Cohen Weighs in On Bates....But Silence on Election Polls

I received an email from Josh Cohen's office today in support of keeping funding for Bates as an arts magnet school. It is republished below. I've been wondering where the county councilman and mayoral candidate has been on the election poll issue. It would seem to me that he is in the best position to speak on behalf of the city--and for other reasons as well. Perhaps he did not wish to alienate the School Superintendent??

From Cohen:
As reported in today's Capital, the County Executive's proposed budget fails to fund the Visual and Performing Arts Magnet Program at Bates Middle School this Fall.

This budget cut is disappointing to say the least. The Annapolis feeder system has more middle-school students attending private school than any feeder system in the county. Signature programs such as the Middle Years Programme at Annapolis Middle School and the Arts Magnet at Bates are key to the long term viability of city public schools.

The County Council needs to restore the Arts Magnet funding, and community support will be key to making it happen.

Tough fiscal times

Fiscally, the County is hard-pressed to fund any enhancements for FY2010. It is a challenge simply to maintain our existing level of services. From that viewpoint, any increase such as the Arts Magnet sticks out as an easy target to cut.

Enrollment decisions already made

Although the full implementation of the Arts Magnet will be an enhancement over the current budget, it is one that the schools have committed to in writing. Parents have passed the point of no return in making school decisions for their children next Fall. After receiving the Arts Magnet acceptance letters, parents withdrew their children's slots at other schools.

How heartbreaking this will be for these students who applied for admission and received the acceptance letter, only to have it pulled away. If this action stands it will severely erode families' confidence and trust in their school system.

It would be understandable to defer a funding enhancement that was never committed to. But, at this late date it is unacceptable to cancel the implementation of the Arts Magnet after scores of parents have already made irreversible enrollment decisions for this Fall.

Needless to say, I am committed to restoring this funding. I am cautiously optimistic that a majority of my colleagues will support the effort, but it is a very difficult year fiscally. Community support will be the key to making it happen.

To testify: The County Council is holding two public hearings on the budget next week. They both start at 7 p.m. as follows:

- Monday, May 11 at Old Mill High School
- Wednesday, May 13 at the Arundel Center in Annapolis

Individuals are given two minutes to speak. The best testimonial is simply from the heart. Parents whose children have already been accepted into the magnet should bring their acceptance letter with them.


AND......from school activists: There will be a rally in front of Bates Middle School tomorrow morning (Sat 5/9) at 8:30 am. Parents and students are asked to bring signs "Save the Arts Magnet at Bates", and music instruments, art projects, dance costumes, etc.

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Some Thoughts On A Crazy Week

TGIF. The Market House debacle appears to have been resolved, at least until we decide what to do next. I don't want this current administration or its appointees or cronies deciding what to do and full public participation is a must. Mayoral Candidate Chris Fox, a restaurant owner, has already given some thought to the physical re-design to deal with the continuing HVAC issues and even is circulating a floor-plan. That's a refreshing approach--to have a business person with some expertise get involved instead of having bumbling bureaucrats try to figure it out. If I were Site Realty I'd want a bond or an escrow account or some kind of collateral. Just more to add to the perfect storm about to blow into Annapolis over the next few months....and a job left to the next mayor to resolve.

While on the way to Sip N' Blog Thursday I noticed a few interesting things going on, each signaling in their own way, challenges in our city, and the different levels of addressing them--or not. First, some contractors were digging up a water main to place meters on them. It turns out that City Dock and City Hall have never been metered. What does this mean?

Then I saw, as I always do, carloads of uniformed St. Mary's students taking up our Eastport residential on-street parking spaces. Dozens of them. Right in a row in a Lexus, a Volvo and a LandRover and from each, emerged one uniformed student each. What a country. Our cup runneth over. Sending our privileged kids to private schools in single-occupant, private luxury automobiles. It's bad enough that this school causes three traffic jams a day, but their seniors take up our parking spots all day--for free in Eastport. They even have a traffic light and crossing guards. And they are tax exempt.You know, render unto Caesar etc., etc.

