Carroll County Chamber of Commerce Push to Take Over Trash

In a move that should shock most Carroll Countians, the Carroll County Chamber of Commerce is exploring the possibility of taking over public trash collection in the county.

Most residents of Carroll County probably don't realize that this is going on because most people don't read the minutes of the Carroll County Chamber of Commerce. I only noticed it because of a small article on page 15 of The Advocate of Eldersburg and Sykesville, a small local newspaper.

The article says:

"One idea is that the county would contract one hauler for the best price for the whole county."

I realize that many jurisdictions in the state, including Baltimore City and Baltimore County provide public trash pick up. But I wonder why people think that trash collection is a function of the government? This is where common-sense thinkers question the role of government. Should government be bigger to provide services that private industry can do for lower costs? This is a prime example of where the government needs to stay out.

You should contact the Carroll County Chamber of Commerce and let them know that the government should not be involved with trash pick-up. The board of directors are:

Valerie Balaz, Marlene Titus, Kristen Beck, Sanady Bertamini, Brenda Fisher, Jenny Gambino, and Steve Aquino, Tom Alessi, Jeannine Morber, Steve Wantz, Nancy Lynch, Mike Shank, Christine Walters, Mike Fox, and Rich Haddad, Chamber President.

You can contact them with the information on this link.

Related to this exploration is an idea proposed the Carroll County Commissioners (Dean Minnich, Michael Zimmer, and Julia Gouge) that would require all trash haulers to deposit their collections in the Carroll County landfills.

This idea is very anti-capitalism. If the Carroll County landfills are not offering competitive rates, trash haulers have an obligation to their customers and shareholders to find the lowest price with the most efficient facility to deposit their haul in order to provide the best value to both. Requiring them to deposit all of the collections in the Carroll County landfills may result in higher prices for customers and lower profits for the owners. If Carroll County is not able to provide a low-cost efficient option for these companies, the companies should not be forced to use them. They should be allowed to find alternate sites.

For a county that's as pro-business and pro-Republican\Conservative as Carroll County is, I am astonished that these ideas were even proposed. Are liberals infiltrating our political system? Don't stand for this. Let them know that you do not agree with these ideas!

Maryland State Senate District 5 - Up For Grabs

Maryland State Senator Larry Haines has announced that he will not seek reelection in November. The 79 year old Republican will retire after spending 20 years on the job, more than enough time for any elected official to be in one office. Why do we do this to ourselves?

Nonetheless, this opens up the possibility for several local politicians to move up from the House into the State Senate or we may possibly see a non-General Assembly elected official jump at the opportunity.

State Senate District 5 encompasses Northeastern Carroll County and Northern Baltimore County. On the House of Delegates side, this includes 5A district members Tanya Thornton Shewell. She replaced Carmen Amedori in 2004 when Governor Ehrlich appointed Amedori to the Parole Commission. Shewell is a fairly quiet district member with nothing that I can find of note about her.

Speaking of Amedori, she has announced that she will seek the U.S. Senate seat of incumbent Barbara Mikulski. Despite Mikulski's liberal extremist views and her millions of votes against common sense legislation, I think the brain-washed populace will reelect her merely because they remember her name. I think Amedori would be better suited in the State Senate seat.

The other 5A delegate is 75 year old Nancy R. Stocksdale. Though more vocal than Shewell, with all due respect, I think voters may be hesitant to vote for someone who is 75 to fill a newly opened State Senate seat.

In district 5B in Northern Baltimore County, Wade Kach has been wading the House of Delegates for years. He's a former Baltimore County school teacher and must be fairly well liked as he's won by solid margins or unopposed in the last several elections. He's a solid Republican and I think he would be a solid candidate (should Amedori not change her plans and seek the State Senate seat).

There are a couple of wild cards (and depending if they live in the right area - I'm not sure if they do or do not). One would be Dean Minnich, one of the Carroll County Commissioners who I think lives in Westminster. I've met Mr. Minnich and I was not impressed. He seemed to like his job too much and not be too concerned with his constituents.

Another Carroll County Commissioner is Julia Gouge who lives in Hampstead. She's been on the Commission off and on since 1986. I think that's her comfort zone and she has no aspirations to seek higher office. But you never know. However, she's often been accused of being a DINO.

And finally in Baltimore County there's Baltimore County Councilman T. Bryan McIntire in District 3, the lone Republican on Baltimore County Council. Mr. McIntire has been practicing law for 52 years (you'd think after 52 years you wouldn't have to practice any more - you could just do it). I do not suppose he has any interest at this point in his career.

So who do you think would be suited for the job?

Speed Cameras in Carroll County?

It appears that the two liberal Republicans that sit on the Carroll County Commission are tilting further to the left.

An article in The Eldersburg Eagle stated that left-of-center Julia Gouge and Dean Minnich said that they would be in favor of speed cameras. They pretend to believe that it would be used within schools zones to help reduce speeds of travelers. However, we all know that the real intention of the speed cameras is to generate revenue.

And, to boot, the speed cameras would be allowed within a 1/2 mile radius of a school. This puts much of the county in the zone for allowable speed cameras, especially in the towns of Eldersburg/Sykesville, Taneytown, Westminster, and Hampstead\Manchester.

Right-wing Michael Zimmer stated that speed cameras "stink. It's nothing but a money grab and a power grab." And I agree with him.