What If No One Came?
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What if the Baltimore County Council held a meeting on the proposed county budget and no one came?
The answer is: Everyone goes home early.
Tuesday night's budget annual public input meeting on the budget and the property tax rate failed to generate any interest from the public.
Long time council observers and council members said the meeting was a first.
"It's a first for me in my 14 years," said Councilman John Olszewski Sr. "Maybe everyone is satisfied with the job we're doing in these tough times."
The council holds this meeting every year to solicit input from the public on budgetary priorities.
In years past, the crowds were so large that the meetings were held in the auditorium at Loch Raven High School and could go on for hours. Typically, education advocates would ask the council not to reduce schools system spending. Property tax groups would frequently ask the county to reduce the property tax rate to match the constant yield rate.
This year, however, with falling home assessments, the county's property tax rate of $1.10 per $100 of assessed value is lower than the constant yield rate. County Executive Kevin Kamenetz said last month he is not raising the rate.
The council's meeting Tuesday night ran about four minutes.
Lexa Newman
6:56 pm on Tuesday, May 1, 2012
If I were a cynic, I would wonder at the lack of community concern. As the author correctly stated, home assessments are falling and we all know that incomes are falling off right along with them. It would seem to me that if the public knew about this meeting, there would have been some folks at it. What with school funding going down like it's free falling, and school fundraising needs going up, I'm honestly quite surprised that no one was at this meeting.
Steve Smith
7:20 pm on Tuesday, May 1, 2012
I am not surprised that no one came. Why should we? Do they listen when we come and voice our opposition? Take, for example, those Baltimore County residents who overwhelmingly stated our opposition to the passage of the Transgender Bill (carefully crafted as the Human Relations Bill). The Democrat majority on the Council ignored (and even insulted) our opposing voices in favor of Non-Baltimore County residents opinions and all the PAC money that most assuredly was promised to these Council members campaigns. When I ran for office in 2010, I was approached by people claiming to be members of this same PAC who tried to BRIBE me into supporting their cause in return for campaign money. I refused...call it morals! I am convinced that lobbying (campaign donations for supporting a PAC's cause) played a roll in this. Proof? We (Balt. County Residents) requested meetings with the Democrat Councilmembers and were turned away. PAC supported and NON-Balt. County Residents supporting the Bill were granted meetings. This is a Government of greedy people...vote them OUT in November!!!
Kelli Nelson
9:21 pm on Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Oh no! I thought the hearing was tomorrow night. This is the first one I've missed in 9 years! Guess it's time to send out the emails... Sorry you were all alone Bryan!
Kelli Nelson
Baltimore County Interagency Coordinating Council
Bryan P. Sears
9:40 pm on Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Kelli: I did notice your absence. Sorry I missed you.
Buck Harmon
10:03 am on Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Sad..
Stewart G
9:49 pm on Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Maybe because folks have become cynical that their voice doesn't matter any more with this administration. It has been clear that a handful of people are running the government and they will create diversions whenever possible to distract citizens from what they are really doing. Like blaming the press for the suspension of a law suit, using concerns for diversity as a reason for not having a partially elected school board or bullying staff and council members so that they can't take care of important county business. I will be sure to smile and tell them what a great job they are doing at the next event that they attend on gifted tickets.
Buck Harmon
10:03 am on Wednesday, May 2, 2012
This is what most meetings in Carroll County government look like... Apathy allows abuse of position... and perceived power...this trend is the main contributor to most public corruption that breaks the back of society.