall opened at noon as plow truck drivers worked to clear the parking lots.
"There's just a lot of snow and it took them a long time," said the mall's marketing director, Joseph Ohrin.
Sears, however, opened at 9:30 a.m. It sells snow tools, and Ohrin said the department store stood to do very well as folks scrambled to get shovels and snow blowers at the last minute.
"Believe it or not, a lot of people wait until a big snow storm to go out and buy that stuff," he said.
A few stores remained closed for the entire day, Ohrin said.
"We had a few that did not open, I'd say a handful," Ohrin said. "We do encourage our store employees to work with their managers to determine what's best for the company."
Ohrin said foot traffic wasn't too slow as shoppers braved the roads to shake off cabin fever and look for lingering post-holiday deals.


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tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75038292015-03-25T08:00:01.000-04:00PG-PoliticsPolitical News and Commentary, Prince George's County, Maryland (Since July 2004)D. C. Russellhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com is an XML content feed. It is intended to be viewed in a newsreader or syndicated to another site.tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7503829.post-36016166044052203272015-03-17T19:36:00.000-04:002015-03-18T10:11:34.867-04:00Rushern Baker's Tax Ripoff Enablers in AnnapolisCurrent Prince George's County legislators who voted for the law that Rushern Baker says allows him to disregard the county charter he is supposed to uphold and thumb his nose at the voters of the county. (Senate vote, House vote)

District 21

Sen. James C. Rosapepe (D-21)

(410) 841-3141, (301) 858-3141

e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com

Del. Benjamin S. Barnes (D-21)

(410) 841-3046, (301) 858-3046

e-mail: email@example.com

Attorney

District 22

Sen. Paul G. Pinsky (D-22)

(410) 841-3155, (301) 858-3155

e-mail: email@example.com

Del. Tawanna P. Gaines (D-22)

(410) 841-3058, (301) 858-3058

e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com

Del. Anne Healey (D-22)

(410) 841-3961, (301) 858-3961

e-mail: email@example.com

District 23

Sen. Douglas J. J. Peters (D-23)

(410) 841-3631, (301) 858-3631

e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com

Del. Geraldine Valentino-Smith (D-23A)

(410) 841-3101, (301) 858-3101

e-mail: email@example.com

Facebook

Del. Marvin E. Holmes, Jr. (D-23B)

(410) 841-3310, (301) 858-3310

e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com

Del. Joseph F. Vallario, Jr. (D-23B)

(410) 841-3488, (301) 858-3488

e-mail: email@example.com

District 24

Sen. Joanne C. Benson (D-24)

(410) 841-3148, (301) 858-3148

e-mail: email@example.com

Facebook | Facebook

Del. Carolyn J. B. Howard (D-24)

(410) 841-3919, (301) 858-3919

e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com

Facebook

Del. Michael L. Vaughn (D-24)

(410) 841-3691, (301) 858-3691

e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com

NOTE: Del. Vaughn is apparently a candidate to replace Congresswoman Donna Edwards.

District 25

Sen. Ulysses Currie (D-25

(410) 841-3127, (301) 858-3127

e-mail: email@example.com

Del. Dereck E. Davis (D-25)

(410) 841-3519, (301) 858-3519

e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com

Facebook

District 26

Sen. C. Anthony Muse (D-26)

(410) 841-3092, (301) 858-3092

e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com

Twitter | Web

Del. Kriselda Valderrama (D-26)

(410) 841-3210, (301) 858-3210

e-mail: email@example.com

Del. Jay Walker (D-26)

(410) 841-3581, (301) 858-3581

e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com

District 27

Sen. Thomas V. Mike Miller, Jr. (D-27), (Senate President)

(410) 841-3700, (301) 858-3700

e-mail: email@example.com

Del. James E. Proctor, Jr. (D-27A)

(410) 841-3083, (301) 858-3083

e-mail: email@example.com

District 47

Sen. Victor R. Ramirez (D-47)

(410) 841-3745, (301) 858-3745

e-mail: email@example.com

Two current legislators honored the charter and the wishes of the people by voting NO.

District 21

Del. Barbara A. Frush (D-21)

(410) 841-3114, (301) 858-3114

e-mail: email@example.com

Del. Joseline Pena-Melnyk (D-21)

(410) 841-3502, (301) 858-3502

e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com

NOTE: Del. Pena-Melnyk is apparently a candidate to replace Congresswoman Donna Edwards.

D. C. Russellhttp://email@example.com://pg-politics.blogspot.com/2015/03/rushern-bakers-tax-ripoff-enablers-in.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7503829.post-41801320105775993862015-03-15T19:17:00.001-04:002015-03-16T07:43:12.408-04:00Once again, Rushern Baker shows his contempt for voters and the county charterRushern Baker ran for office knowing full well the tax limitations in the county charter and the voters' long-term consistent support for those limitations.

And Baker claimed--falsely it seems now--that he would not try to repeal the limitations.

Nevertheless, he is now trying an end run around the charter that he is supposed to uphold and enforce, planning to raise property taxes at least 15%, without voter approval, and in direct violation of the terms of the charter.

And he apparently doesn't have either the honesty or the guts to submit his plan to the voters as the charter requires.

This is not the first time Baker has worked to increase taxes in violation of the charter. Over a decade ago, as a delegate, he was a prime mover in getting the General Assembly to override the charter and burden us with one of the very highest telephone taxes in the entire country. His pro-tax, anti-charter, and-voter message has been obvious over the years. People responsible for electing him either didn't bother to look closely at his record or didn't care.

Now the budget goes to the county council. What will your council member do?

Gazette, 11 Aug 2010:
Gazette: What are your thoughts on TRIM? Would you work to repeal or preserve it?
Baker: I would not work to repeal TRIM.

D. C. Russellhttp://email@example.com://pg-politics.blogspot.com/2015/03/once-again-rushern-baker-shows-his.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7503829.post-59159229856906170232015-03-13T19:35:00.001-04:002015-03-13T19:35:36.962-04:00Despite PG's already heavy tax burden, Rushern Baker proposes real property, personal property & telecom tax increases

That's right--Tax and Spend Rushern Baker wants to raise all sorts of taxes and fees--even above the TRIM limit.

And his plan would most adversely affect low and middle income residents and senior citizens who already bear a higher tax burden than most residents of most nearby jurisdictions.

Also, note that even though he seems to be proud of his proposed tax-increasing budget, the fine print at the end contains a threat:

any dissemination, distribution, copying, or action taken in relation to the contents of and attachments to this E-mail is strictly prohibited by federal law and may expose you to civil and/or criminal penalties.

PRESS RELEASE

For immediate release:

March 13, 2015

For constituent communication concerning proposed budget:

Phone: 3-1-1 (M-F 7am-7pm)

Email: firstname.lastname@example.com

Prince George's County Executive Rushern L. Baker, III Presents FY 2016 Budget

Upper Marlboro, MD - Today, Prince George's County Executive Rushern L. Baker, III in accordance with the Prince George's County Charter presented his FY 2016 Proposed Operating and Capital Budgets. The Proposed FY 2016 Budget for all funds is $3.63 billion, an increase of $197 million or 6% over FY 2015. The General Fund accounts for 84% of all spending in FY 2016 and will increase by $182.3 million, or 6%. County source revenues increase by $180.6 million or 11%. The growth is primarily due to proposed rate increases to the real property, personal property, telecommunications and hotel tax rates which results in increased funding to education and public safety priorities.

"As we all know, education and public safety are the two key quality of life issues that attract people to live in any jurisdiction and the most sought after counties in this region, this state, and this nation are the ones that are safe and have the best public education systems," said Prince George's County Rushern L. Baker, III. "Our continued growth and success rely heavily upon the perception that our streets and neighborhoods are safe and that our school system is improving and can compete with neighboring jurisdictions. The proposed FY 2016 budget shows that Prince George's County is serious about education and we understand that a great school system is the most important investment that this generation can do for our children."

The proposed budget is premised on achieving three primary objectives: (1) achieving academic improvements in K-12 education across all public schools, (2) maintaining the County's commitment to providing a full range of public services and (3) ensuring our long-term financial integrity. With these objectives as the foundation, the FY 2016 presented fiscal plan has a combination of spending increases and reductions which include revenue provisions. To watch the Proposed FY 2016 Budget presentation and for more resources and information please go to http://www.princegeorgescountymd.gov/sites/OMB/Resources/Bgt16/Pages/default.aspx.

