Talking Maryland Politics

I invite you to visit www.TalkingMarylandPolitics.com and “join us” to view my new online video political discussion program, Talking Maryland Politics. The video program focuses on political issues in Maryland and features elected officials and community leaders/activists from across the state.

Last week I visited Bethesda in Montgomery County and today on my Blog, www.TalkingMarylandPolitics.com are my interviews with Maryland Democratic state senator Brian Frosh, who is running for Attorney General, Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett(D), who is running for a third term and long time Democratic politico and attorney Stanton Gildenhorn.

You can watch all of the exclusive interviews on www.TalkingMarylandPolitics.com for an introductory low annual subscription fee of only $19.95 a year! 

It is through your membership fee and contributions we are able to bring you quality video programming throughout the year. I encourage you to forward this email to your friends and invite them to "join us"!

Sign up takes only a few minutes and is safely secured by Pay Pal.  Major credit cards and your debit card are accepted.  You can sign up here: http://www.talkingmarylandpolitics.com/?page_id=6

I want to thank the many who watched our first show that focused on the change to charter government in Frederick County, Maryland.

My guests included Democratic candidate for county executive Jan Gardner, Maryland Democratic Party Treasurer and local attorney Robert Kresslein who was co-chair of the charter writing committee, local businessmen and political commentators Michael Kurtianyk and Jim Racheff, Frederick County Teachers Association President Gary Brennan, local activist and Residents Against Landsdale Expansion (RALE) president Steve McKay.

You can watch, for free, my twenty minute interview with Jan Gardner and Steve McKay here: http://www.talkingmarylandpolitics.com/?p=500

Each week we will strive to bring you an hour video program, posted on the Blog in twenty minute segments to make for easy viewing.  Of course, they are always available for viewing when you have the time.

Next week we will air a recent interview I conducted with Kevin Grubb who is challenging incumbent Frederick County Sheriff Chuck Jenkins in the Republican Primary. 

Also next week, you will be able to view a great interview I had with Frederick County Circuit Court Judge Danny O’Connor who was appointed by Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley.  Former Frederick County state’s attorney Scott Rolle is challenging O’Connor in this election.  

Joining me in another segment is Dave Weaver, the chair of the Judicial Nominating Commission for Frederick County.  Weaver details what is a very thorough nominating process.  

Your suggestions for guests and the issues to be discussed are also welcomed. Email me at George@TalkingMarylandPolitics.com

Remember to subscribe today to www.TalkingMarylandPolitics.com at the low introductory annual fee of only $19.95 by clicking here:http://www.talkingmarylandpolitics.com/?page_id=6! 

Also be sure to “Like” Talking Maryland Politics on Facebook and follow us on Twitter at TalkMDpolitics. 

Thank You!

George Wenschhof 

Minimum Wage Increase Long Overdo

George Wenschhof

It is disheartening to hear the ageless Republican Party argument against an increase in the minimum wage.  This is just another example of how out of touch with reality the Republican Party has become.  Added to their stance against women’s rights, gay marriage and meaningful immigration reform, it is no surprise voters are leaving the Republican Party in record numbers.

President Obama’s proposal to increase the federal minimum wage from $7.25 to $9.00 is not only needed, it is not enough of a raise.  Tying automatic increases of the minimum wage to the consumer price index to keep pace with future inflation is also necessary.

The Republican Party mantra that an increase of the minimum wage would lead to job losses and higher unemployment is just not true.

Rather, there is a stimulus to the economy that occurs and businesses benefit by the increase in spending.

There is a universal acknowledgement that the present federal $7.25 per hour minimum wage is not even a living wage.  Paying rent, food, clothing and other expenses with less than $300 week after taxes, is a huge strain on even the most frugal individual, let alone family.

It is widely known and documented individuals who exist on minimum wage earnings will spend the increase they receive, which in turn, benefits the economy.

Republican obstructionists in the U.S. Senate kept an increase to $9.00 per hour from happening a year ago and it is likely they will follow suit this year in spite of the push by Obama and his inclusion of this issue in his state of the union address.

In a midterm congressional election year, Republicans would be wise to heed a January 8, 2014 Quinnipiac poll that shows 71% of American voters support an increase. 

