Washington Post Reporting…
ANNAPOLIS, Md.– Sen. David Brinkley said the state’s Senate Republican Caucus chose Sen. E.J. Pipkin, R-Cecil, to be the new minority leader on Tuesday.
Pipkin had been serving as the Republican minority whip. He’s moving into the minority leader position after Sen. Nancy Jacobs, R-Harford, stepped down from the position to consider running for other offices.
Sen. Edward Reilley, R-Anne Arundel, was chosen to be minority whip.
Gren Whitman says
Senator Pipkin is properly labeled “R-36th,” not “R-Cecil.”
Too bad for Kent County (and Cecil, Queen Anne’s, and Caroline counties) that he’s stepping into a leadership position because his strenuous opposition to just about anything and everything will make it more difficult for our county to to have any sort of favorable influence in Annapolis.
This should be known as the “Upper-Shore-Community-Mental-Health Syndrome.” The more Pipkin opposes, the less we get.
Will the powers-that-be in Annapolis look with favor on Kent County while our esteemed senator is yelling at them, constantly? There’s a single-word answer to that, and it’s spellec N-O!
Keith Thompson says
Gren, on the other hand does it do the Upper Eastern Shore any good to send a representative to Annapolis who is aligned with the political machine that is giving short shrift to the district? The problem isn’t who the district is sending to Annapolis but the problem in Maryland is the top heavy state government that prevents localities from being more self sufficient.
Kevin Shertz says
Keith, the beatings will continue until morale improves.
If the Eastern Shore continues to elect representatives that seem more interested in showing up for 5 seconds on the evening news in Baltimore as posturing themselves the “loyal opposition” instead of actually working for their constituents, you’ll see more of the same.
All I know is, Walter Baker and Mary Row Walkup weren’t the ideologues that we currently see inhabiting our local scene as E.J. Pipkin and Michael Smigiel are.
Kevin Shertz says
Forgive me for my misspelling… “Mary Roe Walkup.”
Matt Gerstung says
Keith, I agree. Senator Pipkin has opposed the new toll increase at the Bay Bridge, attempted through legislation ( led by Delegate Hershey ) to alter Thorton so that smaller counties like ours could receive more school funding and opposed the new alcohol tax. The conservatives and republicans in Annapolis are the minority. Almost all legislation in Maryland is passed by the democrat party. Kent County and it’s municipal townships has to either “make more or desire less ” when it comes to revenue. We are sitting on a gold mine here in Kent and good fortune lays ahead if we market ourselves successfully from within. It is up to us and our locally elected officials to start doing things differently.
Keith Thompson says
Kevin, I think you miss my larger point. As long as the Upper Eastern Shore is looking to get its share of handouts from Annapolis, the Uppper Shore will always be the bastard stepchild of the state and working within the system isn’t going to help. The top heavy state government is the problem and the answer is either to send enough people to Annapolis to change that top heavy government, or to become more self sufficient. Matt’s comments, especially his last three sentences, speak volumes.
Kevin Shertz says
No, Keith, I get your point, I just think it’s very naive to believe the Upper Shore can pull itself up by its own bootstraps and ignore what goes on in Annapolis.
Kevin Shertz says
Matt, E.J. Pipkin’s blind opposition to the Bay Bridge toll increase is a perfect example of what is wrong with our current representation in Annapolis.
The state pretty clearly demonstrated that the bridge maintenance costs required the increase to happen. We can all debate whether the state should have acted earlier to make the increase less dramatic (after all, $2.50 in 1983 was worth a little bit more than in 2011) but we are where we are.
When confronted with facts and data, all I have seen from our elected representatives is more bluster. And people wonder why we’re not taken seriously in Annapolis? Responsible adults recognize that we need to pay for infrastructure if we want it to exist.
And, to the issue of whatever supposed “gold mine” we’re sitting on… guess what folks, you’re paying taxes regardless… the money is simply going elsewhere. So long as the shore continues to reward the fact that its representatives aren’t doing anything for them, don’t expect anything to change.
(Opinions submitted by an “Unaffiliated” Voter.)
Eliott Fuhrman says
we do not have enough votes or raise money for those in power tor them to care what we think.Western shore will continue to use us as their own atm machine.. For get about our state reps they have no power and no respect from those that count.however stake holders and some that call Cof K home are the most powerfull folks in state all have to do is put a group together for economic development.prove projects can get done ,jobs create ,revenue increase they not only will listen to us but come come to us for help in state. A start would be to form a “DBEDT” department of business economic drvelopment and tourism.Local politicians need nogt apply
Matt Gerstung says
It is the design of human nature that we use our individual talents to subsist and provide for the common good. I believe that our talents can be exploited and at times are “used ” do to ignorance and weakness. I am now 48 and wish the wisdom I now have was with me when I was in school or the Marines but that is not possible. What matters now is that I am using my experience and the knowledge of others to guide me. Kevin and Elliot you two are absolutely correct that the Eastern Shore is not viewed by the western shore with favor. I have worked in the last two election cycles and spoke with many reps/ delegates and the common theme is that we work for Montgomery, Prince Georges, Baltimore City and Baltimore Counties. The “formulas” are not fair in my opinion. We work in Delaware, shop in Delaware, have no ports for shipping or commerce and have a small population. The western shore leadership knows this and we get the scraps when it comes to revenue (based on the formulas.)
So we sell what they don’t have. Lets form the DBEDT ourselves as a start. After all tax revenue begins in the private sector. We need a strong group to gain favor from local reps who will assist us in obtaining our short term and long term goals to help Kent County grow . Everything is possible!!!!!!!
Keith Thompson says
Kevin Shertz writes…”And, to the issue of whatever supposed “gold mine” we’re sitting on… guess what folks, you’re paying taxes regardless… the money is simply going elsewhere. So long as the shore continues to reward the fact that its representatives aren’t doing anything for them, don’t expect anything to change.”
Bingo, and I think this actually strengthens my argument. If the idea is to send people to Annapolis who may be able to get back some of the goodies from the state in exchange for the tax money Upper Eastern Shore residents are sending there; those representatives are actually contributing to the problem because the tax money is going to Annapolis in the first place. As long as the political influence is coming from the urban areas of the state, the rural counties will get screwed no matter how much they can get along with Annapolis. If I was a voter here, I wouldn’t want my representatives fighting for my fair share from Annapolis; I’d rather have them fight to keep more of my tax money here rather than send it to Annapolis in the first place. Only by having enough members in the State Senate and the House of Delegates to counter the urban foothold can the Upper Eastern Shore have any hope of any representation at all.
Matt Gerstung says
Keith, you hit the bulls eye.
Kevin Shertz says
Keith wrote:
“If I was a voter here, I wouldn’t want my representatives fighting for my fair share from Annapolis; I’d rather have them fight to keep more of my tax money here rather than send it to Annapolis in the first place. Only by having enough members in the State Senate and the House of Delegates to counter the urban foothold can the Upper Eastern Shore have any hope of any representation at all.”
So, the very legislators who are useless for bringing funds to the area are now going to magically succeed in keeping those funds here in the first place?
Good luck with that. You may as well spend your time planning for secession.
The shore will continue to be marginalized politically so long as we continue to elect and send buffoons to Annapolis who make it very easy for everyone to ignore them.
Jay Jacobs seems to be one of the only bright spots I see.