As the light turned red at Severn and Sixth I watched not one, not two, but three cars zipping down Severn Ave. (without slowing for the water main diggers) and go through the red light by the Rockfish Restaurant and the Mercedes dealer. Three in a row. Might these be the same who would be the first to complain if we put up red-light cameras? I saw that occur at almost the exact same place a PCP-crazed driver plowed into and wrecked my car while it was stopped at a stop-sign. Speeders and red-light violators are a major threat to our safety. Another reason why I say that walkers are second-class citizens in Annapolis.

And of course the Sam Shropshire and Classie Hoyle sponsored charter amendment to deliver us another year of Ellen Moyer. I cannot figure this one out and former Alderwoman Cynthia Carter told us at Sip N' Blog that Hoyle had thought she was agreeing to a change in the NEXT and not the upcoming election cycle.
We can speculate endlessly and wonder about various different scenarios but two things seem pretty certain to me. One is that Ellen Moyer does not want another term. She wants to go and do legitimately what she has been doing illegitimately as mayor--take long trips. Yes, please, let her travel, as much as she wants. Two, I consider Sam Shropshire's move to be nothing short of political suicide to suggest we get another year of Moyer--this late in the cycle--a cycle in which he is heavily invested. It makes no sense that he would do such a thing. Yet the fact that he got this on the agenda so quickly suggests that Moyer told City Attorney Kling to move it through. But we're not Sam Shropshire. He has some explaining to do for all of us but it might help explain why he ignored email and telephone requests from CP to get his support for placing the city manager petition information on the city's web-site.

I doubt this amendment will fly. I hope it will not.

There are reasons both pro and con to keep our election cycle separate, but this is not the time to try and change it. To do so will throw another monkey wrench into this election cycle and threaten us with another year of Moyerocracy. No way. Of course if it went through, and she resigned, it would mean the Demokratische Central Cominterm would pick the next mayor and that committee includes a mayoral candidate, an aldermanic candidate and the legislative aide to an elected official also running for mayor.


We have to be very careful about speculating and concocting conspiracy theories. On the one hand, many of us would not put anything beyond the realm of this incompetent and corrupt Moyerocracy because of what it keeps doing...and doing...and doing. On the other hand (or perhaps similarly) because we place no trust in the Moyerocracy, we are willing to believe anything is possible.

Let's all proceed carefully and not add any more wind to the perfect storm of elections, a referendum and budget problems etc. that is blowing in.

See what Greg Stiverson has to say at www.stiversonforward6.com/?p=108 .

Scott Bowling has also weighed in though it is not yet posted at his web-site. However, in an email he said, "As Election 2009 gains momentum, and Annapolitans begin to shift their attention away from the incompetence of the Moyer Administration and look toward a brighter future from a new Mayor and Council; SURPRISE, CA 06-09 is introduced, and Mayor Moyer and her cronies are back and trying to extend their term one year. Their justification of course is that they must act in response to School Superintendent Maxwell’s decision prohibiting local schools from being used as polling places."

This charter amendment will be introduced Monday night. Perhaps by then Shropshire will rethink this...and withdraw his proposal....and maybe even his candidacy.

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Oh Nine On Line for May 8

Independent Chris Fox will be on AM Radio 810, WYRE at 11 a.m. Fox will make his official announcement Saturday (as in tomorrow) at City Dock at 11:00 AM at The Kunta Kinte-Alex Haley Memorial. He will hold a campaign fund-raiser Tuesday, May 12th at The Greystone Grill....no further details as of now... RECEPTION IN HONOR OF DELEGATE RON GEORGE, Thursday, May 21, 2009, 6:00- 9:00p.m, with special guest Governor Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. visit here for info: www.rwaac.com/George%20Reception%20with%20Guest%20Bob%20Ehrlich.pdf
By the way, that is the same night as the Eastport fundraiser for Greg Stiverson and a town hall-like meeting with Sam Shropshire in Eastport.

