Middlebrooks Wises Up...Sort of

A curious thing happened on the way to the Council, it appears Ed Middlebrooks finally got a clue. During the discussions, late last year, about a dedicated fund for stormwater repairs, certain "anti-tax" Republicans like Ed Middlebrooks asked, "why not a dedicated fund for schools, or other infrastructure?" The question seems to have sparked a rare good idea from the Councilman.

Early last week, he sponsored a resolution, which passed the Council, asking the County Legislative Delegation to give the County the capacity to raise the transfer tax on the sale of homes to collect additional funds for school maintenance and other infrastructure backlogs.

It turns out, however, that the County Executive and most of the County Delegation oppose the increase and are unlikely to push the State enabling legislation.

The Executive's chief objection is that it would be better to achieve these ends by raising the impact fees. The problem is, impact fees can't be used for routine maintenance, but must instead be used to pay for expansion of existing facilities.

The proper solution involves compromise on each side, the Council owes it to the citizens of the County to hike the impact fees to 100% of cost, regardless of the whinery of the development community, and the Executive needs to recognize that the $1.5 billion backlog of school maintenance can't be dealt with through impact fees, and needs a steady funding stream of its own.

The most beautiful aspect of the proposals is that increases in both are unlikely to have much impact on the pocketbooks of existing residents and put the County on a much more sound fiscal footing for decades to come.

Council Punts on Legislation to Ban Fly Ash

Several Republican Councilmembers last night stonewalled the Leopold administration's effort to ban the dumping of fly ash in Anne Arundel County. Rather than move to protect public safety, Councilmen Middlebrooks and Dillon seem to be having second thoughts on the matter. After Middlebrooks amended the bill from a ban to a 1-year moratorium, Councilman Dillon declared "I almost feel, in a sense, that we've dropped the hammer too fast." It should be noted that two of Constellation's coal plants, which produce the fly ash, are in the heart of Mr. Dillon's district.

Anne Arundel Pols Most in Need of a Primary Challenge

1. Don Dwyer, Delegate (D31, R - Glen Burnie) - It's difficult to put into words all the reasons Dwyer should never see a second term. Suffice it to say, while the Pat Robertson wing of the Republican Party may deserve some representation in the State House, does it have to be from Anne Arundel County?

2. Janet Greenip, Senator (D33, R - Crofton) - She was in over her head as a Delegate and she's been in even deeper as a Senator. Let's get a Senator for District 33 who can keep her campaign promises and earn the respect of the rest of the County Delegation.

3. John Astle, Senator (D30, D - Annapolis) - Whether it's his "great, white hunter" routine, where he sends photos to the Capital, foot astride some prostrate gazelle or musk ox, or his tendency to vote with the Republicans when it matters most, here's one seat the Democrats may want to try to take back.

4. Ed Middlebrooks, County Council (D2, R - Glen Burnie) - If this guy put as much time into working in the best interests of his constituents as he does cracking one-liners at the County Council meetings, District 2 residents might get a Bill Burlison level of public service out of him, which, frighteningly, would be a considerable improvement.

Mis-Representing Community

A couple of items from yesterday's Capital caught my eye, and raise serious questions about the representation of citizens both in County government and in some civic organizations purportedly advocating on behalf of their communities.

The first concerns utility fee increases mentioned here in an earlier column (1/26/05). Despite the fact these fees haven't been raised in years, the inevitable whinery from some that the $100/year increase for water, sewer, and trash collection would break their bank, caused several local politicos, none of whom had trouble saddling county residents with a $26 million golf course bailout, to get cold feet on the matter. Councilman Middlebrooks (R-Pasadena) cut to the heart of the issue when he offered, "people would be upset if they started receiving statements next fall that reflected the higher charges, particularly in light of the council's decision two weeks ago to issue $26 million in bonds so the county could take over Compass Pointe Golf Course in Pasadena." Perhaps, dear Councilman, you might have considered that before letting our utilities go insolvent in favor of this golf course debacle. One wonders what other future necessities the golf course bonds will be used to put the kibbosh on. Bill Burlison (D-Crofton) and Pam Beidle (D-Linthicum) also voiced concerns over the rate hike (and also voted for the golf course funds).

Department of Public Works Director, Ron Bowen, said it best, "The rates we are proposing … represent the true cost (of providing services)." The cost of services increases with time, as the price of goods and cost of living rises. Where does the expectation that these fees will remained fixed for all time originate? It's not a realistic position, and it shouldn't be catered to by people who are charged with running the County's basic functions, like its utilities, in a responsible manner. Thankfully, Chairman Dillon (R-Pasadena) seems to have a sense of the importance of the rate increases and realizes that they have to passed, one way or another.

The second half of this diatribe will have to wait for tomorrow. In the meantime, be careful out in the snow.