Guess people in Maryland won't be going to Virginia to get gas since they just raised their gas tax (Frederick: fit in, homeowners association)

[westsideboy]

Originally Posted by MDAllstar

I'm sorry but Maryland laws make counties strong and cities come secondary. Being the second largest city in Maryland doesn't mean anything. What was the population pray tell of Cumberland? Lets not act like a population so small supported anything. You were joking right? Also, the industrial industry died long ago for the most part, you either invent yourselves into something else or keep on moving and let the city or town die. You can't expect to hold on to the same industries of yester year. There are thousands of towns going throught the same thing. People move and migrate to where the cities are that are thriving. If you want to stay, that is your choice but the world moves on.

Again, read some history. Coal was king. Without easy access to it, there would be no Baltimore as an industrial power. Much of that coal came from our hills, and the rest passed through our natural gap in the mountains. There would be no D.C without the Feds deciding that particular piece of swamp was about the mid-point between the original states. Without us, there is no "you" either so that image you have of us as a rural backwater dependent since our settlement on the affluence, population, and money of downstate is a creature of your imagination. Allegany County had more residents than Montgomery County until 1940.

Speaking of Cumberland today, I agree with the bolded statement. We need to move forward. We can't do that when we have mandates dropped on us that don't address our regional problems, coming to us from people that don't care whether our community lives or dies.

[MDAllstar]

Originally Posted by westsideboy

Again, read some history. Coal was king. Without easy access to it, there would be no Baltimore as an industrial power. Much of that coal came from our hills, and the rest passed through our natural gap in the mountains. There would be no D.C without the Feds deciding that particular piece of swamp was about the mid-point between the original states. Without us, there is no "you" either so that image you have of us as a rural backwater dependent since our settlement on the affluence, population, and money of downstate is a creature of your imagination. Allegany County had more residents than Montgomery County until 1940.

Speaking of Cumberland today, I agree with the bolded statement. We need to move forward. We can't do that when we have mandates dropped on us that don't address our regional problems, coming to us from people that don't care whether our community lives or dies.

This is not 1940. That was over 70 years ago. Let it go. Time has past and stop trying to build industry. Its over, the world is headed away from that. Stop trying to sprawl and restore the urban core. Stop trying to live in McMansions. Restore or rehab the city and build density. If you don't want density, this isn't the place for you because we aren't going to keep building low density development in this country.

Again, I didn't have a problem with western Maryland until they decided they did not want to help pay for the urban counties but they don't pull their weight.

[e30is]

Originally Posted by MDAllstar

That is fine, as long as that is accompanied by a change in the allocation of tax dollars as well. The state could change the tax allocation to you get back what you put in. I'm sure nobody would care what you build if that happens. Of course we all know that the clock will then begin to tick down to the widespread closing of entire towns and cities in western Maryland and the eastern shore if that happened from lack of funds to survive.

Originally Posted by MDAllstar

This is not 1940. That was over 70 years ago. Let it go. Time has past and stop trying to build industry. Its over, the world is headed away from that. Stop trying to sprawl and restore the urban core. Stop trying to live in McMansions. Restore or rehab the city and build density. If you don't want density, this isn't the place for you because we aren't going to keep building low density development in this country.

Again, I didn't have a problem with western Maryland until they decided they did not want to help pay for the urban counties but they don't pull their weight.

You missed the point. Eastern Shore and Western MD aren't exactly thriving. PlanMD isn't helping out these regions. In order for it to work, you need to benefit the whole state, not just 1 or 2 regions in particular. You can't nickel and dime these regions for things that will never come to their backyard. You need to allow these regions to have a voice. Let them decide what they want as well. They are still a part of Maryland and the state won't go in the right direction if these areas don't benefit.

[North Beach Person]

Following up on the above, when PlanMD was being developed the rural Counties were totally ignored. Now, those Counties just happen to have pretty much voted for Ehrlich against O'Malley in both elections but I'm sure there's no connection.

[westsideboy]

Originally Posted by e30is

You missed the point. Eastern Shore and Western MD aren't exactly thriving. PlanMD isn't helping out these regions. In order for it to work, you need to benefit the whole state, not just 1 or 2 regions in particular. You can't nickel and dime these regions for things that will never come to their backyard. You need to allow these regions to have a voice. Let them decide what they want as well. They are still a part of Maryland and the state won't go in the right direction if these areas don't benefit.

Thank you so much. I am glad I am not a voice crying alone in the wilderness.

[westsideboy]

Originally Posted by North Beach Person

Following up on the above, when PlanMD was being developed the rural Counties were totally ignored. Now, those Counties just happen to have pretty much voted for Ehrlich against O'Malley in both elections but I'm sure there's no connection.

Thank you.

[westsideboy]

Originally Posted by MDAllstar

This is not 1940. That was over 70 years ago. Let it go. Time has past and stop trying to build industry. Its over, the world is headed away from that. Stop trying to sprawl and restore the urban core. Stop trying to live in McMansions. Restore or rehab the city and build density. If you don't want density, this isn't the place for you because we aren't going to keep building low density development in this country.

Again, I didn't have a problem with western Maryland until they decided they did not want to help pay for the urban counties but they don't pull their weight.

This is the best line yet. McMansions and sprawl threatening Allegany County. If I live to see that day, I will be a very lucky man, and we will have a much more prosperous community.

I also love the quote that it is time to move out of the United States because I can see how PlanMD and the Annapolis political agenda hurts my community. Some guy out of grad school in D.C. speaking for the state of Maryland and now the entire country. You can't make this stuff up.

[e30is]

Originally Posted by westsideboy

Thank you so much. I am glad I am not a voice crying alone in the wilderness.

I generally dislike sprawl and mcmansions for the most part largely because they don't appeal to me, but I generally don't dictate what they want based on what I like. That has to be negotiated between the people of the region and state officials.

[westsideboy]

Originally Posted by e30is

I generally dislike sprawl and mcmansions for the most part largely because they don't appeal to me, but I generally don't dictate what they want based on what I like. That has to be negotiated between the people of the region and state officials.

I am not a big fan either, but my community needs to put some butts in the seats. We are down 20k from our 1950 population. If it takes chopping down some of that 75% forest cover we have to build the types of houses on the size of lots that people want in the 21st century, I say at least keep the option on the table; right now bureaucrats are regulating it away.

The State already owns nearly all of the land in eastern Allegany County. The forest as a whole will remain intact and non-fragmented even if some of the privately owned land is developed. We should have the chance to compete with our neighbors in WV and PA and not have the opportunity for growth be taken away from us because a different region of the state is facing a different problem.

[e30is]

Originally Posted by westsideboy

I am not a big fan either, but my community needs to put some butts in the seats. We are down 20k from our 1950 population. If it takes chopping down some of that 75% forest cover we have to build the types of houses on the size of lots that people want in the 21st century, I say at least keep the option on the table; right now bureaucrats are regulating it away.

The State already owns nearly all of the land in eastern Allegany County. The forest as a whole will remain intact and non-fragmented even if some of the privately owned land is developed. We should have the chance to compete with our neighbors in WV and PA and not have the opportunity for growth be taken away from us because a different region of the state is facing a different problem.

Well I think its good that you are standing up for your community. To me a state policy should benefit all regions and that everyone should not be left out. Leaving these people out would not make everyone in the state satisfied because that is not a sign of what people want. Allowing some growth is better than none.