Further illustrating the mood of the electorate, states are not waiting for the federal government to act and a majority of them have bills that will be acted on this year to increase the minimum wage.  This follows the District of Columbia and five states that passed an increase last year.

The state of Maryland is one of those states that are not waiting for Congress to act.  Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley (D) supports raising the minimum wage to $10.10 by 2016 and tying future increases to inflation by 2017.

Meanwhile, impatient individual counties in Maryland, reflecting how states are reacting to a slow moving congress, are already passing their own increases in minimum wage.  Montgomery County and Prince George’s counties have passed legislation that will lead to an $11.50 minimum wage by 2017.

Democrat Karen Young, who is running for Maryland state delegate in district 3-A sent me an email saying “After extensive research on this topic, I have found that there is little, if any, historic data that ties a raise in the minimum wage to increased unemployment. To the contrary, economists suggest that an increase in the minimum wage will have a stimulating effect on the economy by increasing purchasing power. 

Most importantly, raising the federal minimum wage to $10.10 an hour would reduce the number of people living in poverty by 4.6 million, according to a recent study by University of Massachusetts – Amherst economist Arindrajit Dube”.

It has been reported Maryland senate president Thomas “Mike” Miller (D) feels it is more likely for the senate to pass regional wage hikes as opposed to a statewide increase in the minimum wage.

Republicans in the Frederick County state delegation have made their opposition to an increase in the state minimum wage known.  In an earlier interview, state senate minority leader David Brinkley (R) told me he felt a raise in the minimum wage should come from the federal government and not by the states.

Roger Wilson, another Democratic candidate for Maryland state delegate in district 3-A, told me “Increasing the minimum wage is both responsible and logical. It is a Win, Win. Let's use the example of Henry Ford.

Henry Ford paid his workers a living wage. Ford understood that by paying employees a living wage the employees could then afford to buy Ford motor cars. The same would hold true today for any company... Increase purchase power, buy more, sell more, build more, and the economy improves”.

Gene Stanton(D), who is running for Maryland state delegate in district 4 wrote in an email "Increasing the minimum wage is the right thing to do, for employees, employers and most especially, for Maryland taxpayers. In addition, it is the right thing to do morally. Maryland taxpayers benefit with increased income tax revenue and fewer people collecting public assistance and the business community benefits with happier employees that have money to spend on their products. Its a win-win situation for Maryland."

It is past due to increase the federal minimum wage and $10.10 is still insufficient for an individual or family to live in America today, regardless of what state they live in or what region within a state they reside.  Arguing against this makes little sense and government failing to act is a travesty.

Keeping a class of Americans in poverty and tied to government assistance is hardly representative of the “American Way”.

We can and must do better.  Demand your representative in Congress support an increase in the federal minimum wage and let your Maryland state legislator know you support a statewide increase in the minimum wage with automatic future increases tied to inflation.

Stay tuned.

Your Donations are Needed

Your financial support is needed to get this political news program on the Internet. Watch the video above and donate now!

Your donation of $25, $50, $100 or more is appreciated and will help us begin production. Without your financial support, this program will not be produced.

After hearing from many of you of the need, and recognizing the absence of any local video political discussion program in Frederick County, Maryland, I plan to produce an online video political discussion program. It will feature local elected officials, community leaders, activists and experts discussing the issues that matter most to you.

Here is what community activist Val Dale says about this news program "Be a part of making Frederick Politics a reality! A new ONLINE news show, hosted by veteran Frederick writer George Wenschhof hosting public officials, newsmakers, activits/advocates, experts, citizens all discussing the issues we all care about that impact our lives in Frederick County and City! YOU see the people, YOU hear the debate, YOU hear the information...YOU decide!"   

Producing quality online video is expensive. To begin production, I need your financial assistance in raising the necessary capital to get started. Donations may be made by clicking on the donation button located in the right hand margin of my Blog; FrederickPolitics.com.

Major credit cards and your pay pal account are accepted and all size donations are welcomed and appreciated.

The pay-for-view video program will be available to watch weekly on FrederickPolitics.com and will also include coverage of The City of Frederick election this year and the county/state elections next year.

Val Dale adds "I truly want to see and hear for myself what folks have to say about important issues for me - like Citizen...s/Montevue, Land Use, public safety, name your topic! With this NEW online news show I can watch it at MY convenience! I believe information is power and THIS is why I am supporting and donating to Frederick Politics!"

