It’s Raining Again (or Still…or Something Like That)

In my last post, I wrote about how Baltimore County Councilman, David Marks, was the only Republican member of the Council to vote the wrong way on Baltimore County’s Rain Tax.

Many of you apparently agree with my stance. MANY of you, from the NUMEROUS people I’ve spoken with about this ongoing nastiness since I wrote my last piece. Well, wouldn’t you know it? My last piece has led to the continuation of this story as it has led to me being multi-forwarded the following exchange between Baltimore County Central Committee Chairman, Al Mendelsohn and the County Councilman from Perry Hall, Mr. Marks (R, Councilmanic District 5) Keep in mind, that Al Mendelsohn says, in the body of his email, he forwarded this entire exchange to all of the members of the Baltimore County GOP Central Committee.

In response to the fact that David Marks voted for the Rain Tax, Baltimore County Style, this following email exchange occurred:

“On 03/03/15, Al Mendelsohn wrote (to David Marks):

You have undercut our argument about how there really is a difference in the two parties. Already I have fielded two calls asking how you can have voted this way.

The vote is cast and the die is stuck. Please write a letter or note explaining your vote because I certainly can’t in any way justify your action but I will forward it to anyone who asks.

To cap it off, you have also doomed your Charter Review support in the Central Committee.

David, you have been a good friend and a model Republican for many years but this was, in my eyes, one of those few crucial votes upon which you will forever be remembered and judged.
Al Mendelsohn

—–Original Message—–
From: David Marks

Subject: Re: I’m sure you know how I feel about your vote last night but I am saying it anyway

Al,

Over the past week, I had numerous conversations with Councilman Crandell about ways to reduce the tax. Ultimately, he put in the amendment for full repeal.

Councilman Crandell’s amendment required five votes, as the County Executive has promised to veto any change to the legislation he proposed. There were not five votes. In the event the amendment passed, the County Executive would veto the bill, the Council could not override, and I believe the county would be stuck with the current, higher rates.

An all-out repeal takes $64 million out of the surplus over four years. I am also very concerned about what happens when the county negotiates with our labor unions in 2016 and 2017. Should the labor unions and the county not come to an agreement, an arbitrator will make the decision, possibly putting pressure on the county to raise taxes. I do not want to ever be in the position of having to raise property or income taxes.

Al, I have to make difficult decisions all the time. There was an opportunity to amend the speed camera bill in 2011 that would have allowed the three Republican Councilmembers to ban them had it passed. The purists in our party insisted on all-out opposition, and now we have no Councilmanic controls.

The Council’s action lowered the rates. I promised those I talked to at the work session I would work to reduce them as much as I could, and I did that – but ultimately, the votes were not there. I am very happy we were able to amend the bill to “trigger” an automatic review of the county rates should the state make changes.

Regarding the Charter Review Commission, I amended the bill to address some of your concerns. My amendment reduces the number of the County Executive’s appointees. If the central committee chooses to prioritize the defeat of this commission over electing a Republican President and Republican Members of Congress, that is its choice.

As far as my legacy, hopefully I will be remembered as someone who worked to reform government, preserve open space, and improve our communities – without ever voting to raising taxes. I do my best.

David Marks
davidsmarks@verizon.net

From: Al Mendelsohn
To: davidsmarks@verizon.net (And to the members of the Baltimore County Central Committee. I redacted all of their email addresses.)

Subject: A response from David Marks and my response.

David, Don’t worry about your legacy worry about your County and your party. You have now given Bevins cover. A straight party line vote would have shown that there is “a dimes worth of difference between the two parties” but you blew it.

I understand that you have hard decisions to take all the time but this was not one of them. The State of Maryland and your Council district yelled out on election day that the rain tax is wrong. This was the easiest vote to cast but you voted against the peoples will. It did not get you a seat at the table as the speed camera bill had passed. There is no reason for you to have voted this way

You have concerns about the future effects of a cut to the rain tax. Frankly, I have no idea why you think that it is worse to raise property or income tax in the out years than to allow the rain tax to stand now. It is bad public policy, bad economics and bad politics. Truly the “hat trick” of a bad vote.

I will pass along your letter to the whole Committee.
Al Mendelsohn”

(This Woman was just hit with the realization that not only is she getting wet, she’s also getting taxed.)

Well, just damn. In my book, if you don’t vote to cut taxes, that’s pretty much the same thing as voting to raise them. This is especially true when it looks more like Governor Hogan may yet get his wish to cancel out the Rain Tax on the State level…which would then leave it up to the individual counties. And, if David Marks gets his way – judging from his actual vote, anyway, would mean as a Baltimore County resident, you have him to thank in part when your taxes go up as a result of some spring showers or summer thunder boomers, or whatever.

