From Friends of David R. Craig:
As the O’Malley – Brown budget is being considered in the House of the General Assembly, Harford County Executive David Craig and Jeannie Haddaway released the following joint statement:
“Maryland’s budget has increased from $29 billion in actual spending in 2007 to $40 billion proposed for fiscal year 2015, a spending increase of 36% over seven years.
“We must re-think the proper role of government in Maryland. Are we really better off with 80 tax, fee and toll increases than we were just seven years ago? Are the schools better, are the roads better, and are we better able to obtain health care or keep neighborhoods safer in 2014 compared to 2007? How is it possible that there is still a deficit in the budget after repeated promises that taxes would be the solution? It can only be attributed to mismanagement and lack of leadership.
“The results of no leadership are in. Rather than grow government, we will increase people’s take home pay and spur job creation by eventually eliminating the state’s income tax. In order to do that, we need a sound plan to stop ever-increasing spending.
“We commend the House Republican caucus for offering an alternative budget that reduces O’Malley’s spending by 3% yet still allows for a 1% increase over last year’s budget. It is a reasonable and responsible approach – especially given the recent revenue write downs.
“Year after year the Republican Caucus has offered viable alternatives – if these alternatives had been adopted we would not have found ourselves in this fiscal mess, and with a tax code that punishes everyone far more than the vast majority of other states in the nation.”
The Money Tree says
Let’s do Craig – let’s rethink the role of government to include your favorite which is to buddy up to your developer friends and undermine existing rules and regs to clear the way to just about anything they want. Maybe we can take the scaled down version of Beachtree funding and apply it statewide to every new subdivision? But there’s the problem with foregoing tax revenue for years while we’re subsidizing developer projects but it is about the public good right…maybe have to think a bit harder about that eh Craig? Can’t wait to get my feet in the cool water off the run down docks of our new Chemical Park in HdG.
WTF says
GIVE IT A REST ALREADY. The garbage that you post regularly has many asking what personal axe do you have to grind with David Craig. Clearly its personal and nothing really to do with merits of public policy. Must be nice to sit there in your dark room sniping at people on this bitch board of a site. Also, cowardice at best. If you are going to rail against an actual person on this site and use their name, have the courage to use your actual name.
The Money Tree says
How dare a taxpayer, homeowner or citizen of this county ever complain about spending well over 700K on a brownfield property that in reality was worth 1 dollar. Beechtree should have seen a criminal investigation – a TIF for development of single family homes? 14 million bucks for sewer, roads and improvements that benefitted Mr. Turner personally should have raised more than an eyebrow at the time it was done. No, not a personal axe to grind but as a republican myself I won’t pretend I’m proud of the way this county executive does business. Does that mean there’s never been decent things he’s done? Of course he’s done some good things, but let’s not pretend Mr. Craig hasn’t used his position to assist his friends regularly and regardless of the harm to the citizens of Harford.
? says
I didn’t see your real name posted here.
tiredofthe bullsh#t says
Who cares, its none of your business. What’s your real name and why does it matter?
? says
It really doesn’t matter to me but it does seem rather hypocritical to complain about someone not using their real name while the poster uses an alias themselves.
Bill says
I also laugh everytime Craig says he will do away with the Rain Tax when his original bill was $125.00 per household, at least the Council had sense enough to cut it back to $12.50 which he now takes credit for….also if he was so oppossed to the income tax why did’nt he ever lower the County portion in his 10 yrs.
He looks so shameful saying anything possible to jump start his failing campaign…
Realist says
Craig’s words and his record are two different things.
HYDESMANN says
I suspect Mr. Craig is just spouting off what he wants conservatives to hear.I agree with most of the things he says but as Realist said Craig’s words and his actions aren’t always the same. The rain tax , the TIF story and the money he gave to the multi-million corp. from England ( sorry, can”t remember the name now) all show he is not what he says he is.
Fed up in Harford says
Smiths Detection. Also BAFS, The Mill, Kohl’s Inc…. The company that researches ballistics….
mostly blue says
The problem with Craig is that he can’t please the Tea Party because he actually believes that there is a role for govt in providing services and serving the public. The Tea Party’s sole purpose is to “starve the beast” as they call it and make govt less functional than it can be all in the name of saving tea party members money so they can then say that govt doesn’t provide the basic services it was mean to do. At the same time, Craig’s record in funding education and propensity for wanting to fund other things not related to direct services doesn’t serve the county’s workforce or the taxpayer either. Money has been found for Tif’s, more schools, prisons, contaminated lots, underused space and special projects without considering the workforce he so proudly says is very professional (but not worth a raise).
tiredofthe bullsh#t says
I’ll bet if you took a look at the county budget during Craig’s tenure, you’d see a significant rise in spending and growth in government. I’m certain that government was never designed to be all things to all people, but that is definitely the direction of our local government at a significant cost to taxpaying citizens.
Its sickening to read his words and compare them to his actions over the past two terms. Frankly, I’m embarassed for the guy who is out of touch on so many levels, and just does not comprehend the disdain that so many people in this county have for him.
? says
Something we agree on.
mostly blue says
You need to define “significant rise is spending and growth in government” as if Craig is solely responsible for it. The governor made the local government pay for teacher pensions which was mandated by law. That amount increases to 100% in a few years The rain tax was also a state mandate and the county doesn’t get nearly as much $$$ from the transportation fund for maintenance as the funds almost exclusively are directed to P.G. County, Baltimore City and Montgomery County…. shocker there!!.
The county has purchased land to be left vacant (across from Bel Air firehouse) as the Craig wanted a new administration headquarters, purchased land for a trash transfer station in Joppa ( now trash being sent to Baltimore County), bought a contaminated lot in Havre de Grace without the gutless county council approval, purchased numerous hybrid vehicles at inflated prices and the county is spending $10 million and county on its own broadband telecommunications network. Craig has built schools, prisons, new Emergency services center and a new Edgewood branch Sheriff’s office as well as a yet to be built garage and offices for the Health Department at the same location . The biggest expense he has added to the county is the staggering amount of debt in the name of bonds to finance these purchases. I forgot to mention the water treatment plant in Abingdon which cost an estimated $70 million. Some of these were needed as previous executives were too willing to patch and repair outdated buildings and systems, however all these projects lacked coordination or a blue print on how to achieve all these over a longer period of time and maybe paying for some out of operational funds instead of bonds which include interest as these loans come due.
Actually, his operations record has been pretty conservative, as the county has less employees now than it did when he took office. The county has 1065 paid employees including the Sheriff’s Dept. The Administration department was abolished while the executive department was created ( some savings there as less people are employed in the new set up) The County Council as grown considerably as each office holder as its own support staff for an office that is mean to be less than full time. The Auditor’s office was created ( brainchild of Boniface) and this department actually cost more money than the previous set up under which a CPA firm did the audits required by state law.
The county has not kept up inflation costs as far as employee raises and the workforce is paying more towards health care and pensions (the pension part was mandated by state law). Overall, I would say his record is pretty mixed and barely acceptable but he hasn’t raised taxes on the taxpayer and has maintained or improved the infrastructure.
tiredofthebullsh#t says
Thanks and sorry to so cranky with a previous reply to you but when I see folks question others about their real name I get a little feisty because that’s the only way that a lot of us could express our true thoughts on here. There are so many fragile egos in this county that speaking out, including telling the truth about things, can easily get someone disciplined, demoted or fired.
? says
Something else we agree upon.
Marc A Eaton says
I did rethink it today. I voted for Charles Lollar. I watched several debates and he is genuine, not a RINO (Republican In Name Only) like Craig.