Let the Sunshine In!

Intrepid local reporter Amanda Yeager of the Howard County Times covered three stories in one article, all having to do, in varying degrees, with openness:

1) Howard County waits, with increasing bated breath, for the budget cut recommendations to be made public.  It is understandable, of course, that the County Executive needs time to review the proposals from the various departments.  No sense rushing into any decisions. Wouldn't be prudent. That said, those sands continue to follow gravity's course in the proverbial hourglass of time.  It is only a question of When and When is approaching.

How far will the tendrils of austerity extend? Who will be touched by them?

2)  Kudos to "local blogger" Bill Woodcock for filing a complaint regarding "The People's Voice's" campaign spending reports.  Do their campaign finance filings for this cycle seem a bit hinky in light of the ballots they printed?  A little bit.  Frankly, Lisa Markovitz's online reply comes off as more than a little defensive, with the headline of her complaint response being "Response to a Baseless Complaint."  No mincing words there I suppose.

In any event, I am certain a group claiming such a rigorous and undiluted dedication to the proposition of transparency will be more than happy to cooperate with the Maryland State Board of Elections as they look into this matter.     

Bottom line?  Citizen vigilance is it's own reward.

3) And Jon Weinstein, the new Council Member representing the Fightin' First will be holding his first citizen workshops soon (on January 28 "in the cafeteria of Elkridge Landing Middle School" to be precise).  Excellent news. It should be a fantastic opportunity for information-sharing and neighbor-connecting.

Stay tuned, as more will follow.

How Much Does a Moon Shadow Weigh?

Perhaps it was the recent lunar eclipse, or listening to Cat Stevens on Spotify (or was it Pandora?), but whatever triggering event it was allowed for a pleasant reverie on space and time, on light and darkness, on "being and nothingness."  Being an astronomy nerd as a kid, and a political philosophy major in college, I was in full geek legion mode as I pondered the moon above, how it impacts our life our Earth, and how we perceive its significance.

Of course then I made the mistake of re-reading a comment from someone who posted on my blog.  Mellow harshed with extreme prejudice.

I shouldn't have let it bug me.  These silly comments from folks posting on the Internet...words bereft of substance.  Time to pop open a can of equanimity. Get back to center.

And that is when I noticed something odd. 

So this "Philip Ortiz" comments on my Eagles-inspired entry from 9/26:
(http://spartanconsiderations.blogspot.com/2014/09/theres-talk-on-street-it-sounds-so.html)

He offered a rather blustery and ultimately disingenuous defense of his chosen candidate in the HoCo Council District 1 race, Kevin Forrest Schmidt.

I don't know who Philip Ortiz is.  I haven't heard of him before.  So, I looked him up on Facebook and guess what, there is a Philip Ortiz.  No photo, no friends to show, just one "like"...Kevin Forrest Schmidt.

That sure is one dedicated supporter! Very single-minded in focus apparently.  Frankly, a little weird.

Does Philip Ortiz actually exist? I am not 100% certain, but I am going to go with "probably."  If he wants to meet up for coffee, I am up for it.  Is it possible that he is a Kevin Forrest Schmidt sock-pocket?  I would like to believe that Schmidt wouldn't do something so monumentally stupid.  Then again, I don't know him.  Then again, again, how many HoCo residents really know who Schmidt is?

I have heard Schmidt speak at the forums.  I don't believe he has a strong grasp of the duties and responsibilities of the position he is seeking, which is why he lapses into platitudes...or launches baseless attacks against his opponent, Jon Weinstein...who is far more qualified to serve on the County Council.  Weinstein is serious-minded and has been active in our community for a long time. He gets the needs of the district, being of the district, and will represent it well if elected to the Council.

By comparison, the rationale behind Schmidt's candidacy seems very light, practically weightless.  Hopefully, the electorate in the First will vote accordingly.

Stay tuned, as more will follow.

"There's talk on the street; it sounds so familiar..."

One of the many, many reasons why I opted against running in HD 12 was because I believed, correctly, that I was too new to Howard County.  Having moved here in early 2011, how could I represent the people when I was not of the community?

It has been attempted before, of course.  One example leaps to mind. Back in 1992, a businessman from New York named Sandy Pensler parachuted into Michigan to run for a congressional seat. He was loaded but had little to no connection to the district.  So he cuts a TV ad, produced by a well-respected GOP media operative, showing him jogging around Lansing in a Michigan State University sweatshirt. Go Green.

The response ad by his opponent, who won the primary, was simple and devastating.  It featured a black and white, slow-motion clip of the original spot, with a voiceover that intoned, “Nice sweatshirt, Sandy.  Is it new?” The carpetbagger stigma stuck and Mr. Pensler never recovered.  I heard the U-Haul was back at his apartment before the vote was certified.

Which brings me to the candidacy of one Kevin Forrest Schmidt.

Now, as a Democrat and friend of Jon Weinstein, I am not a disinterested party.  There are several reasons why I would cast my ballot for Jon, if I resided in the First District.  Among them is his long history of community involvement.   Compare that with Mr. Schmidt, who apparently moved to Ellicott City in the 2008 – 2009 time-frame and whose record of HoCo civic engagement appears far less extensive.

  

It is wonderful that most Howard County residents have a welcoming attitude toward newcomers.  That said, it is another matter entirely to elect such individuals to public office.

I am not saying that it can’t or shouldn’t be done, but, fair or not, questions are raised.  How well does this person really know Howard County?  How well do his or her potential constituents know this person?  How can this individual effectively serve the district?  Do they understand the values and interests of their new neighbors? Are they running because they see an opportunity or because they truly want to serve and accomplish something…and even if the latter is the case, why now?  Why not wait until their roots stretch deeper?  

Just a few thoughts going into the homestretch.

Stay tuned, as more will follow.

Reading Between the Lines

This post was supposed to be about the League of Women Voters of Howard County - Board of Education Candidate Forum.  The event was well-run by a team of...ninjas? My notes are almost entirely illegible. Blame it on a pho broth spill. Let's assume I meant "moderators."

I penned about 350 words but the story lacked both a hook and a core, so that assignment is going to be put aside...for now.  I might craft a BoE endorsement post, but I would need to winnow the field down to a top four first.  As of this moment, the best I can do is three tiers: Probably, Probably Not, and Heck No. If anyone wants to make a pitch for their favorite(s), feel free to comment below or send me an email or message.

There is some positive news that deserves attention: A new library and senior center is coming to Elkridge.  Being a huge fan of libraries in general...and Howard County's acclaimed library system in particular... I am elated that Council County member Courtney Watson's determined efforts - along with Howard County Library System CEO Valerie Gross and the support of community leaders such as Jon Weinstein (who testified in favor of the Elkridge library upgrade at a recent budget hearing) - have produced big results that will enhance the quality of life for many of our residents.  Great news indeed.

Relevant coverage can be found here and here. 

This is exactly the sort of leadership that Howard County needs: smart, practical, hard-working, collaborative and outcome-oriented.  And of course I would be remiss not to recognize County Executive Ken Ulman for increasing the funding necessary to move ahead on the library and senior center.  

Looking at the leadership descriptors I used in the first sentence of the previous paragraph, perhaps this post was about the Board of Education after all.     

Stay tuned, as more will follow.