Donations are not tax deductible. If sufficient funds are not raised to produce the video program, donations will be used to continue to publish political news and commentary on FrederickPolitics.com.

Thank You! 

Hecht Supports Rosapepe Bid For Maryland Comptroller

George Wenschhof
 
Former Frederick Democratic state delegate Sue Hecht is inviting friends to attend a meet and greet fundraiser for state senator Jim Rosapepe (D), who is considering a run for state comptroller in 2014.
 
The event will be held Thursday August 23 at a private home in The City of Frederick, Maryland on Thursday from 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM ET.
 
Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot (D) is among a handful of Democrats seriously considering a run for Governor in 2014.  Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley (D), who is term limited, is rumored to have his eyes set on a White House bid in 2016.
 
In the email to Hecht supporters, Rosapepe says he is exploring a race for Maryland comptroller, if his friend Peter Franchot runs for Governor.
 
The email cited Rosapepe as a Maryland fiscal leader who vice chaired the Ways and Means Committee while a member of the House and has served as chair of the Joint Audit and Technology Committee as a member of the state senate.
 
Interestingly, Frederick state delegate Galen Clagett, has made it known he is not running for another term and is considering a run for state comptroller, also citing Franchot as a friend and saying he would run only if Franchot declared a run for Governor.
 
House Majority Leader Kumar Barve, a Democrat from Montgomery County is another who has said he will run for Comptroller if Franchot declares a bid for Governor.
 
The support of Sue Hecht for Jim Rosapepe illustrates, what has long been known in local Democratic circles, fellow Democrats Sue Hecht and Galen Clagett have not seen eye to eye on many issues.
 
Additional Democrats seriously considering a run for Governor include Lt. Governor Anthony Brown who has O’Malley’s support, Attorney General Doug Gansler and Howard county executive Ken Ulman.
 
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Sixth District Congressional Race Is The One To Watch Today

George Wenschhof

Interestingly, at least three of the candidates; two Republicans (David Brinkley and Kathy Afzali) and one Democrat (John Delaney) will not be able to vote for themselves today. Living outside of the district they wish to represent, they are asking voters to cast their ballots for them today.

This is just one example of the many dynamics taking place in the newly created sixth district which makes this race the one to watch. The gerrymandered district, drawn to favor Democrats, spurred a total of 13 candidates to file; eight Republicans and five Democrats.

After months of listening to Republican and Democratic candidates telling them why they should cast their ballot for them, voters, who did not take advantage of the early opportunity, will weigh in today.

Maryland, Wisconsin and D.C. hold primaries today. In Maryland, in addition to the president, there are eight congressional contests, a U.S. Senate seat and several counties are holding board of education elections.

The polls will close at 8:00 PM and in case someone does not know the location of their polling location, the Maryland Elections Center has a poll location finder for you here: https://www.mdelections.umd.edu/

On the Republican side, 20 year incumbent Roscoe Bartlett is favored. Although, with half of the new district now including voters from Montgomery county, (who do not know Bartlett), the others seven Republican candidates are hoping for an upset.

The Democratic candidates realize, the primary winner will most likely go on to win the general, buoyed by a 43,000 registered voter advantage in the new district.

As a result, the infighting has been vicious. John Delaney, who resides outside the district, has spent $1.4 million of his considerable wealth on this contest. His campaign has also relied heavily on endorsements from outside the district, notably from former president Bill Clinton and the Washington Post.

Maryland state senate majority leader Rob Garagiola, on the other hand, has the backing from elected officials throughout the district, Governor Martin O'Malley, major unions, environmental groups and Moveon.org.

Bolstered, by the endorsement of Howard Dean, Dr. Milad Pooran, who has also put over $200,000 of his own money into the race, is hoping the Delaney and Garagiola battle will allow him to squeak out a victory with a plurality of the vote.

It is likely the Democratic winner will result from the campaign with the best get-out-the-vote effort.

Sean Rankin, campaign manager for Rob Garagiola estimates Democratic voter turnout will be between 40,000 - 45,000, which is under 25%. Former Maryland Secretary of State John Willis shares this view. Both, point out there is no top of the ballot race (President Obama is unopposed) to spur voter excitement. Rankin adds public schools are on spring break in four of the five counties in the district.