The proposed FY 2016 operating budget includes the financial resources necessary to support higher educational achievement. The outcome of this investment will be a County school system that will be most noted for rapidly improving its schools by implementing high quality educational programs and academic rigor for all students. Additionally, the proposed budget for FY 2016 builds upon the many successes the County has achieved in making our communities and neighborhoods safer. The respective budgets for Public Safety agencies and Courts provide the resources necessary to protect County residents and businesses, and continue the high caliber of performance attained during the first term of the Baker Administration.

In FY 2016, real property tax receipts are projected to total $776.5 million, an increase of $127.0 million or 19.6% over the FY 2015 budget. The growth is primarily due to the FY 2016 education revenue package which recommends a $0.15 increase in the real property tax rate from $0.96 to $1.11 per $100 of assessable value in FY 2016. The County is authorized to increase the real property tax rate based on Chapter 6 of the 2012 Laws of Maryland (Senate Bill 848). This law allows the County's property tax rate to be set higher than the rate authorized under the County's charter. The bill requires that any additional revenue generated as a result of the higher property tax rate is for the sole purpose of funding the approved budget of the local school system. The proposed rate adjustment is expected to generate an additional $104.9 million for the school system. Excluding the additional revenue assigned to the system, the County's real property tax revenues are projected to increase by $22.1 million or 3.4% in FY 2016 from the FY 2015 budget.

To mitigate the impact of the proposed real property tax increase, the County will offer a local Homeowners' Tax Credit Program in FY 2016. The Homeowners' Tax Credit Program will be supplemental to the State's property tax relief program that allows a property tax credit for households whose total gross income is $60,000 and below. The County's supplemental tax credit will equal 25% of the State's homeowners' tax credit amount. On an individual basis, on average, the estimated supplemental credit equates to an additional $375 annual benefit to homeowners. To view a chart that explains the Homeowners' Tax Credit Program, please click here.

Similarly, the FY 2016 proposed budget continues efforts to improve the health and well-being of County residents. The respective budgets for the human services agencies provide for continued support of their delivery systems which result in better access to care and services for our residents in need. In particular, it provides additional resources to assist vulnerable populations, such as our veterans, and to improve our response to domestic violence. In addition, the FY 2016 proposed budget maintains the commitment to grow our economy by expanding our commercial tax base and creating jobs. Supporting this effort are the budgets for the Department of Permitting, Inspections and Enforcement, Prince George's Community College, and funding for the Economic Development Incentive Fund.

"The FY 2016 proposed operating budget provides a framework for propelling the County into new heights and structurally rebalancing our budget," added County Executive Baker. "The proposed measures are bold yet necessary in order to ensure the fiscal health and future of our County. These proposed actions require sacrifices by everyone – residents, businesses and county employees. However, we must remain steadfast in our commitment to transforming this County into a premier and nationally recognized jurisdiction."

The FY 2016 proposed budget includes the following:

· An education revenue package which allows the County to make a historic investment in the Prince George's County Public School System. With this proposal, the County will invest an additional $135.7 million in the school system. The education proposal is funded through increases in the real property, personal property and telecommunications tax rates. The additional revenue generated from the rate increases will be dedicated to the Board of Education in order to directly assist in boosting student achievement through expanding effective programs.

· An increase in the hotel tax from 5% to 7% - a rate that recognizes our growing travel and tourism industry and will be comparable to our neighboring jurisdictions in Maryland. This is estimated to generate approximately $3.1 million in additional revenue.

· An increase in various building, licensing and related permitting and technology fees, to allow the County to continue its significant investments and commitments of improving customer service and support technology upgrades at the one-stop shop within the Department of Permitting, Inspections and Enforcement.

· Implementation of a Reduction In Force (RIF) of 110 filled positions in the General Fund.

· Five day furlough of all County employees funded through the General Fund.

· Furthermore, to assist in maintaining the County's 'AAA' bond rating, the FY 2016 proposed budget is based on conservative estimates and avoidance of using fund balance for ongoing expenditures to preserve the County's General Fund reserves – Charter-mandated 5% and the financial policy-required 2%

Adhering to the Prince George's County Charter, the FY 2016 Proposed Budget must be submitted by March 13, 2015 to the Prince George's County Council. The Council must adopt the FY 2016 Proposed Budget on or before June 1, 2015.

###

This E-mail and any of its attachments may contain Prince George's County Government or Prince George's County 7th Judicial Circuit Court proprietary information or Protected Health Information, which is privileged and confidential. This E-mail is intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to which it is addressed. If you are not the intended recipient of this E-mail, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, copying, or action taken in relation to the contents of and attachments to this E-mail is strictly prohibited by federal law and may expose you to civil and/or criminal penalties. If you have received this E-mail in error, please notify the sender immediately and permanently delete the original and any copy of this E-mail and any printout.

D. C. Russellhttp://email@example.com://pg-politics.blogspot.com/2015/03/despite-pgs-already-heavy-tax-burden.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7503829.post-10137964474955033962015-03-13T06:33:00.001-04:002015-03-13T06:33:22.139-04:00Rushern Baker's faux transit advocacy, another reason not to believe him

When he first ran for county executive, Rushern Baker promised that he would "never allow slots or any form of legalized gambling in Prince George's County."

At the same time, he promised to "push for mass-transit across the Wilson Bridge and link it to National Harbor."

We all know that he broke both of those promises. He fought to bring legalized gambling to the county. He has done nothing--not even lip service--to bring mass transit to the National Harbor area or across the bridge.

In his later campaign and speeches he has often claimed to be for "Transit Oriented Development."

Now that we know from the Post* that there will be no transit--not even bus service--to his casino at National Harbor, it is even more apparent than before that

Rushern Baker simply cannot be trusted. His promises mean nothing.

And it is indeed unfortunate that the media and his myriad supporters let him get away with it.

* Post: MGM National Harbor says public buses won't have access to casino site.

D. C. Russellhttp://email@example.com://pg-politics.blogspot.com/2015/03/rushern-bakers-faux-transit-advocacy.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7503829.post-82998271049657636042015-01-30T05:02:00.000-05:002015-01-30T05:03:29.696-05:00Updated: Del. Holmes & Sen. Peters Propose Legalizing Gambling in Homes and Senior Living FacilitiesHB0157 - Entitled: Criminal Law - Gaming - Home Games
Sponsored by: Delegate Holmes
Synopsis: Allowing a person to conduct a home game that is a game of chance or skill involving wagering that is conducted in a person's home or a residential property restricted to housing for persons at least 55 years old and allows a player to compete directly against one or more other players; prohibiting a person from conducting a home game involving a player's use of an electronic device that connects to the Internet; and prohibiting a person from benefiting financially in any way, directly or indirectly, other than from specified winnings.

SB0184 - Entitled: Criminal Law - Gaming - Home Games
PG Sponsor: Senator Peters
Synopsis: Allowing a person to conduct a home game that is a game of chance or skill involving wagering that is conducted in a person's home and allows a player to compete directly against one or more other players; prohibiting a person from conducting a home game involving a player's use of an electronic device that connects to the Internet; and prohibiting a person from benefiting financially in any way, directly or indirectly, other than from winnings accrued by participating as a player in a game.D. C. Russellhttp://email@example.com://pg-politics.blogspot.com/2015/01/pg-delegate-holmes-d-23b-proposes.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7503829.post-68782052202533340102015-01-26T05:34:00.002-05:002015-01-26T05:51:27.774-05:00Prince George's County residents bear about the highest tax burden in the region (Updated)Original posting from 25 Mar 2012, Prince George's County residents bear about the highest tax burden in the region (List of sources), follows the more recent items. Note that some of the older links may no longer be valid because many website change links and make searching for historical data difficult to impossible. I have been unable to find any recent mainstream media reports on relative tax burdens.

Recent media reports about plight of African-American families in Prince George's County have ignored the role that high taxes may play in contributing to their financial problems.

Likewise, media stories about the county's looming $100 million plus budget, also ignore the already high tax rates and fail to explore why crime is among the highest, and schools and services are among the poorest, despite such high taxes.

