Rain Clouds

Rain. Nobody seems to be enjoying the rain today. It doesn't help that its cold too, at least for May.

I was thinking about this as I drove from The Mall back to my office this afternoon during one of the heavier downpours. It occurred to me that rain is a getting a bad rap this spring. Thanks to the General Assembly, Marylanders have a new to tax to associate with this weather event. The very term “rain tax” comes off as an affront to Mother Nature.

I think it’s doomed.

What started with grumbling on the fringes of the left and the right is now becoming a bipartisan backlash. The lefties are pissed because this is a tax that treats everyone equally, rich or poor. The righties hated it because they hate anything that includes the word tax. It was one thing when Repub county exec Laura Nueman came out against it but when a prominent Dem like city councilperson Mary Pat Clarke added her voice to the fray, it got my attention.

Finally, here’s an issue that both parties can come together on. This could be the beginning of the end of the rain tax, at least in its current form. I suffer no illusion that this tax will actually go away. It will quietly get repackaged into some other environmental or public utilities legislation. Something less susceptible to a nickname like rain tax.

Lt. Governor Ulman

My friend, and HoCo loco political operative, Roger Caplan has generally dismissed the notion of Ken Ulman playing backup quarterback to the guv. “I can’t see Ken carrying a clipboard,” he likes to say.

Maybe he can’t but apparently Ken can. The prospect of a Brown-Ulman gubernatorial ticket is beginning to look like a done deal.

According to this story by John Wagner in The Washington Post “several people familiar with talks between Brown and Ulman described the Howard executive as the clear front-runner for the No. 2 spot on Brown’s ticket.”

“Ulman’s interest in the job has been prompted in part, the sources said, by a growing realization of the challenges he would face in winning the nomination and a sense that he is young enough that he could run for governor later in his career.”

It would be a pretty formidable ticket.

"Brown, a former delegate for Prince George’s County who served a tour of duty in Iraq as an Army reservist, is the handpicked successor of O’Malley (D), who is term-limited and weighing a 2016 presidential bid. If elected, Brown, 51, would be Maryland’s first black governor and only the third African American elected governor in the country since Reconstruction.

Ulman has gained recognition for expanding access to health care in his county, among other initiatives. Now 38, Ulman was 32 when first elected, making him the youngest county executive in Maryland’s history."

Those aren't my words. Those are a real reporters perspective and provides a great story line for a campaign.

A narrative like this coupled with the support of the incumbent guv immediately makes Brown-Ulman the front runners.

Fire in the West

From my experience, the best way to sum up the politics of the HoCo Fire Department is to say it’s complicated. Whenever a major issue crops up like a change in fire districts or, more recently, the contingent firefighter program, the internal battle lines are not always clearly drawn, at least it can appear that way to this outsider.

It is clear that passions can run high yet it’s hard to get anyone within the department to speak out. It's almost as if everyone wants to keep their stuff within the family.

The exception to this is the Lisbon Volunteer Fire Company. As they were with the fire district dust up, the Lisbon firefighters have taken the point on opposing the plan to eliminate the contingent employee program. Contingent employees are paid part-time workers who assist in the staffing of volunteer fire companies, notably West Friendship, Elkridge and Lisbon. According to this story by Blair Ames in The Sun, Fire Chief Bill Goddard believes that ending the program will allow the department to operate more “efficiently with career and volunteer personnel working together.”

"The only people that suffer in this is the community," said Kenny Livesay, a volunteer firefighter at the Lisbon station. "It's setting us up for failure."

This is likely more indicative of the political disconnect between the urban east the rural west and a desire to preserve a way of life that is rapidly disappearing in HoCo than it is a disagreement with fellow firefighters .

On A Roll

When the Howard Hughes Corporation purchased the former Ryland Headquarters building last August, it was more than half empty. Yesterday, with the announcement that GP Strategies had leased three floors in the nine story office building, it’s now 94% leased. In the commercial real estate game this is a home run.

Howard Hughes is beginning to make home runs look easy. In his remarks at yesterday’s ceremony, John DeWolf, Senior Vice President of Howard Hughes told the guests that downtown Columbia was one of the top three projects for the company. The other two were in Hawaii and New York City.  

