Three Strikes, Del. Thomas is Out
Incident No. 1: Virginia Thomas faxes out a press release at the close of the legislative session taking full credit for some $13 million in state school construction aid for Howard County. When the true amount is announced by the governor, it is about $2 million less than that. Thomas' explanation: Delegation Chairman Bob Flanagan gave her the wrong figures. Oh . . .
Incident Two: Howard County's nine-member delegation to Annapolis voted 8-1 against Governor Schaefer's 1992 tax increases. County Executive Chuck Ecker, despite numerous attempts by the legislative leadership to get him to change his mind, refuses to ask for taxes to be raised and does not seek the power to increase the local income tax eventually awarded to county governments. Virginia Thomas is the only member of the Howard County delegation to vote for the taxes. Thomas' explanation: She voted for the 1992 tax increase because Chuck Ecker asked her to. Right . . .
Incident Three: During a newspaper interview, Republican Marty Madden related the story of a vote on a 1992 bill that would have capped the liability of oil companies for spills in the Chesapeake Bay at $10 million. Madden correctly stated that Virginia Thomas voted for the bill in the Environmental Matters Committee. Thomas approached Madden at an event later in the week, gave him the name of a lawyer and threatened to sue him for misrepresenting her record. (Apparently, Thomas wanted Madden to note that she had switched her vote on the floor of the House). Thomas acknowledged speaking to Madden but backpedaled on the lawsuit. Thomas' explanation: "I may have. I don't remember."
Does anyone see a pattern here?
Joyce Pope
Laurel
Thomas' Record on Environment
Your article in the Oct. 18 Sun for Howard County regarding the election contest between Virginia Thomas and Marty Madden requires a response and clarification.
First of all, the environmental community has in no way dropped Ginny Thomas or endorsed Marty Madden. The organization which you refer to does not include representatives of most of the major conservation and environmental organizations in the state because such groups, as tax-exempt corporations, are prohibited by law from engaging in partisan political action.
Therefore, they have not endorsed nor can they endorse any candidate. Nor are these major environmental organizations represented by the self-appointed group of self-proclaimed spokespersons for the environment. Over the years, responsible environmental organizations have recognized the outstanding leadership of Virginia Thomas in the environmental area by selecting her from a field of individuals to be the recipient of their awards. She has received recognition from the national Environmental Policy Institute, the statewide Chesapeake Bay Foundation and the local Audubon Society of Central Maryland.
In terms of voting records, both candidates have very good environmental voting records. The difference between the candidates involves a passive response of voting "right" vs. taking the initiative to introduce legislation and to work for nonlegislative solutions to our environmental problems.
Ginny Thomas is a leader; Marty Madden is not. Ginny Thomas has consistently worked with leaders of both environmental groups and business groups to find and implement real solutions to environmental concerns. She calls the parties together, she -- gets the facts, she works to develop solutions.
Ginny doesn't just talk a good game and engage in pro-environment rhetoric. She introduces practical legislation to encourage the use of recycled materials and to require the state to purchase items -- for example, construction materials -- which incorporate recycled material.
Ginny has introduced legislation to promote the use of recycled newsprint, to protect nontidal wetlands, to enhance state reforestation projects, to strengthen radon testing, to remove chlorofluorocarbons from food packaging and vehicle air conditioners. She has supported all major legislation to protect the bay. . . .
Ginny Thomas does not simply vote the way some pressure groups want. That apparently upsets the self-appointed spokespersons, but it is reassuring to the citizens who want sound environmental policy. . . .
Dave Pardoe
Columbia
Gray's Flip-Flops on Taxes
I read with alarm in a recent editorial that Susan Gray planned to raise property taxes to pay for her no-growth policy. Now, she denies making that statement to The Sun.
We don't need a county executive who flip-flops on one of the most pressing issues that affect all of us in Howard County -- taxes.
We know where we stand with Chuck Ecker. He was one of the few county executives who didn't raise our local income tax during the recession. In fact, his policy of managed, controlled development has stabilized our property tax rate.
Ms. Gray's no-growth, or, as she prefers to call "slow-growth," policy would drive away businesses that help subsidize our quality of life in Howard County. That kind of economic development helps create jobs and keep our tax rate stable. . . . No growth is no answer.
Jay Greenspun
Columbia
Preserving Howard for Generations
I write after an afternoon of children's games, food and a hayride in the open fields of a fifth generation Howard County farm that my family and I visited. As the memories dim, I wonder just how long afternoons like this will exist in Howard County given current trends and policy.
Kevin Thomas, in his column of Oct. 16, was on the mark when it said that Susan Gray aims to "preserve" what most of us have found when each of us decided to make Howard County our home. We settled in Howard County to minimize our vulnerability to crime. We want the good schools, the uncrowded roads, the shopping, the athletic facilities, and those open fields, woodlands and lakes.
Howard County, despite its drawbacks, is still largely an oasis in the middle of suburbs and city. But now we also experience periodic gridlock on Routes 32 and 40. We can't be sure our car won't be stolen when we go home for the evening or that we can safely ride or walk the pathways of Columbia or of Centennial Park without being mugged, raped or taunted. Most of our schools have overcrowded classrooms. Textbook monies do not exist. And the county still needs to come up with the funding for the 16 more schools, recreational facilities and jail space necessary to support the lots and developments that are approved but unbuilt.
