S2 E50: ICE DRAMA & POLITICAL ACTORS AT CITY COUNCIL MEETING
A protest against the County's 287(g) immigration enforcement plan was held this past week at the Government Office Building. The County Executive asserted that a MOU with ICE authorizing the Sheriff's Dept. to serve Federal immigration warrants had been agreed upon. But it has since been revealed that the County hasn't even submitted the application and no MOU presently exists. By withholding vital information from the public and County/City Councils, spreading inaccurate information, and refusing to be transparent, the County Executive is generating unnecessary apprehension and division. Salisbury's Mayor attends City Council meetings to inform the public and take criticism, but the County Executive refuses to face her constituents, choosing instead to leave them uninformed and frustrating their right to have their grievances heard. Likewise, the Salisbury City Council isn't forthcoming with information about proposed ordinances, density increases and developer agreements, etc. Not only is the information frequently unavailable to the public, but City Council members have often demonstrated that they don't even understand the implications of what they're voting on. Discussions that should be held publicly are instead taking place in the secrecy of closed sessions. Consequently, taxpayers are bearing the costs of infrastructure improvements that only benefit developers, zoning changes are adversely impacting existing property owners, and affordable housing goals are not being achieved. Can we trust a government that refuses to be transparent, is unwilling to communicate, and acts to benefit developers and campaign donors at taxpayer expense? Tune in and be informed.
