Before enjoying the weather this weekend, don't forget to watch my announcement speech, if you haven't already. And to email it to 10 of your friends.

English: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nnvmm1YNWfM

Spanish: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78sXxNGmELc

Finally, if you're tired of the Washington Post's biased coverage, you have to enjoy this: The Post has an Ahab-like personal beef with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez (and of course, that doesn't have anything to do with Warren Buffett's energy investments that compete with PDVSA oil, right? Right!), and is always publishing one negative editorial or article after another about him.

Well, President Chavez has started his own Twitter account, and in only 2 days, has more followers than the Washington Post!!

Washington Post: 97,310

Hugo Chavez: 119,359

AUSTIN GRILL

CLOSED IN

BETHESDA?

Another www.RobertDyer.net Exclusive!!!

Austin Grill in Bethesda has apparently closed. All mention of the Bethesda location has been removed from the Austin Grill website. I wouldn't have expected this, but I would imagine the increasing costs for the restaurant industry - and many popular alternatives nearby, such as Jaleo, Raku, etc. - could be two reasons for the closure. The restaurant appeared to be closed Tuesday evening.

Robert Dyer
Anuncia su Candidatura
para El Consejo del
Condado de Montgomery

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78sXxNGmELc

I HATE TO

SAY I TOLD

YOU SO

At this rate, I am going to put Walter Mercado and Kenny Kingston out of business.

Remember when I told you that nuclear power wasn't safe, and that drilling for oil off the coast of Ocean City was a terrible idea?

And that diesel trains would be a more fiscally responsible way to bring more transit to Montgomery County by substituting new MARC routes for light rail?

I hate to say it, but I told you so!

First, there is the frightening oil rig explosion that just took place off the coast of Louisiana. While all attention has correctly been placed on rescue operations, a second wave of horror is right behind - the tremendous oil spill to come. Imagine if this had happened near the entrance to the Chesapeake Bay. Our fishing industry out of business. Ocean City tourism? Forget about it, with oil coming ashore. Assateague Island national park? A wildlife and ecological catastrophe would have been underway.

Second, how about that "safe" nuclear power? Witness it in action at the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant, where tritium has leaked into soil and groundwater around the plant. Yes, a dose of that a day will surely keep the doctor away, right?

Finally, did you hear that the Silver Line Metro extension rail cars are going to cost $4.1 million apiece? Well, here in Montgomery County, we could buy passenger coaches for new MARC routes for less than a fraction of that apiece. We can't be worried about what kind of train it is; if diesel trains can allow us to build more rail lines in the county at a lower cost, we have a responsibility to consider that option. And again, without overhead wires, trees do not have to be cut down as they will be for the light rail lines.

Continue to visit www.RobertDyer.net for the latest news, and psychic predictions.

WIMPY

TAKES ON THE

MONTGOMERY COUNTY

STRUCTURAL DEFICIT

4 and 8 Year County Council Incumbents

Resort to Infamous, Well-Worn

Election-Year Playbook

Wimpy, you well-mannered scoundrel!

You remember Wimpy, of course? He was a character in the old Popeye comics and cartoons.

Wimpy was most famous for approaching someone and saying, "I will gladly pay you tomorrow, for a hamburger today."

Well, the tired and budget-busting incumbents of the Montgomery County Council have updated Wimpy's line...

In a taxpayer-funded press release, they have floated a very predictable trial balloon: they will appoint a "blue ribbon commission" (again, at taxpayer expense) of political cronies who will tell them how to restructure the county government - in 2011!!

"I will gladly balance the budget next year, if you will reelect me this year," the council is saying.

Only, this isn't as new of an idea as it seems.

Set the Wayback Machine for 2006, when many challengers in that year's election were gaining major traction on the issue of portable classroom trailers. These "trailer parks" are outside almost every school in Montgomery County. It is well-known that these trailers are unsafe for a variety of reasons. With Election Day approaching, Councilmember George Leventhal suddenly announced that the county would phase out portable classrooms - by 2012!