One also has to wonder; if, the spirited Democratic primary, with considerable combined campaign funds spent, will result in a higher turnout.

We will know soon enough. Expect, results to come trickling in by 9:00 PM.

I cast my vote for Rob Garagiola for Congress during the early voting period. Rob has a proven track record of building consensus on the difficult issues facing Americans today and producing results.

For, those of you who did not take advantage of early voting, go cast your ballot today!

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Results – Not Rhetoric

George Wenschhof

After 20 years of unremarkable representation by Republican Roscoe Bartlett, Democratic state senate Majority Leader Rob Garagiola stands out as the clear choice in the Maryland sixth congressional district Democratic primary.

The only Democratic candidate to have held elected office, his experience and voting record gives voters strong justification for casting their ballot for him on April 3.

Passionate, yet reasonable, Rob will work hard to create jobs in a changing market, be a strong advocate on women’s issues, provide a high level of education for children, promote the use of renewable energy and maintain a high level of national security.

The wide spectrum and vast number of endorsements received by Rob further illustrates he is the best choice to work with a diverse membership in the House.

The National Education Association, League of Conservation Voters, Sierra Club, United Auto Workers (UAW), AFL-CIO, SEIU and MoveOn,org are but a few of the organizations who have expressed their support for Garagiola.

More impressive than the national endorsements is the overwhelming support Garagiola has received from colleagues across the district. Leading a notable list of elected officials is House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer, Lt. Governor Anthony Brown, and former Speaker of the House Casper R. “Caz” Taylor.

In my home county of Frederick, state senator Ron Young, former delegate Sue Hecht, delegate Galen Clagett, City of Frederick alderman Karen Young and former candidate for the sixth district; Don DeArmon, are among those who have expressed their backing of Rob Garagiola.

Voters have discovered their dalliance with electing ideologues has resulted in a dysfunctional Congress. So, electing Representatives like Rob, who can reach across the aisle, is important.

One factor contributing to the gridlock in Congress today is the partisan redistricting process used by a majority of state legislatures. When I interviewed Garagiola, he told me he would support all states using an independent or bipartisan committee to handle the redistricting necessary every ten years.

This process, if adopted by all states, would aid in reducing the acrimony and gridlock which currently exists in the House, contributing to the historic low (10%) approval rating Congress receives today.

Campaign finance reform is another area in politics which desperately needs attention, especially in light of the 2010 “Citizens United” Supreme Court decision which opened the floodgates to unlimited contributions.

It was heartening to hear Garagiola, tell me “corporations are not people” and he would support efforts by Representative Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Senator Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) to pass legislation to mitigate the impact of the Supreme Court decision.

Refreshingly, Garagiola is not one who is easy to brand with an ideology. Instead of espousing rhetoric over his ten years as state senator, Garagiola has demonstrated his ability to reach consensus while focusing on results.

Garagiola has a track record of creating green jobs, helping working families and endeavoring to make public education in Maryland become ranked number one among states, four years in a row.

Voters deserve members of congress, like Rob, who will work to restore the public’s trust in government and work together to move America forward.

Results - not rhetoric are the reasons to vote Rob Garagiola for Congress on April 3.

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Maryland Sixth District Primary Nears

George Wenschhof

Last Friday, I published current sixth district voter registration data in a column where I suggest a change in the manner redistricting is conducted nationwide.

The current voter registration numbers in the sixth (rounded off):

Democratic - 183,000
Republican - 141,000
Unaffiliated/Other - 90,000

I thought it would be interesting to look back to the 1992 election, the year Republican Roscoe Bartlett was elected to compare the voter registration numbers. Numbers were taken from Maryland Board of Elections website.

Democratic - 139,922
Republican - 140,979
Unaffiliated/Other - 29,677
Total - 310,578

Thomas Hattery (D) received 46% of the vote - 106,224
Roscoe Bartlett (R) received 54% of the vote - 125,564

Democratic voter turnout was 85%, Republican 84% and Unaffiliated/Other 81%.

It is interesting to note, the even registration between Republicans and Democrats in 1992 and the very high voter turnout in that election.

As the primary nears, the bickering and rumor mongering abounds among the top three Democratic candidates.

State Senate Majority Leader Rob Garagiola, who some believe was handpicked by state senate president Thomas V. Mike Miller, is the front runner among five Democrats vying to unseat Rep. Roscoe Bartlett.