Maryland Income Tax Information - Local Tax Rates
http://taxes.marylandtaxes.com/Individual_Taxes/Individual_Tax_Types/Income_Tax/Tax_Information/Tax_Rates/Local_and_County_Tax_Rates.shtml
Maryland's 23 counties and Baltimore City levy a local income tax which we collect on the state income tax ... Local officials set the rates, which range between 1.25 percent and 3.20 percent. ... Prince George's County residents pay the maximum allowable rate, 3.20 percent [for both 2014 and 2015].

Forbes: When It Rains, It Pours Tax Dollars In Maryland
http://www.forbes.com/sites/travisbrown/2014/01/03/when-it-rains-it-pours-tax-dollars-in-maryland/
January 3, 2014 -- "... only nine counties (Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Charles, Frederick, Harford, Howard, Montgomery, and Prince George) and the city of Baltimore – out of twenty-four total counties in Maryland – are responsible ..."

Brookings: Map: Property Taxes in Your County
http://www.brookings.edu/research/interactives/2013/county-property-taxes-map
Nov 26, 2013 -- Comparison of "taxes paid as a percentage of home value" from clicking on each county shown:

 District of Columbia: 0.50%
 Anne Arundel: 0.71%
 St. Mary's: 0.72%
 Calvert: 0.76%
 Montgomery: 0.82%
 Arlington: 0.83%
 Charles: 0.84%
 Baltimore County: 0.92%
 Fairfax: 0.94%
 Howard: 1.02%
 Prince George's: 1.09%
 Baltimore City: 1.20%
 Alexandria: Not available

Admissions and Amusements Tax
http://md-mac.civicplus.com/DocumentCenter/View/407
Admissions and Amusement taxes are levied on numerous activities and items
in every subdivision with the exception of Caroline County. ... Twenty one counties employ a single rate, ranging from 1% in Calvert County to 10% in Anne Arundel, Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Carroll, Charles and Prince George's Counties.

DC Government: Tax Rates and Tax Burdens, Washington Metropolitan Area
http://cfo.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/ocfo/publication/attachments/Tax%20Rates%20and%20Burdens%202011%20Washington-Metro.pdf
Issued September 2012
Sales and Use Tax: ... Residential usage of utilities is not in the general sales and use tax base in the District and the state of Maryland. However, Montgomery and Prince George's Counties do tax the use of utilities. While Montgomery County's energy tax is levied upon the distributor, its cost is effectively borne by the customer. Prince George's County's rate is structured to approximate a 6 percent sales and use tax on energy consumption by the customer. ...
Recordation and Transfer Taxes: A long, detailed discussion suggests that Prince George's County taxes are higher than neighboring jurisdictions due to a 1.4% recordation tax.

25 Mar 2012, Prince George's County residents bear about the highest tax burden in the region (List of sources)

Maryland residents pay higher state, local taxes than Va., D.C. ...
washingtonexaminer.com/local/virginia/2011/...taxes.../112337
Mar 30, 2011 – Residents of Prince George's County pay $2000 a year more than those in Arlington County ... Taking into account income, vehicle and property taxes, Prince George's County residents pay even more than those in Montgomery County, which has always had one of the largest tax burdens in the region. A family that pays $14,400 a year in Montgomery would pay $15,200 in Prince George's.

Maryland Income Tax Information - Local Tax Rates
individuals.marylandtaxes.com/incometax/localtax.asp
Maryland's 23 counties and Baltimore City levy a local income tax which we collect on the state income tax ... Local officials set the rates, which range between 1.25 percent and 3.20 percent. ... Prince George's County residents pay the maximum allowable rate, 3.20 percent.

Who Pays More Taxes? Virginia, Maryland or D.C.? - Raw Fisher
voices.washingtonpost.com/.../who_pays_more_taxes_virginia_m.ht...
 Jan 9, 2008 – All told, if you live in Montgomery County and make $75000 a year, you face the biggest tax burden in the region, at $8469. Prince George's comes in second at $8,408. The remaining jurisdictions are bunched closely together at a considerably lower price: D.C., $6,986, Fairfax, $6,903, Arlington, $6,886 and city of Alexandria, $6,769.

Taxes lowest for DC residents and car-free Virginians - Greater ...
greatergreaterwashington.org/post/9364/
Feb 22, 2011 – In almost all scenarios, DC's tax burden is the lowest. ... Property taxes are highest in Prince George's County, even though average home values are lower there.

Interesting MoCo and PG have higher tax burdens than DC at all ...
www.city-data.com › ... › Washington, DC suburbs in Maryland
Jul 6, 2011 – Maryland under the Dems is becoming an oppressive tax regime with declining returns. Taxes on DC Families Remain Lowest in the Region ..highest in Prince George's County, even though average home ...

Gazette.Net: Alease Bowles: Preserve Maryland's middle-class tax ...
www.gazette.net/.../alease-bowles-preserve-maryland-s-middle-class-t...
Mar 1, 2012 – Prince George's County property taxes are among the highest in the state.

The Good News About DC Taxes: Taxes on DC Households Are in ...
www.dcfpi.org/the-good-news-about-dc-taxes-taxes-on-dc-househol...
Apr 13, 2003 – For almost all income levels and family types, the tax burden is lower in DC than in Prince George's County.

Taxing surprise: P.G. hits hardest - Groups - Yahoo
groups.yahoo.com/group/PG-Politics/message/13787
Apr 3, 2011 – Residents bear a higher tax burden with inadequate services in Prince George's County,

Family of Two Needs $50000 Per Year to Cover Costs in Prince ...
cnsmaryland.org/.../family-of-two-needs-50000-per-year-to-cover-c...
Feb 23, 2012 – COLLEGE PARK – Families with young children in Prince George's County need ... the past 10 years, driven largely by the cost of housing, daycare and taxes. ... "I also think we have a greater housing burden than any other ...D. C. Russellhttp://email@example.com://pg-politics.blogspot.com/2015/01/prince-georges-county-residents-bear.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7503829.post-32230863767700222102015-01-23T06:39:00.001-05:002015-01-23T06:39:41.025-05:00Rushern Baker seems to be admitting that his spending will result in $133 million deficitFrom the Capital Gazette, 23 Jan 2015
Hogan budget would cut state worker pay, city school aid
by Michael Dresser & Erin Cox, Baltimore Sun

... Prince George's County Executive Rushern L. Baker III expressed relief that an anticipated $30 million for a new hospital in his county was kept in the budget. But he said the $19 million impact of the geographic index cut there would be a blow atop the $114 million revenue shortfall Prince George's faces next year.

"This will exacerbate the problems. There will not be an answer for making up that gap," Baker said. ...
Note that Baker will have three "Budget Listening Sessions" over the next few weeks:

Sessions Schedules & Information

 Tuesday, January 27, 2015 7:00 PM
 Oxon Hill High School
 6701 Leyte Drive, Oxon Hill, Maryland

 Tuesday, February 3, 2015 7:00 PM
 Prince George's Community College
 Renne Forum, 301 Largo Road
 Upper Marlboro, Maryland

 Thursday, February 12, 2015 7:00 PM
 Laurel High School
 Spartan Hall, 8000 Cherry Lane
 Laurel, Maryland

Download flyer

How Do I Register to Testify?

People who are interested in testifying must pre-register on the County website or by calling 301-952-4547 / 301-985-3894 TDD Monday thru Friday 8:30 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. Testimony will be limited to 3 minutes per presenter and one speaker per organization.

Watch Live/On Demand
FY 2016 Budget Listening Sessions

P.G. Politicshttp://firstname.lastname@example.com://pg-politics.blogspot.com/2015/01/rushern-baker-seems-to-be-admitting.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7503829.post-89708957888539234982015-01-19T06:00:00.000-05:002015-01-19T06:08:04.458-05:00Recent Prince George's Related Posts in Other BlogsLocal Blogs:

An Open Letter to Kenneth B. Haines, by Robert Windley, 13 Jan 2014

Response to a Gazette opinion piece by Kenneth B. Haines, President of the Prince George's County Educators' Association.
Indicted Former PG County Housing Deputy Director Linked to Two County Executives, by Lorraine Yuriar, 16 Jan 2015, also posted as More Scandal in PG County!

What's Up & Down in Prince George's County, by Ceemac, 16 Jan 2015

Dr. Angelique Simpson-Marcus out as principal of Largo High School.

Delegate Alonzo Washington has proposed legislation that would snatch back credit cards from the Board of Education.

