As you all know, William Donald Schaefer passed away last night. I think by law I'm obliged to eulogize him. So, in my own words, I am going to write about Mr. Schaefer as I remember him and also to respond to other things that I've heard and read about him.
Schaefer, Mayor Schaefer as most of us remember him, was first elected to the Baltimore City Council in 1955. I'm not positive, but I suspect that the Baltimore City Council was as corrupt then as it is now. In 1967 he was elected to Baltimore City Council President, a position proudly held by Martin O'Malley, Sheila Dixon, and Thomas Carcetti.
In 1971 Schaefer was elected to Mayor of Baltimore, all I may add before I was born. The 1960's and 1970's were not nice to Baltimore. Race riots, fires, white flight (or more politically correct - urban flight), the destruction of the middle class (read as the tax base), and the disappearing of businesses that employed the city residents. The business district was in decay, shopping was becoming non-existent, and the Inner Harbor became a rotting cesspool.
Schaefer entered office with the deck stacked against him. But with his charismatic personality and his tough-as-nails attitude, he attacked Baltimore's problems. I remember him saying that if you fill the pot-holes and pick up the trash, people will be happier. Legend has it that he would drive around the city looking for problems and report to the different city agency heads demanding that these problems be fixed. Carcetti did the same thing in The Wire. He used his powers (not sure if eminent domain was used) to redevelop the land around the Inner Harbor and dot it with tourist attractions. First came Harbor Place, then the National Aquarium in Baltimore, then the Science Center. He used the philosophy that 'if you build it, they will come.'
In 1986, Schaefer ran for Governor with Mickey Steinberg and crushed Republican challenger Thomas Mooney. Anyone remember him? Me neither. As Governor, he helped get the ball rolling on building Orioles Park at Camden Yards, the finest baseball park in all of the land. If you think your baseball stadium is cooler, you only think that because Camden Yards paved the way.
In 1999, after a 4 year absense from politics ( Gubernatorial term limits in Maryland - thank God!), Schaefer reemerged in Maryland politics as the State Comptroller. He served for several terms until finally being defeated by current State Comptroller Peter Franchot.
Many people loved the man and remember all of the good things he did for the city and state. However, I did hear one woman on the radio say today that he was the best Mayor, Governor, and Comptroller in the history of the state. He was definitely effective, but best ever?
There have been other great Governors of this state. Do you know of Governors Thomas Johnson, Albert Ritchie, Theodore McKeldin, and Robert Ehrlich? And Mayors? What about Ferdinand Latrobe, Howard Jackson, and Theodore McKeldin (the last Republican Mayor of Baltimore)? And Comptroller. I will flat-out say WRONG! Louis Goldstein was the greatest Comptroller in the history of the state of Maryland. And I met him when I was in elementary school.
Our current village idiot, Martin O'Malley, has been on the campaign circuit for his next position for the last 24 hours posing as a eulogist for our former Governor. When asked what Schaefer's claim to fame would be, he responded, not about his accomplishments in revitalizing Baltimore's Inner Harbor, but that he'd be proud of his willingness to talk to people and let them be heard. Really, Marty? Is that what you want in your epitaph? Shall I start carving that on your gravestone? I didn't think so. O'Malley seems to have a chronic case of diarrhea of the mouth.
And O'Malley, don't try to categorize yourself as a Democrat like Schaefer. Schaefer was a Reagan-Democrat. A moderate. Someone who represented the middle class and the broad spectrum of people that don't fully agree with either Republicans or Democrats. Schaefer endorsed George H.W. Bush (not G.W.).
Schaefer must also be remembered for his blunders. Remember when he called Anne Arundel County Executive 'old Mother Hubbard' when she was running against him as State Comptroller? Or when he said that the Eastern Shore was a shithouse? Remember Eastern Shore farmers clogging up Annapolis and circling the Governor's mansion with out-houses being towed with tractors until he apologized? Or when he said that people with AIDS are dangerous and we need a public registry so we know who has AIDS? And the leering at the butt of an assistant to Robert Ehrlich, asking her to come back and walk away again. Or his referring to women as little girls?