Ingenious, right?

True? Wrong. It wasn't worth the paper the press release was printed on.

But, the gimmick! "Reelect us today, and we will fix everything we messed up tomorrow!"

Good deal, eh?

Only for the failed leaders of Montgomery County.

The time to fix the structural deficit is NOW. We are in a fiscal crisis NOW. Real leaders don't wait. Real leaders don't delegate. Real leaders act like mature adults, roll up their sleeves, and get to work.

The other cop-out in this Wimpy scenario is that "delegating" issue. We've had this happen at the Federal level, where a "blue ribbon panel" is going to report -after the 2010 election! - that we need higher taxes, a VAT, and more, to reduce the deficit. The President and Congress will say, "they made us do it."

Recently, the Rockville mayor and council did the same thing. The city's professional budget staff presented a budget outline that took into account the current issues, as well as the real possibility that the state would make further cuts in the coming months. This meant that certain politically-popular items and tax credits were not affordable.

It was now time to make the hard decisions. The new councilmembers and mayor then voted to appoint a commission that would make recommendations, rather than take an unpopular position. The staff recommends, the council decides - or at least, that was the old theory.

The county council has done this the last two years: refuse to make the tough decisions. Last year, they were literally able to "cheat" to balance the FY2010 budget. They made minimal cuts (like taking dentures from low-income seniors, eliminating weekend and holiday transit in Damascus), got a sweetheart giveaway of COLAs from the unions, and then threw in a bunch of stimulus funny money. Finally, they illegally cut $90 million from the MCPS budget. They were able to officially break the law on that when their cronies in the Montgomery County delegation rammed a lawbusting measure through the General Assembly. That new law has shattered the claim of county politicians that they are committed to education, as it makes it possible to cut the MCPS budget every year in perpetuity.

Cheaters can win in Montgomery County, especially with the help of the Powers That Be and the local media lapdogs.

But they won't be able to do it this year - the deficit is $1 billion dollars!!!

They're getting ready to wave the magic wand again, but that doesn't solve our structural deficit.

The council doesn't plan to solve it. They will make minimal changes such as combining the Recreation and Parks Departments. But that won't solve anything. They won't anger the unions or politically-connected non-profits by making any real structural changes this year. They won't cut the waste at the management/executive level.

Then next year, their Blue Ribbon cronies will report: raise taxes. We'll have the same structural problems, but they'll try to just increase revenue to cover it.

Unfortunately, while the council has studied much about politics, they've proven they know nothing about economics.

We've reached the tipping point, where you can raise taxes as much as you want, and revenues will continue to decline each year. Meanwhile, if you fuse a few departments and leave all the political payoffs on (or under) the table, your expenses continue to increase.

This is what is called a budget catastrophe. And they're doubling down on the same failed tax-and-spend policies that got us here. The AAA bond rating will be gone, and only the most passionate limousine liberals among the rich will remain, further reducing revenue. Bankruptcy will loom, and that is a real possibility at this point.

You simply cannot tax your way out of this mess.

What's sad is that, in this case, Wimpy won't pay you tomorrow for that hamburger today.

You'll pay the taxes tomorrow, and the council will be laughing all the way to the bank. They may even believe that the Washington Post, et al will continue to passionately defend and rationalize the county's financial situation through bankruptcy and beyond.

We can't go on like this.

I urge you to consider the reality of our situation, and vote for Change Beyond Belief on Election Day.

Watch my campaign announcement video to hear about a new approach to responsible government in Montgomery County:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nnvmm1YNWfM

Change Beyond Belief, transforming our government into one that serves the People, not the other way around.

ROCKVILLE BOARD

OF APPEALS

MEMBER SOUNDS

OFF ON

BRIGHTVIEW

"SHENANIGANS"

Another www.RobertDyer.net Exclusive!!!

