Voices From The Readers

Voices From The Readers
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Vote For A Change

Editor:

Over the past few months, we have witnessed much moaning, whining, complaining and protest regarding the majority council’s outrageous and arrogant abuse of power as elected members of the Ocean City Council.

We have attended the City Council meetings and voiced our displeasure, frustration and anger over the highhanded but legal workings of the majority council. A committee has been formed and there have been meetings and discussions via the social media, Facebook. However, there must be a next step in this process to effect change.

This missing link is “Get out the Vote.”

The next election will be held on Oct. 16, 2012. All is lost if the voters do not go to the polls and vote out the majority council from office. We currently have 5,000 registered voters in Ocean City. Only 1,500 of them voted in the last election. One of the Ocean City Council members only won by a small number of votes in his last election. This next election should be a crusher and should reflect the wishes of the community.

The Ocean City Council members are to represent the views, needs and best interests of the voters of Ocean City. Their purpose is not to push personal agendas, play power politics, ignore their constituents and wreak havoc on Ocean City employees, personnel and the voters. Currently this is not the case.

Ergo, get out the vote.

We have one year from today to change the face of the council and the fate of Ocean City. If the entire police force, city employees, fire fighters, teachers, senior citizens, young voters etc. would just get out the vote: We would affect positive change for Ocean City. Let’s organize. Let’s network. Let’s unite.

Let’s get out the vote. End this sad chapter in Ocean City’s history. End this narrow minded view of Ocean City’s future. The agenda for the City Council should be one of logical debate, due diligence and empathy for those “little people” who make it all happen.

Priscilla Pennington-Zytkowicz
Ocean City

Group Wants County BZA Decision Vacated

Editor:

We applaud Mr. Tunis’ and Hardwire’s recognition that the public property at the end of Langmaid Road, in Newark, MD, is not an appropriate site for a privately-operated military testing facility.

However, the granting of the Special Exception use of this land by the Board of Zoning Appeals (“BZA”) is still of concern to the community. Allowing bombing ranges in the Resource Protection District is not an acceptable use, nor is it an acceptable use anywhere in Worcester County.

Our concern is that even if Hardwire chooses not to use the site as a military testing facility, the special exception approval remains valid for a year and it would be difficult, if not impossible, for the BZA to turn down another similar application at this location, or other Resource Protection zoned properties in Worcester County.

Given Mr. Tunis’ professed concern that the Newark and South Point communities “spent your resources on meetings, lawyers and yard signs”, it would be a neighborly gesture on the part of Hardwire to join our request to BZA to vacate their Sept. 13 decision.

Finally, this community wishes to comment on the substance and tone of Mr. Tunis’ Oct. 18 letter to the Worcester County Commissioners.

First, ‘jobs’ has never been an issue in this matter. Mr. Tunis, under oath at the BZA hearing, admitted that no matter what the decision of the BZA, Hardwire would remain in Pocomoke and he would not relocate. The 60-plus jobs his company provides in Worcester County would remain in Worcester County, even without Worcester County subsidizing Mr. Tunis’ business with a low or no-rent lease of County owned property on the shores of Newport Bay.

Second, ‘patriotism’ has never been an issue with regard to this matter. This community has been very forthright in praising the work Hardwire does to protect our law enforcement, and military, men and women. Mr. Tunis’ response in his letter today is insulting to this community, many of whom have served in the military or in law enforcement, have loved ones who have served, and yes, have loved ones we have lost during their service to their communities and country.

‘Seashore Not C-4’ community

Tax Code To Blame

Editor:

I’m sure by now most of your readers have heard about Warren Buffet’s claim that he pays a lower tax rate than his secretary. What he failed to mention is that he chooses not to take a salary from his company, so most of his income is from capital gains which are taxed at a much lower rate than ordinary income. His statement, however, is a perfect set up for President Obama’s class warfare rhetoric.

The President is campaigning for his new "Jobs Act" and feels confident, due to Mr. Buffett’s comment (he even named a portion of the bill after Mr. Buffett), in demonizing the rich for not paying their "fair" share. When any politician or main stream media person is asked what they would consider a "fair" share percentage, none can give an answer. They also have trouble identifying exactly who the rich are. The reality, however, for your readers is to understand is that the top one percent of wage earners pay greater than 40% of all taxes collected by the government. Knowing this makes Mr.

Obama’s statement totally without merit, as well as hypocritical, because the left’s class warfare rhetoric is the perfect argument for what they absolutely do not want: scrap the 70,000 plus page tax code and replace it with a fair or flat tax concept.

 Of course, most politicians in office today know if they do this it would reduce the government’s ability to reward businesses and behaviors it likes and punish those it doesn’t like. It would also eliminate the bureaucracy’s ability to retaliate against those who disagree with governments policies.

Don’t expect this to happen any time in the near future. Neither political party is willing to give up the power given to them with the present tax structure because of the advantages it gives to incumbents.

We need to support candidates who understand that our tax code is the basis for most of the economic problems we face as a nation.

Ann Lutz
Ocean Pines
A Big Thank You

Editor:

The Republican Women of Worcester County say “thank you” to everyone who came to the shower and tour we had for the Home of the Brave on Monday, Oct. 10 and to all those who brought gifts or sent them. It was a marvelous event, attended by 150 people, more or less.

Tina Pearson, owner and CEO, equipped her home for the handicapped. She has invited service personnel, and their families, returning from Iraq or Afganistan, or service personnel coming out of the hospital, to spend some time away from their homes to become reacquainted with their families. Tina has personally been equipping the home at her expense.

Your contributions are outstanding and we thank you sincerely. Tina set a bedroom aside to put the gifts in and, I kid you not, it was full. Not to mention the monetary and gift certificate contributions also received.

I would be remiss if I did not also thank the ladies of RWWC who provided such delicious food and worked so hard at this event. Thank you all.

Betty O’Brien
Berlin