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Oh Nine Online for May 7; Web-site Ratings for The Mayoral Candidates

We can add Republican Frank Flyntz to the list of mayoral candidates who have filed, which is to say McFall and Cordle. Flyntz has told me that his campaign treasurer is Terra McCann....On April 17^th I first gave subjective ratings of the mayoral candidate's web-sites based on having regularly observed them since they've been up. I continue to monitor their sites. I don't provide the site addresses, but if you wish to visit them, click on the ads of the candidates who are supporting me in my effort to promote each every campaign. Clicks or impressions do not in any way increase revenue as ads are on a flat monthly rate. I do enough by providing this information, so candidates who wish for CP to display their address can buy an ad which will automatically link.

I originally gave a letter grade each for:

Design
Writing/content
How well I get to know the candidate from the site
How often it is updated
I then give an overall grade.

I again rate the websites, this time with a modified and reduced criteria including: writing/content
candidate profile
frequency/substance of updates
overall grade
I also added a grade for knowledge of and treatment of issues.
Newest grades and notes shown in RED. As the campaign progresses, the grading will get tougher as well:

Josh Cohen-Well done and full of photos, videos and clearly shows momentum and organization. Links to Facebook site. Needs more information about voting record and accomplishments as elected official. If anything, this is too well-done and too slick.
design A -
writing/content B B
candidate profile B A
how often it is updated A A
issues B plus
Overall A A Very good biographical information and photos. I'd like to see more writing about the issues, updates and current events, perhaps some testimonials etc.

Frank Flyntz-Although it has been up for perhaps the longest of any candidate, there have been no updates for months and it's pretty much just thin gruel. As mentioned before, the picture of Flyntz in his navy uniform and his cartoon-like navy jet logo is a bit much. It's the only picture of him and he remains mysterious as reflected by the fact that there is no phone number or email and local activists don't seem to know the man. Of the three other photos on the site, one is Main Street with gold and blue "N" flags for Navy, a shot of the Academy and one of the State House. Is he running for mayor or captain of the port?
design B minus
writing/content C C
candidate profile C D
how often it is updated D D
issues C minus
Overall grade C minus. D Flyntz appears to have an impressive background with the navy and maritime affairs but he is virtually unknown in Annapolis and his web-site certainly does him no justice. Nothing has changed since it was put up a year ago. He still does not list a campaign treasurer, phone number or email. I was likely to stop monitoring and reporting on this site and his campaign except he did just file.

Gil Renaut-It's clear this site is done on the cheap, but even so, the candidate could easily put in more text for us to learn about him. There is a headshot of him at a site definitely not in Annapolis and an interior headshot but nothing with him and neighbors, family or friends--except there is one of his grandson, but c'mon--this is a web-site for a political campaign, not an ad for baby food. He does link to CP but this site has a long way to go before it reflects the experience, and complexity of this candidate, a longtime civic activist and federal trial lawyer.
design C -
writing/content C C
candidate profile C C
how often it is updated C C
issues C
Overall grade C C Renaut understands the issues and is a longtime civic activist, but to the extent there is anything at all on the site, he tends to pontificate rather than describe his goals and vision for being the next mayor. He recently put up the video about the fascinating mayor of Mississaugua, Canada (and credited CP for posting it first), but on HIS SITE I think we want to know about what kind of mayor Gil Renaut will be for Annapolis, not about another mayor in another city.

Dave Cordle-In a word--uneven. Too much bibliographical information in a long list, but not enough about his platform, voting record and issues. A resume does not really tell us about the candidate. For example, we learn that 16 years ago he was an Outstanding Young Annapolitan Finalist and that he is an Expert Witness in various areas of law enforcement, but I'd like to see him show his record as alderman and provide more in his own words. No updates for two months.
design B -
writing/content B B
candidate profile C C
how often it is updated C D
issues B minus
Overall Grade C. C Yes he is a very busy man as a fully-employed professional and an alderman, but certainly after announcing nearly three months ago, there should be something new on the web. He's having a fund-raiser breakfast today and it was not even mentioned on his own web-site, which makes me wonder about his campaign organization and coordination.