Crime rates continue to go down in PGCo and the ninth grade promotion rates at Charles H. Flowers and Potomac High Schools are up by double digits.

Crime in Riverdsale Park/College Park area.

Arrest in St. Louis of Vinnie Taylor for March 20 murder in Capitol Heights.

Other:

Former Los Angeles Leader Joins Broad Center as Superintendent in Residence, by Denisa R. Superville, Education Week News Blog, 13 Jan 2015
Education Week News (blog)-Jan 14, 2015

John Deasy, the former superintendent in Los Angeles, will join the Broad Center for the Management of School Systems as a consultant serving as superintendent-in-residence. Deasy, who resigned under pressure from LAUSD in October, ... In addition to serving in Los Angeles, Deasy worked as superintendent in Prince George's County, Md.; the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District in Calif.; ...

 Activists mount clean power push against political headwinds, by Timothy B, Wheeler, Baltimore Sun Blog, 16 Jan 2015

Pushing against a stiff political headwind, environmental activists and their allies are urging Maryland lawmakers to double down on the state's commitment to "clean" electricity. ... Del. Dereck E. Davis, chairman of the House Economic Matters Committee, which handles such legislation, suggested the bill faces extremely long odds against passage this year. "I'm not saying it's not a worthy goal," said Davis, a Prince George's County Democrat. "The sooner we get off fossil fuels, the better. ...
Dividing the Loot in Maryland, by David Boaz, Cato Insitute Blog, 17 Jan 2015

Montgomery and Prince George's officials are trying to make sure their counties are not forgotten by Gov.-elect Larry Hogan. ... "The uncertainty of the new administration creates more of an impetus ... for larger jurisdictions to come together," said Prince George's County Council Chair Mel Franklin (D-Upper Marlboro), who wants to form a "large-county caucus" to lobby in Annapolis.. .
D. C. Russellhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com://pg-politics.blogspot.com/2015/01/recent-prince-georges-related-posts-in.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7503829.post-65163603975770420412015-01-16T06:42:00.001-05:002015-01-20T12:33:30.945-05:00Bucking Wishes of Most Maryland Voters & Gov. Hogan, PG Legislators Propose Higher Tax & SpendingIn November, the majority of Maryland voters chose the candidate offering lower taxes and reduced government spending over the candidate representing higher taxes and undisclosed increased budget deficits caused by out of control spending.

Prince George's County voters, on the other hand, voted for incumbents with a history of raising taxes, and for new candidates supported by those incumbents and their machines. Price George's voters essentially blessed the last eight years of over 40 tax and fee increases, increased spending, and ever-growing out of control "structural" deficits.

So, although the financial winds may be starting to blow the other way for most of Maryland, Prince George's voters my get what they voted for. The new General Assembly session has barely started, but Prince George's legislators are moving right ahead with more taxes and deficit spending. Just a sampling:

A bill (PG 413-15) with a misleading title, proposed by Delegates Walker and Washington, would create a new county sales tax. This would be on top of the 20% increase in the state sales tax passed by the General Assembly just a few years ago.

 Although the sponsors claim that the proceeds would be used for education, we all know from past experience that such promises mean little. We heard the same kind of promise about the lottery, but much of that revenue we to subsidize stadiums for sports moguls, not for education.

 Adding such a tax for just the county would help drive businesses and customers out of the county to surrounding, less greedy, better governed jurisdictions. It would be the exact opposite of what we need for increased economic development or for the "high-end" businesses that our elected officials falsely claim to support.

 Over the years there have been numerous media reports that Prince George's resident bear the heaviest or second heaviest individual tax burden s in the state or the region. Apparently Delegates Walker and Washington are not satisfied and want to gouge even more out of us.

The bag tax is back--or will it be a ban?

 One bill (PG 415-15) by Senator Pinsky, that keeps rearing its ugly head would provide for a 5 cent tax on grocery bags. The tax is simple, but what it would cover is not. The wording is convoluted and discriminatory.

 Another bill (PG 403-15) by Delegate Walker, would ban bags rather than tax them.

 In both cases, these elected officials seem to have an animosity toward just one kind of business and would arbitrarily and capriciously tax or ban their bags while excepting identical and similar bags used by most other businesses.

And on the spending side:

Senators Miller and Peters and Delegate Walker are back with a bill (PG 407-15) to require artificial turf for school athletic fields. The will be an unfunded mandate forced on the county without funding, and it is just one of several bills proposed to micro-manage county schools (more about that in another message).

There is a bill (MCPG 108-15) to increase the salary of WSSC members by over two-thirds.

There is a bill (PG 307-15) to increase the salaries of Prince George's alcoholic beverage license commissioners.

And we still haven't seen the usual plethora of "bond bills" (outright pork) or bills to establish new agencies or task forces to do what someone else should already be doing.

D. C. Russellhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com://pg-politics.blogspot.com/2015/01/bucking-wishes-of-most-maryland-voters.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7503829.post-80407667295318491172015-01-15T08:27:00.003-05:002015-01-15T08:27:19.691-05:00Yesterday was Fib Day in AnnapolisThe day our elected officials stood up and swore a solemn oath to "support the Constitution of the United States" and to support the Constitution of the Sate of Maryland.

That's a promise that most or all of our returning Prince George's County senators and delegates have broken in the past.

Will they honor the oath this year? Or will they again let their own personal agendas and special interests override their solemn promises?D. C. Russellhttp://email@example.com://pg-politics.blogspot.com/2015/01/yesterday-was-fib-day-in-annapolis.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7503829.post-53978118152298498562014-12-15T09:42:00.001-05:002014-12-15T09:42:15.463-05:00PG Taxers: 40+ increases not enough, greedy legislators will use any excuse to grab even morePG 416-15 -- Prince George's - Authority to Impose Fees for Use of Disposable Bags

Sponsor Senator Pinsky

Synopsis This bill authorizes Prince George's County to impose, by law, a fee on a store for the use of disposable bags as part of a retail sale of products

Read bill text in rich-text or PDF format.D. C. Russellhttp://email@example.com://pg-politics.blogspot.com/2014/12/pg-taxers-40-increases-not-enough.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7503829.post-24879099072707759662014-12-15T09:40:00.002-05:002015-01-30T06:07:37.835-05:00School spending priorities--Education vs. legislator's unfunded mandates to benefit special interestsAt a time when Prince George's County is running a deficit, and the head of the school system has recently announced spending freezes and cutbacks, legislators are again trying to divert scarce resources away from actual education by forcing Prince George's schools to spend money on expensive and high-maintenance artificial turf. While the pending bill is sponsored by Senators Peters and Miller, the driving force behind this failed bill last year was Del. Jay (Nanny) Walker.

Note that this is only one of several proposed bills that would increase legislative micro-managing of the Prince George's County school system.

PG 407-15 -- Prince George's Board of Education - Public High Schools - Outdoor Synthetic Turf Fields

Sponsor Senator Peters and Senator Miller

Synopsis Pending

Bill Text None AvailableD. C. Russellhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com://pg-politics.blogspot.com/2014/12/school-spending-priorities-education-vs.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7503829.post-77717595110565377982014-12-15T09:39:00.002-05:002014-12-15T09:49:51.847-05:00PG's Authoritarian Nannies: Nanny Walker proposal banning biodegradable paper bags allows non-grocery plastic bagsDel. Jay (Nanny) Walker's a poorly drafted bill aimed at inconsistently, arbitrarily and capriciously banning selected types of bags received by, and often reused by, most low and middle income consumers would ban biodegradable paper grocery bags while allowing the continued use of many kinds of non-degradable plastic bags.

Why? Do the grocery industry and consumers have less clout than the various special interests that Walker would exempt from his ban?

Note that Walker's bill would permit the use of plastic bags for yard waste despite Prince George's County's recently adopted ban and requirement that yard waste be placed in paper bags.
PG 403-15 -- Prince George's - Authority to Prohibit the Use of Disposable Bags

Sponsor Delegate Walker

Synopsis This bill authorizes Prince George's County to enact a law that prohibits a store from using disposable bags as part of a retail sale of products. "Disposable bag" means a paper or plastic bag provided by a store to a customer at the point of sale. "Disposable bag" does not include: 1. a durable plastic bag with handles that is at least 2.25 mls thick and is designed and manufactured for multiple reuse; 2. a bag used to: package bulk items, including fruit, vegetables, nuts, grains, candy, or small hardware items; contain or wrap frozen foods, meat, or fish, whether prepackaged or not; contain or wrap flowers, potted plants, or other damp items; contain unwrapped prepared foods or bakery goods; and contain a newspaper or dry cleaning; 3. a bag provided by a pharmacist to contain prescription drugs; 4. plastic bags sold in packages containing multiple plastic bags intended for use as garbage, pet waste, or yard waste bags; and 5. a bag that a restaurant provides to a customer to take food or drink away from the restaurant.

