Should it be too much to ask or to expect, the St. Mary’s County Commissioners to fairly operate the local government without corruption or the appearance of corruption? Apparently, for four of the board members, it is too much to ask.

Last week, without advertising for any property owner in the general vicinity of Leonardtown who may have garage space and a parking lot that they would wish to rent to the county government, the Board decided to lease the vacant building owned by Bell Motors and used by them, as a non-conforming use under the Leonardtown zoning rules.

The county, all of a sudden, says that they must close the Sheriff’s impound lot due to the construction of a new jail on the site and even though other county property is available at Leonard Hall Governmental Center, including the Leonard Hall school, which likely ought to be given notice to move from the county-owned building, which would free up space and prevent the taxpayers from having to build new offices.

But the Board didn’t ask anyone else if they had building and land available.

Because, when it comes down to it, we have county commissioners who send themselves out on self-appointed tasks of making back room deals and then bring it to the table for a quick vote, already having the votes lined up.

This is Good Old Boy Democrats at work and yet another good reason to not elect Democrats to the Board again. When the county had an all-Republican Board in 1994, the Republicans were often bickering due to the personality of Barbara Thompson, but they played fair.

The Democrats are the Deal or No Deal crowd. Kenny Dement would like to play fair but all he tosses the taxpayers are foul balls. He votes with the Democrats instead of with Commissioner Larry Jarboe, at nearly every opportunity.

This county, like the rest of the nation faces a very uncertain future. Deciding to hide all the Homeland Security junk which was been purchased as yet another Royal screwing of the taxpayers, is a good idea. Hide it, bozos, out of sight, out of mind. Maybe the taxpayers will forget all about this fraud if they can’t see it.

Sheriff Tim Cameron, as good a fellow as he is, needs to wise up and stop playing ball with those who are devious and out of touch with reality.

While there may be plausible reasons for all of the planned projects, when the taxpayers just don’t have any more to give, these officials need to learn to cut spending and damn well do it now.

The Democrats on the St. Mary’s Board refuse to cut spending and maintain the constant yield. Good. Let them raise taxes, which is the result of failing to cut the tax rate. It may be a cold day in hell that another Democrat gets elected to the Board in the future. This Board is going to have as much as 20 percent less money come in due to the downturn in the economy. If they don’t cut spending they will be raising taxes and the county employees’ better watch out as dozens of them could be looking for work over the next two years.

In the meantime, without any type of public bid or open solicitation of proposals, St. Mary’s County is going to rent the Bell Motors garage and parking lot and the Bells will still be allowed to park their used cars for sale in the front of the building.

But the Sheriff and the Public Safety departments will be having people work there in the building.

Will the county employees who work there be required to wear plaid sport coats and loud ties to work at Bubba’s Used Cars and Police Storage Company?

Tommy Bell would be rolling over in his grave on this one if only he knew.

Don’t expect the Board to be embarrassed over being caught on this deal. Just worry about what deals Tommy Mattingly is cooking up that we don’t know about.