What was happening at that Rockville Board of Appeals meeting a few weeks ago? One member had resigned in a fit, while a second - Alan Sternstein - had recused himself. That left two voting members. Rockville's mayor and council then appointed a "temporary" member for one meeting. To break tie votes?

Considering that the Board's decisions are ostensibly final, this tactic on a controversial project like Brightview certainly would not reassure residents who live near the site in question.

In a very difficult to follow proceeding, the "temporary" member appeared to take the role of temporary chairman, and quickly pushed through votes that could not have succeeded without his presence.

I've been unable to locate any analysis of what happened that day on any newspaper website or blog. However, in doing some research, I found something posted publicly on Facebook that the usual media suspects apparently missed.

Board of Appeals member Peter Mork spoke out on his Facebook page, and I believe the quote speaks for itself, regardless of your position on the merits or negatives of the Brightview proposal:

"Peter Mork does not like being used as a political tool. So, I hope
whatever shenanigans were being pulled at this morning's Board of Appeals
meeting don't happen again. (A temporary appointment was made by the mayor and council, ostensibly to fill an (optional) vacancy, but it quickly became
apparent that the temporary board member came with a political agenda and a
prepared speech!) ... April 10 at 4:43pm"

It seems to me there is more of a story to that "temporary" appointment, and it's not being covered by the press or shared with the citizens of Rockville. When the local media fails, turn to RobertDyer.net for the real story.

UPDATE:

MONTGOMERY COUNTY

POLICE ARREST

KIDNAPPER

Montgomery County Police report the arrest of David A. Vallecillo, age 23, of the 7000 block Brookdale Drive in Elkridge. The kidnap victim, Kiara Nicole Snipes, was found with the suspect at the Hillside Motel, 6330 Washington Blvd, in Elkridge. She had only minor injuries.

According to detectives, Vallecillo had violated a protective order in the process of committing 2nd-degree assault, and kidnapping Snipes at a Wheaton gas station. Please read my previous blog entry for the full story.

Have you watched my announcement speech yet?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nnvmm1YNWfM

If you are dissatisfied with a $1 billion dollar deficit, new taxes on top of our existing Draconian taxes, a whopping cut in education funds that the council has just made "permanent" (unless you vote them out of office), the dismantling of the Ride On bus system and much more than I can type here now...

...then you must watch this video to find out how we can resolve this crisis in our county.

URGENT!

WOMAN KIDNAPPED

IN WHEATON BY

EX-BOYFRIEND

AGAINST WHOM SHE

HAD A PROTECTIVE

ORDER

County Police Seek Public's Help in

Locating Kidnapper, Victim

Montgomery County Police are asking for the public's help in locating Kiara Nicole Snipes, age 20, and her ex-boyfriend, David A. Vallecillo, age 23, of the 7000 block of Brookdale Drive in Elkridge, Maryland. Detectives say Vallecillo allegedly kidnapped Snipes at 2:20 am yesterday at the Exxon gas station, located at 11310 Georgia Avenue in Wheaton.

If you know where either individual may be found, call the Montgomery County Police 4th District Investigative Section at 240-773-5530, or leave an anonymous tip at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477).

There is a Crime Solvers award of up to $1000 for information leading to an arrest or indictment in this case.

This is another reminder of the everyday presence of domestic violence in our community, but hopefully this particular case will be solved with citizens' help without leading to tragedy.

CHANGE BEYOND

BELIEF

Robert Dyer Announces Candidacy for

Montgomery County Council At-Large

Another www.RobertDyer.net Exclusive!!!

I am excited to officially announce that I am a Republican candidate for the Montgomery County Council (At-Large). Here is my personal video message, exclusively on the Robert Dyer Channel:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nnvmm1YNWfM

If you agree with what I say in the message, please email the video to 10 of your friends today, especially if they live in Montgomery County.

It was one year ago today that I predicted in this very space that you would have new taxes to pay in Montgomery County. And once again, I was correct!

