Posted by Phil Lee (216.250.238.150) on July 06, 2001 at 22:08:
Baltimore County Revitalization Plan: Senate Bill 509
Comments by Michael J. Davis
On Saturday March 5, 2000, the manager at the CVS drug store next to Mars, John Muhlenbruch, asked me if I knew anything about the issue of condemnation of businesses and homes in the area. I said I would look into it. On Monday I spoke to Ron Wasmer at J & H Tires and he told me that there was a meeting at Middle River Volunteer Fire Department at Wilson Point that evening at 7:00 PM. When I got to the meeting and read the bill, I was dumbfounded to find that the bill lists hundreds of parcels of property in the Essex, Middle River area that could possible be condemned as eminent domain for the Baltimore County Neighborhood Renewal Authority.
The express purpose of this scheme is to confiscate property -- much of it water-front property-- from the owners, and to turn around and sell or give it to developers for revitalization? .
I reminded everybody at the meeting that Baltimore County was having a meeting on Wednesday at Kenwood High School at 6:00 PM.
That night, I couldn't sleep. I was so upset that what seemed to me as a total land grab could be undertaken by any government entity in the United States of America.
Meeting with Lt. Governor Kathleen Kennedy Townsend
The next day was election day. When I got to Middlesex Elementary School, I saw Lt. Governor Kathleen Kennedy Townsend. "Will you be here for long?" I asked.
I'll be here for a little while," she replied.
I went home, got the information and got right back and showed her the material. "Our county executive is trying to foist a law that's unconstitutional on us!"
"Oh, that doesn't sound right," she replied.
"Well," I responded, "You read the information and see for yourself." We walked into the polling both together. The people inside thought I was with the Lt. Governor.
"No, no, I came to vote."
When she came out of the building, Mrs. Townsend mentioned how upset the people inside the school were about this proposed law.
Baltimore County Explains their plan
On Wednesday the meeting was packed. People were so outraged at this proposal, that they were livid. The people from the county were in a tizzy trying to keep their composure and keep on describing these plans as rational ideas. I discussed whether Bill SB509 was unconstitutional with John Gontrum, a noted lawyer concerning land use.
What he said was that taking the government's plan as well intentioned, revitalization was a purpose for which eminent domain could be used as in Baltimore City's revitalization of the Howard street area. That plan would include huge sums of private business' funds, and could provide sizable improvements for Baltimore City as has been done, for instance, by Charles Center. But these rather ambitious plans were driven very much by private industry.
The Baltimore County plan. on the other hand, relies solely on a half baked idea that the government goes in and clears out what they think are undesirable people and businesses from the area, buys up waterfront property so that they can sell or give it to developers waiting in the wings who will upgrade the shorefront and call this result revitalization. Indeed, Baltimore county's master plan 2010 describes 200 miles of waterfront properties as being evaluated to identify opportunity sites of waterfront located in the eastern part of the county and are shown as revitalization areas on their map.
The Baltimore County plan as described above, is certainly pretty accurate, but in a court of law, these points might be laughed at.... Maybe, maybe not. I still think it's unconstitutional.
House Delegation Hearing on SB509
On Friday, March 10, a hearing was held in Annapolis, MD on SB509 before the Baltimore County House Delegation in the Joint Hearing Room at 8:30 AM.
Opponents of the bill hired two buses and provided a very vocal and detailed opposition to SB509. The main objections brought up were that Baltimore County supposedly would help individuals and businesses relocate, but in fact, government bureaucracy tends to end up in squashing people. Rick Impallaria stated that he offered to sell his business, the old ice house on Old Eastern Avenue, to the County for $400,000.00 as is. They would not buy it as is, but they will force him to test the soil and if there is any cleanup to be done, he would have to pay for it. No ifs, ands, or buts.
Republican Delegate Jim Ports, Perry Hall, related the tale of a man who was forced out of his condo. He ended up owing $4000.00 on the sale and couldn't buy anything new. When questioned about this, the County said the rules are the rules.
And on and on and on.
Democrat Delegate Diane DeCarlo, Essex-Middle River, asked some very pointed questions concerning Baltimore County's master plan 2010. The map accompanying that statement shows waterfront properties throughout Baltimore County as being in the revitalization area.