Other than that, I’m going to pretty much allow Chairman Mendelsohn’s words speak for themselves as he’s nailed it. For a guy with the reputation of being hyper-cautious, Councilman Marks has indeed etched his legacy in stone with his vote for the Rain Tax.

And, from what I’m hearing, the recruitment efforts to find a viable primary challenger to Mr. Marks keep picking up steam. It seems there’s one Hell of a lot of folks in his District that would like nothing better than to take him out next election and let him start worrying about his legacy after having cast this – how was it put to me by that one guy? –“disastrous” vote.

Talk about blowing a “no brainer.”

Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head…

What’s interesting about this whole “rain tax” issue is the way that certain things have turned as concerns who’s voting which way and the like.

In the Maryland Legislature, for instance, Governor Larry Hogan’s Bill to repeal this repellent piece of garbage, AKA the “Rain Tax,” was allowed to die in the respective House and Senate Committees.

Of course, as concerns the Maryland Legislature, this was all done as the DEMS refuse to ever give credit to Maryland GOP Legislators for ANYTHING. Or, in this case, even a GOP Governor of Maryland who campaigned against the “Rain Tax” as a centerpiece of his campaign strategy.

Hogan got elected Governor, Became Governor, and introduced his Rain Tax Repeal, which the DEMS then let die…so they could then introduce their own copy-cat Bill, which I bet will likely pass, especially since it carries the name of Senate President, Mike Miller. Whatever, both bills still require local funding, but at least there is still a shot that the “Rain Tax” will die at the State Level. And, as Governor Hogan said, he doesn’t care who gets the credit.

Now, let’s look at the “Rain Tax” on the Baltimore County level for a moment or two, shall we?

As of November’s election, in which Councilman Todd Crandell replaced the retiring Democratic Councilman from Dundalk, the always brain-dead John Olzewski Senior, the Democrats on the County Council now out-number the GOP by a 4 to 3 count, as opposed to when they outnumbered them by a count of 5 to 2. So, why was the rain tax “repeal” in Baltimore County, a chance to effectively end it by bringing the tax itself down to one cent, defeated by a count of 5 to 2 instead of 4 to 3?

Now, everyone I know in Baltimore County fully expected the four Democrat to continue jumping into bed with and legislatively fondling Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamanetz – which they did, as Council-folk Tom Quirk, Vicki Almond, Julian Jones and Cathy Bevins all held their respective noses and swallowed the Rain Tax Bill by voting what I consider to be the wrong way. In fact, two of the three Republican Council members in Baltimore County also agree with my way of thinking on this matter, as Councilman Todd Crandell and Wade Kach voted the right way.

And that leaves one councilman, a guy I like a lot personally and get along with very well, Councilman David Marks (R-5). I’ve noticed that, recently, in correspondence I’ve received from some folks, his name is misspelled as “David Marx.”

Something tells me, that misspelling is not accidental.

(David Marks: Running for Reelection.)

Anyway, after effectively being bombarded by statements, comments and emails from those who share my way of thinking on the “Rain Tax” at any level of government and wanting to get Councilman Marks’ side of the story, I contacted him. Our exchange, in its entirety, is below:

Me: “Hi, David – About that rain tax vote of yours in Baltimore County….why? If you care to respond, your response will be published in its entirety.”

Councilman David Marks: “Joe, I voted against the enabling legislation in 2013 and certainly support eliminating the tax – but I disagreed with tapping our surplus when the county faces decisions that might compel some to raise the property or income tax rate in 2017 or 2018. Baltimore County begins its negotiations soon with the labor unions that represent most of our public employees. Because voters approved binding arbitration in 2010, there is a likelihood that one or more of our labor unions would seek arbitration.

I did not want an unelected arbitrator to force the county to spend tens of millions of dollars in 2017 and 2018, requiring us to raise property or income taxes. The surplus should be protected. My preference was to use an enterprise fund to reduce the rain tax – but that was not on the table. So I voted to reduce the tax rate by one third and protect the surplus. The Campaign for Liberty can attack me all they want (ignoring the fact that they didn’t send anyone to our hearings). I don’t want to reduce the rain tax and then be forced to come back in two years to raise other taxes because of binding arbitration.”
______

And, there you have it. Make of it what you will.

Here’s one thing I’d be willing to bet on with regards to this “Rain Tax” vote in Baltimore County: Republican David Marks will face a strong primary challenge when he’s up for reelection. And, I think that’s because so many Republicans no longer care about explanations. We want our taxes cut. And we want them cut now. Period. As concerns any possible competition Mr. Marks may face from the right, I’d be willing to bet they’d follow Governor Hogan’s successful campaign plan of “beat them over the head” with the “Rain Tax.”

Might be time to find a steel umbrella.