Among several new taxes in the works at the county level are an energy tax increase, and an ambulance ("fee") tax. Check past years' entries to find my exclusive report that detailed how county elected officials were able to use your taxpayer funds to create slick commercials and brochures promoting the dangerous Ambulance Fee - not even law yet!!

As I mentioned at the time, does this mean a councilmember could suggest a law, and then use taxpayer funds to print up brochures and produce TV ads to promote his or her pet project?

The ethics book is out the window again.

But back to the taxes!

Last year, I gave you one of the greatest quotes about taxes ever, from Ronald Reagan:

"If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. If it stops moving, subsidize it."

This year, I have another one of the greatest tax quotes ever to celebrate your Tax Day:

"The power to tax involves the power to destroy."

- U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Marshall

(back in the early 1800s! - This guy must have had a crystal ball in his possession).

The County Council's power to tax has given it the power to destroy.

To destroy the lives of senior citizens who are forced out of their homes by the county's immoral and Draconian property taxes.

To destroy the county's small businesses, and scare away large firms (although I want to predict on the record, that Northrop will come to Maryland as a "[name of month here] surprise" to shake up the governor's race. Because a Virginia victory would be hard for O'Malley to overcome in the election, and the lapdogs in the local press are desperate for that Northrop to Maryland, O'Malley back to Annapolis headline. Don't you sense that deal's getting done?).

To destroy the basic services citizens pay taxes for - transit, libraries and education funding - because tax collections are down, and the county has less revenue. Despite all evidence showing that high taxes always bring in less revenue, the county executive and council are raising taxes anyway. Most of the county's millionaires have moved away, taking all the revenue with them. Apparently, the council heard that there are 4 or 5 millionaires left, and they're going to try to convince them to move as well.

They just need to get through this year, and get reelected. That is their only concern. And then, you will have the most massive tax increases you have ever paid. Will you prevent that on Election Day this November?

MARC MY

WORDS

Another www.RobertDyer.net Exclusive!!!

One more thing I'd like to add to the list of reasons why MARC commuter rail would be a better alternative to light rail for the Purple Line and Corridor Cities Transitway:

Remember my comparison of the cost, efficiency, all-weather capability and lifespan of diesel locomotives vs. light rail? (Diesel won all categories, by the way).

Those older, cheaper locomotives can also be modified to run on alternative fuels, including waste vegetable oil.

Which makes them more "green" than light rail, which runs on what the "green" people always tell us is "dirty" energy: electricity generated by coal-burning power plants.

I'm not anti-coal; in fact, it is the most affordable and efficient source of electricity. And it employs Americans, unlike the Chinese-made mercury light bulbs and Chinese-made nuclear reactors that our "green" politicians are promoting/mandating today.

But the classic American locomotives are actually more "green" than "light" rail! Who knew?

DAMASCUS

CENTRE

EXCLUSIVE VIDEO!

Another www.RobertDyer.net Exclusive!!!

Watch a moment in Damascus history in an exclusive video on the Robert Dyer Channel at www.RobertDyer.net! See the old Safeway sign lit up at night, on a night when the store was actually still operating in the summer of 2009. Damascus history preserved once again, exclusively on the Robert Dyer Channel for your enjoyment.

Also, read why the Damascus Centre is an example of how to redevelop a shopping center, in contrast to the high-density, paid-garage-parking madness being forced upon us by the County Council, Planning Board and some developers.

DONATE TO

FAMILY OF

FALLEN OFFICER

Montgomery County Police Officer Hector Ayala (District 4) died in the line of duty Easter Sunday, while responding to a fellow officer's request for assistance at the scene of a fight.

He leaves a widow expecting triplets and a 1-year-old child. If you would like to assist them, you can donate to the fund set up by the FOP Lodge in Montgomery County:

"If you would like to donate to the Ayala Family please send your donation to the below address :

Montgomery County Law Enforcement Officers Relief Fund
18512 Office Park Dr.
Montgomery Village, MD 20886

Checks can be made out to MCLEORF and please write "Ayala Family" in the memo area.

