UPDATED! CHARLES LOLLAR FOR GOVERNOR SPEAKS ON ISSUES

 

 

   

 

 

* I just added a full length video of a campaign speech made on 3//26/14: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecGJ29kRP1c&feature=share&list=UU8nAHf9dn3neqKHeGgQPs2w

    I first became aware of Charles Lollar on January 13, 2010. I remember it vividly because it was at a TEA Party on a cold night in Annapolis. I think it was the only TEA Party that I have ever attended after dark. Lawyer's Mall was filled to capacity in protest of O'Malley's budget mismanagement and the anticipated new taxes to be proposed in that legislative session. The event had been organized by Americans for Prosperity, but I was there with the Hagerstown TEA Party. There were several dynamic speakers there that were able to tap into the fervor of the crowd, but none better than a man named Charles Lollar. As I heard him speak I began to work my way threw the incredible crowd hoping to see the man behind the charisma. I'm not going to pretend that I wasn't intrigued to see a black man who was a Republican and who seemed to "get" the TEA Party, especially since the movement had been maligned by Liberals and branded as racists. I was fascinated. Beyond that he was able to almost "preach" Conservative principles unscripted, intelligently, and with a passion that I am sure convinced all who were there that he indeed shared our principles, our concerns, and our hopes for going forward. I knew nothing more about him, but I felt right then and there that he would play an important role in the future of Maryland politics. Over 4 years later I have learned that he is not only a charismatic speaker, but that he is highly educated (Political Science, B.A. and an MBA), a decorated Marine (Officers Candidate School), a devoted family man (married 20 years with 4 daughters), and someone with a grasp on Conservative issues like no other.  I attended the Charles Lollar for Governor Meet and Greet last night and I was not disappointed.



Huge Rally in Annapolis in 2010

    The event was held in a trendy setting, where good food and drink were available, and cool music played in the background. It had all of the expected promotional materials like palm cards, signs, and T-shirts and even the expected raffle for a very classy hospitality basket. Team Lollar did a great job of organizing the event. I immediately noticed something different about this candidate's event, and that was that he was actually greeting and meeting with people for at least an hour before the event. I don't mean hobnobbing with Republican elected officials...he was going from table to table talking with regular people. When he came to my table I asked him several of my own questions about issues in addition to some that had been texted to me to ask on other's behalf. His answers were so forthright and succinct that it almost through me off task. I asked him if I could have a chance to talk to him again after he spoke and he said that he would be available. He was not introduced by Republican bigwigs or marched out with pomp and circumstance. He just grabbed a mic and did what Charles Lollar does. He spoke about issues.
    He started by saying that he believes that many people are asking the wrong questions. We are struggling in this state. There is a mad exodus of businesses from the state. People need jobs and they are over taxed and over regulated. Yet people are asking him what he is going to do about social issues. He couldn't have spoken a TEA Party precept more precisely if it had been dictated to him. Many people do not realize--because of the Liberal media smear campaign against the TEA Party--that although individual TP members may feel strongly about certain social issues, in the spirit of compromise and cooperation they have always avoided them as a group or organization. This is what he said:

"I am not running to be your priest. I am running to be your governor. There is a very real difference between those two occupations. If you want me to be your pastor and tell you  how to live then let's get out of the governor business and start a church and I will tell you how to live. My job as your governor, if I am honored enough to serve you, is to be held accountable for every penny that you sent to Annapolis. To make sure it is spent properly and what is not spent properly should go right back to you the taxpayer." 

Can I get an "Amen"?

    As if we needed convincing that this state is struggling, Lollar rattled off some statistics. In the last 5-7 years we've lost 40,000 jobs. We have lost 6,500 small businesses, taking with them $5.5B in revenue. [We historically lose revenue when taxes are excessive.] In one fiscal year the state budget has gone from $34.6B to $36.9B. That is an increase of $2.5B or 7.5%. In that same fiscal year the Consumer Price Index cost of living grew only 1.5%. "That means that your government grows at 5 times the rate of your pocketbooks...and why do we need 74 new taxes over 7 years? There is nothing left to tax!" Lollar then laid out his 5-part plan for economic growth:

1. Control Spending.

• Tax Payer's Bill of Rights- Legislatively ensuring that our government no longer grows faster than our CPI. 
• Return to Zero-based Budgeting- Starting with what we spent last year and not with a wish list for which we increase taxes in order to obtain all that we want.
• Hiring/Employee Budget Accountability by Department Secretaries..

"The governor of Maryland controls the budget. So whenever the governor decides to, he can make the hard decisions to balance it...whether he does so or not. Yes the legislators vote it up and down and they can propose taxes against it, but the governor controls it."