Some Democrats, from the old portions of the sixth district, after suffering for 20 years without Democratic Party support, are resentful Garagiola is from the new portion of the district.

Garagiola has put his years as a state senator and his voting record to work for him as he has racked up endorsements from elected officials throughout the sixth district.

Leaving, Democratic challengers John Delaney and Dr. Milad Pooran to counter with national level endorsements from former President Bill Clinton and former Democratic National Committee chair Howard Dean respectfully.

The Pooran campaign is hopeful for a split in the vote between Delaney and Garagiola which would allow them to eke out a victory with a plurality of the vote.

Over, the next three weeks, Democratic voters will need to look past the sniping that often occurs between hotly contested campaigns and focus on the positions the candidates have on the issues important to them.

Democratic voters should plan to visit their websites and attend any remaining forums.

Below are links to Democratic candidates websites:

Rob Garagiola: http://www.robgaragiola.com/
John Delaney: http://www.delaney2012.com/
Milad Pooran: http://miladforcongress.com/
Charles Bailey: http://charlesbaileyforcongress.com/
Ron Little: http://ronlittle4congress.com/

Republicans, recognizing the voter registration disparity in the district, will try to capitalize on Democratic in-fighting, to help their nominee win on November 6.

Perhaps, wishful thinking on their part, but one only needs to look at the 2002 Maryland Governor election between Democrat Kathleen Kennedy Townsend and Republican Robert Ehrlich in which Ehrlich emerged as the upset winner.

After, an unremarkable 20 year term in office by Roscoe Bartlett, it is time for a change.

Democratic candidates and voters, mindful of the Townsend and Hattery defeat, should focus on the prize.

Stay Tuned...

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Maryland Sixth District Blues

George Wenschhof

Western Maryland Democrats, longing for a change in representation, have reason to be optimistic. Republicans, on the other hand, have reason to sing the Blues.

The change in the sixth congressional district to solid blue illustrates both the strength of the Maryland Democratic Party and the craziness that surrounds the redistricting process.

Population changes reported by the census every ten years, is the justification for redistricting and currently, 36 states do so by authority of their state legislatures. Interestingly, seven states have only one Representative, due to the size of their population.

The remaining states use an independent or bipartisan commission, with a few of those states retaining state legislative approval.

Further demonstrating the nasty partisan aspect of the redistricting process, 13 members of Congress are facing challenges from fellow incumbents of their own party in primaries across the nation this year.

One such race was in Ohio, where Democratic Representatives Dennis Kucinich and Marcy Kaptur ended up facing each other on Tuesday with Kaptur the winner.

In Maryland, strong Democratic voter registration has resulted in a Democratic Governor, 35-47 state senate seats, 98-141 state delegate seats and 6-8 congressional seats.

Over the last ten elections, Democratic candidates, running in Western Maryland’s sixth congressional district averaged 39% of the vote, losing to Republican Representative Roscoe Bartlett each time, due primarily to a Republican voter registration advantage.

As a result of redistricting, Democrats now hold a 42,000 voter registration advantage over Republicans 183,000 to 141,000, with Unaffiliated/Other at 90,000 (totals rounded off).

The *voter registration breakdown by county is:

Montgomery County – D-103,794, R-50,089, Unaffiliated/Others-51,299
Washington County – D-30,906, R-37,280, Unaffiliated/Others-15,778
Frederick County – D-27,967, R-22,907, Unaffiliated/Others-14,526
Allegany County – D-15,888, R-19,821, Unaffiliated/Others-6,228
Garrett County – D-4,805, R-11,434, Unaffiliated/Others-2,206

A quick analysis reveals Montgomery County voters now make up about 57% (103,794) and Frederick County 15% (27,967) of the Democratic registered voters in the new district.

The seat is now considered "Leans Democrat" and is most likely included in the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee "Drive for 25" effort to regain a majority in the House.

As a result of the gerrymandered district, five Democrats and eight Republicans, including Bartlett, have filed to run for the seat, fueling all of the political shenanigans voters have come to expect.

The mudslinging between several Democratic candidate campaigns is now in full force, perhaps due to the knowledge the winner will have a voter registration advantage in the general election.