Trudy McFall-Well done, and full of information, details, photographs and even a video. Well organized, active, easily navigated and links to Facebook site. Could be improved with some more testimonials or information about supporters and campaign updates.
design A ---
writing/content A A
candidate profile A A
how often it is updated B A
issues A A
Overall grade A A McFall posted a video of her recent testimony on the city budget. No other mayoral candidate testified in any way, other than of course the sitting aldermen in the race, Cordle and Shropshire. As with Cohen's site, I'd like more news and updates.


Sam Shropshire-Looks good with lots of photos, testimonials and heavy on the issues, including a really nice video laying out Shropshire's vision for Annapolis. It has been updated a lot and includes information about volunteers, supporters and testimonials. Could use more information about voting record and accomplishments as alderman. sport an image of the city seal-- the royalist thorn and crown thing that Ellen "O" loves so much.
design A -
writing/content A A
candidate profile A A
how often it is updated A B
substance and written content. A A
issues B
Overall grade A. A Sam has some nice, new photos--maybe even professionally shot, but without more updates and activities, he'll likely be downgraded next time as I make the grading more competitive.

Zina Pierre-It looks good, but sizzle is one thing and this site needs more steak. The cover page sailboat photo may not even be from Annapolis. There are way too many head-shots of the candidate which appear to be professionally posed and modeled and a lot of photos of her with big-wigs and muckety mucks including one of her reading the Bible with President Clinton. Her "issues" portion is mainly platitudes and the "facts" about Annapolis are cute but not terribly pertinent and I don't feel I get to know a lot about the candidate.
design A -
writing/content C B minus
candidate profile C B
how often it is updated B B
issues B
Overall C. B There has been new activity and updates but photos of the candidate walking around a public event are just, well, ho hum...I think that viewers want Issues....Issues....Issues please! We want to get to know the candidate and what she is doing now and wants to do if elected.

Chris Fox-This site features what is perhaps the best writing and content of any site, but the site only looks good, not great. I don't like the use of stock photos and the local shots of the candidate could be improved. It is unique in that it has a section in Spanish and that section is well written too. He links to Facebook and MySpace and also to CP, in addition to a lot of inactive blogs.
design B -
writing/content A A
candidate proifle A A
how often it is updated C B
issues A
Overall grade of B. B I expect with his forthcoming announcement and fund-raiser, there will be more activity. Let's hope so...He did have some recent updates, but again, as the grading curve steepens, we'll be looking for more.

Wayne Taylor-After he finally took down his initial disaster, he replaced it with something almost as bad. The only thing it has are dates and places for his public meetings (still without the times posted) and that huge and awful photo of the candidate graced by the flag on a large cross in the background. Huh? Flag? Cross? Huge photo? Is this an ego thing?

design D -
writing/content D D
candidate profile D D
how often it is updated D D
issues D
overall grade of D. D If this is an indication of what's to come, I'm going to stop monitoring the web-site. "D" was being charitable.

Readers will note I have given overall grades of A to Cohen, Shropshire and McFall, B's to Fox and Pierre, C's to Cordle and Renaut and a D to Frank Flyntz and Wayne Taylor.

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ALERT---Charter Amendment Alert!

Aldermen Hoyle and Shropshire, almost assuredly with backing from the mayor, are trying to push our upcoming elections back a year, thus ensuring Ellen "O" Moyer will remain in office another year as well. This is real. This is not a test. It is an actual emergency. You are instructed to read this, reflect upon it and freak out...now. Call your alderman. Write a letter to the editor. It goes to first reader on Monday night. Luckily for Moyer, Hoyer and Shropshire, I'll be away that night. But you can go. And should. And make a big stink. If this passes, it throws the current election into a dither but worst of all, it means another year of Moyer and that is unacceptable. And it means Josh Cohen can compete his county council term. The time to make our elections coincide with the state and county elections is well in advance of the next election and NOT five months away. Moyer, Hoyer and Shropshire--you have overstepped the bounds this time. This is wrong:
(Some of the formatting may have dropped out. You can visit here for details: www.annapolis.gov/oh shit)


CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ANNAPOLIS
2
3 CHARTER AMENDMENT NO. CA-06-09
4
5 Introduced by Alderman Shropshire
6
7 Co-sponsored by Alderwoman Hoyle
8
9
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY
First Reading: Public Hearing: Fiscal Impact Note: 120 Day Rule:
05/11/09 09/08/09
Referred to: Meeting Date: Action Taken:
Elections Board
Rules and City Gov’t
10
11 A RESOLUTION concerning
12
13 Municipal Elections Coinciding with County, State, and Federal
14
15 FOR the purposes of establishing the primary and general elections as coinciding with
16 the county, state, and federal elections in 2010 and extending the current term of
17 the sitting Mayor and Aldermen/Alderwomen by one year.
18
19 BY repealing and reenacting with amendments following portions of the City Charter:
20 Article II, Section 2
21 Article II, Section 5
22
23 SECTION I: BE IT ESTABLISHED AND ORDAINED BY THE ANNAPOLIS CITY
24 COUNCIL that the Charter of the City of Annapolis shall be amended to read as follows:
25
26 Article II ELECTION OF MAYOR AND ALDERMEN
27
28 Sec. 2. General election dates.
29
30 The citizens and residents of the City of Annapolis qualified to vote for members of the
31 General Assembly of Maryland, and otherwise qualified by the registration and election
32 laws for such cases made and provided, shall elect by ballot, every four (4) years,
33 beginning in 1985 2010, on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November, a
34 mayor; and the qualified voters, in each ward shall at the same time elect by ballot one
35 (1) resident of the ward as alderman.
36
Sec. 5. Primary election dates; municipal election dates; term dates.
2
3 Nomination for a mayor and for one (1) alderman from each ward in the city shall be
4 made by direct vote of the respective political parties at primary elections to be held in
5 the city for the several candidates for mayor and, in each ward of the city, for the
6 several candidates for aldermen, on the third Tuesday of September in each year in
7 which municipal elections in the city are to be held. Municipal elections shall be held on
8 the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November in every fourth year, beginning with
9 the year 1985 2010. However, in the event an election will occur on the same day as
10 the public observance of a religious holiday, or in case of severe weather, the board of
11 supervisors of elections shall have the authority to reschedule the election to a day
12 within one week of the day prescribed by this section. The mayor and aldermen elected
13 at each municipal election shall qualify in the manner prescribed by Article II, Section 3
14 of this Charter, and shall take office on the first Monday in December of the year in
15 which they are elected and shall hold office until the first Monday in December in the
16 fourth year following, or until their successors are elected and qualify.
17
18 SECTION II: AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED BY THE ANNAPOLIS CITY
19 COUNCIL that the date of adoption of this Resolution is ______________, and the
20 amendments of the Charter of the City of Annapolis, hereby enacted shall become
21 effective on _________, unless a proper petition for referendum hereon shall be filed as
22 permitted by law within 50 days of adoption, provided a complete and exact copy of this
23 Resolution shall be continuously posted on the bulletin board in the City Hall until
24 _______________, and provided further that a copy of the title of this Resolution shall
25 be published in "The Capital", a newspaper of general circulation in the City of
26 Annapolis, or in any other newspaper of such general circulation, once in each of the
27 weeks on _________________, __________________, ______________, and
28 ________________.
29
30 SECTION III: AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED BY THE ANNAPOLIS CITY
31 COUNCIL that the Mayor is hereby specifically commanded to carry out the provisions
32 of Section II hereof, and, as evidence of such compliance, the Mayor shall cause to be
33 maintained appropriate certificates of publication of the newspaper or newspapers in
34 which the title of the Resolution shall have been published and if a favorable
35 referendum is held on the Charter change, shall declare the Charter change hereby
36 enacted to be effective on ____________, by affixing her signature hereto in the space
37 provided on the effective date of change.
38
39 SECTION IV: AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED BY THE ANNAPOLIS CITY
40 COUNCIL that as soon as the Charter Amendment hereby enacted shall become
41 effective, either as provided herein or following a referendum, the Mayor shall send to
42 the Maryland Department of Legislative Services a copy of this Resolution showing the
43 number of Aldermen voting for and against it and a report on the votes cast for oragainst the amendment hereby enacted at any referendum thereon and the date of
2 such referendum.
3
4 The above Charter Amendment was enacted by the foregoing Resolution which
5 was passed at a meeting of the Annapolis City Council on , 2009;
6 ____ voting in the affirmative, _____ voting in the negative, ____ abstaining and _____
7 absent and the said Resolution becomes effective in accordance with law on the
8 ______ day of _______________.
9
10
11
12 ADOPTED this _________ day of _________________, 2009.
13
14
15
16 ATTEST: THE ANNAPOLIS CITY COUNCIL
17
18
19 ________________ BY: ____________________________
20 Regina C. Watkins-Eldridge, CMC ELLEN O. MOYER, MAYOR
21 City Clerk
22
23
24
25
26
EXPLANATION:
Highlighting indicates matter added to existing law.
Strikeout indicates matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments.