All Donations to MCLEORF are *tax deductible and 100% of donations with "Ayala Family" in the memo line will go to the Ayala family.

*Contributions to the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Officers Relief Fund, a tax exempt organization under Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code, are deductible for computing income and estate taxes."

MARC:

NO STRINGS

ATTACHED

A new Washington Post article discusses the controversy of having overhead wires installed across downtown Washington to power the city's new streetcars:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/05/AR2010040502927.html

Here in Montgomery County, it is widely assumed that we will have such overhead catenararies along the planned routes of the Purple Line and Corridor Cities Transitway. However, the growing budget difficulties and dysfunctional Metro system - along with the poor to nonexistant performance of Metro and light rail during the 3 blizzards - continue to make an expansion of MARC commuter rail an affordable and efficient alternative.

The controversial Science City and other developments previously built along I-270 have all been touted as "smart growth" based upon the far-off construction of the CCT. Not only is the ridership of the non-existing CCT far overstated, but the current size of the Gaithersburg West plan far exceeds the capacity of current and future transportation infrastructure in that area.

Meanwhile, Watkins Mill Town Center is emerging as the only real smart growth development in that corridor. Why? In addition to a planned interchange with 270 (of course, it's not yet built in our cart-before-the-horse county council's mode of planning), Watkins Mill already has a MARC rail station on site.

North of the county, MARC trains take a spur into downtown Frederick. There are a variety of possible MARC configurations that could provide the rail service needed in the 270 corridor, at a greatly reduced price.

Not only do diesel locomotives require no overhead wires, they also are less expensive, easier to maintain, and keep going in all weather conditions. Furthermore, did you know that the electric Acela trainsets have a shorter lifespan than regular diesel trainsets? The original Acelas, only in service this past decade, have already reached their mid-life crisis and have a decade of service left. Meanwhile, diesel locomotives from the 60s and 70s are still running across the country.

Also, laying the track will be far cheaper with MARC expansion. Although the Powers That Be have already decided the future for us, our county and state's structural deficits demand that we examine every cost-saving measure. And as I've mentioned before, a MARC Purple Line would allow the entire tree canopy to remain with the exception of station sites. (I can't help also pointing out that, had elites and the Powers That Be left the CSX tracks in place, we could have gotten FRA funds to upgrade them to Class I status. More inept planning in Montgomery County!)

I truly believe that MARC is currently an underpromoted and underappreciated part of our minimalist transit network. We can do better, and our county deserves better. MARC expansion can give us one piece of a modern transportation system, which along with road construction and improvements, can address the gridlock that wastes our time and scares business away from Montgomery County.

JAIME ESCALANTE,

AND

THE FUTURE

OF EDUCATION

IN

MONTGOMERY

COUNTY:

A www.RobertDyer.net Special Report!

"Hi, I'm Conrad Bain, and this is a very special episode of RobertDyer.net. Now, here's Robert Dyer with a special message for the citizens of Montgomery County..."

A great American, educator Jaime Escalante, has just passed away. Of course, you've probably heard about that already.

One of my favorite movies of all time is Stand and Deliver, which as you probably know, is based on Mr. Escalante's life story. This is a movie that should be shown on the first day of school every year in Montgomery County. For the benefit of not only the students, but the teachers as well.

Anybody can cut and paste the Escalante obituary into an article or blog. I'm not going to do that here. Rather, I just want to post my own feelings and observations.

First of all, Mr. Escalante's story is one of those "only in America" stories. A native of Bolivia, he emigrated here and did what all successful immigrants do: he learned English, and worked hard.

And, in the process, a teacher from Bolivia became perhaps the most influential, successful and respected educator in the history of the United States.

Only in America.

