Editor's Blog

I know this isn’t the most important issue in our area, but it’s something that has bothered me for a long time. Whenever my husband and I want to go to a concert, show, or sporting event, the good seats are sold out in minutes. An hour later they’re on sale on Ebay and other internet ticket broker sites at many times the original ticket prices. Last December we wanted to see a holiday show in Baltimore. We went to the concert hall in person to buy tickets and arrived before the box office opened. There were only a few people in line in front of us. When it was our turn (maybe five minutes from when the tickets went on sale), all of the seats were sold out except for two in the back of the second balcony. By the time we got home, hundreds of tickets were already on sale on the internet. The tickets in the front of the theater that had originally sold for about $65 were listed for up to $900. The $35 balcony seats that I had just bought were list ed at over $200. There is something wrong when consumers are at the mercy of scalpers, or “power sellers” as they call themselves on Ebay. Several states limit the resale price of tickets. Our General Assembly has failed to provide any similar protection to consumers in Maryland. When I am elected to the House of Delegates, I will introduce legislation to limit the resale price of tickets to no more than five dollars above their original selling price. It’s time for the people in Maryland to be able to see a show or sporting event without feeling that they were ripped off.

—Diane Lee Nixon

Candidate for the House of Delegates in District 20

Posted by blogpop at 10:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Takoma Park’s embattled police department has suffered another blow with the disclosure that a Prince George’s County grand jury has indicted a City officer on an assault charge. According to published reports, one of the City’s Finest stomped on a homeless man who was prone and being handcuffed by another officer. The assault fractured three of the victim’s ribs. This incident follows on the heels of other problems associated with the department in recent years, including a U.S. Department of Justice investigation of discrimination charges, involvement in an attack by a police canine against a homeless man, involvement in consumption of alcohol in a City community center, a CNN study showing that the City’s crime rate is among the highest in Montgomery County (three homicides in the first half of 2006, more than any other community in the county), and many years of unaccredited status.

This most recent incident of police brutality is the latest contribution to the body of evidence indicating that the City’s system for policing simply isn’t working. The City is the only community in Montgomery County which provides full police services in lieu of county-provided policing. This model results in the highest officer per capita ratio in the county by far and costs the City’s taxpayers about double what it would cost if police services were provided by the county. And yet, despite this huge expenditure and higher police density, the City’s police efforts produce a public safety environment far less secure and stable than that found in our neighboring communities, and the department’s track record of unacceptable behavior suggests a lack of discipline, proper officer candidate screening, and training.

Given the high cost of City police services and the poor outcome, it is past time to abandon the City’s model of self-policing. The City immediately should begin the process of transferring to the county responsibility for all police services in the City. County police officers are better trained, have greater resources at their disposal, and their services have already been paid for by the City’s taxpayers in their county property taxes. The City has a unique opportunity to begin this transfer as a result of the recent resignation of its police chief. The City should not fill this position but rather should transfer management of the police department to the county, followed by negotiations with the county to assume all policing responsibility in the City. Our property and personal safety are at stake and we should demand that our City political leadership take action to expedite a county takeover of police functions.

—Jack Carson
Takoma Park, MD

Posted by blogpop at 10:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

When Diane called me and said, “I need you to testify before the Maryland State Senate about a pet cemetery bill I wrote,” I thought she was nuts. Me? Testify?

Senate Bill 983 was more than a pet cemetery bill, it was a consumer protection bill that would keep grieving pet owners from being charged for burial items they didn’t need, would protect the plots they had purchased, and would ensure their pets would rest in peace forever.

Having heard countless stories from those who had buried their pets at Rosa Bonheur Memorial Park, the thousands of dollars spent, the heartache of unkept and unsafe grounds, the guilt for believing that a deed and perpetual care payments would keep their deceased loved ones safe, I said “yes.”
Diane knows the ins and outs of the Senate and House. Everywhere we went with her, people knew her, knew her reputation, and respected her work. She guided us through the process, made sure we had what we needed to testify, gave us the confidence to go in and represent thousands of Maryland State pet owners and fight for their consumer rights. The bill passed the Senate 45-0, but was stalled in the House during the last days of the session by one delegate and was never given the opportunity to go to the floor of the House for vote, despite no opposition and favorable votes by other House committee members.

It was then that I realized that not all Delegates have the peoples’ interest at heart, but Diane does. When elected, I am confident that she will listen to the people, vote according to their will, and represent her community.

We need people like Diane in Annapolis, and I hope you take an active role and see that you get that representation by voting for her in September.

—Penny Blankenship
Gil Blankenship
Save Rosa Bonheur Memorial Park

Posted by blogpop at 10:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

On Independence Day, I took a casual drive around Takoma Park and noticed that there were very few homes displaying the American flag. Why? I started to speculate on the possible reasons: APATHY OR LETHARGY?? Hardly. There is plenty of energy in Takoma Park for the “right causes” and signs that announce these causes are on most bumpers and in most yards. Well, maybe the non-flag folks are confusing patriotism with politics. You know, if you fly the flag other folks may confuse you with a Bush supporter or even a Republican. That would be too much to bear in a “diverse” community. News Flash... “Old Glory “ transcends politics. The flag is displayed with pride because it is the symbol of our liberties and freedoms. You can post your pithy bumper stickers and yard signs, that in most countries would be declared treasonous, because of these freedoms symbolized by the Flag.

FAST FORWARD one month to replies in the Voice. Here’s a sampling: “The flag represents sovereignty and nationalism which stand in the way of a true world community.”