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Comp. Plan....Nearing Adoption

The Draft Annapolis Comprehensive Plan will be introduced for First Reading at the May 11, 2009 City Council meeting. This begins the City Council review and adoption process. No presentation or discussion of the Draft Plan is expected on this date. The City Council is expected to designate a June date for a Public Hearing.

City Council Agendas are posted on the City web page:
http://www.annapolis.gov/info.asp?page=6923

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Oh Nine On Line for May 6

Reminder...Tomorrow's Sip N' Blog will feature Independent Mayoral Candidate Chris Fox at the Boatyard Market on Fourth Street in the lovely MRE. Fox is soliciting signatures to get on the ballot and will officially announce his candidacy on Saturday....If that does not interest you, try Dave Cordle's fundraiser at the same time, but a block away at The Rockfish....So far we have hosted mayoral wannabe's Cordle, McFall, Cohen, Pierre, Renaut, Taylor, Shropshire as well as aldermanic hopefuls Bowling and Stiverson. We'll get Ward Seven's Ian Pfeiffer up soon and if we ever can find Six's Kirby Kenny or ostensible mayoral candidate Frank Flyntz, we'd be glad to host them as well (Actually, we had Flyntz visit Sip N' Blog last summer when he made his supposed original campaign announcement, and we have tried to contact him repeatedly but he is playing hard to get... )We did have Eight's sitting alderman Ross Arnett and we hope to bring in incumbents Hoyle, Finlayson, Paone and Israel over the summer months. We hosted local notables and luminaries on a host of other topics including Delegate Ron George, Former Mayor Dean Johnson and perhaps we'll host the other District 30 delegation members including Mike Busch, John Astle and Virginia Clagget.

Tomorrow I update the grades for the candidate's web-sites!

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Oh Nine On Line for May 5

Scott Bowling for Ward Three has done some major upgrades to his web-site. Click on his ad to visit, which I will again say, does not affect revenue. He is also planning a birthday bash on June 20....Greg Stiverson in Ward Six has also updated his site at www.stiversonforward6.com...From The Office of The City Clerk in which I inquired about the use of the City Seal on campaign material. "What we were able to locate and review was material which depicted the City's Logo, a badge containing a crown, and a red and purple flower. The City Code does not prohibit the use of the City's logo in connection with a political campaign, when used in such a way as not to suggest an official City document or communication; or, its use by elected officials in their official capacity. We do not find that the use of the City's Logo within the material reviewed by this office, would lead a person to assume that the material is an official City document or communication. Thank you for your inquiry." Well there you have it.