Stand and Deliver is a movie you must screen. Sadly, it is only available in a horrid DVD version that has the quality of a camcorder filming a VHS tape version off a TV screen. I hope that the sad passing of Mr. Escalante, combined with all the fervor over Blu-ray movies, will finally give this film the full treatment it deserves: high quality picture and sound, but also lots of extras about the movie and the real man.

What do we learn from Jaime Escalante's story?

First, like any great teacher you or I may have had, he helped his students do what they thought they weren't capable of. He showed that CEO salaries for teachers, Federal control, charter schools and "school-reform" shell games aren't necessary to get results. Students need to be motivated to learn, especially when they are getting all the wrong messages in today's world.

Many students in the county who are getting the wrong message: that there is power and a future in a gang, could learn a lesson from Stand and Deliver.

What was Mr. Escalante's message to an aspiring tough guy?

"Tough guys fry chicken." In other words, it may seem appealing to be in a gang now, but what about the rest of your life? Is being a gang member a career? Of course, everyone in Montgomery County needs to ask themselves, what opportunities are being offered to young people to channel their energies into productive pursuits and lucrative careers? What is being done to extract actual violent criminals and their influence from the community? I hope we can answer that in this election year.

You also find in his real life story - and vividly so in the film - that, sadly, there are those in society who fear minority empowerment. And hence, are not too concerned with the state of education in disadvantaged schools today.

The clear message is that education is power. And that students of all income levels and backgrounds have the right to equal opportunities in education. When those are available, many of the disparities in our society today will be overcome.

Mr. Escalante's death comes at a pivotal time in the history of our county.

Our county schools are among the best in the nation. But not all of them rate the same. Not all students are able to access the same opportunities. And many begin their academic careers at a disadvantage as a result of economic and language barriers.

Some progress has been made. But much more remains to be done.

Special education is another area where Dr. Jerry Weast and MCPS have made great strides, and I believe they have the best of intentions. However, there are many legitimate issues that need to be addressed. Much like gifted and talented education, in special education, parents and students are finding that education is not a one-size-fits-all proposition.

But just as this need for new and stronger programs is being recognized, there are dark forces at work attempting to permanently reduce the education budget. These elected officials at the county and state levels are supported by some developers, business interests and assorted special interests, and backed by media and extragovernmental organizations that don't answer to the voters of Montgomery County.

Just this week, we hear that County Executive Ike Leggett, the County Council, and - sadly - even Dr. Weast, are marching in partisan political lockstep to reduce the MCPS budget.

They are requesting from the state the ability to chop $137.7 million from the MCPS FY2011 budget.

It's outrageous.

I don't have a problem with cutting wasteful spending from the school system; in fact, that has to be done. But the cuts need to be made from wasteful spending, not essential programs. Someone is going to have to get the compensation issues under control before we go bankrupt. School construction contracts have been too favorable to the builders, as we saw when MCPS ended up wasting $500,000 just at Bells Mill in Potomac. Dr. Weast once spent $80,000+ a month fighting to defend an unconstitutional flyer policy.

Like Dr. Weast, our county council appears to have difficulty understanding, interpreting and upholding the law. Even though the Washington Post and other powers tell us that these councilmembers are the only ones who possess the elusive experience and vast knowledge to serve on the county council. Average citizens need not apply!

Yet that vast knowledge and wizardly understanding of "the law" seemed to fail our elite councilmembers last year!

Last year, the council asked for a $79.5M budget cut from the state for MCPS. When the state correctly spurned the request, the councilmembers placed themselves above the law, and illegally went ahead and charged MCPS $79.5M. Under Maryland state law, that was illegal, and the county was, again, correctly slapped with a $23M fine.

That was to ensure that the money was returned to MCPS for FY2010, but also to ensure that the county council would follow the law in the future.

