Ready to see your taxes raised or your county services slashed again? What’s fair about that?
Background: In October, there was a great deal of controversy about canceling the school impact fee. This is the fee paid by people who purchase new homes, and it pays for a portion (roughly one-fifth) of the cost of building new schools to serve the new students arriving from the newly-built homes. That bill failed. Now Bill 09-37 proposes to cut the fee rather than eliminate it, which still hurts current Harford residents by raising our taxes and/or cutting existing services.
Here’s my view:
Bill 09-37 will slash the school impact fee by 27%. I oppose this unfair bill. It subsidizes new-home buyers by unfairly increasing taxes on current residents or by cutting services (such as recreational facilities, libraries, etc.)
Bel Air, MD – November 30, 2009 – The Harford County Health Department wishes to inform the public that, effective December 1, 2009, birth and death certificates will be issued only on weekdays between 8:00 AM and 12:00 noon. This service will continue to be provided at their administrative offices located at 120 Hays Street in Bel Air.
The cost for this service remains $20.00, payable by cash or credit card only. Personal checks will no longer be accepted
Health Officer Susan Kelly states, “Reductions in services are an unfortunate but inevitable result of the severe budget cuts the Health Department has sustained in recent months,” noting that the vacated position of a retired employee who used to staff this service must remain unfilled. “The Health Department sincerely regrets any inconvenience to the public that this may cause.”
Attached is a notice to lower the United States Flag and Maryland State Flag tomorrow, December 1, 2009, from sunrise to sunset in honor of Army SPC Christopher J. Coffland.
STATE OF MARYLAND
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT MARTIN O’MALLEY
GOVERNOR
To: Secretary Alvin C. Collins
Department of General Services
The holiday season is upon us and Harford County Sheriff’s Office will be intensifying their regularly scheduled patrols with their Annual Holiday Foot Patrol Initiative. For the seventh consecutive year, beginning December 1, 2009, Sheriff’s deputies will be conducting both foot and vehicular patrols of shopping centers and retail plazas in their jurisdiction. The intent is to deter crime and make the holidays much safer for the citizens of Harford County. In addition to deputies on patrol, Harford County Sheriff’s Office Command Staff will be taking to the streets as well.
“This provides commanders an excellent opportunity to meet with the business community and citizens that we serve,” comment Sheriff L. Jesse Bane.
“Often during this busy time of the year, when people are already being pulled in too many directions or feeling especially festive, they stop paying attention to their surrounding and personal safety,” stated ...Continue Reading
Baldwin, Md. – Colleen McDonough, dog lover and local small business owner of Barks and Blooms, recently became the first in the U.S. to win the prestigious PAW Award by Pet Sitters International for her outstanding professionalism, business practices and active presence in the community. As small business owner new to entrepreneurship, McDonough sets a high standard for others in the industry both locally and internationally.
Pet Sitters International created the PAW Award as a way to move the pet-sitting industry into a well-known network of professional corporations. The award is based on community involvement, marketing efforts, exceptional staff and leadership, as well as money raised within the industry and participation with outside charities and professional organizations. McDonough was presented with the international award at the October 6 regional meeting in Atlanta, Ga.
“Building a strong brand identity is very important,” says Colleen McDonough, founder and owner of Barks and Blooms. “I ...Continue Reading
Harford County Sheriff L. Jesse Bane was hospitalized early Thanksgiving morning for an arterial blockage after experiencing what he described as “some minor chest discomfort.”
In a letter distributed to Sheriff’s Office personnel on Monday, Bane said he underwent a common outpatient procedure at St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Towson.
Sheriff’s Office personnel spoke with Bane on Monday and said he sounded great, was fine, and could have been have already been back to work, but was taking his doctor’s advice to take the week off.
Here is the letter Bane wrote and circulated Monday:
Good Afternoon,
Early Thanksgiving morning, I experienced some minor chest discomfort, which resulted in a common outpatient procedure at St Joseph’s hospital for an arterial blockage. Rest assured I am doing well. While I feel good enough to return to work today, I am going to take leave for the week and should be returning Monday, December ...Continue Reading
Rep. Frank Kratovil trails Andy Harris in a recent poll of likely First District voters in next year’s election–according to Harris, at least.
In a message to his mailing list Monday titled, “New Poll in First District Congressional Race Shows Kratovil in Serious Trouble – Andy Harris Already Has A Clear Lead,” Harris claimed to hold 52 percent of “likely voters” compared to 39 percent for Kratovil.
The poll was commissioned by Harris’ campaign and conducted by national Republican polling firm The Tarrance Group from Nov. 15 to Nov. 17. A total of 300 “likely voters” were surveyed.
“Frank Kratovil’s weakness in this district might seem startling but it is backed up by a poor image and a low re-elect score,” The Terrance Group wrote in a memo about the poll. “While Kratovil is well-known, only 43 percent of the voters hold a favorable image and 30 percent are unfavorable ...Continue Reading
The following letter was provided by Jansen Robinson, Chair of the Edgewood Community Council:
On Thanksgiving night, there was a MURDER in the Edgewood Community of First Harford Square. Also on Tuesday night, the proprietitor of the convienence store across the street from Royal Farms on Edgewood Road was injured during an apparrent Armed Robbery.
Many will point fingers at the Sheriff’s Dept, some for political reasons and others simply because they just don’t know. This is not simply a Law Enforcement problem. This is a community problem.
In Harford County communities where there is a high percentage of homeownership, violent crime such as what we experience in Edgewood is “almost” non-existent. And we don’t have to look far (Joppatowne) for an example. Most (not all) of the violent crime occurring in Harford County can be linked to RENTERS-persons who do not have a vested interest in the community (and not just ...Continue Reading
(Edgewood, MD – November 27, 2009) –Harford County Sheriff’s deputies are investigating a homicide that occurred in the 600 block of Yorkshire Drive, Edgewood MD. The victim has been identified as Brandon Jerome Sanders, 25, of Edgewood, MD.
At approximately 7:30am on November 27, 2009, deputies responded to a 911 call in the 600 block of Yorkshire Drive in Edgewood MD, in reference to a body found lying in an open space near the caller’s home. Deputies determined the unidentified male had been shot in the upper torso region of his body. He was verified as deceased at the time of discovery. While canvassing the area, deputies were able to reveal that several neighbors had heard shots fired sometime between 11:00pm and midnight on Thursday evening, yet no calls were placed to 911.
While no identification was on the deceased, Harford County ...Continue Reading
Please Join Us at the Town of Bel Air Christmas Celebration!
Sponsored by Point Breeze Credit Union
Free to all!
Sunday, December 6, 2009 — Downtown Bel Air
2:30 – 3:30 pm: Main Street Concert, Patrick Redmond Band
3:30 – 4:15 pm: Grand Processional March, Main Street and Lee Street, narrated by Teri Kranefeld
4:00 – 5:00 pm: Music, Carols, Bonfire, Hot Chocolate and Cookies in Shamrock Park. MC: Captain Jim McMahan
5:00 pm: Special Surprise Finale
Scheduled to appear:
The Baltimore Ravens Cheerleaders, stilt-walkers and acrobats; marching bands from Bel Air High School, C. Milton Wright High School, John Carroll School, Joppatowne High School, Patterson Mill High School and Edgewood High School; costumed characters and mascots including Ferrous, Ripcord, Poe the Raven, The Oriole Bird, the Cat in the Hat, the Grinch, Frosty the Snowman, McGruff the Crime Dog and Spiderman; plus Miss Maryland 2009 Brooke Poklemba, Maryland’s Junior Miss 2009 Kristi Snyder, ...Continue Reading