Read bill text in rich-text or PDF formatD. C. Russellhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com://pg-politics.blogspot.com/2014/12/pgs-authoritarian-nannies-nanny-walker.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7503829.post-20485128949030837182014-12-03T11:51:00.002-05:002014-12-03T11:51:41.304-05:00Updated Prince George's Council Information
Members:

District 1

Mary A. Lehman (D, 2nd term)

(301) 952-3887, firstname.lastname@example.com

District 2

Deni Taveras (D, 1st term)

(301) 952-4436, No email address on official district web page

District 3

Dannielle M. Glaros (D, 1st term)

301-952-3060, email@example.com

District 4

Todd M. Turner (D, 1st term)

(301) 952-3094, email@example.com

District 5

Andrea C. Harrison (D, 2nd term)

 (301) 952-3864, email@example.com

District 6

Derrick Leon Davis, Vice Chair (D, 2nd term)

(301) 952-3426, firstname.lastname@example.com

District 7

Karen R. Toles (D, 2nd term)

 (301) 952-3690, firstname.lastname@example.com

District 8

Obie Patterson (D, 2nd term)

(301) 952-3860, firstname.lastname@example.com, No email address on official district web page (which incorrectly lists him as vice chair)

District 9

Mel Franklin, Chair (D, 2nd term)

(301) 952-3820, email@example.com

Committees (as of noon, 3 Dec 2014):

Public Safety and Fiscal Management (PSFM):

Chair, Council Member Obie Patterson;

Vice-Chair, Council Member Andrea Harrison

Staff:

Frank Porter, Committee Director, (301) 952-3695
Colette Gresham, Legislative Officer, (301) 952-5434
Catherine Lynch, Administrative Aide, (301) 952-4195

Health, Education and Human Services (HEHS):

Chair, Council Member Karen Toles;

Vice-Chair, Council Member Derrick L. Davis

Staff

Sandra Eubanks, Committee Director, (301) 952-5353

Leroy Maddox, Legislative Officer. (301) 952-3846

Gloria Hall, Administrative Aide, (301) 952-4525

Transportation, Housing and Environment (THE):

Chair, Council Member Mary Lehman;

Vice-Chair, Council Member Todd Turner

Staff:

Hawi Sanu. Committee Director, (301) 952-3698

??? Todd Turner. Legislative Officer, (301) 952-4116 ???

Victoria Middleton, Administrative Aide, (301) 952-3694

Planning, Zoning and Economic Development (PZED):

Chair, Council Member Andrea Harrison;

Vice-Chair, Council Member Dannielle Glaros

Staff:

Jackie Brown, Committee Director, (301) 952-3718

Karen Zavakos, Legislative Officer, (301) 952-3435

Barbara Stone, Administrative Aide, (301) 952-4199

Rules and General Assembly:

Chair, Council Member Derrick L. Davis;

Vice-Chair, Council Member Todd Turner

Staff:

??? Todd Turner. Legislative Officer, (301) 952-4116 ???

Colette Gresham, Legislative Officer, (301) 952-5434

Jennifer Jenkins, Committee Staff, (301) 952-3463

D. C. Russellhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com://pg-politics.blogspot.com/2014/12/updated-prince-georges-council.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7503829.post-25264597418755512462014-07-20T09:57:00.001-04:002014-07-20T09:57:23.278-04:00Corrupt Council Conspires to Cripple Term LimitsCounty Council of Prince George's County

Notice of Public Hearings

Wednesday, July 23, 2014
Council Hearing Room
County Administration Building
114741 Governor Oden Bowie Drive
Upper Marlboro, Maryland

10:00 am

CB=54-2014 - An Act Concerning Amendment of Section 307A, Charter of Prince George's County for the purpose of proposing an amendment to increase the number of consecutive terms that a person may serve on the County Council or as County Executive from two terms to three terms.D. C. Russellhttp://email@example.com://pg-politics.blogspot.com/2014/07/corrupt-council-conspires-to-cripple.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7503829.post-65482632143042825842014-06-12T09:11:00.001-04:002014-06-12T09:11:58.960-04:00PG-Politics Endorses and Opposes: General AssemblyComments (recommendations below): PG-Politics opposes the reelection of every incumbent member of the General Assembly who claims to represent Prince George's County.

Members of the General Assembly have all taken an oath of office promising to uphold the U.S. and Maryland constitutions--and they have broken their solemn oaths. While working to find implied constitution rights (like gay marriage), they have stomped on the explicit rights that are supposed to be guaranteed by the Bill of Rights.

Over the past few years, they have passed, or passively approved, some 40 increases in taxes and fees.

They allowed to go into effect a disgustingly obscene redistricting plan making Maryland the most ridiculously Gerrymandered state in the nation.

Once again, they acted anti-democratically to dilute the voting rights and voting effectiveness of Prince Georgians by providing for the addition of partisan political patronage jobs to the non-partisan Board of Education.

They passed pro-criminal laws protecting the lives of killers and providing special benefits to violators of federal immigration and drug laws.

At the same time, they passed numerous authoritarian nanny laws aimed at controlling our lives and/or banning or criminalizing what had been normal everyday behavior.

They failed to provide effective oversight of the botched rollout of Maryland's health exchange, thus allowing Lt. Gov. Brown to oversee wasting millions and millions of taxpayer dollars..

While severely criticizing a Republican drunk, our delegates hypocritically retained a Democratic drunk driver as their majority leader.

None of the incumbents deserve reelection.

Recommendations:

General: PG-Politics recommends not voting for incumbent delegates and senators. Withholding your vote from unopposed incumbents in the primary election, and voting for one of the few Republicans or writing in names in the general election, are about the only ways of indicating a lack of confidence in the performance of incumbents who are unopposed in the primary election..

Senate races:

 District 21: Democrat: Don't vote. Republican: No candidates.

District 22: Democrat: Don't vote. Republican: Janice Fountaine is unopposed.

District 23: Democrat: Vote for David Grogan. Republican: No candidates.

District 24: Democrat: Vote for Bobby Henry. Incumbent Joanne Benson is known to have lied to community groups on key issues. Republican: No candidates.

District 25: Democrat: Vote for Terry Goolsby rather than too-dumb-to-be-a-crook Sen. Ulysses Currie, or Del. Melony Griffith, who had a white waiter fired on racial grounds and supported taxpayer welfare subsidies for multi-millionaire sports moguls. Republican: Kory Boone is unopposed.

District 26: Democrat: Vote for Brian Woolfolk rather than Sen. Anthony Muse, Del. Veronica Turner, or Jerry Mathis (convicted of campaign violations from an earlier race). Republican: Kelley Howells is unopposed.

District 27: Democrat: Don't vote. Republican: Joe Crawford is unopposed.

District 47: Democrat: Vote for Bladensburg Mayor Walter James rather than Sen. Victor Ramirez. Republican: No candidates.

Delegate races:
District 21: Democrat: Don't vote. Republican: There are three seats, but Katherine Butcher is the only candidate.

District 22: Democrat: Don't vote. The primary qualifications of the lone democratic challenger (Rushern Baker IV) to the three incumbents are his name and his father (serial-campaign-promise-<wbr></wbr>breaker Rushern Baker III). Republican: There are three seats, but Lynn White is the only candidate.

District 23B: Democrat: Vote for Thea Wilson and Ron Watson over Del. Marvin Holmes and misogynist, interest conflicted Del. Joe Vallario. Independent: Shukoor Ahmed will be on the general election, but not primary, ballot. There are no Republican candidates. Republican: There are two seats, but Mike Hethmon is the only candidate.

