More Subsidized Housing Coming to Essex

I love to write. I write this blog, and I have even written a screenplay. But, no matter how accomplished I become at writing, I don’t think I could write a fictional story that has as many twists and turns as the true story of what is going on in our beloved county.

I see what is happening in the county as a B-grade movie trailer. (FYI, “B-grade” is a Hollywood term for—pardon my words—crap!) This would be one of those movies that has a nonsensical plot that people just don’t get. These types of films usually flop, and the investors lose money.

Just like we, the taxpayers, lose money. Seems to be a common tale.

So, without further delay, here is the twisted plot. See if it makes sense to you…

Do you remember the Village of Tall Weeds Trees? If not, let me refresh your memory with some stories that ran in the Baltimore Sun:

http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1994-06-12/news/1994163025_1_tall-trees-kelly-drug-problem

Not exactly a pretty picture. But wait, there is more: 

http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1999-12-23/news/9912230183_1_demolition-riverdale-ruppersberger

Now included in this mess are other well-known (or infamous, depending upon your point of view) apartment complexes, such as Tall Trees, Riverdale, and York Way. 

With all that said, here is the $64,000 question … and it’s a dozy. The county is spending a ton of money to rid areas of the blight of crime, drugs, and other such dour behavior, yet our leaders then turn around and plan to build another 252 rental units that are reserved for “low or limited income individuals and families as required by applicable law or regulations” or, as I prefer to call them, the liberal voters?

And just where will this new complex be located? At 1031 Eastern Ave.—a stone’s throw from Riverdale and the Tall Weeds Trees complexes that, for years, have been a festering sore in the county’s side.

Now here is the kicker … and we all know who gets kicked, and from where the boot will need to be dislodged.

The county, via the Baltimore County Council, approved a loan from the Department of Planning’s Home Loan Fund in the amount of $400,000; this amount will be deferred for a period of 40 years, then repaid to the county on the maturity date together with interest at the rate of 0% per annum.

Now, one would think the high unemployment rate in the 7th District would cause Councilman Tom Quirk to take a pause, since he represents the west side. However, based on my previous dealings with the politician, transparency is not one of his finer points.

Further into the plot, I need someone to please explain how Glen Manor LLC, a New York limited liability company with annual revenue of $160,000 and a staff of two employees, is able to get involved in the 7th District of Baltimore County—and a $400,000 loan at 0%, to boot—to build what was a flop in the past.

Anyone?

(Crickets) 

Well, I guess I will have to find out, now won’t I? I’ll use my secret weapon—truth serum! (Or, in layman’s terms, a PIA.)

To be honest I’m getting tired of people in that area, or at least one woman in particular, using an Independence card to wire $300 to India.  Another eye-opener was a lady with a with a thick Euraisia accent using her Independence card while holding a $100 bill.

I could go through all the stats on this issue, like the county’s more than 500% increase in food stamps, but who cares when almost half the country is living off of the government at some level.

I believe they call that practice pandering to buy votes.

Rest assured, dear readers, I will get to the bottom of this, even if I have to use a plunger. It appears that those in the government can’t seem to learn the lesson that failure brings.

I know that there is an old saying about “if at first you don’t succeed,” but I prefer that those who want to try and try again not use my money to do it.

Rather, let them use the salaries of Mr. Kamenetz and Mr. Quirk’s to do it.

Now that would be one heck of a story…

The really sad part about all of this while watching the news, a reporter lamented about the VA backlog in treating our wounded warriors while this country does not skip a beat in providing food stamps to just about everyone.