Harford Property Tax Revolt

Once again this group denies it is at all responsible for the branch closing. Sure you didn’t pick the branch, but your actions cause this unavoidable re-action. The reason HCPL’s budget was cut and additional 5% was due to a last minute amendment to Craigs budget that the County Council approved due to pressure from this Anti-Tax group. The library had already found a way to keep all branches open (5 furlough days, reduced Sunday hours and cuts to technology) after the first 5% cut they were getting from Craigs proposed budget. This additional cut was the straw that broke the camels back! Yes, it is unfortunate that HCPL choose to close a branch, I guess they could have just laid twice as many people off than they will have to with closing a branch. Everyone seems to be forgetting that REAL Tax Paying Citizens will be laid off because of these cuts. So now you have unemployed Harford county residents being a burden on the unemployment system thanks to your $54/yr savings! Doesn’t seem worth it to me!

I do not know since I do not work at the Fallston library. I can tell you that HCPL is not just laying off Fallston staff. Some Fallston staff will be relocated and the layoffs will be made system wide. These will be immediate layoffs, before July 1, with no severance package.

You may not take credit for it but you do take responsibility. Congrats hypocrites

Do you serious think that the issue of the library would even be an issue if the county council did not do an across the board budget cut after the teabaggers actions? That was the reason the library was originally going to close. You can try to be the problem solvers all you want but saying "No" to everything is not solving a problem. Were YOU trying to solve any problems? No you just sat there complaining about taxes. So go ahead. Surprise me on Saturday and offer a substantial solution besides "Don't Tax Me!"

Alright, let me try and piece through this.

First, your comments to David: "No" is not and cannot be a standalone political solution. Cry foul all you want. Simply saying no will not solve any problems. Call for all the tax breaks you want- I want to see your proposed budget, balanced and capable of providing the extensive services needed for the rapidly growing population of the county. And also, why your opposition to new schools without redistricting? I understand some schools are underpopulated, but the county does not have an evenly-spread populace. You can't bus kids from Darlington to Havre de Grace to alleviate overcrowding. It isn't feasible. Unless, of course, you're willing to pay a little more to cover the increased transportation costs.

Onto your comments directed to me: The logic behind your "threat of firings = no overtaxation" is non-existent. How does that make any sense? If government employees need tax money to stay employed, why would the threat of losing their jobs because of a lowered tax rate cause them to lower the tax rate?

And you are right, no one has made those cuts. Because those are vital services, the proverbial "golden toilets," as your friend would say, that justify our local, state and federal taxes.

And as for government growth? What of BRAC? How do you propose we handle such a massive influx without administrative growth? Furthermore, your "California" comparision is disingenous- the problem is not too much government, but too little governement: the voter initiative system puts major budgetary decisions in the hands of completely uniformed individuals. Here in Maryland, we do not have such a system, and such decisions are left to knowlegdable, democratically-elected officials- and while our current financial situation has been a perpetual darling of the press, our state is actually doing rather well.

And, how could I forget the "general lack of consideration from the Executive and Legislative branches of government in Harford County"? You are a registered voter, are you not? This is a democracy, Mr. McGrady. The people have elected these leaders, and I hope you have carried out your civic duty to voice your opinion alongside your countrymen. If you and like-minded individuals are not "as small a proportion of the electorate as [I] think," why are these the elected officials in Harford County?

I look forward to a more detailed response sometime in the future. And that was supposed to be uninformed, not uniformed, individuals.