There is more exciting news to come in Columbia too, including the pending announcement of the new restaurant for the former Red Pearl space. The company has actually found itself in the enviable position of having to manage announcements so that each new development gets its own time in the spotlight.

And speaking of spotlights, Ken Ulman was also on hand yesterday to help celebrate this latest downtown development and I took the opportunity to chat briefly with him. I asked the exec what he thought about the talk of Dutch Ruppersberger getting into the 2014 gubernatorial race. Ken did not betray any concern about this development. He suggested that it may already too late for Dutch in terms of both grassroots organization and fundraising. Apparently any monies Dutch has raised for his congressional races cannot be used for a statewide race.

In the meantime, Ken can look forward to more opportunities to stand in the spotlight in the coming months as downtown Columbia continues on a roll.

On a Clear Day You Can See Best Buy

Some people can spend their entire working life in the same office with the same morning commute and the same view. Not me. Since beginning my professional career I've occupied sixteen different offices in five states. Three of those offices were windowless. I liked them the least.

My sixteenth move has landed me in the Gateway Corporate Community in Columbia. Corporate community is an apt label for the 600 acre business park that contains almost seven million square feet of commercial space but no residences.

It wasn't my first choice. If I had my way we would have located our new office in downtown Columbia. That said, I have to admit that I’m warming to life in this corporate community. I have a second floor view overlooking thickly wooded open space. In the distance I can just barely make out the Best Buy sign at Gateway Exchange. In matter of weeks, as the trees leaf out, I probably won’t even see that. In my former office my view was of another building.

Gateway is also Columbia’s largest disenfranchised community. Even though it is larger than any of the ten Columbia villages and its building owners pay the same CPRA lien as village residents, it has no representative on the governing body of the Columbia Association.

It’s our own HoCo loco version of taxation without representation.

Awesome Guests

Jean Parker has served as General Manager of Merriweather Post Pavilion for almost thirty years. She’s held the same job even as the operators changed from Nederlander to SFX to Clear Channel and now I.M.P. She started working at the outdoor theater part time while still a high school student at Mt. Hebron. After graduating from the University of Maryland with a degree in computer science, she did a one year stint with Arthur Andersen before returning to Symphony Woods. This is the third time Jean has been on our show.

And speaking of Symphony Woods, Jean told us she “loves the Inner Arbor plan.”

“CA is doing lots of great things…it’s all good.”

The future looks bright for Merriweather too, particularly now that the Maryland General Assembly has codified the permitted noise levels within a quarter mile of the facility.

 And speaking of the future, we also invited Ian Kennedy to join us to discuss the upcoming elections for the Columbia Council. Ian launched the Let’s Make Columbia Awesome website to support those candidates who support visionary initiatives like the Inner Arbor Plan.

Ian also has a Merriweather history. He and his friend Justin Carlson launched the Save Merriweather effort back in 2003 when the future of Merriweather was in doubt.

Ian made a pitch for Regina Clay in Wilde Lake, Mike Cornell in River Hill, Julia McCready in Oakland Mills and Ed Coleman in Long Reach, pointing out that these people are more interested in “pushing Columbia forward rather than holding it back.”

In other words, these are the candidates that can make Columbia awesome. “They’re all awesome,” he suggested.

You can listen to the 87^th episode of “and then there’s that…” here.

Lt. Governor Watson?

Maryland Juice, a widely read Maryland political blog, has suggested that Courtney Watson is on Anthony Browns short list for lieutenant governor in his 2014 gubernatorial bid. According to this post by David Moon, Courtney’s name is among eight that have been mentioned “by knowledgeable sources, and at least some of them appear to be going through some level of vetting.”

I should note that Ken Ulmans name is also among the eight mentioned but most political watchers widely dismiss the notion of Ken playing second fiddle to the guv. As Roger Caplan is fond of saying “I don’t see Ken holding a clipboard for anyone.”

Most HoCo loco politico watchers would also dismiss Courtney as a serious prospect for backup quarterback given her expected run for county exec in 2014. Even David seems to acknowledge this pointing out that it is “unclear whether she would be willing to abandon her campaign for an unplanned run for LG.”