Voters go to the polls on April 3 to determine the candidates to move on to the general election. Early voting begins on Saturday March 24 and runs through Thursday March 29.

Thomas Schaller, in a column published in the Baltimore Sun, summed up the current redistricting process with the following: "In a democracy, voters are supposed to pick the politicians who represent them. But gerrymandering too often inverts this relationship: Politicians pick their voters, typically with incumbent-protection and party-expansion objectives in mind. Is it any wonder that a Congress full of mostly safe incumbents representing contorted districts suffers from record-low approval ratings?”

I’m reminded of the pick-up games I used to play in my youth. Two captains would select the players for their team.

No questions asked in regard to political affiliation; the choices made by the captains were based on selecting the best players to help the team win.

The few states that use an independent or bipartisan commission to handle redistricting have it right and it would be wise for the rest of the states to adopt the same policy.

Perhaps, Representatives would then be elected who will work together to move America forward.

*Thanks to Frederick County Board of Elections for voter registration data.

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City of Frederick Hotel – What’s The Rush?

George Wenschhof

The idea for a hotel and convention center located in downtown Frederick is hardly a new one and actually dates back over thirty years to the days when Democrat Ron Young was mayor of The City of Frederick, Maryland.

Today, the absence of coordination and defined purpose for the project put forth by City of Frederick Republican Mayor Randy McClement threatens to derail a potential crown jewel project. This project could serve as an anchor, alongside the bustling Carroll Creek development, further strengthening an already vibrant downtown.

Muddying the future of a downtown hotel has been an unfortunate series of recent events ranging from a bungled request for a lobbyist, a signing of a poorly communicated memorandum of understanding and the floating of the idea of raising the hotel tax from three to five per cent.

Determining the feasibility, where to locate it and how to pay for it would all seem like reasonable steps to follow before proceeding haphazardly on a project of this magnitude.

After the feasibility of the project is determined, what is needed for a project of this significance is to hold open discussion on what role the city should take (partnership role and with whom, whether to purchase site, providing some level of funding, waiver of permitting fees, reduced taxes, etc.), allowing for public input, leading to consensus on the way to proceed.

A task force appointed by the mayor has done a lot of solid work, only to have its efforts soiled by these latest series of events.

The unsubstantiated request for a lobbyist by City of Frederick Republican mayor Randy McClement received intense public criticism, including from this writer, and according to several sources, the lobbyist has withdrawn his request, illustrating the inappropriateness of the request.

The rush to sign a memorandum of understanding, which took place at the last mayor and board meeting, left many wondering why this was needed now and what, if any, obligations were attached to it.

What followed, was the announcement by Democratic state delegate Galen Clagett (District 3-a) asking the Tourism Council of Frederick County to support his intention to file a bill to increase the hotel tax in Frederick County, raising an estimated $700,000 annually.

In a lengthy interview, Clagett informed me of his intention, saying he believed the city should own the land where the hotel would be built. He added he further believed future hotel tax funds received after the hotel site was paid, could be used for the construction of an aquatic center located in the recently acquired city park land, and a theater in the round on a portion of Carroll Creek.

All wonderful ideas, but apparently put forward without support. During a telephone interview with Democratic state senator Ron Young (District 3), he said ”asking county hotels to pay for competition against them does not make sense and he would not support it.” Young added he did not believe the other city delegate; Republican Pat Hogan would be in favor of raising the tax either, making it unlikely the county state delegation would support the idea.

Also, left out in the rush to push a raise in the county hotel tax were a discussion and a vote of approval by the mayor and board on the idea. Let’s not forget city voters may not like the idea of buying land for a hotel at a time when city coffers are strained.

Young said he strongly supports the construction of a downtown hotel and still believes a convention center would also work, but other funding sources need to be considered.

The updated feasibility study and the memorandum of understanding is needed to request a one million grant from the state stadium authority.

It would appear the board of directors of The Tourism Council would be wise to delay a vote of support on the increase of the Frederick County hotel tax.

The mayor’s executive assistant; Josh Russin explains the mayor wants to move forward on this project in this term and roughly spelled out the process the mayor wished to follow. Russin indicated the needed economic update of the feasibility study will be received in March.

Included in the process Russin sent me, was a Request For Information (RFI), which would be utilized to identify the land the hotel would be built on. Interested owners of appropriate parcels of land located downtown could submit their property for consideration. A “to be determined” rank and review criteria would be used by a city committee who would select the parcel.

