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Old 09-20-2013, 08:20 PM
 
Location: Maryland's 6th District.
8,358 posts, read 25,184,170 times
Reputation: 6540

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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tom Lennox 70 View Post
People in Western Maryland and the Eastern Shore don't tell Montgomery County they can't have high density, but urban liberals push PlanMaryland on the entire state. Just like rural folks don't tell cities they can't have gun laws, but cities push gun laws statewide even though there is no gun violence in rural areas.
People in rural communities definitely have their opinions about city folk...and ones they are not afraid to be vocal about, either. The average Joe and Jane Citizen in MoGo is not telling anyone in Western Maryland or the Eastern Shore what to do. Ok, so some may do so indirectly through vote, sure, but I would bet most are not thinking of how their votes may impact other parts of Maryland, are downright confused over wording (remember the redistricting question?), or what-ever. I seriously doubt anyone is consciously thinking Hey, how can we screw over Frostburg today?. Besides, a good number of policy, as far as I recall, is not voted on by the public.
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Old 09-21-2013, 08:22 PM
 
Location: The Heart of Dixie
10,135 posts, read 15,822,702 times
Reputation: 7132
Quote:
Originally Posted by K-Luv View Post
People in rural communities definitely have their opinions about city folk...and ones they are not afraid to be vocal about, either. The average Joe and Jane Citizen in MoGo is not telling anyone in Western Maryland or the Eastern Shore what to do. Ok, so some may do so indirectly through vote, sure, but I would bet most are not thinking of how their votes may impact other parts of Maryland, are downright confused over wording (remember the redistricting question?), or what-ever. I seriously doubt anyone is consciously thinking Hey, how can we screw over Frostburg today?. Besides, a good number of policy, as far as I recall, is not voted on by the public.
I'll give you an example. There is talk that they want to push Montgomery County's bag tax statewide. Why?????? If the urban counties want "smart growth" they can pass their own laws, why do they have to ban septic tanks on the Eastern Shore and restrict Cumberland and Salisbury from expansion? PlanMaryland not only forces high density development in Baltimore and MoCo it forces it statewide even in rural areas where high density is impossible and makes no sense. Now in Easton you have these cramped townhouse developments and apartments. That is so unnatural to the Eastern Shore which should be low density and small town in character. And why is it not enough for Montgomery, PG, and Baltimore City to pass their gun laws, why limit gun rights statewide? And Montgomery COunty has its own minimum wage. Why raise the statewide minimum wage when that will destroy small businesses in Western MD and the Shore?
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Old 09-22-2013, 02:08 AM
 
631 posts, read 1,391,423 times
Reputation: 384
Townhouses on the Eastern Shore are a good idea. Salisbury is the largest city on the Eastern Shore. Let them have townhomes. It gives it a more suburban/city feel to it. Downtown has lofts and condos that are already at occupancy and have a waiting list. It will

The minimum wage will help the resident of western MD and the eastern shore, the COL is increasing but the wage is staying the same and it is making families not be able to afford things now. Raise the minimum wage and it will help families and lower the poverty rate.

Growth on the Eastern Shore is still rising. Not in some counties but in Wicomico and Worcestor Counties, growth is rising which is a good sign. Western MD is hard as I dont know that area well.
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Old 09-24-2013, 10:28 AM
 
Location: Maryland's 6th District.
8,358 posts, read 25,184,170 times
Reputation: 6540
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tom Lennox 70 View Post
I'll give you an example. There is talk that they want to push Montgomery County's bag tax statewide. Why?????? If the urban counties want "smart growth" they can pass their own laws, why do they have to ban septic tanks on the Eastern Shore and restrict Cumberland and Salisbury from expansion? PlanMaryland not only forces high density development in Baltimore and MoCo it forces it statewide even in rural areas where high density is impossible and makes no sense. Now in Easton you have these cramped townhouse developments and apartments. That is so unnatural to the Eastern Shore which should be low density and small town in character. And why is it not enough for Montgomery, PG, and Baltimore City to pass their gun laws, why limit gun rights statewide? And Montgomery COunty has its own minimum wage. Why raise the statewide minimum wage when that will destroy small businesses in Western MD and the Shore?
The "bag tax", and this is only my opinion: considering the number of Marylanders who feel it is perfectly okay to litter, I would personally charge $50 per bag. There is such a sense of entitlement in this State that it actually goes so far as people believing that littering where ever and when ever they want is a perfectly good activity. It costs money to pick up their litter, hence, the bag tax.

I do think it should be up to each county, as with most things, to decide if they want to implement it or not. My original point is, however, that the average Jane and Joe of MoGo are not pushing for this to become State-wide...it is the politicians who are doing so.

Minimum wage should be based on local economies, each of which dictated by individual counties. Look at the American dollar and two locations, say Louisiana as a whole and New York City. The dollar has the same value, yet different "purchasing" power in each location. And both have different COLs that have been adjusted to each economy. The average Louisianan would be rich if they earned a typical Manhattan wage, yet the median Louisiana wage would be considered practically poverty in Manhattan.

As for gun restrictions, I don't see the point, but it is a complicated issue.