Indeed. Still, if you're Courtney it still has to feel good to see your name on the list.

Good Neighbors

I am unaccustomed to running into my neighbors at HoCo politico events. It just doesn't happen. Over the six years we've lived in our current neighborhood, it’s only happened three times. The third time occurred last week at Courtney Watson's event in Columbia when I ran into my next door neighbors, the good ones.

Seven years ago, as our side by side homes were being built, I first met Hatem. Later we would become introduced to his wife and two children. Maha now brings her homemade baklava to our 3^rd of July parties. When they traveled back to visit family in Egypt, we kept an eye on their house.

At the party, Hatem told me that he was on the board of the Howard County Muslim Council and explained some of the work that the council is doing in the community. He made a point to mention that Courtney regularly attends their functions and has been supportive of their efforts.

I loved this moment. I often lament about the sad state of loco civic engagement and awareness. When I suddenly discovered that, right next door, another neighbor was quietly doing his part to make HoCo a better place to live, it made me happy.

In contrast, on the other side of my house is a family that has also moved in at the same time. They have two daughters and after seven years I don’t even know their names.

We spoke a little about the plans for a Muslim school and worship center in western HoCo. I told Hatem that a friend of mine is on the executive board of Residents for the Responsible Development of Woodmont, which “opposes the project currently proposed by Dar-Us-Salaam of College Park because it’s size and intensity are far in excess of what RRDW believes is reasonable for the Rural Conservation district and the rural west of Howard County”

I sincerely hope that the Dar-Us-Salaam community and the greater Cooksville community can reach some sort of mutual accommodation on this. There are good people on both sides of this zoning debate so there is good reason to be hopeful.

In This Months Business Monthly

The Columbia Council is the red headed step child of loco politics. Even though the elected council members serve as the board of directors of a corporation with an annual operating budget of $60 million and 1,300 employees, very few people pay much attention to its governance.

The system itself is at least partially to blame. Election rules and procedures are inconsistent among the 10 Columbia villages and not all who pay the CA lien are even eligible to vote, including the majority of the commercial property owners.

Voter apathy is also to blame. Even seemingly contentious citywide issues such as the future of Symphony Woods park barely register a blip on most Columbia residents radar. On the other hand, try and take away a neighborhood tot lot or swimming pool and suddenly people start to pay attention, though by that time it may already be too late.

It’s not too late now. If you live in Columbia please get informed and vote on April 20^th or, at the very least, get your hands on an absentee ballot. If you know someone who lives in Columbia, particularly the villages of River Hill, Oakland Mills, Wilde Lake and Long Reach, please encourage them to pay attention and participate. 

A healthy and forward looking Columbia is in the best interests of everyone who lives in HoCo.

You can find this month’s column here.

Musical Chairs

I blame it on the beer. Shortly after this post I received an email from one the participants taking exception to my comment about the lack of Repub candidates for the D1 council seat in 2014. The email pointed out that “Chris Merdon is a strong candidate for District 1 and that was seconded by another member of the group.”

"I really think this needs to be corrected because your portrayal of the GOP is not fair based on the discussion we had."

My bad. I should probably take more notes and drink less beer at our next gathering.

A Merdon candidacy would add an interesting dynamic to that race. Chris held the seat from 1998 until 2006 when he ran for county exec against Ken Ulman. Chris endorsed Bob Flanagan in 2010 when he sought to retake the seat for the Repubs from Courtney Watson, saying that “nobody knows this district better than Bob.”

The chances of the Repubs reclaiming this seat would improve significantly if, as rumored, there is a primary fight on the Dem side of the ticket. Dave Grabowski, current chair of the HoCo Planning Board formed a campaign committee in January, presumably to take a run at the D1 seat. Another Dem, Jon Weinstein, is also expected to announce for that seat.

At our gathering Monday night our Elkridge group member posited that Jon would have trouble getting much traction in Elkridge, at least in east of 95 Elkridge. A primary challenge from a candidate who lives in that part of town wouldn't help Jon's situation.

It will be interesting to see if Courtney makes a primary endorsement or opts instead to sit out that fight and save her blessings for the general election.