Davis testifies
When I testified before the panel, I asked those people who were against SB509 to stand up and asked them the following questions:
1. How many of you feel that you will be hurt by Bill SB509?
2. How many of you feel that Baltimore County doesn't care about you?
3. How many of you own your property but do not want to sell it?
4. How many of you feel that Bill SB509 is a land grab?
5. How many of you feel that Bill SB509 will provide large profits for the developers?
The effect was overwhelming and in some instances eye opening. especially number 3. A large number of people raised their hand showing that they owned their property but did not want to sell it.
Lou Panos and The Jeffersonian newspaper
I saw Lou Panos, political reporter for the Patuxent Publishing Group while I was at the Statehouse. He mentioned that SB509 was similar to laws in Prince George's County and Baltimore City. I replied that if, and its a very big if it were true, then these laws would be unconstitutional also.
Meeting with Jill Porter
After I testified, I went to the Statehouse to speak to Lt. Governor Townsend's scheduler, Jill Porter. Jill told me that the Lt. Governor would share my views and materials with Mr. Joseph Bryce, Chief Legislative Officer for Governor Glendening and the Lt. Governor. "He will review the bill as I had asked," she said.
House Delegation votes on SB509
The delegation voted on the bill Friday, March 17. I was able to go to Annapolis that afternoon, and headed straight to Del. Decarlo's office. I walked down with her to the Commerce and Government Matters Committee meeting room as she told me that the vote was 19 to 5.
"Yes," she concluded, "Four Republican delegates, all from north Baltimore County, in addition to me voted against the bill: Jim Ports, Jim Kelly, Martha Klima, and Wade Kach."
"Just you and four Republicans," I replied.
"The people who are against this must get as many people as possible to Annapolis. The hearing is going to be before my committee, Commerce and Government Matters on Thursday, March 23," she advised.
I was able to talk to Del. Klima right after that. She told me that Del. Ports offered several amendments to the bill. Democrat Del. Mike Weir, Essex- Middle River, objected very strongly, saying Ports had no right interjecting himself into what Del. Weir felt was "his" district. "Mike Weir was furious," she concluded.
I went up to Del. Port's office. "Do you have some paper and a magic marker?" I asked. I wrote in bold letters, "You de Man!" "
Oh," stated the secretary. "He'll really like this! "He'll really like this!"
Meeting at the Commodore on March 20.
The meeting prior to the hearing March 20 at the Commodore was packed. I could not even find a parking place on the lot. I knew why. The organizers of the anti- SB509 group put out fliers at the intersection of Eastern Boulevard and Stemmers Run Road for hours and hours.
Many people stated that they didn't know, they just didn't know. What could they do to help.
A long and productive meeting boded well for a good turnout. There was confusion over which Michael Davis was who. I was able to speak to clarify that I was Michael J. Davis and that Dutch Ruppersberger's gofer and sycophant was Michael H. Davis.
The Hearing before the House Commerce and Government Matters Committee
I made a habit of getting down to the Back River Park & Ride to see everybody off. Three busses were needed this time. The turnout was phenomenal.
When I got to Annapolis, the reality of so many people opposed to one bill was compelling. Instead of scheduling the hearing at the Joint Hearing Room with a whole amphitheater to seat a lot of people the hearing was scheduled at the House Government Matters and Commerce Committee hearing room, a much smaller place.
The huge throng of people got to Annapolis around noon and milled around the hearing room, and milled around the hearing room. The hearing was supposed to begin at 1:00 PM. Since the legislature was in the final stages of the session, they were on double schedule and didn't get back to the hearing room until 2:00 PM to 2:45 PM.
The County testifies
State Senator Michael Collins, Dem., Essex-Middle River, and Del. Michael Weir joined Baltimore County Executive "Dutch" Ruppersberger to testify first. Chairman John F. Wood, Jr., St. Mary's County, stated that each side would get 45 minutes each with Baltimore County's side to go first..
Michael Collin's testimony with questions lasted almost 45 minutes, and Baltimore County's time went to two hours. Dutch Rupersberger went on and on about how the Essex - Middle River would benefit from this revitalization. In every interview on this subject, Dutch constantly refers to the Riverdale situation wherein the county relocated 450 families in five weeks, as if there were any similarity between Riverdale and the homes and businesses that the County is confiscating through this law.
Riverdale deteriorated for some twenty years through neglect of the owner. The properties Ruppersberger is confiscating from the people in Essex- Middle River has been owned by the owners for years. In many cases, their homes and businesses have been a main stay of these peoples lives.
Michael Collins repeated the oft stated mantra that Prince George's County and Baltimore City had similar statutes, and Baltimore County's law would not be any different than existing statutes.
