THE NEXT LEVEL

OF CORRUPTION

IN

MONTGOMERY

COUNTY

County politicians are already known for having been bought off by developers and special interests. If you examine the campaign contributions of each politician, you will find their votes match up precisely from White Flint to Piney Branch. And, of course, there are the political kickbacks that might even give Ben Nelson pause. All part of the game here in Montgomery County.

But the Powers That Be are about to take the game to a whole new level. The Washington Examiner reported last week that Montgomery County's delegation to the Maryland General Assembly is trying to ram through a bill that would - get this - allow the Montgomery County Council and Department of Economic Development use your tax money to invest in county startups.

It's no wonder Gordon Gekko is coming out of jail.

Alas, the Examiner missed the scariest part of the story: While it may be wrong and unethical for county politicians to "gamble" with taxpayer money they've robbed from schools (no wonder they want out of the Maintenence of Effort law), police and senior citizens, there's a more insidious aspect to this plan.

If politicians can take donations from developers, and then vote to approve their projects as a councilmember, what will stop them from investing taxpayer money in businesspeople and businesses that donate to their campaigns?

Apparently, nothing.

Should councilmembers who don't understand basic economics, or how to balance a budget, be trusted with millions more in taxpayer funds to waste on politically-connected startups?

Absolutely not.

But this proposal reveals that the level of arrogance and hubris among county elected officials is at an all-time high. Invincible politicians + unlimited taxing and spending = fiscal catastrophe. County residents are living with the consequences right now.

The last thing we need is taxpayer-funded gambling where the house - and the house's campaign contributors - win every time.

This proposal should be stopped in Annapolis, and its backers stopped by the voters in November, for daring to believe they could pull a fast one over on the public by keeping this quiet.