And let's not forget about the 2 blows to Baltimore that happened on his watch. In 1973 the Baltimore Bullets NBA team left for Washington (Landover). Then in 1984, the Baltimore Colts were ripped away from the city, tearing with it a bit of youth of many people my age. This was basically the result of a pissing match between him and Colt's demon Robert Irsay. Bob Irsay 1, Schaefer 0.
Then there was the pissing match between him and former (thank God) Governor Parris Glendening arguably the worst Governor of Maryland up until our current head of state. A fountain was dedicated to Schaefer's longtime partner Hilda Mae Snoops who died when he was in office. Dick, I mean Parris, turned off the fountain declaring that he needed to save water. I can't remember if this was before or after Glendening started having an affair with a woman that was his son's age. But it was definitely after he made gambling as a fund-raiser illegal, after he used it heavily in his effort to raise money as Prince George's County Executive running for Governor. Fortunately, former Governor Robert Ehrlich had more class and turned the fountain on with a nice ceremony.
Finally, one of my friends posted on Facebook "Baltimore is the way it is because of William Donald Schaefer. I wasn't quite sure how to take this. Outside of the revitalized downtown around the Inner Harbor, Baltimore is still plagued with corruption and crime. Baltimore's schools are the laughing stock of the nation and a thorn in the side of tax-payers across the state. Or the lack of an integrated public transportation rail system. I'm not saying that those are his fault, but those are problems that are common themes through the resumes of all of the Mayors of Baltimore.
My fondest memories of Willie Don, as he was affectionately known, was of him wading in one of the fish tanks at the National Aquarium when it opened and getting nasty with people that didn't agree with him. You have to appreciate his politically-incorrect courage to stand up and say what he thought was right and not say what was popular.
As my friend Duckman would say, "Willie Don, rest in peace". But we all know you're up there giving them hell!
What are your memories of William Donald Schaefer?
Showing posts with label Baltimore City Council. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Baltimore City Council. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Westport Lease Controversy
As reported in the anti-business Baltimore Sun, Baltimore officials are basically giving a free lease to developer Patrick Turner to develop a park in Westport. This decision has the dime bags of some corrupt elected city delegates all twisted up.
I used to work in Westport from 1995 until 1997. At the time this crime-ridden ghetto in South Baltimore contained several businesses on Kloman Street - the Westport Power Plant owned by BGE, Carr-Lowrey Glass Company, and another manufacturer whose name escapes me. All three are gone now. While I worked at Carr-Lowrey the company employed about 800 people, mostly folks from the surrounding areas.
Oh, the stories from those 2 years. One day I came to work and about 10 police cars followed me through the electronically controlled 12 foot barbed-wire gates. There was a floater in the water. By floater I mean dead body. The police thought that was funny because they suspected it was a homeless man. I recall driving home from work through the extremely dangerous neighborhood of Westport to see foot chases of police chasing drug dealers, assaulters, and murderers. The broken glass, needles, barbed wire surrounding the plants, stolen hubcaps. A friend's husband delivered mail to that neighborhood. On Social Security check day kids and crack-addict mothers would chase down the postal employees looking for their check. Got to hurry up and get their taste! It was great! Those were the days.
I was laid off in 1997 much to my delight and the factory closed several years later. The firm couldn't compete with the likes of Saint Gobain in France, Rocco Bormioli in Italy, and Wheaton Glass in the foreign country of New Jersey. Then the factory lay in waste for several years. Finally someone tore everything down and instead of a factory laying in waste, it is now a field of gravel laying in waste.
Patrick Turner has plans to develop the area into a multi-use site, with office and residential space. This would be occupied by businesses and residents that would pay taxes. In addition to purchasing this space, the city is now leasing some joined land for no money. In return Turner will clean up the space and make it a park and incorporate a bike trail over a derelict bridge across the upper part of the Middle Branch River. The Westport Association has even endorsed this plan. But not the vocal ballot seekers.
