Many speakers stood up and voiced their opinions.  Speakers crossed many demographic lines; there were white people, black people, brown people,  a French national (speaking against socialized health care), women, and men!


We started a little after 9am and I was concerned because the parking lot was not full yet. My fears were quickly allayed as the speakers and music drew many more people into the audience.

Many local Liberty-minded groups had tables present. It was great! Some local groups that were represented were Americans for Prosperity, Campaign for Liberty, Route 40 Republicans, The Institute on The Constitution, and others!


It was a honkin' good time as many passing drivers showed their support with a quick horn beep. 

Some of the topics addressed included:
-The effects of Cap and Trade (higher cost of living, damage to business, higher unemployment)
-The Constitution and the merits of following it
-Remembering the sacrifice of the Founding Fathers
-The effects of Nationalized Health Care
-Individual Liberties that are being usurped by government at all levels
-The path to a freer United States!
-Dramatic reading of the Declaration of Independence


The following people graced the audience with their patriotic speech!

-Pastor Dave Whitney; Cornerstone Evangelical Free Church, Institute on the Constitution, Teaches a class on the Constitution at Boyle Buick at 7pm on Tuesdays
-Rick Impallaria, District 7 Md House of Delegates representative
-Derek Howell; The Howell Firm, Bel Air, MD
Corrogan Vaughn; Candidate for US Senate from Maryland
-Tony Passaro; Local business owner, Armed Forces Veteran
-Mabe Meadows; Local resident. 
-Dave Schwartz;State Coordinator of Americans For Prosperity
-Dave Pridgeon; Local Coordinator of Campaign for Liberty, Small businessman.
-Eric Vowles
-Ken Youngman; Cmdr US Navy Retired.
-Joe Seehusen; MD Senate Candidate from District 7
-Charles Lollar; Commissioner of State Tax Reform. Chairman of New Day Maryland, a vision of 2010.
-Steve Reightler
-Jim Rutledge; US Senate Candidate from Maryland, Forest Hill Attorney
-Jim Leath
-Cynthia Yockey, www.AconservativeLesbian.com, Recently became a conservative!
-Gary Johnson; Local Patriot, sang a song about the founding fathers on a guitar he built!
-Terry Hanley, Bel Air Town Commissioner, Former Mayor of Bel Air.
-Janet McNeal - Harford Resident
-Patricia Kelly - French Lady who decries socialized medicine!

And I MC'ed the event on speakers and other Audio equipment provided by Mr. Stephen Wright of the Route 40 Republicans. I believe the event was hugely successful and I am excited about our next event at 5:30 on July 14 at the County Council Chambers to support the Homestead Tax Credit Amendment. 

Stay tuned for a post about that.

Martin O'Malley and the General Assembly just concluded the 2009 legislative session. If you are a labor union that funds democrat campaigns, you made out very well. If you are an illegal immigrant in immediate need of a Maryland drivers license, you scored a victory. If you believe that a homeowner or small business owner's greatest worth is the taxes and fees they pay government, you can take a victory lap.

However, if you are a new homeowner, small business owner, state employee, residential or commercial buyer of electricity, or a driver of Maryland roads, you lost big in the 2009 legislative session. Here's how:

Small businesses will pay more under House Bill 310, which increases unemployment insurances tax rates, making it more difficult for employers to keep and hire employees.

Individuals and business pay more for electricity under House Bill 315, which requires companies to cut their CO2 emissions by 25% by 2020. The costs incurred by companies to comply with this mandate will be passed on to you, the consumer. Yet Maryland's most powerful labor unions, who bankrolled the campaigns of the lawmakers who wrote the legislation, were protected by virtue of a "manufacturing exemption" in the bill.

State employees will pay more under House Bill 298, which imposes a $400 annual tax on state employees who are not members of a labor union. Once again, our liberal leaders favored the special interests who financed their campaigns while punishing ordinary, non-union state employees who were already forced to take furloughs in December.

Drivers pay more under House Bill 313, which places speed surveillance cameras throughout the state, despite clear evidence that the devices can be manipulated. For instance, Montgomery County high school students were caught duplicating the license plates of teachers and students and speeding through surveillance camera zones. The cameras do not distinguish between the owner and operator of the vehicle, yet drivers are still forced to pay $40 fines. Drivers who use E-Z Pass will also pay higher fees.

Homeowners with septic systems pay more under Senate Bill 554, which requires nitrogen-removing technology for new home or commercial renovation and construction projects. This legislation will cost new homeowners and renovators an additional $12,000.

Students and parents pay more as college and university room and board charges will increase as much as 7 percent next school year.

Illegal immigrants will continue to reap rewards from Maryland's amnesty policy toward drivers license. Maryland is the only state west of the Rockies that allows illegal immigrants to obtain drivers licenses. As a result, a staggering 300,000 have obtained Maryland licenses since 2006. While legal immigration is an important American tradition, the legislation passed by O'Malley and the legislature this year leaves the welcome mat out for illegal immigrants.

That summarizes the winners and losers of this year's legislative session. So ask yourself: did you win or lose?

--Found on the WBFF Fox 45's website found at http://www.foxbaltimore.com/newsroom/features/political_pulse/index.shtml

Their budget has been cut by the County Council for Fiscal Year 2010 and in response they are closing the Fallston Library. 

I support the difficult decisions that the County Council has made on this matter but it is not immediately evident that the Fallston Library needs to be closed in order to balance the budget. 

Perhaps the HCPL can instead cut hours at branches across the County? Surely that would save the Fallston Branch.

I heard a story about a lady at the Abingdon branch of the library that refused to sign a petition to save the Fallston Library and was asked to leave. I hope this is just a rumor. 

The Tea Party movement and the people that held Rallies at the Council Chambers can be given credit for helping bring about the tax break for all homeowners in Harford County, however, not for closing the library. This decision was made by the HCPL and I urge anyone that takes issue with the decision to contact Library Director Audra Caplan at caplan@hcplonline.info. 

The following press release was taken from the HCPL website found at the following address:

http://www.hcplonline.info/services/branches/fallston.cfm
--
The Harford County Public Library Board of Trustees will hold a Public Hearing to discuss the closure of the Fallston Branch on Thursday, June 18, 2009, 6 p.m., at the Bel Air Branch.  The Board will hold their regular meeting at 6:30 pm., following the Public Hearing.  The Bel Air Branch is located at 100 East Pennsylvania Avenue.


For more information about the Public Hearing or the Board meeting, call 410-273-5600.
--


The library closing seems to be a move to detract from the credibility of Harford County Citizens that want to have responsible spending and reasonable budgets. Remember, the County taxes that residents and businesses pay have increased from $420 Million in 2005 to $610 Million in 2009. That's a 45% increase in 4 years.

Let your voice be heard. If you feel that the Library should close, tell them! It is important that you support the decision makers either way you lean. You can contact the Council at our form found here.