Candidates run on Jarboe's slate

Town Hall Alliance aims for commissioner jobs

Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2009

Susan Julian, acting supervisor of the St. Mary's County Board of Elections, described how an election slate works. "They run as a group, yet they're still running individually," and they can raise money individually or as a group, Julian said.

Jarboe took ownership of the slate's creation on Tuesday. "It's my project from a frustration sort of view," he said. "Put it on me that I'd like to have additional votes at the table."

He said the meaning of the Town Hall Alliance is "to be able to hold town hall meetings all around the county once a month. Each community in St. Mary's County is different, has its own set of issues."

Joan Ritchie of Leonardtown is the slate's chairperson. She said Monday, "I got to talking to some like-minded people. We have always liked this constant yield tax Commissioner Larry Jarboe has tried to put through."

The constant yield property tax rate is the formula used to determine the tax rate a local government needs to bring in the same amount of revenue. A tax rate can stay the same, but still bring in more money to the treasury because of rising assessments. Jarboe voted for constant yield for the past two budgets, which would have lowered the tax rate, but was the sole supporter. Using the constant yield would reduce taxes collected by millions of dollars.

Ritchie and others kept their ears open for those with tax-bill concerns. "They're all for lowering taxes and pretty upset with all the spending as well," she said of the candidates who have joined the slate, or may still join it. The idea was to band together. "It's almost a referral type thing — it's word of mouth," she said.

The slate's platform is being finalized now, but the general themes are already in place. Property tax rates should be reduced and county government needs to be more transparent. "We don't expect a 5-0 vote or 4-1 vote. We do expect when it comes to expenditures that they justify them, they do their homework," she said of the candidates if elected, and no increase in taxes.

"No more Dec. 24 commissioner meetings," she said. On Christmas Eve last year, the commissioners voted 4-1 to purchase 172 acres of farmland in Leonardtown for $5.3 million.

"We're trying to diversify the backgrounds a little bit, so there's something there for everybody," she said.

Jarboe represents northern St. Mary's. Morris filed this week for the seat to represent the Hollywood-Leonardtown area. Johnson seeks to represent southern St. Mary's — the Valley Lee and Ridge areas.

Kenneth F. Boothe filed as a Republican for president of the commissioners and was a part of the slate, but has dropped out of the alliance. It was an amicable split, Ritchie said. Guy is now running for president and plans to officially join the slate.

Boothe is "very, very focused on the farm issues," she said, and while it's an important issue, the slate wanted to stay focused on tax rates. Boothe could not be reached on Monday.

The group still hasn't found a candidate for the Lexington Park/California area. Commissioner Daniel H. Raley (D) is serving his third and final term in that district.

Ritchie said there is "basically a group of people that just feel a deep concern for the way the county's going."

She added of the slate, "It's no gang."

jbabcock@somdnews.com