    2.   Regulation Reform. Create a Citizens Industry Review Board to work in conjunction with the EPA. The board will be made up of volunteers, so there will be no cost to the taxpayer. They will have experience in their respective industries and create common sense solutions that respects the environment, but does not senselessly burden the business owners, farmers, watermen and the economy as a whole.

"No longer will academia regulate any industry without experience."

    3.  Transparency.

• No appointed boards or commissions with the power to raise taxes and fees.
• No raiding the Transportation Trust Fund to balance the budget.
• This governor will understand that I work for you and you do not work for me.

"We will not allow non-legislative non-elected bodies or commission boards to increase your fees or your taxes going forward. That should be left to those who are elected, and not to those who are appointed."

    4.  Education.

• School Choice so that children are not trapped in a school that is operating below standards just because of where they live. Wherever the child goes to school his parent's tax dollars will follow, either by voucher or tax credit. Schools will be competing for your children!
• Internships in high school especially for those seeking a trade instead of a degree.
• Teacher training out of their districts and maybe even out of the country in order to expand their teaching experiences and perspectives.

"The often touted No.1 ranking in education is not based on standardized test scores. It is based on dollars spent per student as well as the number of teachers affiliated with or a part of our public union. They know that! What we need is less and less students needing remedial courses in order to get into college." 

  5.  Repeal taxes.

• Rain Tax
• Progressive Gas Tax
• Taxes on pensions of First Responders

"With the Rain Tax we are the laughing stock of our region."

    The following is a Q & A exchange with the audience (only parts appear on the video due to technical difficulties) and also from my interview. The answers are mostly paraphrased.

1. Q [Audience]: What will you do to make a college education affordable?
    A: Overall the cost of in-state tuition is quite affordable at just under $9,000 a year. Two things that can help:

• Educational Trust Funds. Start early saving for your children and grandchildren.
• Repeal or amend the Dream Act. You cantnot have one group of people paying into the system and another group not paying into the system (illegal immigrants) and then have both groups receive the same benefits. Somebody has to pay the difference between the in-state ($9,000) and the out-of-state ($28,000) tuition and it is the taxpayer. This has nothing to do with racism. It has to do with fairness and this act could lead us into financial trouble. We can't afford it.

2. Q [Audience]: How exactly do you propose to cut taxes?
    A: Poor spending decisions and wish-list budgeting has led to this tax burden. We plan to:

• Create a board to look at each one of the 74 taxes to determine how many we can eradicate.
• Enact a flat 5% tax rate across the board.
• Look at casinos for future tax revenue (when asked by the audience).

3a. Q: Do you feel as do some establishment Republicans that you need to distance yourself from the TEA Party?
      A. No. I have always identified with the TEA Party on issues. I have presented TEA Party principles to some very tough audiences...as you might imagine.
3b. Q: Why do you think establishment Republicans do not embrace the TEA Party?
      A: I think it threatens their status as career politicians. Politics was never meant to be a career. The founding fathers intended for elected officials to work jobs. They were to serve from January to March and then go home and work their jobs.
4.  Q: Do you think that Plan Maryland has adversely affected farmers?
     A: Yes. Plan Maryland seeks to target growth and resources towards an urban environment making it hard or in some cases impossible for farmers to sell their property or to get a loan against their property. I do not think that rural Maryland is being served by this administration.
5. Q: Where do you stand on fracking? Do you think that technology has now made this a safe industry?
    A:  "It is time!" We do not need to spend anymore taxpayer money on research and studies. It is being done successfully and safely in our neighboring states, and they are horizontally fracking and taking our resources and revenue. This could bring major economic growth to Western Maryland.
6. Q: Do you think that SB281 went too far?
    A: Absolutely. They have no right to define what kind of firearms our citizens may own. The 2nd Amendment is the right of every citizen to protect themselves with whatever firearm they choose to purchase.
7. Q: Hagerstown is a dying city. How can the state help revitalize our downtown?
    A: This administration does not want to help Hagerstown in a big way or they would have enabled fracking in Western Maryland, improved I-81, and created the highway by-pass that has been discussed for years. [I wish that I had been able to ask him to explain this further.] They are putting more state resources into the larger urban centers of the state and giving the rest of the state little to nothing.
8. Q: Hagerstown had been negotiating with a minor league baseball team to build a new stadium. The team has since decided to leave town, but the possibility of building a new stadium is still being considered. Do you think that public funds should be used to build stadiums?
    A: Absolutely not. "The day is over for taxpayer money for stadiums. The Governor is in charge of the budget. You will not see a stadium in my budget."
9. Q [Audience]: Would your administration make any changes to the pension plans of First Responders?
    A: I think that we can find ways to make a better life for our First Responders. I think that their pensions should be like my combat pay was in Kosovo...tax free.
10. Q: Where to you stand on increasing the minimum wage?
      A: I think that it inflates the whole system and winds up costing the wager earner and consumers more in taxes and increased costs that are passed down to the consumer. I think that lower taxes and smarter budgeting are the answers.
11. Q: What do you think of Common Core?
      A: "It is unconstitutional."  For a video of the full answer on Common Core go to http://youtu.be/F1rnB_e_NsQ.