And speaking of Courtney…the current council person for D1 held a fundraiser last night at Union Jacks Pub in Columbia. Astute loco politico observers will note that Union Jacks is actually in District 4, Mary Kay Sigaty’s council district, though I didn't see Mary Kay at the party. Courtney spoke about wanting to continue to serve the county but stopped short of an actual announcement about running for exec.

Pints & Politics, Spring Snow Edition

Ten loco politico wonks gathered together again last night in a public house to eat, drink and speculate about HoCo politics. It was the largest gathering of the group ever, the first time that everyone could make it on the same night, at the same time. Anyone who has ever tried to organize a gathering of friends, sans spouses, girlfriends, boyfriends, et al, can attest to the difficulty of achieving 100%. Last night we pulled it off.

The opening topic was the 2014 county exec race. Without much disagreement the overwhelming consensus was that it will be a race between Courtney Watson and Allan Kittleman. Courtney gets the edge right now largely because of party. Most all agreed that Allan could win, but it will be an uphill battle all the way. He needs to get independents and unaffiliated in big numbers in order to do so…no small task in an off year election when the primaries generally determine the victors.

One thing certain, a contest between Allan and Courtney would be uncomfortable for many, particularly some of those Republicans for Watson.

One of the group announced, with certainty, that Maryann Maher is not going to take another shot at the House of Delegates. I’m glad that’s settled. Meanwhile Clarence Lam made some loco waves in District 12 by attacking fellow Dems Delegates Steve DeBoy and Jimmy Malone, along with Senator Ed Kasemeyer for voting against the repeal of the death penalty. District 12 is a new animal with a split personality. Clarence just staked out his side.

The Repubs in the group acknowledged that the loco party has a pretty thin bench for 2014. None could name a potential candidate for the District 1 council seat, usually considered a winnable seat for Repubs. It’s an accepted fact that Jon Weinstein will be the Dem candidate but he can’t announce until Courtney makes her announcement.

Sheesh.

Maybe she’ll do that tomorrow night at her fundraiser in Columbia. At least three members of the group said they planned to attend, at least one other had a sent a check.

Last night, since we were all together for the first time, I decided to take a quick poll of everyone’s political affiliations. The results were three Repubs, four Dems and three Independents. The tenth member actually arrived late, after the tally had been taken but with this individual it was never even a question.

Any Port in a Storm?

Contested elections are usually signs of a healthy democracy except when they’re not. A case in point is the upcoming Columbia Council election in the Village of River Hill. The incumbent, Michael Cornell, is being challenged by a relative newcomer to the HoCo politico scene, Clayborne Chavers. Sources have informed me that Russ Swatek recruited Mr. Chavers to challenge Michael because of his support for the Inner Arbor plan.

I haven’t always agreed with Michael Cornell, his politics tend to be a little too far to the left of my personal comfort zone. That being said I have always found him to be a thoughtful member of the CA board and one who is capable of reaching consensus with his fellow board members, acting in the best interests of the Columbia lien payers.

I can’t say that I feel the same way about Russ. Russ is one of those HoCo loco activists who seem to be against things much more than for them. He does of good job of articulating what he doesn't like, even if it means bending reality to fit his views. Nothing would please him more than to stack the CA board with fellow travelers. I believe that as long as someone agrees with him, Russ is willing to overlook other shortcomings in his political allies.

It appears that Clayborne Chavers has a few red flags around him. A search of the Maryland Judiciary website reveals that he was once charged with domestic violence (later dropped) and has an outstanding judgment in excess of $60,000. He was also recently reprimanded by the Attorney Grievance Commission “for engaging in the unauthorized practice of law on several occasions by entering his appearance in Maryland courts where he was not admitted to practice law.”

If I were a resident of River Hill, I think I’d stick with Mike.

Former Prez Pushes Pot

Last night at the Baltimore Speaker Series, Vicente Fox, the former president of Mexico, called for the legalization of marijuana. He said that the best way to marginalize the drug cartels that are wreaking havoc in his country is to remove the $50 billion market for their products.

He also was quick to point out that Brazil actually has a higher murder rate than Mexico. He wants everyone to know that it’s really okay to visit his country.