Baltimore City Councilwoman Belinda Conaway of the notoriously corrupt Conaway family, has voiced criticism of the plan, demanding the Turner pay property taxes to the bankrupt money-sucking city. I heard that the Conaway family is notorious for running with convicted drug dealers, not living in the districts in which they serve, and one of them has even been accused of being mentally ill in a child custody battle.
Also entering the war of words is 12th District Baltimore City Councilman Carl Stokes, who along with Lawrence Bell fought like idiots in the 1999 mayoral race to the point that Martin O'Malley decided to sit there with his mouth and ended up winning. And now look what we're stuck with.
So why are Stokes and Conaway firing such harsh criticism at Turner? The obvious answer is class-warfare. In a city of poor people, it's easy to attack the wealthy people. It's the fault of hard working rich people that so many in Baltimore are crack-addict criminals. If we could just take the money from the rich people everything would be okay. In the end the only thing that really matters to these politicians is getting reelected. They honestly don't give a rat's butt about the districts they serve. They couldn't give a dime bag for Westport. The area has been blighted for decades. And now they want to stop some progress? For what cause?
Let's put some perspective on this. How much money is Baltimore City currently collecting in property taxes for this land? If the city owns it, then the answer is $0. Nothing. Zilch. A developer is going to come in and spend his own money to clean it up, something that Baltimore City has FAILED to do. He will then convert the area into a park in which Baltimore City residents can use. What has Baltimore City's government done with the area? Nothing. They let the drug dealers and the garbage dumpers take over the sight and make it a burning eyesore. This is an area in which you'd expect episodes of The Wire to be filmed. This is where you'd expect to find dead bodies.
So does it really make sense to demand that he pay property taxes on property that he is going to improve FOR the city? Instead, Patrick Turner could tell the Baltimore City Council to go back to beating their wives and children and stick it.
In that end, Baltimore's choices are to keep their toxic dump with no park and no tax revenue OR get a people-friendly park and no tax revenue. But in the eyes of Baltimore City government, it seems that two dead birds in the bush are better than a live bird in the hand.
I used to work in Westport from 1995 until 1997. At the time this crime-ridden ghetto in South Baltimore contained several businesses on Kloman Street - the Westport Power Plant owned by BGE, Carr-Lowrey Glass Company, and another manufacturer whose name escapes me. All three are gone now. While I worked at Carr-Lowrey the company employed about 800 people, mostly folks from the surrounding areas.
Oh, the stories from those 2 years. One day I came to work and about 10 police cars followed me through the electronically controlled 12 foot barbed-wire gates. There was a floater in the water. By floater I mean dead body. The police thought that was funny because they suspected it was a homeless man. I recall driving home from work through the extremely dangerous neighborhood of Westport to see foot chases of police chasing drug dealers, assaulters, and murderers. The broken glass, needles, barbed wire surrounding the plants, stolen hubcaps. A friend's husband delivered mail to that neighborhood. On Social Security check day kids and crack-addict mothers would chase down the postal employees looking for their check. Got to hurry up and get their taste! It was great! Those were the days.
I was laid off in 1997 much to my delight and the factory closed several years later. The firm couldn't compete with the likes of Saint Gobain in France, Rocco Bormioli in Italy, and Wheaton Glass in the foreign country of New Jersey. Then the factory lay in waste for several years. Finally someone tore everything down and instead of a factory laying in waste, it is now a field of gravel laying in waste.
Patrick Turner has plans to develop the area into a multi-use site, with office and residential space. This would be occupied by businesses and residents that would pay taxes. In addition to purchasing this space, the city is now leasing some joined land for no money. In return Turner will clean up the space and make it a park and incorporate a bike trail over a derelict bridge across the upper part of the Middle Branch River. The Westport Association has even endorsed this plan. But not the vocal ballot seekers.
Baltimore City Councilwoman Belinda Conaway of the notoriously corrupt Conaway family, has voiced criticism of the plan, demanding the Turner pay property taxes to the bankrupt money-sucking city. I heard that the Conaway family is notorious for running with convicted drug dealers, not living in the districts in which they serve, and one of them has even been accused of being mentally ill in a child custody battle.