Mayoral candidate Dave Cordle's campaign seems to be having some...challenges. He is hosting a fund-raiser this Thursday, for which an email went out only last Friday from supporter Joyce Thomann. This by the way, conflicts with our weekly Sip N' Blogs, which this week features mayoral candidate Chris Fox. I do not blame anyone for this conflict, but Sip N' Blog has been going on for over a year every Thursday morning, and Cordle was even a guest recently. It is also held about two blocks away. Yet even today, there is no mention of this event on Cordle's web-site, which I check almost daily. It gets worse. The message of Thomann's email invite, which I find unsettling, is exactly why I am running the poll this week on partisanship in our local elections. Besides that, why can't the campaign wait to offend Democrats until he actually runs against a Democrat? Do Cordle's supporters think he can get elected citywide without Democratic support? Here Thomann is going on a tirade against Democrats! For example:
"HOWEVER, I MUST ADMIT THAT THE PROSPECT OF SENDING THE DEMOCRATS A MESSAGE THAT WE HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF THEIR SPEND, SPEND, SPEND, SPEND, TAX, TAX, TAX POLICIES GIVES ME ADDITIONAL IMPETUS FOR GETTING INTO THE ANNAPOLIS CITY RACES BIG TIME – NOW!" Thomann, who does not even live in the city, went on about the recent "Tea Party" and wrote,"We are the people who truly understand that when a politician 'brings home the bacon' they have FIRST STOLEN IT FROM OUR REFRIGERATORS! We weren’t the 'hired guns' regularly turned out by the unions or the liberal socialists for their demonstrations" There you have it--liberal socialists! Perhaps she was the one whose Volvo sported the liberal=socialist bumper sticker I commented upon at Scott Bowling's fund-raiser, which she attended. And she wrote this as well: " THE ANNAPOLIS CITY ELECTIONS GIVE US OUR FIRST OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW OUR DEMOCRAT MASTERS THAT WE REALLY WERE AND CONTINUE TO BE SERIOUS! " . Okay. Sure. Let's be serious. How about if the national Republican party leaders cannot figure out the mess they are in, perhaps the local ones can at least try to understand that without some appeal to some Democrats, Cordle's chances may be slim to none. That's just my humble opinion.

Oh Nine On Line--daily campaign updates!

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Happening on Clay Street TONIGHT....should be very interesting...

If you have any interest about what's doing on Clay Street, visit here:
www.iliveonclaystreet.com/2009/05/stupid-people-smart-people-and-brilliant-people/


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The Porcine Bruce Bereano: I Think I'm Gonna Be Sick

As the swine flu reaches epidemic proportions, Maryland's fat-cat lobbyist Bruce Bereano writes a letter to The Capital because he is upset that the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) and other organizations actually try to manipulate public opinion. Perhaps he thinks such saintly work should only be the domain of lobbyists such as himself.

Green Goblin, The Joker, Penguin, Lex Luthor and all you comic book villains don't hold a boardroom florescent to Bruce Bereano, a household name around the state capital, within corporate boardrooms, in fancy restaurants around town, in legal and political circles and perhaps even in some other institutions as well. He's been known as one of, if not the highest paid lobbyist in Maryland and his recent letter in The Capital is so full of irony, so egregiously mind-boggling and eye-rolling and so full of, of, of, well...of bold sugar.... that I could not ignore it. Here are some excerpts in which he refers to CBF:

"The organization, like other organizations, has an agenda and, despite the facts, has to keep it going."

Uh yeah, it has an agenda and Bereano and his deep pocket clients do not? Bereano is highly paid to promote their agendas, by choosing to use or not use certain "facts". Do you prefer the agenda of tobacco or that of cleaning up the Bay?

Bereano concludes his letter by saying, "I am just tired of all the hypocrisy and spin jobs going on in the public area (sci) hoping the general public will buy it. I don't"

Such bravura. Such hubris. Might some call it something else?