   In the end, he asked for volunteers but only if they could be committed to sticking to the issues and resisting the urge for bickering and nasty campaign tactics. He admonished everyone to stick to the issues.  Privately I asked him about the rumors that his campaign team was "falling apart." He said that he cannot control every word that comes out of the mouths of 100 or more volunteers, but that once he was informed that one volunteer had used terms degrading to the developmentally challenged he took care of it and that person is no longer with the campaign. He said that his team is united and focused and moving forward. Based on the event that evening...I would have to agree with him.

You can see the video of his speech by going to http://youtu.be/CqPm_WP0r9E.

Visit the Charles Lollar for Governor website at http://www.lollar4governor.com/.

Also see: http://liberatedconservativewoman.blogspot.com/2014/03/meet-candidates-for-governor-of-maryland.html

DREAM TEAM COMES TO HAGERSTOWN: SHOW ME THE MONEY!

DEJU VU?

   
    I attended the mayor and council meeting last night where it was reported by the Herald Mail that a development firm would be presenting a plan for the revitalization of downtown. It seemed kind of random at first. The article stated that the group that would be presenting had been looking at Hagerstown for 7 or 8 months. My first thoughts were, who invited them to look at Hagerstown and who invited them to present to mayor and council? When I read further that they would be offering a plan that involves a public-private partnership (P3), I immediately made the connection with the recent Chamber of Commerce (COC) forum on P3s entitled Public-Private Partnerships: Opportunities and Obstacles with David Birtwistle of Balfour Beatty Construction. This couldn't be a coincidence. The HM also stated that: 

"In public session, little progress toward any type of plan for a major urban renewal project has been made since the city’s new administration took office last November, but Tuesday’s presentation could spark new interest considering the involved parties."

It sounded like last November was light years ago and that they not only nixed the HM's beloved Baltimore Street proposal, but had not offered a single idea to replace it in all of that time. That hyperbole, which allowed the new administration no time to adjust and get up to speed on important city business or have time off for the holidays, made me feel like I was instantly back on the HM-COC (and others) treadmill of manipulation during the recent stadium controversy. Needless to say, I went to the presentation with a bad taste in my mouth and a little skepticism. Coming from the perspective of the Hagerstown TEA Party, all I wanted to know at this point was: 1.) will this partnership be advantageous to the taxpayer and 2.) show me the money. 
  

DREAM TEAM

    Before the meeting I asked Council Member Penny Nigh who invited this group. She wasn't sure, but she said that they had been before the last administration and that they apparently weren't interested. When Mayor Gyspert's  introduced them he said that he had invited them simply to "start a discussion" and emphasized that the city was in no way expected to commit to anything. Where have I heard that before?
   The team came forward led by local attorney D. Bruce Poole. Apparently he brought them together out of a love of Hagerstown, embarrassment of the condition of Hagerstown, and a desire for his children to want to return to Hagerstown after college. They did seem quite impressive in their number and presence alone, but once they began to share all that they had individually accomplished in other towns across America, their "connections," and what they were offering Hagerstown, I thought this is a Dream Team coming to the rescue. I call it the Dream Team now simply because they don't have a group name. They are not all a part of any one organization with a proper name. The individuals who make up this Dream Team are:

• D. Bruce Poole, a local attorney
• Tim Elliott, of Sora Development, a real estate development company
• Dane Bauer of Daft, McCune and Walker Inc., an engineering firm
• Chuck Brawley of Skanska, a multi-national construction company
• Rob  Hopson, introduced, project connection unknown
• Melissa Schmidt, introduced, project connection unknown

In addition to the Dream Team, several local business owners were present. It was not a meeting where the public could speak, so I wondered if they were there to invest money. That would different!

  

I LOVE IT, BUT...SHOW ME THE MONEY!

    I have to tell you that as a homeowner and resident of Hagerstown I thought that the presentation was quite exciting. I say that in all honesty. They talked about finding our assets and economic growth drivers and connecting them in ways that are both good for the community and  create revenue. They were quite enthusiastic and spoke hope into the room. I want this hope and vision to become a reality for this city. I just have this nagging voice in the back of my mind yelling "Show me the money!"