This news comes on top of the news that the Maryland Senate has just passed a bill to decriminalize pot in the state. According to this story by John Wagner in The Washington Post, under the senate bill (SB 297) getting caught with about two joints will only cost you a hundred bucks. No arrest, just a fine for the state’s coffers. A tax on joints is another way to look at it..

Further demonstrating his progressive libertarian credentials HoCo Senator Allan Kittleman co-sponsored the bill.

It’s still not a sure thing to pass this year, or at all. According to this story by Erin Cox in The Sun the bill “now moves to the House of Delegates, where proponents said it will be a tougher sell.”

“House Speaker Michael E. Busch said he doesn't like the idea of diminishing the consequences for possessing pot.”

Even if its for only two joint...he's a hard man.

Last night was the second to last night of this year’s speaker series and Sheila Kast took the occasion to announce the line up for next year. The 2013/2014 speakers will be Bill Bryson, George Papandreou, Robert Gates, Steve Wozniak, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Jon M. Huntsman, Jr. and DaveBarry.

Sounded good to us, we’re re-upping. 

Berry Protein Shakes and Speed Cams

The thing I like best about Roger ("The Rog") Caplan and Chris ("Ox") Oxenham as loco politico pundits is that they are able to find faults in their own political camps. Ox criticizes the HoCo loco Repubs as “not well organized,” while The Rog doesn't pass up any opportunity to take a shot at Delegate Liz Bobo, but then again, those two do have a bit of a history.

What I didn't like about this show was the attitude they both took towards the upcoming Columbia Council elections. They acted as if it didn't matter who was elected. Even my co-host seemed to think it wasn't a topic worthy of much of our time.

They are mistaken. It is very important. If you are reading this and you live in the Village of Oakland Mills, Wilde Lake, River Hill or Long Reach, please take a moment to get informed. This is a good place to start. For that matter, so is this.

But back to our guests…

After we finished talking about speed cams, teacher associations, berry protein shakes and Ox’s impending nuptials, we focused on the 2014 county executive race, specifically the potential candidacies of Allan Kittleman, Courtney Watson, Guy Guzzone and Dr. Calvin Ball.

A couple of my favorite comments:

Ox: "Physical money isn't important right now..."

I like physical money.

The Rog: "If Guy decides to run it's his..."

So why does everyone think he won't?

You can listen to the 86^th episode of “and then there’s that…” here.

In This Months Business Monthly

I’d be lying if I said I wasn't flattered when someone suggests I should run for elected office. I take it as a compliment but that’s about as far as I take it. Though I find the prospect of governing intriguing, the thought of running a campaign and being a public “servant” is far less appealing.

I’m think I’d prefer to be anointed or to slide into office sideways sort of like Laura Neuman did in Anne Arundel County. She only needed four votes to become county exec and now that she’s in she’s not beholden to anyone. Perfect.

That’s not likely to happen in HoCo. I just can’t see our elected officials behaving as badly as John Leopold. We tend vet our bad apples on the school board first, giving them the boot when they act like jerks.

You can read this months column here.

Trying to Turn Back the Clock

In case anyone is under the impression that the battle for Columbia’s future has been won, think again. The forces that attempted to defeat the new plans for Symphony Woods are trying to organize a slate of candidates for the upcoming Columbia Council elections. In a posting on the HCCA listserv today, Alex Hekimian, the Columbia Council representative for the Village of Oakland Mills, hopes to garner enough allies on the council to reverse the decision to move forward on the Inner Arbor plan.

“Russ Swatek is trying to find Columbia Council candidates in other villages as well.  There is an opportunity that with Columbia Council contests in several villages and a new CA Board, the battle for Phase 1 of Symphony Woods can be won.  Otherwise, the chances are dim.”

Alex, along with Cindy Coyle from the Village of Harpers Choice, cast the only votes against the plan.

If there was ever a time to pay attention to your Columbia Council elections, this is it.

The Bag Tax is a Good Tax

If the General Assembly passes House Bill 1086, Maryland would become the first state in the country to impose a statewide tax on plastic bags. This is one tax I can get behind. According this editorial in The Washington Post today bag taxes “are effective at cutting litter and popularizing the reuse of bags; and industry arguments against such measures are nonsense.”