Del. Joanne C. Benson tells the Prince George's County story.
Del. Joanne C. Benson told the committee how Prince George's County used eminent domain to clean up urban decay. "There were boarded up houses, crime, drugs." "With the use of eminent domain, we were able to clean up these areas."
Janice Hundt testifies with attorney
The people opposed to SB509 contacted a lawyer to strengthen their presentation. The lawyer testified that the SB509 was different from the Prince George's law because, the Essay - Middle River area is not a blighted area. There are no boarded up houses. There are no run down trashy areas.
The Kingsley Park Apartments are neat, well groomed and freshly painted. They, in fact, have a picture book neatness to them. Janice had put together an impressive package for each of the delegates showing the houses and businesses in the Essex - Middle River area. Janice testified to her great remorse at the thought of giving up her business area to Baltimore County. She said that she had wished to let her daughter take over the business when she would retire. The emotion that swept over this woman was repeated by the various other people who testified. The emotion showed by each of the people testifying was overwhelming. The county was taking away their home, their neighborhood, their life from them. And for what? To sell or give their property to some developer!
A constitutional lawyer testifies that SB509 is illegal.
At the end of the testimony for the opponents, Dana Berliner, Senior Attorney for the Institute for Justice, a public interest law firm, stated unequivocally that SB509 is illegal according to Maryland's constitution.
To me this was vindication for my feelings that SB509 was unconstitutional. The institute for Justice successfully defended Vera Conkling, an elderly widow from Atlantic City, New Jersey, against the condemnation of her only home by a state agency that sought to take her property and transfer it to Donald Trump for a parking lot.
Dutch Ruppersberger: people don't change
Around 1989 I had the opportunity to interrelate with Dutch Ruppersberger. He was a Baltimore County Councilman as well as a lawyer for various apartment complexes in the Essex area.
I learned that a young woman, Yvonne Weisner, had had her wages garnisheed. It seemed she had lived in one of the apartments in the Essex area and was not able to keep up on the rent.
Eventually the rent she had owed, was taken out of her check at Basic's Supermarket where she worked part time. What little she made was taken from her by the apartment's lawyer, Dutch.
I agreed to write him a letter. The idea was to tell him just how little they thought of somebody who would make his living preying on poor people such as she. I fired the letter off, and shortly thereafter, I got a call from Dutch. "What does she want," asked Dutch. "We have dozens of county agencies that she might want to turn to."
"All she wanted," I replied, "was to let you know how much you have upset her life."
I don't think Dutch ever caught on to what I meant.
People don't change.
Lt. Governor Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, Joseph Bryce and SB509
As I went to the state house to talk to Mr. Joseph Bryce. I was met by one Peter Trop, an aide to Joseph Bryce. Basically what he said was what you see is what you get. "Mr. Bryce will "review" SB509 if he gets a chance, but you have to understand, Mr. Bryce is a very busy man." said Trop. So much for help from Lt. Governor Kathleen Kennedy Townsend.
Lou Panos & the Jeffersonian
Lou Panos was at a press table for the whole hearing. Before the hearing, I told him how impressed I was about the fair minded press coverage, the Jeffersonian was giving to the story about SB509.
"Yes," he replied, "I've put some effort into this issue."
"I had that feeling, Lou," I answered.
Several of the articles referred to the people who would be forced out by the county's confiscation of their or their landlords property. on one hand there was a story of Paul and Annabelle Vleck who own a beautiful house on the bay along Punte Rd.
This property was owned by Annabelle's parents and has been in the family for over a century. The house which is assessed for $262,000 has been taken off the "hit list" but the Vlecks are still worried about 6 acres still waiting to be confiscated by the county which includes seven cottages that rent for $200 to $225 a month.
"They're not the kind to stay for a month and then be gone," says Paul Vleck. "Some have been there for 10 years, and there's one who's been there 37 years."
On the other hand, there was an interview with Goldie Blankenship, who lives in the Kingsley Park apartments who spoke about her multiple health problems which permit her to participate in Section 8 moderate rehab.
The problem will be that these apartments are set up ideally for this program. To make a move to any other place and receive these same benefits would be almost impossible. Goldie will be moved but she will be unable to have anything like what she has in her dear apartment at Kingsley Park.
Meeting of the 7th District Republican Club
I was able to share the information of Dutch Ruppersberger's confiscation plan at a meeting of the 7th District Republican club on March 28, 2000. Their response was very positive in rejection of this attack on our rights as citizens of this great country.