   I liked the stadium idea. The money just wasn't there to pay for it. I was hoping that private investors, along with the mystery $15M donor, would come forth but they never did. Without the private investors the state wouldn't contribute. I didn't agree with using any public money for the stadium, but that is not the point. No state funds were available because there wasn't enough private investment. There just wasn't enough money.  So...will there be enough money to create the vision that this team and our elected officials agree on? Who will pay the larger share in this partnership, the private investors or the taxpayers? Even if the private investors meet investment expectations, does the taxpayer have the money to pay its share at the city, county, and state levels? The taxpayers may want to follow down this path. I do! But can they afford it? 

  

 METZNER IS STILL A BIG SPENDING LIBERAL

   

    I say show me the money first, before I get my hopes up. In a conversation with Council Member Metzner, he stated that he believes that the next time that we go forward on any project meant to revitalize downtown, we should get the money first. I agree. He said this before the presentation. I wonder if his enthusiasm has changed his new outlook on the money. 

   Oh-and just so you know...Council Member Metzner is still a big spending Liberal. Apparently he received some emails and phone calls from a few unhappy Liberals who thought that he had gone rogue or turned too far to the right regarding the Baltimore Street proposal. He assured me in this same conversation that he would still support the stadium downtown if the money was there to support it. He said that he is a realist and the reality is that the money wasn't there, there were no private investors coming forward, and even if they had the money they could not meet the demands of the Suns to build it by next season. He said that if the money was there he would vote for it today. However, given a choice between a downtown stadium and the BOE moving downtown he would choose the BOE. I just wanted to clear that up. Mr. Metzner and I are on opposite sides of the political spectrum, but he is a nice man ( a reasonable Liberal!) and I don't want to misrepresent him.

    

WE HAVE LOTS OF MONEY!

   The good news is that  Chuck Brawley said, "We have access to capital," and Dane Bauer said,  "We have money. Lots of money to funnel through Hagerstown." Now that's what I'm talking about! On the other hand he assured everyone that he has the connections and the know how to get the public money needed from the state. I know this is where the public-private partnership comes in, but I am hoping that public funds will only be used to provide infrastructure and services that are typically provided by the various levels of government. I guess I have to wait to see how this partnership develops before I can comment on the appropriateness, or not, of the funding plan. I am also anxious to see if any of the business owners in attendance will be financially investing in this new vision, unlike their failure to invest in the Baltimore Street proposal while all the while "supporting it."

   

OUR ELECTED BODY IS OPTIMISTIC...MOSTLY

Metzner: This is the 5th time we have met with this group. Over the last four months there has been a momentum building for revitalizing downtown. We cannot let this momentum go away or we may not be able to get it back. In the past we would discuss it to death. We can do that or we can pursue this. I like the potential of "back to the future," partnering with Meritus Health and tying it to downtown, along with the education theme downtown...as opposed to the past administration was centered too much on one thing, the stadium. Tonight we have to decide yes or no, and if yes we need to move forward. We clearly have to include Neighborhoods 1st, our seniors, residents as we move forward. These are integral, and we can't make the same mistake [of leaving them out of the process].

Brubaker: If we start downtown we have to determine the "scope of service" outside the city. This needs to be discussed. The University is an asset, however it is a fledgling, so what are our economic drivers? We need to find them. We need to do "due diligence  and interview other agencies [other than the Dream Team]. Note: This invited some nervous comments. Bruce Poole asked well where have the others been? We have seven months invested. We have government and business support. We need to go to the next level. Metzner strongly agreed saying that we don't need to look at other groups. The city staff has worked on this for eight months and we can't waste anymore time and resources. [Isn't there something between "jumping to demands" and "talking to death" for this elected body? How about due diligence at a reasonable pace?]

Alshire: Transparency is paramount for public support. I appreciate the public presentation. There are going to be other entities, for example CHIEF and others, and they need to understand that we make the decisions. I still think that education gives us the biggest bang for the buck versus a stadium, but tying together the East End [sports] to downtown works too. I reiterate that the government roll should only be infrastructure and services. We need to reinstill the idea of a destination for private investment and not for public services. 

Munson: This is a unique opportunity. The city can't do it...Hell no! It's time to stop talking. We have to have a responsible proposal to the governor no later than September.

Nigh: I've been around for years and this is the most realistic plan that I have heard. The concept is wonderful. I agree with Kristen that this government is the final say. Respect us. We are the elected body. 

Mayor: Hagerstown has low self-esteem. We tend to think small and be reactive. It is time for a shared vision. We will contact the group in the next couple of days.

Bauer: We need to get organized in the next 90 days. We need a master plan by the end of September.

  PLAN MARYLAND?

I couldn't help but notice the repeated use of buzz words "sustainable walkable community" used by the urban development  team member. For  those of you who are concerned about Plan Maryland and Agenda 21, this may lead to further research. However, we know our governor will love the Plan Maryland language, and it may help them to get the money that they are seeking from the state.