MD retailers designate Sen. Carozza Legislative All-Star

(Aug. 18, 2023) The Maryland Retailers Association has recognized Sen. Mary Beth Carozza (R-38) as a 2023 Legislative All-Star for her support of the retail business community.

“We have some of the most creative retail operators right here on the Shore who offer quality products to local residents and visitors alike,” Carozza, who represents businesses in Worcester, Wicomico, and Somerset counties, said in a news release. “I will continue to support policies that give these operators the flexibility they need to be job creators and to be successful with their businesses.”

Carozza worked with retailers association on legislation assigned to the Senate Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee, on which she serves. Her efforts helped ensure that the concerns of Maryland retailers were considered on several

Letters To The Editor

Continued from Page 58 ments the county staff said was they thought that “the projected economic impact was overly optimistic.”

In 2019, Ocean City spent $49,400 on a study and withheld the results for 22 months, then paid another $49,400 for a fluff update to the study, which was released in November 2022.

The study had placed us in the South Atlantic region, the wrong region. We are in the Mid-Atlantic region.

The study among other things stated that the participation of all outdoor and indoor sports had declined from 2014 through 2018 except cheerleading. The study warned to be prepared to lose money from annual operations. The South Atlantic region has better year-round weather, thus a longer playing season than the Mid-Atlantic region.

Then there was the Saint Mary’s study ($52,000) that the Ocean City politicians never talk about. First, Saint Mary’s is only one hour from D.C., not three. It has a higher per capita income, is nearer to population centers, and has a higher population from which to draw.

The study concluded that out of 11 sports complexes reviewed, 10 were still losing money from operations at a combined annual loss of $6.1 million annually. The study said that the “sports complex” would require a 25 percent operating subsidy annually.

Now let’s go back to “the visit experience” study.

Last on the list of reasons to come to the beach were trade shows or sports tournaments at 7 percent. No wonder the rich guys on [Mayor Rick] Meehan’s Committee don’t want to pieces of legislation, most of which were opposed by the retailers association, including:

SB 250 – Environment – Climate Crisis Plan – Requirement

The bill would have required climate crisis plans at the county level, creating a patchwork of policies with a variety of standards and compliance deadlines that would have further encumbered the daily operations of retailers.

The Senate Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee did not advance the bill.

SB 260 – Maryland Paint Stewardship bill

The bill would have set a dangerous precedent by awarding state taxing authority to a private entity without addressing organizational issues and costs.

The bill passed the full Senate by a

See CAROZZA Page 61 put their own money in and would rather use the public’s tax dollars.

The millionaires on Meehan’s new committee will benefit by adding a few more room occupancies to their hotels and a few more dinners sold in their restaurants while the Ocean City taxpayers will be paying the costs of the annual budget shortfall as well as paying for a near $40 million bond.

I feel an obligation to mop up the vomit of these grandiose Ocean City politicians by disclosing the truth, much of which has not been disclosed within the “sports complex” fantasy. As if the golf course and the airport aren’t enough, mayor, here we go again on your final boondoggle.

I will say that Councilman [John] Gehrig’s repeated threat a year ago “if you don’t vote for the sports complex your taxes will go up” would have gotten him thrown out of office if Ocean City had opponents in their so-called elections, or more accurately coronations. I hope these facts shed light on the task force’s decision.

Petitions are hard work for a guy turning 75 but I was honored to meet so many good people and normal politicians in competitive races while working on the county petition.

Frankly, I am watching and waiting till after the ’24 presidential election, and may have one more petition in me if I feel the Ocean city resident taxpayers are ready. That would be to dissolve the Ocean City government and turn it over to the county commissioners where the political class is humble and respects the value of a dollar.

Remember, people come to Ocean City for the beach and the Boardwalk. Tony Christ Ocean City