“The evidence from the District and Montgomery is overwhelming. In the District, plastic bag use has dropped by at least half since the 5-cent tax went into effect in 2010. In Montgomery, the drop was significant — about a third — though not as sharp as in the District; however, the county collected more than $2 million from the tax last year, which will help it pay to remove litter that includes plastic bags.”

I've been a staunch proponent of reusable bags ever since I listened to Jean-Michael Cousteau at the Baltimore Speaker Series a little over three years ago. Since then I've amassed quite a collection.

Plastic bags are a public nuisance. A neighbor once quipped that we should make them the state flag since you can see them flutter in the wind almost everywhere.

“Industry lobbyists even argue that plastic bags don’t contribute much to litter, as if the visible evidence all around — bags in tree limbs, bags blowing down the street, bags clogging sewer drains — is invented. A study by the Maryland Department of the Environment last year confirmed their harmful effects.”

HoCo Delegates Guy Guzzone and Liz Bobo are signed on as sponsors of the bill making this one of those rare moments when I actually support Liz.

HoCo Loco Brewski

Randy Marriner wants to sell you some truly HoCo loco beer. Randy is the proprietor of Victoria Gastro Pub and if the General Assembly approves House Bill 1405, he hopes to sell beer in his restaurant that he brews on his Howard County farm. According to this story by Arthur Hirsch in The Sun, the farm brewery bill would “currently apply only to Victoria Gastro Pub…”

Presumably the Ale House doesn't have its own HoCo farm...yet

Nonsense about Noise

In a recent posting on the Howard County Citizens Association, perennial naysayer Russ Swatek wrote that “Merriweather Post Pavilion (MPP) was supposed to only serve the community, not be a huge amplified regional attraction.”

He references Columbia’s “original planners” as his source for this blatantly erroneous statement.

Ian Kennedy, who with fellow Columbian Justin Carlson, played a role in keeping Merriweather alive in the dark years, rebutted Russ. He pointed out that that the outdoor theater  named after Majorie Merriweather Post, had originally hoped to be the summer home of the National Symphony Orchestra, not the Columbia Orchestra.

“Furthermore, during the early years of Merriweather -- when the "original" planners still owned the pavilion and ostensibly oversaw its operations -- it hosted such acts as The Who, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Jimi Hendrix and other amplified acts.”

It was those types of performances that kept Merriweather viable when the National Symphony opted to make Wolf Trap Farms their summer home instead.

The proposed noise legislation that the Howard statehouse delegation recently approved is intended to protect and preserve Merriweather for future generations of concert goers. It allows for noise levels up to 95 decibels between 9 AM and 11:30 PM within a quarter mile of the theater. Right now there are no residences within this quarter mile radius but as the downtown Columbia redevelopment progresses, this will change. It is inevitable that some of these new residents will complain about the noise just like those who now live outside that radius do now, even though Merriweather was there, rocking away summer nights, long before they moved in.

Predictably, the only member of the HoCo delegation to vote against this legislation was Liz Bobo. 

Ready. Fire! Aim.

Count me among those who believe that Governor O’Malley’s proposed gun control legislation will do little to nothing to curb gun violence in the state. Short of an outright ban on gun ownership, nothing can stop a determined person from procuring a firearm and wreaking havoc with it. I don't believe you can legislate against madness.

On the other hand what the gun bill may accomplish is to drive a major employer to leave the state, putting 300 Marylanders out of work. According to this story by Aaron C. Davis in The Washington Post, Berretta USA, which had been planning to expand its plant in Prince George’s County with a new line is now “weighing whether the rifle line, and perhaps the company itself, should stay in a place increasingly hostile toward its products.”

“Concern that the company will leave, and take its 300 jobs with it, is palpable among state lawmakers who worry it could be collateral damage from Gov. Martin O’Malley’s proposed gun-control bill.”

It's not an idle threat. The last time Maryland introduced new gun laws the company moved some operations from Maryland to Virginia.

The best quote in the story was that made by Ugo Gussalli Beretta, the patriarch of the five hundred year old company during a recent visit to the plant, ‘There always seems to be a problem with Maryland.”

Nice.