Some people have been saying that we need 75,000 more people and 20,000 or so more dwelling units in the next 15 years to get the money to pay for solving these problems. Where is their logic? I sense instead that developers and the real estate industry will continue to benefit royally from the profits of home building and remain in their "tony, upper-crust and perfectly luscious" estates far from "distant Columbia."
But what will the rest of us have in a few years? Drive down some of the streets off Route 29 in Silver Spring or go out to Germantown, Gaithersburg or Olney and see for yourself. Susan Gray may have her liabilities, but I am willing to take the risk for a change.
John W. Wisor
Glenwood
Gray Works For All in County
There you go again Kevin Thomas, speaking in innuendo and nonexistent or half-truths about Susan Gray. . . .
Your Oct. 16 column called "Government of the Rich," in which you stated that Susan Gray "is an elitist whose bigoted views appeal to those who feel townhouse dwellers are unsuitable neighbors" is completely misleading. Susan Gray has worked pro bono for areas of our county that are rich and poor, black and white. She has pushed for equalizing school facilities and educational equipment. She is well-liked by all kinds of people and does not deserve to be slandered in this way. Mr. Gray has worked in all areas of the county trying to bring a common-sense approach to the county's development plans. Most recently, she participated in the efforts of the North Laurel community to prevent the building of Redskins' stadium in an already crowded area. Ms. Gray believes that children in this county will no longer have to be constantly redistricted to accommodate excessive growth if a more responsible approach is taken toward long-range planning. . . .
The next area of misinformation is your minimizing the point that the development community influences zoning decisions made by the County Council/zoning board. There is a disproportionate amount of developer money contributed to many of the County Council candidates.
Take, for instance, Charles Feaga, who is receiving a large chunk of his campaign contributions from businesses that are tied to development. Most of these businesses are not even located in Mr. Feaga's 5th District. It is very clear that special interests do affect zoning decisions. One need look no further than the
Waverly Woods project to see that this process is tainted.
We live in democracy. If Charter Amendment B, which was written by Ms. Gray, is passed, it will give the electorate the power to take zoning decisions to referendum. What's wrong with giving the taxpayers the right to overturn certain zoning decisions? . . .
Susan Gray is an honest, fair and hard-working person who is admired by thousands of ordinary people whom she has helped in communities all over Howard County. Unfortunately, your columns present one distortion after another, and we've had enough.
J. Bowman
Columbia
Out of Bounds on 'Unbelievers'
Throughout the last several weeks, your paper has carried many letters from R. D. Bush of Columbia. In those letters, Bush's constant posturing on issues, positions which were predictable after reading only the first letter, have been mostly annoying and easily dismissed. However, the latest diatribe, "Sun Out of Bounds," (Oct. 2), deserves a more significant
response.
. . . The blatant bigotry displayed in the description of Columbians as "unbelievers" reaches a new low. It appears that "unbeliever" is the epithet for anyone who does not see religion or politics in the same vein as the writer. . . .
Howard S. Feldmesser
Wilde Lake
Council Salaries Increased 53 percent
I write to correct errors of fact contained in the letter of James M. Holway ("Time for New School Leadership") published in The Sun, Sept. 25.
Mr. Holway says that the County Council has raised its salary about 275 percent since 1987. This is erroneous. In 1987, the salary of a council member was $18,000 per year ($19,000 for the chair); currently the salary of a council member is $27,500 per year ($28,500 for the chair). This represents an increase of 53 percent over the eight-year, two-term period, not 275 percent.
Furthermore, the council does not increase its salary. State and county law provide that a compensation review commission sets the annual salary and allowance paid to county councils. A commission is appointed every four years to recommend salary and allowances for the council elected to office in the next year. By law, the council may approve, reduce or reject the compensation commission's recommendation, but it may not increase it.
Salaries approved by the County Council do not apply to the current term, but to the succeeding term. Council members, therefore, vote not on recommendations pertaining to their own salaries but on the salaries of the successor council. . . . Mr. Holway urges voters to take a minute to reflect. This is good advice, as long as voters are reflecting on facts. . . .
Sheila M. Tolliver
Ellicott City
The writer is administrator for the Howard County Council.
Kendrick's Age Shouldn't Be a Factor
There are so many ways to respond to David Jackson's Sept. 11 letter about Jamie Kendrick's school board race that it boggles my mind. First, Mr. Kendrick is an intelligent, thoughtful and articulate man. He has a clear grasp of all the issues facing the school board. What is more, he has convictions and opinions that he is not afraid to state. Mr. Kendrick is a remarkable person for any age.
Second, a person is mature enough to do a job when he really wants that job. Mr. Kendrick clearly wants to be on the school board. He has spent an enormous amount of time writing position papers and organizing his campaign. He has been mature enough to focus his time and energy on achieving a desired goal.
Mr. Jackson's negative attitude toward teen-agers angers and upsets me. . . .
Laura Waters
Harper's Choice