That's where it got really scary. Partisan politics took the place of education. Now you have the governor, the Montgomery County delegation of delegates and senators to the General Assembly in Annapolis, Ike Leggett, the county council, the county school board(!!) and Dr. Weast, in unison, all supporting hundreds of millions less for schools now and in the future.

It's outrageous.

That partisan team succeeded in getting the fine revoked. Now, with all of those partisan players still in power, there is absolutely nothing stopping the county council from cutting education every single year from now on.

In a cynical county, where the local media lapdogs report only what the elected officials and special interests tell them to, this immoral action is potentially a cynical "win-win" situation for these officials in the 2010 elections. Except there will be losers: the children of Montgomery County. And frankly, the incumbent officeholders couldn't care less.

I believe this action, to deny the funds urgently needed to address the education disparities across our county, is a civil rights issue of paramount importance. Do you?

With no accountability in the press, or from education "advocates" who don't seem to care, even though they've been screaming about education funding for decades (but have suddenly lost interest now that their beloved politicians have bankrupted the county and can't get reelected unless they balance the budget on the backs of children, seniors, the poor and the disabled), who is going to hold these anti-education politicians accountable?


You are.

The people of Montgomery County. You've got to get upset about this. I question who you are and your basic sense of decency and humanity if you are just going to sit there and let these people get away with this.

Are you?

I challenge you to challenge your elected officials on this. And if they succeed in robbing the public schools of Montgomery County while transferring these funds to their cronies in the budget, I challenge you to hold them accountable at the polls on Election Day.

The death of Jaime Escalante could not be a positive development. But what an appropriate time to bring his example to the public's attention once again. A time when we in Montgomery County are making decisions that not only determine the future of education, but also what our basic concept of morality is.

TAX FEVER!

Tax Fever is more contagious than H1N1 in Montgomery County right now. The County Executive and County Council have almost reached the breaking point in bankrupting our county through their irresponsible spending. Our AAA bond rating is in danger, according to one of the rating firms.

They can't get reelected if they don't close the budget deficit. But they also can't get reelected if they raise taxes - and they promised they weren't going to raise taxes, remember?

We know that our county council believes it is above the law, as we found during the school funding debates for FY2010 and 2011. And when the law is inconvenient, just have your cronies in Annapolis rewrite it for you, right? Even if children end up paying the price for your reelection!

They'll do whatever it takes.

And that also includes being out of touch with reality.

$800 million shortfall? Wave the magic wand and cut $173 million from MCPS! Wow, that was so easy!

Can they wave it again? Uh oh. They're willing to steal money from children, seniors and the disabled in the budget. But they're not willing to steal from the special interests that got them elected!

So they may just have to raise taxes, and hope the local media will cover for them as usual.

Risky strategy, but then, this is the council president who proposed a $250 parking tax, right?

So here comes the energy tax increase! Local media lapdogs have not questioned or researched the real cost of the energy tax for the average working family. I have, and can tell you it will be far higher than the laughable $3-5 a month Ike Leggett has claimed. He's so glad he has those media lapdogs to just cut and paste the press releases into the newspaper!

Hold on!

A business tax is coming! From guess who? Nancy "$250 Parking Tax" Floreen!

She's calling it an Economic Development Authority, but now it's become clear that this is simply a ruse to add a new tax on county businesses.

That ought to jumpstart us out of a recession! That ought to create jobs!

Or, at least, that's what some of Floreen's uncomfortable political allies on the county Chamber of Commerce are kind of, sort of telling the Gazette.

Survey says?.......... BRRRRRRRRNTTTTTTT!

It seems the authority will not only create more government, more bureaucracy and more salaries and benefits for you, the taxpayer to finance, but it will also be more of a tax collector than a business creator. After all, government doesn't create business or jobs - businesspeople do.

And they can't do that if they're being taxed!

It's not even April 15 yet!

"We may be calling upon the business community to make a contribution to this, and I think over time we will," says Floreen.

As my Spanish professor used to say, "?Voluntarios o victimas?"

Take a guess.