Hambone's Road Trip Includes County PIO,
TV Cameraman and State Assessment Officer
ANNAPOLIS (Feb. 1, 2005) --- St. Mary's Commissioner Tommy "Hambone" McKay Hauls County's Public Information Officer Jennifer Fabricante, his own personal press secretary, to Annapolis for Governor's "Surprise" Announcement.
Also on the Road to Annapolis are GOP party activist and newly appointed State Assessment Chief Sean Powell.  McKay, was accompanied by the pair of local government officials who act as his own personal press agents, Fabricantte and the county's tv cameraman, Mark, who enjoyed the lark on this taxpayer-paid day of fun and frolic at the Governor's Office in the Statehouse for an "announcement" which everyone knows in advance will deal with how the Governor spends your money in St. Mary's. Hambone McKay's own press corps, paid for by tax dollars instead of his campaign committee, were able to film this latest episode of "Tommy Lusts for Annapolis". 
This level of political activity is a first for the State Assessment Officer, a local hardworker for the GOP who puts up signs, campaigns, and works hard for the party, all on his own time of course.
But Powell contacted ST. MARY'S TODAY this afternoon to note that today's campaign activity was done on his day off as he took leave for the day from his job. Powell was elected to the GOP Central Committee but resigned to take the state job.  Give him credit for that as he had an ethics ruling which said he didn't have to quit the Central Committee. Powell is a likely future candidate for office who ran for Register of Wills in the last election.
Local property owners who have experienced profound increases in assessments can now understand that the GOP doesn't want to vote to raise taxes, they just raise the assessments. They think people are too stupid to figure it out.  Maybe McKay had an ulterior motive in taking Powell with him, if he wasn't in St. Mary's County for the day there would be that many more properties which wouldn't have been reassessed.
Senator Roy Dyson (D. Charles, Calvert, ST. Mary's) has called on property owners who have experienced increases in assessments which are out of line to appeal those back door tax hikes.
On Monday, St. Mary's Commissioner Larry Jarboe (R. Golden Beach) proposed using a $10 million surplus to block the tax assessment increase in St. Mary's County.  Will Jarboe get support from McKay on this proposal?  Commissioner Dan Raley (D. Great Mills) told ST. MARY'S TODAY it is time to maintain the constant yield.  
But remember, only The Shadow knows for sure!