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APRIL 10, 2015
BIG WIN The Stephen Decatur boys’ lacrosse team pulled out a 7-5 win over Easton in a physical battle Wednesday – Page 30
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Tax hike level still unknown
By Brian Gilliland Staff Writer (April 10, 2015) With a gulf of $22 million between revenues and requested expenditures, and a law requiring the publication of a “good faith estimate” of the tax rate in advance of the May 5 budget hearing, the Worcester County Commissioners decided on Tuesday to wait until next week to reveal what that number might be. Public hearings are required whenever the tax rate exceeds the constant yield rate, the number determined by the state to produce funding levels consistent with last year’s revenue. This year’s constant yield rate for Worcester is 77.55 cents per $100 of assessed value, up about one-half penny over last year. While Worcester County could charge up to that amount without much fanfare, the problem is that might not be nearly enough. Not only is the county beset by shrinking property values and anemic gains in assessments, it also has a backlog of projects that were delayed because of the last decade’s deep recession. The commissioners were well aware a shortfall was coming, but the size and shape of it remained elusive to the public until a few weeks ago. County Treasurer Phil Thompson delivered a shock: The county could use 100 percent of the rainy day fund socked away by previous commissioners and See RAISE Page 3
LISA CAPITELLI/OCEAN CITY TODAY
WELL BALANCED Cascading Carlos Mir helps Grace Wells of Mullica Hill, N.J. spin plates on wooden dowels as well as her head during the Easter Art & Craft and Kid’s Fun Fair at the Roland E. Powell Convention Center on 40th Street last Saturday.
OC police sign for 2 percent pay adjustment Deal with union to avoid arbitration bumps salary tables over three years
By Zack Hoopes Staff Writer (April 10, 2015) The done deal is a done deal. The Ocean City Council voted unan-
imously this week to ratify a three-year contract with the Fraternal Order of Police under the terms that the council and union leaders had agreed to several weeks ago following a long negotiation process. “I think we had some issues, on both sides, with managing expectations,” said FOP Lodge 10 President Shawn Jones. “It seems everyone
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thinks we left a little bit on the table, but that’s probably a good thing.” In February, the FOP – the collective bargaining unit representing Ocean City Police Department officers, up through the rank of sergeant – had declared an impasse in negotiations, which would’ve kicked the city into a binding arbitration process if a deal was not reached.
“We did reach an impasse and that’s something that’s never really happened before,” said Mayor Rick Meehan. “But its amazing what open dialogue and a little bit of trust and conversation can do. “Each time, you learn a little more about the department and I hope the See BELT Page 5
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APRIL 10, 2015
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Ocean City Today
APRIL 10, 2015
OC Today debuts new column for food, drink & fun (April 10, 2015) Ocean City Today is changing a portion of its format this week, with the introduction of a new column by writer Cate Meighan, who will be reporting weekly on the bar, restaurant and entertainment scenes. The change is part of the effort to keep visitors and residents up to date on what’s new, what’s changing and what’s coming up in three main aspects of resort life: food, drink and fun. To that end, we have done away with that pretentious “Insight” section title and have returned to “Lifestyle,” albeit it will be a much improved version that gives readers a better look at the fun to be had and who’s providing it. This change, which we began contemplating this winter as it became apparent that “Insight” wasn’t really offering anything insightful, was made easier when Meighan signed on as a staff writer last week. Meighan (pronounced mee´• un) introduces herself and her reporting background in her debut column on page 49. Suffice to say that she has been covering the entertainment world for many years. Locally, she also reports on Ocean 98’s Rude Awakening Show on Friday mornings. As she assembles her column each week, feel free to contact her at cate@oceancitytoday.net with your tips and reports on who’s doing what where, what’s opening and what’s changing (her deadline to us is noon Tuesday). Your help and participation will make this one fun column in a place where having fun is important business.
Ocean City Today Business ..................................35 Calendar ..................................64 Commentary..............................77 Classifieds ................................37 Entertainment ..........................63 Lifestyle ....................................41 Obituaries ................................19 Public notices ..........................67 Sports ......................................29 News: editor@oceancitytoday.net Sales: sales@oceancitytoday.net Classifieds: classifieds@oceancitytoday.net Phone: 410-723-6397 Visit us on the Web at www.oceancitytoday.net and at Facebook/Ocean City Today Published Fridays by FLAG Publications, Inc. 8200 Coastal Highway, Ocean City, Md. 21842 P.O. Box 3500, Ocean City, Md. 21843 Available by subscription at $150 a year.
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Raise of $0.67 needed to stay level Continued from Page 1 still face a shortfall in the coming budget year. More than that, with the exhaustion of the safety net, fiscal 2017 was looking even more dire than 2016. Part of the problem is in the assessments themselves. Ocean City counts for about 60 percent of all property value in the county, and properties are reassessed in three-year cycles. Ocean City was reassessed for this year, and won’t be reevaluated until 2019. Thompson, the commissioners — everyone expected this year to be the turnaround. But it didn’t happen. “The County Commissioners have indicated their desire to adopt a budget equal to or less than the total FY15 budget of $177,981,133,” County Administrator Harold Higgins wrote in a report to the board.
But to maintain a 2016 budget at 2015 spending levels, county officials said, the tax rate would have to be increased by 6.7 cents per $100 of assessed value, taking it up to 83.7 cents per $100, would be necessary. To fund the requested budget completely would require a tax increase of 14.4 cents, according to the county’s calculations. Neither estimate takes into account budget stabilization funds by design. The county can’t use savings in the formulation of these numbers to present to the public. “This is the first time in four years we’ve advertised a tax increase,” Board President M. Jim Bunting said Tuesday, “I don’t feel the public should feel we’ve already got our minds made up.” A nuance of the law requires that hearings be held for every increase over the constant yield rate, so if the pub-
lished number comes in low, a new round of hearings will be held. If the commissioners publish an advertisement for a 7-cent hike, for example, but the real number turns out to be closer to 8 cents, a new round of hearings will be scheduled. So there is a real danger of lowballing the amount. Commissioner Joe Mitrecic said he was concerned about a chilling effect the published numbers could produce. “Everyone will know we’ve got to cut 8 cents from somewhere,” he said, referring to the gap between 6.7 cents and 14.4 cents. Several county departments, such as Tourism and Liquor Control, have not yet had their budget requests heard by the commissioners. To that end Mitrecic moved to delay until next Tuesday’s budget work session, the decision to define what the county’s good faith estimate will be.
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