District 24: Democrat: Vote for Erek Barron for one slot. The other two slots are a difficult choice. None of the three incumbents (Howard, Swain, Vaughn) or the criminal former delegate (Alston) deserve election. Philip Raines may be the best of the remaining crew. Greg Hall seems likable and understands the needs of small business, but his gunslinging, drug dealing past is a problem. Note that challenger Marva Jo Camp was a leader in past attempts to repeal or modify TRIM. The other candidates don't seem to be campaigning for the job at all. Republican: There are three seats, but Cy Okoro is the only candidate.

District 25: Democrat: Don't vote. The challengers mounting real campaigns are too closely linked to the incumbents. Several of the other candidates have either no campaign information online or have sent out bad links. Note that former Del. Juanita Miller was also a controversial WSSC commissioner who considered ability and performance to be of secondary importance in selecting WSSC contractors. Republican: No candidates.

District 26: Democrat: Vote for Tamara Davis Brown, Xavier Aragona, and Keith Gray. Republican: No candidates.

District 27A: Democrat: Don't Vote. Republican: Joe Crawford is unopposed.

District 27B: Democrat: Vote for LaRhonda Owens. Republican: Phil Parenti. (Note that the Washington Post made no Republican endorsement in this race claiming that there were no contested Republican races).

District 47A: Democrat: Vote for Malcolm Augustine and Jimmy Tarlau. Republican: There are two seats, but Fred Price is the only candidate.

District 47B: Democrat: Will Campos is unopposed. Republican: No candidates.

D. C. Russellhttp://email@example.com://pg-politics.blogspot.com/2014/06/pg-politics-endorses-and-opposes.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7503829.post-20706341134637232652014-06-11T21:32:00.001-04:002014-06-12T06:58:28.275-04:00PG-Politics Endorses: County OfficesNote that in several races PG-Politics recommends not voting for the unopposed incumbent as the only way of expressing a vote of no confidence or opposition.

County Executive: Don't vote in this race. Rushern Baker is unopposed in the primary. He has a record of breaking his campaign promises. Although he claims his takeover of the schools (one of his broken promises, along with broken promises about gambling, ethics, and transit) has improved education, there is no proof that it has accomplished anything beyond providing more high-paying patronage jobs for educrats. There are no Republican candidates. Consider one of the independents in the general election.

State's Attorney: Angela Alsobrooks has done a good job and is unopposed. There are no Republican candidates.

Clerk of the Circuit Court: Sydney Harrison is far superior to incumbent Marilynn Bland, who has brought disrespect to the office and the county. There are no Republican candidates.

Sheriff: Melvin High has done a good job. One Republican candidate is unopposed in the primary.

Council District 1: Unopposed incumbent Mary Lehman has done a fair job, despite being wrong on a number of issues. There are no Republican candidates.

Council District 2: Vote for Del. Doyle Niemann. There are no Republican candidates.

Council District 3: Vote for Danielle Glaros. There are no Republican candidates.

Council District 4: Vote for Bowie council member Todd Turner. One Republican candidate is unopposed in the primary.

Council District 5: Don't vote in this race. Incumbent Andrea Harrison does not impress, but is unopposed. I'd withhold my vote or write someone else in. There are no Republican candidates.

Council District 6: Former Del. Gerron Levi is a far better choice than appointed incumbent Derrick Davis. One Republican candidate is unopposed in the primary.

Council District 7: Capitol Heights Mayor Kito James is a better choice than pro-sprawl scofflaw Karen (105 mph) Toles. There are no Republican candidates.

Council District 8: Don't vote in this race. Incumbent Obie Patterson does not impress, but is unopposed. I'd withhold my vote or write someone else in. There are no Republican candidates.

 Council District 9: Don't vote in this race. Incumbent Mel Franklin has disappointed by going over to the Dark Side, especially on development issues, but is unopposed. I'd withhold my vote or write someone else in. There are no Republican candidates. D. C. Russellhttp://email@example.com://pg-politics.blogspot.com/2014/06/pg-politics-endorses-county-offices.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7503829.post-87818816014960732332014-04-14T08:45:00.000-04:002014-04-14T09:47:25.606-04:00McCartney: Brown's chutzpah--most shameless and misleading campaign boast.

See the end of this posting for a list of the Prince George's County legislators who have endorsed Anthony Brown and presumably are complicit in the apparently successful attempt to cover up the Maryland healthcare exchange mess and put off any formal findings of blame or accountability related to Brown's incompetence and evasion until after Brown is elected to a position that is probably beyond his abilities.

I have also posted a full list of Prince George's officials whom Brown's site claims have endorsed him, but at least one person on Brown's list denies having made any endorsement..

Washington Post

Robert McCartney, Columnist
Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown shows gall by claiming Md. is 'leader' on health-care reform

Maryland Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown (D) has staked an early claim to the dubious honor of making our region's most shameless and misleading 2014 campaign boast.

In a display of world-class chutzpah, Brown's Web site asserts that he "has positioned Maryland as the national leader in the implementation of the Affordable Care Act."

National leader? Absolutely — but at dysfunctional computer systems.

... apparently counting on voters to forget or ignore that the Free State just scrapped as unworkable ... the core of its $125 million health benefit exchange. ...

... Brown's powerful allies in Gov. Martin O'Malley's administration and the General Assembly are protecting his reputation. They have ensured that no independent state inquiry into the exchange's problems is completed until well after the primary and general elections. ...

Prince George's legislators who have endorsed Brown and have failed to ensure a timely investigation of his role in the expensive and wasteful failure of Maryland's health exchange:

Joanne C. Benson, State Senator (24)

Ulysses Currie, State Senator (25)

Currie's defense on federal corruption charges argued that he was too dumb to be a crook

Dereck E. Davis, Delegate (25)

Barbara A. Frush, Delegate (21)

Marvin E. Holmes, Jr., Delegate (23B)

Carolyn J. B. Howard, Delegate (24)

Thomas V. "Mike" Miller, Jr., State Senate President

Joseline A. Pena-Melnyk, Delegate (21)

Douglas J. J. Peters, State Senator (23)

James Carew Rosapepe, State Senator (21)

Veronica Turner, Delegate (26) (Candidate for MD Senate)

Kriselda Valderrama, Delegate (26)

Geraldine Valentino-Smith, Delegate (23 A)

Michael L. Vaughn, Delegate (24)

D. C. Russellhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com://pg-politics.blogspot.com/2014/04/mccartney-browns-chutzpah-most.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7503829.post-41288483541469944702014-02-19T07:16:00.000-05:002014-02-20T15:18:58.975-05:00Prince George's' Pro-Failure, Anti-Accountability PoliticiansAs has been widely reported, the Maryland Health Exchange has been a monumental and extremely expensive fiasco.

In the months leading up to the launch of this disaster, Lieutenant Governor Anthony G. Brown regularly bragged about his role in managing the program, how it was one of his top priorities, and how that qualifies him to become our next governor.

But once it became clear that the program was a massive failure, even after months of warnings, Brown became evasive, tried to minimize his role, and did nothing useful to fix or manage fixing the program.

Despite an eventual insincere, pro-forma acceptance of responsibility, Brown tried to run away as fast as he could from a problem of his own creation. And he and his supporters have been working hard to ensure that there is no thorough, independent investigation before the coming elections.

It ought to be clear by now that Brown is incompetent, or was asleep, or both, and does not have the courage or integrity or competence to standup and promptly admit and fix his mistakes.

I find it hard to believe that any thinking person would hire this man for, and trust him with, any major management job.

So, why are so many Prince George's County politicians endorsing Brown?

Do they want an incompetent, untrustworthy governor, or

Are they asleep and not paying attention, or

Have they been bought off with either campaign money or promises of favors?

Do we really want these supporters of failure and evasion to continue to govern us?