Lisa Scott, also a member of the Baltimore County Republican Central Committee, was extremely interested. She lives in Edgemere and is highly sensitive to attempts to take over waterfront property.
The House Commerce and Government Matters Committee votes on SB509.
On March 30, 2000 the House Commerce and Governmental Matters Committee passed SB509. The vote was 13 for and 8 against.
Four democrat members From Baltimore County voted for: John Arnick, James Malone, Cornell Dypski, and Maggie McIntosh. (McIntosh, Dypski and McIntosh are in city - county districts.)
Diane Decarlo and three other democrats, Elizabeth Bobo, Howard, Ted Sophacles, Anne Arundel, and Dan Riley, Harford, voted against.
Four Republicans voted against: Robert Kittleman, Howard, Christopher Shank, Washington County, David Brinkley and Louise Snodgrass, Frederick County. Two republicans voting for: Barry Glassman, and Joanne Parrott, Harford. As a rule, the more conservative republicans voted against SB509, and more moderate republicans voted for SB509.
SB509 Passes House of Delegates
Senate Bill 509 passed the House of Delegates on Tuesday, April 4, 2000, by a vote of 90 to 35.
Diane DeCarlo, said the opposition is not giving up. "Its not over, yet," she said. "There are plans to petition for referendum and there are several lawsuits in the works."
Dutch and the Riverdale Apartments
My stepdaughter, Claudia Preston, and her family was "relocated" from the Riverdale Apartments that County Exectuive Dutch Ruppersberger refers to so often.
They moved to the Tall Trees apartments, and now are in the process of moving again.
I asked her why she didn't wait until the county took over the apartments and then get relocation expenses at that time.
"What relocation expenses!" she complained. "We were supposed to get a $500.00 stipend for our gas and electric, but we never got the money. The gas and electric company made us pay up for the money that we thought we would get from the county. That's why we had so much trouble paying our gas and electric at that time."
"The only people that got any relocation money were people on public assistance," she lamented. So much for Dutch Ruppersberger's successful relocation of 450 families.
Petition to Referendum
On Sunday, April 9, 2000, the anti SB509 people met to discuss a petition to referendum. The petition would need a required amount of signatures of registered voters in Baltimore County that would allow a referendum for the voters in November to vacate the law enacted by SB509.
The petition will have to rely on the wording by the county law. The persons administering the petitions have to be eighteen years of age, and they have to vouch that the people signing the petition are registered voters in Baltimore County.
Their organization had to pay thousands in dollars for lobbyists, and lawyers. They also have to pay $225.00 an hour for a very special lawyer to set up an injunction against the new law enacted by SB509. This has to be done to make sure that the law doesn't go into effect right away. Dutch will have to get along without the new law until after the election in November. And if we win, he will have to wait a long, long time.
The Republicans
Earlier that Sunday my wife Doris and I met with Beverley Goldstein, an old friend and a member of the Baltimore County Republican Central Committee. I gave her information about HB509 and she bade us to get on down to the Central Committee meeting the next evening. She also gave me contacts in Reistersrtown and Randalstown.
At the Central Committee, the members were informed about SB509 by Lisa Scott. Many members wanted to help. Also, the people against SB509 will be able to use the Central Committee's booth in the Towsontown Festival, May 6 & 7, to gather signatures on the petition for referendum Lisa and I also talked about the genius of our founding fathers. I wondered if the concepts of individual rights were a part of the colonial experience or were these a result of philosophies developed before that time."
Lisa told me that John Locke was a philosopher who influenced Thomas Jefferson. "I'll bring a copy about John Locke next time I see you.
The Liberty Road Confiscations
On Friday, April 14, 2000, I met with victims of the Dutch confiscation steamroller on Liberty Road. I met with Al Heyman, owner of the Randalstown Radiator and Auto repair, Stanley Griffins, Griffins Auto Center, and Gene Bremont's Randalstown Amoco.
Each place I saw was busy. Griffin's Service Center had three bays in full operation with people coming in and out all the time. The other businesses were the same way.
Stanley Griffin gave me a tour of the confiscation trail. Dutch is forcing these businesses to be torn down so that people driving along Liberty Road can see the shopping center in back of their property!
Mr. Griffin also told me that he would call each person on his customer list of 6000 names to gather signatures for the petition.
The Sun report April 14, 2000 referred to Ruppersberger's budget in this regard: "Other initiatives in the spending plan include ... $21.7 million to begin revitalization projects in the Liberty Road corridor in Randalstown, portions of Dundalk, Essex/Middle River and in other communities."
