Epic FAIL by BCPS school board task force

County Councilman David Marks is appalled:

An Inexcusable Vote by the School Board Task Force

For the past several months, a task force has been considering whether the Baltimore County school board selection process should be reformed. The central argument is whether some—or all—members should be elected by the voters of Baltimore County.

Community leaders and parents have testified in favor of school board elections. State legislators from both political parties support this change, and last month, a majority of the County Council endorsed a partially elected Board.

Yet despite bipartisan support from leaders across Baltimore County, the task force last week dismissed the idea, like someone swats an annoying housefly.

One of the members motioned to preclude any consideration of School Board elections from any future review. The vote was allowed to proceed—without no notification, and with several members absent.

The task force has only two Republican members, both of whom support school board elections. They were absent. One of the two Republicans, Senator J.B. Jennings, was on State Senate business at a committee visit at the University of Maryland.

The other absent member was the County Council’s representative, Chairman John Olszewski.

Again, the issue of school board elections is the key element of the debate. The vote should have been publicized in advance to all members of the task force.

Speed cameras: Watch out for white Jeeps on the Baltimore Beltway

From the the Sun:

Maryland's drivers should be getting the hint right about now that speeding in highway construction zones will cost them.

Almost 8,800 drivers were given $40 tickets during a six-week period that began Nov. 16, when state officials started photographing vehicles exceeding the speed limit by 12 mph or more on three stretches of highway marked as work zones.

. . .

During the new program's first six weeks, the cameras led to 3,365 citations to vehicles traveling on Interstate 95 between White Marsh Boulevard and I-895; 4,790 around the Charles Street exit of Baltimore's Beltway; and 590 on I-95 in Prince George's County.

I'm very disappointed in Dels. Steve Lafferty and Sue Aumann for supporting the speed cameras. County Councilman Kevin Kamenetz gets a thumbs down too. But kudos to Del. Bill Frank and Sen. Jim Brochin for voting "No".

More from the article:

The cameras are installed in a pair of white Jeeps that rotate among the three locations. Motorists are alerted to the possible presence of the cameras by signs that say, "Speed Photo Enforced: Work Zone."

Baltimore County pensions may be a big campaign issue

From the Sun:

Even if the Baltimore County Council revises a generous pension policy that allows officials to retire at full salary after 20 years' service, reformers will continue to demand sweeping changes and the issue will likely dominate the campaign next year, political watchers say.

via Maryland items in Pension Tsunmai