Legislators and county officials:

Angela Alsobrooks, Prince George's State's Attorney

Joanne C. Benson, State Senator (24)

Benson also endorsed gunslinger Greg Hall fpr delegate

Ulysses Currie, State Senator (25)

Currie's defense on federal corruption charges argued that he was too dumb to be a crook

Dereck E. Davis, Delegate (25)

Derrick Leon Davis, Prince George's County Council (6)

Donna Edwards, Representative (MD-4)

Mel Franklin, Prince George's County Council Chair (9)

Barbara A. Frush, Delegate (21)

Andrea C. Harrison, Prince George's County Council (5)

Melvin C. High, Prince George's County Sheriff

Marvin E. Holmes, Jr., Delegate (23B)

Carolyn J. B. Howard, Delegate (24)

Steny Hoyer, House Democratic Whip (MD-5)

Cereta A. Lee, Prince Georges County Register of Wills

Thomas V. "Mike" Miller, Jr., State Senate President

Eric C. Olson, Prince George's County Council (3)

Joseline A. Pena-Melnyk, Delegate (21)

Douglas J. J. Peters, State Senator (23)

James Carew Rosapepe, State Senator (21)

Karen R. Toles, Prince George's County Council (7)

Toles is known for running away from police at 105 miles per hour

Ingrid M. Turner, Prince George's County Council (4)

Veronica Turner, Delegate (26)

Kriselda Valderrama, Delegate (26)

Geraldine Valentino-Smith, Delegate (23 A)

Michael L. Vaughn, Delegate (24)

Municipal officials:

Marcus Afzali, Councilmember of College Park

Vernon Archer, Mayor of Riverdale Park

Lois Blue, Councilmember of Colmar Manor

Cynthia Bowden, Councilmember of Colmar Manor

Trina Brown, Councilmember of Bladensburg

Carolyn Cook, Councilmember of Cheverly

Robert Croslin, Councilmember of Hyattsville

James Crudup, Mayor of Eagle Harbor

Robert Day, Councilmember of College Park

Monroe Dennis, Councilmember of College Park

Katrina R Dodro, Councilmember of New Carrollton

Doretha Epps, Councilmember of Colmar Manor

Andy Fellows, Mayor of College Park

Walter Ficklin, Councilmember of Bladensburg

Tracy Farrish Gant, Vice Mayor of Edmonston

Jacqueline Goodall, Mayor of Forest Heights

Patricia Gross, Commissioner-At-Large of Cottage City

Edouard Haba, Councilmember of Hyattsville

Michael Hale, Mayor of Colmar Manor

Johnie Higgs, Councilmember-At-Large of Seat Pleasant

Candace Hollingsworth, Councilmember of Hyattsville

Vivian Jackson, Councilmember of Colmar Manor

Kito James, Mayor of Capitol Heights

Walter James, Mayor of Bladensburg

Eugene Kennedy, Councilmember of Seat Pleasant

Sophia E. Layne-Bee, Councilmember of Edmonston

David Lingua, Councilmember of Riverdale Park

Denise Mitchell, Councilmember of College Park

Craig A. Moe, Mayor of Laurel

Kelly Porter, Council President of Seat Pleasant

Jeannette M. Ripley, Vice Mayor of Landover Hills

Raymond Rivas, Councilmember of Riverdale Park

G. Frederick Robinson, Mayor of Bowie

Heidi Sorensen, Councilmember of University Park

Alejandro Silva, Councilmember of Riverdale Park

Elenora Simms, Councilmember of Seat Pleasant

Frederick Smalls, Council President of Laurel

Dennis Smith, Mayor of Glenarden

Steve Sonnett, Mayor of Upper Marlboro

Gary Styles, Commissioner of Cottage City

John Rogard Tabori, Mayor of University Park

Marc Tartaro, Mayor of Hyattsville

Todd Turner, Councilmember of Bowie

Lee Walker, Mayor of Landover Hills

D. C. Russellhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com://pg-politics.blogspot.com/2014/02/prince-georges-pro-failure-anti.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7503829.post-1241129488939483612014-01-14T11:37:00.001-05:002014-01-14T12:33:24.333-05:00Minimum wage hypocrisy: Force a bad law on businesses generally, but exempt special large corporate interestsAll of our all-Democratic county elected officials seem to agree that raising the minimum wage is good, despite the harm it might cause businesses or the danger that it might lead to higher prices. The council voted unanimously for a 58% increase in the the minimum wage, and county executive Rushern Baker supported the increase.

BUT ...

Now one large employer wants special treatment. Six Flags has found an excuse to argue that they deserve special treatment. So councilman Derrick L. Davis (D-6) plans to introduce discriminatory legislation to provide corporate welfare benefits for a special interest in his district.

Never mind that there are lots or reasons not to increase the minimum wage at all. Or that lots of businesses might have business-specific arguments against it.

No, following Orwell's story that All Pigs are Equal, but Some Pigs are More Equal than Other Pigs, Derrick Davis is going to make Six Flags more equal than any other county employer. Apparently Mr. Baker agrees with this special treatment of a single big corporate employer.

And I thought that this kind of special treatment for big corporations was what local folks claim distinguishes evil Republicans from good Democrats.

Have Davis and Baker sold out? Will they now begin to listen to similar or identical arguments from other businesses?

Or do they only help out big corporations, not run-of-the-mill business owners?

CLOWNING AROUND: Dem opposes minimum wage hike at amusement park

By Andrea Noble, The Washington Times, Monday, January 13, 2014

An effort is underway in Prince George's County to carve out an exemption to the much-ballyhooed "regional minimum wage" increase passed by lawmakers there, in Montgomery County and in the District last year.

County Council member Derrick Leon Davis is expected to introduce a bill Tuesday that would let one of the county's largest employers, Six Flags, continue to pay its seasonal workers at the lower rate of $7.25 per hour instead of the wage that would increase to $11.50 per hour by 2017.

[More]
D. C. Russellhttp://email@example.com://pg-politics.blogspot.com/2014/01/minimum-wage-hypocrisy-force-bad-law-on.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7503829.post-63733360061231128652014-01-10T05:53:00.003-05:002014-01-10T09:11:51.602-05:00Selected Prince George's County Legislative News

PG Nannies: Sen. Benson wants to control how people dress to ride all-terrain vehicles (SB 80) goo.gl/CLHwS8

PG Porkers: Sen. Benson wants all MD taxpayers to spend half million $ to benefit only City of Seat Pleasant (SB 55) goo.gl/zshj1W

PG Porkers: Sen. Peters wants taxpayers to spend a quarter million dollars on a private lacrosse field dome (SB 19) goo.gl/IusJ4D

PG Taxers: Gazette reports plan by Del. Davis for school zone speed cameras to rip us off 24 hours not just during school day goo.gl/SUacsh

More things to watch in the 2014 Maryland General Assembly session goo.gl/HlJFcB

Rushern Baker continues politicization of "non-partisan" Board of Education goo.gl/cuAHXx

D. C. Russellhttp://email@example.com://pg-politics.blogspot.com/2014/01/selected-prince-georges-county.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7503829.post-86911488497791735142014-01-09T11:27:00.004-05:002014-01-09T11:29:31.829-05:00Rushern Baker continues politicization of "non-partisan" Board of Education

Despite his broken promise to not try to take over the schools, and despite the fact that the Prince George's County Board of Education is legally a non-partisan body, Rushern Baker today swears in an appointed Democratic Party political operative replacing a former elected non-partisan member of the board.

Baker and the anti-democracy legislators who conspired with him should be ashamed, but, as we know, OUR legislators know no shame.

Press Release

For Immediate Release:

January 8, 2014

For Information Contact:

Scott Peterson

Deputy Manager of Communications, Press Secretary

(240) 619-9400

 Prince George's County Executive Rushern L. Baker, III Public Schedule for Thursday, January 9, 2014

11:00 AM

County Executive Baker to attend Swearing-in of District 9 Board of Education appointee Sonya Williams

Sasscer Administration Building

14201 School Lane

Upper Marlboro, MD

D. C. Russellhttp://email@example.com://pg-politics.blogspot.com/2014/01/rusern-baker-continues-politicization.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7503829.post-49071146254973899282014-01-09T11:26:00.004-05:002014-01-09T11:26:40.894-05:00Things to watch in the 2014 Maryland General Assembly session

Some other things to watch for:

Despite the 40 tax and fee increases implemented so far during the O'Malley years, the state is now predicting another huge "structural" deficit. So watch for our delegates and senators to use any excuse, any emotional appeal they can find to justify reaching into our pockets and stealing even more money to finance thair insatiable addiction to spending other people's money.

And, despite the deficit, watch for them to introduce bills to spend even more money as handouts to non-government groups. For example, Sen/ Peters' bill SB 19 to take a quarter of a million dollars of our money and give it to some private group to build a dome for a lacrosse field.

And also depite the deficit, watch for them to introduce bills to increase the size, complexity, and cost of the state government. If the past is any indication, most of these bill will come with a false promise that no or minimal additional money will be required. But if they had not lied when they passes such bills in the past, there would not be another huge deficit problem.