The Petitions Arrive
On April 16, 2000, a big meeting at the Commodore where the petitions were available to all the volunteers.
Under Maryland law, if 10% of registered voters who voted in the last gubernatorial election sign petitions, a state or local law can be placed on the ballot. In Baltimore County, that means that 24,100 signatures are needed, with 8,033 of them due by May 31, and the rest on June 30.
All the people there knew that many more signatures will be required.
First, there needs to be many more signatures because some of the signatures may be invalid, and second, there needs to be as many signatures as possible to show that we mean business.
Lisa Scott was there also. She had an article about John Locke. I couldn't wait to read it and guess what I found. In 1688 John Locke stated that "All men are "equal and independent" and possess the natural rights to "life, health, liberty and possessions."
These ideas helped shape the American Declaration of Independence and the subsequent U. S. Constitution.
And The Bill of Rights too.
Governor Glendening signs SB509
On April 25, 2000, Governor Parris N. Glendening signed SB509. The bill would have become law on July 1, 2000 if there had been no petition to referendum drive.
Kickoff for the Referendum to Petition
On Sunday afternoon, April 290, 2000, the kickoff for the referendum to petition for SB509 was held at the Commodore Hall.
Many local newspapers and two TV stations were in attendance.
Spokespersons for the effort were Del.'s Diane Dicarlo and Jim Ports who told the story for all to hear. Del. Wade Kach and former delegate for governor, Ellen Sauerbrey were also in attendance.
The next day, I was working at a local food processing plant painting beams in the ceiling. At break, of the four other painters there, two had seen the TV coverage on Channel 45. I was very impressed. The word was getting out very effectively.
The volunteers fanned out throughout Baltimore County. There was the Towsontown Festival, the Liberty Road effort, and the Essex - Middle River effort. People were volunteering from Baltimore City, and pitching in too.
Dutch Ruppersberger signs the petition agrees to debate.
In an effort to dispel what he called "misinformation", Dutch Ruppersberger called a press conference in Towson, stating that he would sign a petition to show that he wanted public participation in Baltimore County Government.
He told of being approached by a woman at a ceremonial ribbon-cutting and being asked, "Why are you taking my home."
Ruppersberger said that he then questioned the woman and learned that she was not one of the 39 owners of the properties specifically mentioned in SB509 as targets for acquisition. The list includes two owner-occupied houses and 37 businesses according to Dutch.
There are 241 addresses included in SB509. The owners of the businesses do not live there but their whole life resides at these addresses. (Dutch has given out an official number of 37 businesses on the list, but we have seen how little we can trust his interpretation of the facts. There may well be more than 37 businesses. (Who knows, Dutch shades the truth about every thing else ...)
Also SB509 does not stop with the addresses specifically mentioned in the bill. If the bill were to be passed, the language to allow the Baltimore County government to confiscate property from a private individual property owner anywhere in Baltimore County and give that property to a developer will be legal because that is exactly what the law will say and that is what Baltimore County can do.
Do you think for one second that if the law is passed, any Baltimore County executive would not use this law if he so chooses?
Absolutely not. This is a politicians dream come true!
Dutch also threw down a gauntlet to Del. Diane DeCarlo for seven debates to be held on the issue beginning after labor day.
He was accompanied by Dels. Mike Weir and Nancy Hubers. Del. Mike Weir is an outspoken critic of the anti SB509 effort and Del. Nancy Hubers refrained from voting for the bill in Annapolis because of a possible conflict of interest arising from her husbands ownership of property near the renewal area.
Recently Del. Hubers had come under fire because her husbands property in the area assessed value had not gone up as was the case for their neighbors, indeed, the assessment on their home on Cold Spring Road dropped by $5,100.
Also, none of their properties near the revitalization area was on the hit list for county takeover.
Diane Decarlo had been informed about the news conference late that morning and had hurried down to Towson to attend the news conference, arriving near the end of Dutch's comments.
She offered the county executive to sign her petition, but he turned her down.
As she watched from her seat, she had misgivings about the paper Dutch was using. She motioned to Michael H. Davis, Ruppersberger's chief of staff. "Are you sure that's a valid petition?"
It was indeed invalid, being a Xerox copy of one side of the original petition. So Dutch said "I guess I'll sign your petition after all."
Later, Del. Mike Weir criticized Del. Diane DeCarlo for being a "political opportunist."