This fat cat reportedly earns hundreds of thousands of dollars a year pushing corporate agendas, which is his and their right, but if you know of Bereano's interesting history and his engagement with the law and the justice system, you know of what I speak. He makes me sick when he appears before a deliberative body explaining his client's views. He is the classic apparatchik greasing the wheels of our government on behalf of his high paying clients. And he talks about spin jobs? Let he who is without sin cast the first stone, Bruce.

Funny aside--Bereano and I were on the same side when we testified against the city bill mandating a public sign in every store carrying products with Bisphenyl A, though for different reasons. I did it as a citizen. Bereano did it because he got paid. Hey-I could have done it for his clients at half the price.

Others have written about Bereano and his interesting background, which you may learn more about by visiting:

www.bayweekly.com/year05/issuexiii5/leadxiii5.html

bruce+bereano

bereano021999.htm

local/politics

bereano

www.thetentacle.com/ShowArticle.cfm?mydocid=2886

Just search "Bereano" for yourself. While newspapers go the way of the dinosaur, reporters lose jobs right and left, and while bloggers struggle to make ends meet bringing some truth to light, Bereano lines his pockets influencing policy and opinion on behalf of the power elite. Then he has the unmitigated gall to write a letter about others who do the same for beneficial public goals, not only for much less money but often through volunteer efforts. Excuse me while I run to the.......toilet................................uggghh........ahhhhhh...............ackkkkkaaacckkkkkacckkkk......uh, okay, I'm better now. Thanks.

Bereano says he is tired of hypocrisy and spin jobs, but I am tired of Bereano's hypocrisy and spin jobs. I don't buy it. Besides, most of us could not even afford an hour of his valuable time as a "professional" hustling in the aisles of power. That's kind of like the professionals who hustle on the streets at night. They both laugh all the way to the bank.

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Meet Mayor Hazel McCallion of Mississauga Canada

Meet Mayor Hazel McCallion of Mississauga Canada. She's been mayor of the sixth largest city in Canada for 30 years and the city is debt-free! Watch this tape. Love it. Laugh. Learn. Listen. Be amazed by this incredible public servant. Listen especially to what she says at 5:15 when she says her biggest regret was in not creating a transit system!!!. Even the finest and most popular of mayors can overlook such a thing! How unfortunate. She says she got re-elected the last time with 92 percent of the vote. Watch it and then weep for Annapolis. (And the M on this mayor's shirt stands for her town--and her last name!)



If you cannot access the video, click here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=fY79KbCptTo


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What Should Be the Number One Priority for the Next Mayor?

Ninety-nine readers responded to the question "What Should Be the Number One Priority for the Next Mayor?" and I was not surprised by your number one choice--transparency and accountability. This answer consistently hovered at about 20 percent all week long.

Market House	15 (15%)
Water and Sewer Infrastructure	3 (3%)
Transportation and Parking	5 (5%)
Finance and Budget	11 (11%)
Public Housing	12 (12%)
Trees, Parks, Waterfront	2 (2%)
Acountability and Transparency	21 (21%)
Public Schools	3 (3%)
Jobs and Businesses Closing	7 (7%)
Controlling Development	4 (4%)
Exanding Sister Cities	7 (7%)
Poverty/Inequality/Human Relations	6 (6%)
Other	3 (3%)

I think we all know why that with 12 other categories, one-fifth of readers believe the trustworthiness of our city government is the overwhelming issue. It's the Moyer Factor! Duh! With The Market House and Public Housing at number two and three, followed by budget and finance, our thoughts are confirmed and likely are seen as the overwhelming areas where our current government has let us down the greatest. I also realized I could have included crime and law enforcement, but there is also a wide perception that with the new police chief, much of the more serious concerns in this area have been addressed. As for the choice of sisters cities, seven readers either got it or did not get it as a jab of a joke, but voted for it anyway. What really concerns me is that more people did not view water and sewer infrastructure as a big priority, but I predict we'll be hearing (but hopefully not smelling) a lot more about this soon.

The new survey asks about whether we should continue to have partisan local elections. Please be sure to vote.

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