Also entering the war of words is 12th District Baltimore City Councilman Carl Stokes, who along with Lawrence Bell fought like idiots in the 1999 mayoral race to the point that Martin O'Malley decided to sit there with his mouth and ended up winning. And now look what we're stuck with.
So why are Stokes and Conaway firing such harsh criticism at Turner? The obvious answer is class-warfare. In a city of poor people, it's easy to attack the wealthy people. It's the fault of hard working rich people that so many in Baltimore are crack-addict criminals. If we could just take the money from the rich people everything would be okay. In the end the only thing that really matters to these politicians is getting reelected. They honestly don't give a rat's butt about the districts they serve. They couldn't give a dime bag for Westport. The area has been blighted for decades. And now they want to stop some progress? For what cause?
Let's put some perspective on this. How much money is Baltimore City currently collecting in property taxes for this land? If the city owns it, then the answer is $0. Nothing. Zilch. A developer is going to come in and spend his own money to clean it up, something that Baltimore City has FAILED to do. He will then convert the area into a park in which Baltimore City residents can use. What has Baltimore City's government done with the area? Nothing. They let the drug dealers and the garbage dumpers take over the sight and make it a burning eyesore. This is an area in which you'd expect episodes of The Wire to be filmed. This is where you'd expect to find dead bodies.
So does it really make sense to demand that he pay property taxes on property that he is going to improve FOR the city? Instead, Patrick Turner could tell the Baltimore City Council to go back to beating their wives and children and stick it.
In that end, Baltimore's choices are to keep their toxic dump with no park and no tax revenue OR get a people-friendly park and no tax revenue. But in the eyes of Baltimore City government, it seems that two dead birds in the bush are better than a live bird in the hand.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Jack Young - Returning Corruption to Baltimore
When Baltimore City Councilwoman Helen Holton was indicted on criminal charges in 2009, then City Council President Stephanie Rawlings-Blake removed her from her chair position over the City's Taxation Committee. Then Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon resigned in disgrace after facing corruption charges, which by-law moved Baltimore City Council President Stephanie Rawlings-Blake up to the position of Mayor. The Baltimore City Council then voted unannomously to appoint City Council member Jack Young to the City Council President.
Now with Jack Young as City Council President he has made a move that signifies that he is ready to return Baltimore back to the days when corruption was tolerated in city government. Jack Young has reaapointed Helen Holton to the chair of the Taxation Committee.Helen Holton is no stranger to corruption. In fact, she gave former Mayor Sheila Dixon a run for her money for the title of the most corruption Baltimore City politician. Holton was charged with bribery, perjury, wrongdoing in office, accepting a bribe (ABC News 1/9/2009), and campaign finance violations (Baltimore Sun 7/28/2009) when she soliticed campaign contributions from developers Ron Lipscomb (Sheila Dixon's former boyfriend) and John Paterakis, the developer who is giving himself a questionable reputation.
The position for which she will be reappointed will give her the power to give tax breaks to developers. So let me get this straight - she was charged with illegally soliciting campaign contributions from developers, but she will be allowed to provide tax breaks for developers? No conflict of interest there!!! This would be like appointing Maryland Delegate Kumar Barve who was arrested for DUI to be in charge of the liquor board.
If Baltimore City wanted to remove any hints of impropriety, it would ban campaign contributions from developers to elected officials who can grant tax breaks to developers. In fact, the city should ban campaign contributions from any entity that receives tax breaks to any elected official who is on a board that provides such tax breaks. Think that will happen? Not a chance in hell!!! Baltimore City politicians like their cozy corrupt relationships.
So don't be too surprised when we learn of more corruption in Baltimore City. Because when you put people with no ethical standards in charge of the government, you get corruption.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Super Bowl Hangover
Hangovers come in many forms. Some hangovers are from drinking the entire case of Bud Lite behind the dumpster in the Burger King parking lot. Others originate from 3 plates of salty meatballs, chicken wings, chili, 4 variations of taco dip, and 5 beers. While others witnessed the end of the 2008-09 football season.