Also accompanying Diane DeCarlo were Brad Wallace, a high performance automobile engine shop owner, Rick Impallaria, owner of a auto garage, and Janice Hundt, owner of Norman's Tag and Title.
They all had to rush out to Towson, after belatedly hearing the news. Rick had to borrow a pair of pants from a blind man near his garage, as he lives in Harford County, and would not have had time otherwise.
They all said with a sigh: "We have wanted debates on this from the beginning."
Why did Dutch sign the petition?
My read on why Dutch signed the petition is that he could see the momentum of the anti SB509 people and he thought he could defuse the process by saying again to the press and the people of Baltimore County that the misinformation being spread by these poor misguided folks is pathetic, but foolhardy. If the people of Baltimore County could only listen to his avuncular wisdom, they would realize that there is no truth in anything these people are saying and that every thing will be fine if they just trust old Dutch.
He offered the Lincoln / Douglas debates with Del. Diane Decarlo as a ruse to provide a smokescreen for a show of good faith to the people of Baltimore County.
If Dutch's scheme is successful, the people of Baltimore County will become complacent once again, and not pay any attention to this land grab for developers and campaign money for the gubernatorial election.
The petitions are ready.
The final meeting to get ready for the first installment of petitions was held at the Commodore Hall on Monday, May 22.
On Tuesday, May 30, 2000, ten stalwart anti SB509 individuals stormed Annapolis, went to the Maryland Secretary of State, and handed over 15,993 signatures. Our rights as Americans:
Thoughts about Lt. Gov. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend
The experience I had with Lt. Gov. Townsend led me to believe that she is very aware of the image she has cultivated. She showed herself to be very careful, and cautious. She has built up this image of a working mother with three irrascable daughters. Her personna includes the soccer mom who also happens to be Lieutenent Governor of the state of Maryland.
She is so busy juggling a mothers duties with that of governing the state of Maryland, sometimes she has to run down to the local supermarket and pick up another box of Tide, she is so busy.
The people of Maryland can trust a woman like that.
What Eva-Marie Montegna experienced as a person with no rights as an individual.
At the last meeting before the petitions were turned in I met a special woman, who had a special reason for helping with the petition drive. Here is her story.
Anna and Michael Semak were married in 1940 in a little village near Lvov, Ukraine. They were simple hard working people with little to distinguish themselves from so may of their countrymen.
One year later, in 1941, Germany invaded the Soviet Union and the Semaks were captured and sent back to Germany and concentration camps for the remainder of the war.
Separated most of the time and worked to exhaustion all the time, they survived the war only to be placed into displaced persons camps by the allies.
Anna and Michael had two children, Eva-Marie and Peter, Petro. Eva-Marie in 1945 and Petro in 1951. Petro never saw his father who died in 1950.
In 1951 Anna and her two children were released from the DP camps to live in Germany. Anna-Marie told me how difficult that was. "We lived for the Red Cross packages. There was Eagle brand powdered milk. It was so good and sweet. We would mix it with water and put it on bread. You have no idea how hard it was."
In 1956 the Hungarian uprising caused the Soviet Union to seek reprisals against Slavs in Europe. Anna knew that she had to try to get out of Germany.
"There was a German woman in the village who took a liking to me and she helped my mother to emigrate to the United States", recalls Eva-Marie.
"I can tell you. After I had lived with no rights as an individual, I knew the value of having the blessings of America. I heard the story on Zoh Hieronimus, on WCBM Radio and I came down to help."
"Americans are giving up their rights little by little and before you know it we will be the way we were back in the concentration camps and the DP camps."
"Darned right, I just go out into the county and sign up people for the petition drive. Its the least I can do for this country."
Opponents of seizure law submit signatures to state.
On June 30, 2000 a jubilant group of anti-SB509 workers submitted what they say were enough signatures to place the issue on Novembers ballot submitted to Maryland's Secretary of State The grand total collected by the group was 44,037 with the amount turned in June 30 amounting to 28,039. The colossal effort to bring SB509 petition to referendum has succeeded beyond what anybody would have thought possible.
Huzza!! for us.
Baltimore County will have Referendum on Senate Bill 509!
Election officials confirmed on July 20, 2000 that the referendum concerning SB509 will be on the ballot in the presidential election in November. Opponents of the measure have gathered enough valid petition signatures to force a vote they determined.
Michael J. Davis
946 Middlesex Rd.
Essex, MD 21221-2130
(410) 686-7501
mjdavis@qis.net
Michaeljdavis.com