Additionally, watch for them to pass unfunded mandates that will force businesses to spend more money, and raise prices. Senator Benson has already started down this road.

And they will also strive to further make a mockery of the notion that Maryland is the "Free State," by passing all sorts of authoritarian nanny laws telling uds how to live our lives. Nanny Benson has also started this ball rolling.

Finally, at least one non-Prince George's delegate is sponsoring legislation to make it harder or illegal for us to protect ourselves from the violent thugs who have made us the second most crime-ridden jurisdiction in Maryland and the most crime-ridden DC suburb. No PG members have signed on to this movement yet, but given their past pro-criminal records, I expect some of our legislators to become co-sponsors.

Followup to Arthur Turner's message "10 things to watch in the 2014 Maryland General Assembly session" from the Washington Post

http://m.washingtonpost.com/local/md-politics/10-things-to-watch-in-the-2014-maryland-general-assembly-session/2014/01/08/40d7f67c-7817-11e3-b1c5-739e63e9c9a7_story.html

D. C. Russellhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com://pg-politics.blogspot.com/2014/01/things-to-watch-in-2014-maryland.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7503829.post-43094993324956008102013-12-18T20:38:00.000-05:002014-07-04T16:07:12.377-04:00Upscale, schmuckscalePGC Blog has a report on county planners' opposition to expansion of the Bowie Walmart. Many Oxon Hill residents are fighting a proposed Oxon Hill Walmart that is not particularly close to any residential neighborhoods. Council members Toles and Franklin are pushing legislation to override parts of the recently Green Line Station Plan with a mish-mash of confusing rules that will drive out or ban successful businesses that serve the community and probably result in more vacant storefronts.

Despite the fussing from planners and the hypocritical mouthings of elitist NIMBYs, it seems fairly clear that county residents want to shop at Walmart. Leaders in Bowie seem to recognize that simple fact and apparently value the job and tax revenue an expanded Walmart would bring to their community. The elites, on the other hand, have accomplished nothing positive in the way of attracting "upscale" businesses to the area and apparently would rather not have any jobs or tax revenue. Doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me, but what do I know?

Decades ago, the county had a number of relatively upscale department stores. Some went out of business (like Woodward & Lothrop and Lansburghs, others just closed, like Landover Mall, but none of the people who bitch and moan about "upscale" and "high-end" have ever managed to replace the stores that are gone with equal or better ones. And unless you believe that the successful business people who run the big chains are all incompetent and/or all racist, there is probably no real market for those stores.

The Blvd was once acclaimed as a start in attracting "upscale" things, but most of the mid-market type stores there failed and closed.

There was a time when I shopped regularly ar Landover Mall and Iverson Mall. Landover Mall is gone--nearly all vacant land adding nothing to the county's economy. I haven't been in Iverson Mall for a couple of years. Once it had Woodward and Lothrop, a successful Montgomery Ward store, a real book store, and several well-known specialty stores. Next to Iverson Mall, Marlow Heights had a Pier 1, and an Ethan Allen furniture store. Both had Hallmark Gold Crown stores. Now the two centers have a Burlington Coat Factory, a church, one of the crummiest Macy's in the chain, no card or book stores, and a bunch of "downscale" dtores like Forman Mills. Some folks want to find "upscale" tenants or shut Iverson Mall down, but the mall is fully leased, with no long-term vacancies, and the "downscale" stores seem to be successfully meeting the needs and wants of the community.

Leave the Marlow Heights and Iverson Mall shopping centers and drive around. You'll see vacant buildings and land where there were recently businesses, as well as several churches (which don't contribute much to the economy) where there were once stores like the Room Store, K-Mart, Grand Union, Hechinger's, etc., that provided jobs and tax revenues.

So what do county residents really want and deserve? Existing businesses, even "downscale" ones that provide jobs and tax revenue? Or vacant lands and stores that provide neither jobs nor tax revenues while they wait for the "upscale" stores that are not coming? And how many of the residents waiting for "upscale" businesses are willing to start or invest their money in such businesses?

Despite what people in the county say, their actions and buying speak far louder than any empty rhetoric and wishful thinking.

D. C. Russellhttp://email@example.com://pg-politics.blogspot.com/2013/12/upscale-schmuckscale.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7503829.post-60962588342877020652013-12-10T17:44:00.001-05:002013-12-10T17:44:26.151-05:00Frush, Lehman renew their bag tax ripoff campaign

These people seem to use any argument they can find, any emotional appeal they can make--to control the lives of the people while at the same time grabbing more money.

In this case, it appears that both paper and plastic bags are evil--bad for the environment. EXCEPT when they are used to produce tax revenue the politicians can spend on their pet projects.

Also note that, as seems to be increasingly the case, the Gazette "news" story only presents one side of the issue, with no attempt at balance or citing arguments for, or interviewing advocates of the opposing point of view.

http://www.gazette.net/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20131210/NEWS/131219891/1029/prince-george-x2019-s-delegates-to-again-consider-disposable-bag-fee

Gazette.Net
Maryland Community News
Published: Tuesday, December 10, 2013
Prince George's delegates to again consider disposable bag fee
by Jamie Anfenson-Comeau Staff writer

Paper or Plastic? Either way, Prince George's County shoppers may join their neighbors in Montgomery County and Washington D.C. in paying for their disposable bags if a bill under consideration passes.

The bill has failed to pass the past three years in a row, but supporters think the fourth time may be the charm.

"We've built on support every year," said County Councilwoman Mary Lehman (Dist. 1) of Laurel, who has been an outspoken supporter of the bill. "There's an awareness that didn't exist four or five years ago. So I'm hopeful, and we're going to keep at it."

The bill, PG402-14, would allow the Prince George's County Council to impose a fee of up to five cents on retail disposable bags, paper or plastic, as part of retail sales.

Similar fees are already in place in Montgomery County and Washington, D.C., which both charge a five cent per bag fee.

"When it comes to addressing litter, we're really being left behind, with Montgomery County and D.C. taking such strong action to clean up their communities," said Lehman, who testified Monday in support of the bill during a public hearing. "I don't believe it reflects well on our county."

The bill was one of 32 introduced Monday during a public hearing by the county delegation at the Prince George's County Sports and Learning Complex in Landover.

The bills will be taken up by the General Assembly in its next session, which begins Jan. 8.

County residents were invited to give testimony on the bills and the four that spoke on the disposable bag fee bill supported the measure.

Martha Ainsworth of Bowie, chairwoman of the Prince George's County chapter of the Sierra Club, a grassroots environmental group, cited a Prince George's County Office of Community Relations publication that said the average shopper pays $15 to $37 per year in higher retail costs to cover the business' bag purchases while the county annually spends approximately $2.5 million on cleaning up plastic bag trash.

"Under this bill, disposable bags are paid by the people who choose to use them, not by the rest of us in our shopping bills," Ainsworth said. "The purpose is to offer an incentive that will reduce litter and protect the environment, not to raise revenue."

Julie Lawson of Accokeek, director of the Trash Free Maryland Alliance, said a Department of the Environment study has shown bag fees have reduced bag consumption in the District.

"Eighty percent of D.C. residents are carrying reusable bags with them, to avoid paying the fee," said Lawson.

Lawson said plastic bags make up approximately 20 percent of the trash cleaned from the Anacostia River and 50 percent of the trash cleaned from its tributaries.

Last year, the bill had enough votes to pass, said Del. Barbara Frush (D-21) of Beltsville, the House sponsor of the bill, but other delegates looking for a way to fund a bill requiring county schools install turf fields, attached amendments to her bill directing the revenue towards the fields.

"The primary purpose of the bill was to protect the environment, and turf fields do not protect the environment," Frush said. "So I withdrew the bill."

Frush said the bag fee is not a tax on county residents who already pay for the bags.

"It's not a tax, you pay for the bags every time you make a purchase," Frush said. "It's a hidden fee."

Lehman said the "clean" bill drew support from over 30 environmental, business, labor, local government and civic groups.

"It really enjoys broad support across many different types of stakeholder organizations," Lehman said.

Lehman said that if the bill is approved, the County Council will then vote whether to approve the fee and where the revenue from the fee will go.

"I don't mind spelling out that it needs to be spent for environmental purposes and for free [reusable] bags for low-income people, for education and for outreach," Lehman said.

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