As Super Bowls go, this one was pretty good. I expected a blowout. The Cardinals actually kept it interesting throughout the game and even gave us some false excitement with about 2:30 to go in the 4th quarter as Larry Fitzgerald blasted down the field and scored a touchdown putting the Cards on top of the Steelers. But, alas, Ben Hamgburger pulled another touchdown pass out of his sphincter and plopped it down in front of our faces that was more offensive than Janet Jackson's left breast.
And that wasn't all the excitement. Apparently, some fans in Phoenix got to enjoy 10 seconds of porn instead of football (a fair trade if you ask me). Comcast and station KVOA are investigating how this could have happened. Let me help - a) deviant employee or b) a hacker with a great sense of humor. Are you really investigating or are you consulting your lawyers about the ramifications from the FCC?
So now that the Super Bowl is over, Pittsburgh fans can rest those yellow scary washcloths and start looking for a job again. Arizona fans can go back to their depression and desert smog. And the rest of us can go about hating the Steelers.
And for those non-sports fans, they can stop pretending they know what's going on. "I heard that Brett Favre kicked a homerun into the goal!" You know who you are. Don't pretend you know all about football. If you don't know a bootleg from a flee-flicker from a quick hitch, you're going to stick out like an honest politician on the Baltimore City Council.
Quasi-sports fans can pretend that they are interested in the upcoming baseball season. Others will begin watching the NCAA basketball season as March Madness soon approaches. No one really gives a sheet about the NBA. 5 of us will watch hockey. Women's volleyball, anyone?
And the football addicts will agitatingly hunker in their chair, shaking with anticipation for the new season to start. They claim that they are hard-core fans, driving around in their purple campers and buses, wearing make-up, feathers, beads, and camouflage. But I say they are clowns who have no life outside of football. I bet most couldn't provide their children's middle names.
So as that empty part of your life begins, go play with your kids. Take your wife to dinner and a movie. Make that to-do list. Because before you know it, it'll be time for football again.
As Super Bowls go, this one was pretty good. I expected a blowout. The Cardinals actually kept it interesting throughout the game and even gave us some false excitement with about 2:30 to go in the 4th quarter as Larry Fitzgerald blasted down the field and scored a touchdown putting the Cards on top of the Steelers. But, alas, Ben Hamgburger pulled another touchdown pass out of his sphincter and plopped it down in front of our faces that was more offensive than Janet Jackson's left breast.
And that wasn't all the excitement. Apparently, some fans in Phoenix got to enjoy 10 seconds of porn instead of football (a fair trade if you ask me). Comcast and station KVOA are investigating how this could have happened. Let me help - a) deviant employee or b) a hacker with a great sense of humor. Are you really investigating or are you consulting your lawyers about the ramifications from the FCC?
So now that the Super Bowl is over, Pittsburgh fans can rest those yellow scary washcloths and start looking for a job again. Arizona fans can go back to their depression and desert smog. And the rest of us can go about hating the Steelers.
And for those non-sports fans, they can stop pretending they know what's going on. "I heard that Brett Favre kicked a homerun into the goal!" You know who you are. Don't pretend you know all about football. If you don't know a bootleg from a flee-flicker from a quick hitch, you're going to stick out like an honest politician on the Baltimore City Council.
Quasi-sports fans can pretend that they are interested in the upcoming baseball season. Others will begin watching the NCAA basketball season as March Madness soon approaches. No one really gives a sheet about the NBA. 5 of us will watch hockey. Women's volleyball, anyone?
And the football addicts will agitatingly hunker in their chair, shaking with anticipation for the new season to start. They claim that they are hard-core fans, driving around in their purple campers and buses, wearing make-up, feathers, beads, and camouflage. But I say they are clowns who have no life outside of football. I bet most couldn't provide their children's middle names.
So as that empty part of your life begins, go play with your kids. Take your wife to dinner and a movie. Make that to-do list. Because before you know it, it'll be time for football again.
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