Democratic Alderman Karen Young, who was the first to object to the hiring of a lobbyist, said she was concerned about the proposed site selection process, preferring a professional with specific hotel/convention center experience, be utilized to determine the optimum site. She suggested the consultant being used to update the feasibility study be considered to help identify the site, as they are experienced in this field.

She also stressed to me her support of the overall project.

The good news surrounding the concept of a downtown hotel is that much support exists. The Chamber of Commerce and the Tourism Council of Frederick County are two significant organizations who have signaled overall support of the project.

What is needed now is for the mayor to slow the process down and take control of this project. Communicating more effectively with city voters and all parties involved is a must.

First, the update of the feasibility study needs to be received, reviewed and shared with the public. If, this shows the project is doable, the mayor should move forward with his board of alderman, the other stakeholders in this project and the public to determine what role the city will play.

Then, a reasonable timeline to implement the project should be developed.

A project of this size is sure to have lots of intrigue, ranging from politicos wanting to leave a legacy to property owners jockeying to have their site selected.

All the more reason the mayor needs to conduct the process with care and full transparency. This would help ensure a successful project with the greatest benefit for the city and its residents.

Speed is not the issue – doing it right is.

Stay Tuned….

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Vote By Mail Wrong For The City of Frederick

George Wenschhof

Scheduling, a city workshop on an issue as important as a city election a few days before Christmas should raise voter's eyebrows.

Spending money to implement an unproven ballot by mail election, fraught with fraud possibilities and vote manipulation would be folly for The City of Frederick. Particularly, when only a small per cent increase in voter turnout would result.

The city election issue is not a new one and discussion should focus on increasing the city's anemic voter turnout.

I have advocated for some time the need to move the city election to coincide with the presidential election cycle.

This move, by The City of Frederick would result in tripling the 24 per cent voter turnout in the 2009 General Election.

An added plus could be the cost savings to city taxpayers resulting from combining the Frederick voting with the presidential election. The ability to use the same polling locations would put an end to the city’s questionable and awkward move to use primarily churches; as polling locations in the 2009 election.

What further obfuscates the issue, is discussion by various interests suggesting nonpartisan elections and the blather; “voters would not be as informed if the city election was held at the same time as the presidential election”.

Unaffiliated voters are a significant and growing segment throughout the country and have valid concerns to ballot access. Unless, open primaries (all voters allowed to vote for any candidate in any party) are held, unaffiliated voters are unable to participate in primary elections.

The reasonable counter argument by political party operatives is; primaries are for political parties to determine their candidates in the general election and it makes no sense for non-party voters to determine who their candidate will be.

The suggestion to move to nonpartisan elections is another attempt to deal with the dissatisfaction of the Unaffiliated voter. However, numerous independent studies have shown the result is lower voter turnout, illustrating that this is not an answer to increasing the vote in The City of Frederick election.

A more reasonable approach would be to allow a much easier process for an unaffiliated voter to run for office, thus creating an opportunity for all unaffiliated voters to vote for their candidate.

The silliness surrounding the notion that moving The City of Frederick election to coincide with the presidential election would result in less informed voters is without merit.

The ridiculous argument that city issues would be lost in the clamor of a presidential election has no basis in fact.

First, how does one determine who an informed voter is? The voters who made up the twenty-four percent who participated in the 2009 city election were most likely informed by the candidates who won that election.

There was a time, mostly prevalent in southern states, when efforts were made to determine informed voters, resulting in restricted ballot access. Thankfully, due to legal rulings, these efforts were eventually discontinued.

Interestingly, there has never been a complaint of uninformed voters from the candidates for numerous county elected positions who appear on the ballot in the state of Maryland election.

Additionally, local media do not cover the Presidential election, relying on national news reports to keep their readers abreast. Local media reporters would be available to cover the city election at the same level they do at present in an off election year.

In reality, the excitement of the national election will result in more attention to the local city election.

Keeping voter turnout low is a control issue for those in power and it is way past time for this to come to an end in The City of Frederick.

If the goal of the Mayor and Board of Aldermen is to truly increase democracy, the answer is to move the election date to coincide with the Presidential election cycle – city voters deserve no less.

Stay tuned….

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