And PlanMaryland...I doubt many citizens have actually read the documentation, and those who have may have been lead to believe it really is best for the entire State. I read it. The document is full of ambiguous double-speak typical of politics. It may not be obvious at first glance, however with further examination it becomes clear the project is to only benefit Central Maryland and DC suburbs.
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Old 09-24-2013, 05:47 PM
 
Location: On the Chesapeake
45,071 posts, read 60,120,172 times
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PlanMD, which I have read more than once, is definitely tilted to the DC/Baltimore corridor. It also has a bunch of time bombs hidden in it. One is the so-called "Rain Tax", although that has some federal input. That ties in the Watershed Improvement Program (WIP) which is blindingly expensive.

Calvert County, arguably the County with the strictest growth controls in the State and the smallest County, is on the hook for $2Billion for WIP. I'd hate to see what the bill is going to be for Prince George's or Baltimore County.
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Old 10-01-2013, 04:34 PM
 
Location: USA
7,474 posts, read 7,013,198 times
Reputation: 12503
While I'm not fan of either party at this point, I find it troubling that there is often very little understanding of the issues in this state among the citizens. Meanwhile, at the top, the state as a whole suffers from 1-party rule that seems to be focusing mostly on raising new and "creative" forms of revenue.

Maryland has a very high cost of living and is very dependent upon DC for it's economy. It's also very densely populated, which only makes matters worse. On top of all this, our leadership seems to focus mostly upon raising taxes, fees, and tolls, which skirting around real issues, such as the crime and rot within Baltimore and the general lack of jobs growth in the area, aside from narrow forms of government contract jobs.

On the flip side, while the state's leadership is lackluster and the bill for living here goes up every year, those I know who speak of splitting the state up seem to lack any foresight or good motivations. Most of the time, it just seems to boil down to "I want the right to keep an arsenal in my home so I can shoot the U.N. troops when they take over!" or "I don't wanna pay taxes for roads I don't drive on!" or racist nonsense directed at Baltimore and PG counties. Nevermind that these secessionist voters always live in places that have few jobs and thus receive far more money in taxes than most of the rest of the state!

I might be able to have greater support for those who want to split the state up if they could come up with reasons aside from a general hatred of "other people" and government and if they could propose a better solution than "all government is bad!" which is not a valid way to run a state of any size or form, IMHO.

Note that I'm not applying any of this to the folks in this post who have all contributed thoughtful replies that are so sorely lacking in the political discussions in Maryland, but rather to the voting population in general, which is what makes these observations troubling.
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Old 10-07-2013, 04:01 PM
 
46 posts, read 72,724 times
Reputation: 32
I think Central Maryland should secede from Western Maryland and the Eastern Shore Maryland. Just my two cents
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Old 10-09-2013, 05:09 AM
 
631 posts, read 1,391,423 times
Reputation: 384
COUNTIES WILL NOT SECEDE!!! STOP SAYING THIS.... SHEESH

Its getting stupid to have people secede and not know the reasons it takes to secede plus Congress will not let that happen, this is not the 1840s people.

As I stated before, Look at other states... Northern Delaware and Southern NJ is more connected to Philly Metro which is different than Pittsburgh Metro if the residents dont like what is goign on should they secede??

What about Northern NJ who has more of a NYC connection??? Should they secede and join NYC?? What about upstate NY (Albany, Syracuse and Buffalo)?? Should they secede because they cant get their way and cry??

Or here is a good one...NorCal and SoCal secede from each other and form 2 states???? O what about Miami being its own and let Northen Florida be its own???

How about Texas??? yes Texas.... Northern Texas(Armorillo, Witchita Falls) join Oklahoma while Southern Texas (Houston, Beaumont, Galveston) joins Louisiana and El Paso joins New MExico???

If you have to do it for one you will do it for other areas, Metropolitan Areas will have different ways of living and views, that is what makes the nation diverse....

As a Maryland Native I have a few gripes about the administration, I went to college under Erlich and he was steady raising tuition each year because he kept crying about not getting Slots in MD however student Aid kept stagnant.

Congress is not even going to entertain some 1 or 2 counties seceding. Deal with it... or if you dont like it in Maryland... here is a good idea... MOVE ELSEWHERE!!!!! I hear Mississippi is a good place to live.
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Old 10-09-2013, 05:42 AM
 
Location: On the Chesapeake
45,071 posts, read 60,120,172 times
Reputation: 60651
As far as Texas goes the annexation into the US provided that it can, if it chooses, break into up to (if I remember correctly) five states. That's never been repealed.

You mentioned Ehrlich and slots. Don't you find it fascinating that as soon as O' Malley became Governor major opponents, such as Speaker of the House of Delegates Mike Busch (D-Anne Arundel), dropped their opposition and we got expanded gambling which now includes table games?
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Old 10-09-2013, 12:26 PM
 
631 posts, read 1,391,423 times
Reputation: 384
Well being that I was in college and wasnt registered to vote until 2004, I never paid much attention. i was just mad b/c my tuition AND fees kept increasing yet my Financial Aid was staying the same, or decreasing. Because Erlich claimed slots would generate "revenue" so he increased tuition instead.

It wasnt until I voted in the 2012 election, I actually voted NO against the Slots, especially with National Harbor as I live in PG. I would wished that I voted No in 08 for AA County as BW Parkway is a straight *#$%
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