“I’ll never fly the flag until our Democrat Party sets the Country straight, gets us out of Iraq, signs Kyoto, and permanently bans mention of God everywhere except in church.”

Here’s hoping that next year brings more flag display. When you display the “Bush Lies” sign be equally proud to fly the flag. That is the reason why you can say these things and remain free.

—Charles J. Hayes

Ethan Allen Ave.

Posted by blogpop at 10:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Last month, the Montgomery County Council appointed Dr. Royce Hanson—a nationally recognized land use expert and a respected consultant to the Council on the Clarksburg matter—to be the new Chair of the County’s Planning Board. Let us congratulate Dr. Hanson on his appointment and wish him well as he assumes his new position. All of us should hope that his appointment and his stewardship of this vital public agency will quickly restore the public’s confidence in the planning and development process. 

However, Montgomery County residents should not think that this appointment alone will solve the problems we have discovered since the Clarksburg revelations. Indeed, the Planning Board only makes recommendations to the County Council; the Council should act in light of the Board’s guidance. And over the last few years, the present Council has taken action that has been opposite to several of the Board’s most important recommendations.

Where the Planning Board has generally recommended slower growth policies for Montgomery County, the County Council has ignored the Board’s advice on the annual growth rate policy, the transportation policy area review process, and maintaining an appropriate balance between housing and jobs. As a result, the County currently permits growth that far exceeds the capacity of our transportation and school infrastructure, resulting in traffic congestion, air pollution, school overcrowding, and a deterioration in our quality of life.

Dr. Hanson’s appointment is just the beginning of a new phase in Montgomery County’s planning future. There is a lot more to be done. This year’s elections for County Executive and County Council are more important than ever.

— Alan Bowser
Silver Spring, MD
President, Park Hills Civic Association
The writer was a candidate for
chair of the Planning Board

Posted by blogpop at 10:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I was rather shocked to hear that Ida Ruben claimed, during her debate with Jamie Raskin last week, that she was the originator of the Silver Spring Arts District. The Silver Spring Arts District was the product of a tremendous amount of hard work by a great number of local activists and community leaders over a number of years, and for Ida Ruben to attempt to hoard all of the credit for this monumental and visionary effort is arrogant and self-aggrandizing, not to mention untrue.

Al Gore was accused of claiming that he invented the Internet. While that allegation was not in fact true, Ida Ruben claiming that she alone was responsible for the development of the Silver Spring Arts District is far worse, and even more inaccurate, than that. She should be ashamed of herself and give credit where credit is due.

— Miti Figueredo

Silver Spring, MD

Posted by blogpop at 10:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The District 20 State Senate race has been abuzz in Takoma Park, which is where I live. As an undecided voter, I attended the candidates’ forum after a friend said that this would be an opportunity to make an informed decision about the candidates. I walked away from the forum with the opinion that Ida Ruben not only won the debate, but will also get my vote. Senator Ruben convinced me that she not only genuinely cares about the people in District 20, she demonstrated that she knows how to help the people in her district. I was not convinced that Jamie Raskin would do a better job than Ida Ruben or that he would continue to build upon Senator Ruben’s accomplishments. I admire his determination—his ideas were certainly ambitious, yet, I found his vision unrealistic, and, at times, naive for someone running for State Senate. I was impressed by the number of causes he would champion if elected to office, but disappointed at the fuzzy language he of fered for how he would implement all that he proposed. Further, I felt that he was playing on a lot of national issues to distinguish himself when I wanted to hear more about his vision for the District, specifically. On the issues, however, it seems as though there is not a great deal of difference between the two candidates. What set Ruben apart from Raskin was how adeptly she demonstrated her grasp of the issues important to the residents of District 20 and the ways that she would address them. There was substance to her vision, not fluff. Senator Ruben convinced me that her knowledge and experience is directly related to the many benefits we have reaped as residents of District 20 and that her vision will keep District 20 going in the right direction.

—Jeremy Scriven

Takoma Park, MD

Posted by blogpop at 09:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

As the September 12 primary election approaches, there are some considerations that may seem self-evident to many voters, but surprisingly not to all.

First, our votes in the primary are crucial. In general, for most seats on the Montgomery County Council and the State legislature, and nearly always (certainly this year) for the County Executive position, the race is won in the primary. That’s just a fact of life in largely Democratic Montgomery County.

Second, an incumbent’s longevity in an elected position, and the supposed power that accompanies it, should not be a reason to vote for her or him. If that were the case, we may as well have coronations for these positions (Senator-for-life, for example, or at least for as long as the incumbent wishes).

Third, power, which is a rather offensive term anyway. I would hope that an officeholder’s ideas, initiative, collegiality, and ability to forge coalitions would trump power. If not, why would any talented and civic-minded person even bother to run for office? The ability to influence colleagues by gaining their respect and sharing their concerns should surely count for more than power, which incidentally can be exercised to intimidate both colleagues and constituents if used in the wrong way.

Fourth, the argument that a candidate with no experience in a legislative or executive office is thereby less qualified than an incumbent is another deterrent to attracting new candidates. In Montgomery County, we have citizen activists who work tirelessly to protect the environment, to improve our schools, to defend the rights of tenants, to foster public safety. If public office is not a legitimate extension and continuation of this kind of community service, then our democracy is meaningless.

Finally, there is no official Democratic Party ballot in the primary election. We may see mailings that look like one. But in the primary election, Democrats are running against Democrats, Republicans against other Republicans. There is no group of Party-anointed candidates.

—Mary Reardon

Silver Spring, MD

Posted by blogpop at 09:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)