Constituents deserved better service than delegates gave

Letter to the Editor; Catonsville Times; 11/02/06

As a candidate for state delegate in District 12A, I've patiently waited three weeks for the endorsement announcement from the Patuxent Papers. I'd hoped for the endorsement but did not expect it.

However, the reasons for choosing the incumbents are baffling.

The Times endorsed Gov. Robert Ehrlich. Good choice, but the Times stated "While the Ehrlich Administration has been far from perfect, it offers an important check and balance to the Democratic General Assembly, whose actions, at times need reining in."

If the General Assembly needs reining in, shouldn't we change the General Assembly?

Del. Jim Malone is fond of saying "The people in my district don't care what I do in Annapolis, as long as the potholes in front of their house are fixed and the school windows don't leak."

Since pot holes and leaking windows are county government issues, perhaps Del. Malone is in the wrong job and should be running for county council.

I believe the citizens of 12A care about more. I think they care about: $7.5 billion in new taxes (all vetoed); eminent domain (nothing done); illegal immigration (nothing done); the BGE fiasco (10 years of interest payments); illegal legislation (three this year alone); watered-down child predator legislation (needed special session).

I think they care because I care, and like them, I live and work in the real world.

The Times stated one of the reasons it endorsed the incumbents was because of their constituent service on the MARC train station and the light rail in Relay. The Relay light rail is a train that has to start slowing down a mile from its stop, take 45 seconds to pick up 4-6 passengers, then accelerate again. There is no way 4-6 passengers can cover the cost. This is why, in part, we had a $4 billion deficit four years ago.

The MARC train station in Halethorpe is a real special project. It's been budgeted for four years. According to Del. Malone, construction was to begin in August 2005. He should know, he's vice-chairman of the committee that has oversight on the project.

He did not know in January 2006 that the project was put on hold by the Attorney General's Office.

As for working closely with Democratic County Executive Jim Smith (also endorsed by the Times), do you think Gov. Ehrlich had anything to do with the county getting the money?

Del. DeBoy has a habit of voting one way and with a little arm twist by Speaker Busch, changing his vote. He only voted to override the governor's veto 34 times, but missed several votes early in the 2006 session.

Del. Malone voted to override the governor 44 times and carries a rating of 93 percent by Progressive Maryland, the most liberal legislative organization in Maryland.

This is constituent service for a moderate to conservative district.

I think the Patuxent paper listened to the hype and did not do their homework.

Al Nalley

Catonsville