Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon’s House Raided by Investigators
Too tired right now, but my full take on this is forthcoming. Stay tuned.
Archive for the ‘sheila dixon’
Guest Commentary: We Can’t Let Our Young People Starve by Lynn Pinder
Call To Action: We Can’t Let Our Young People Starve
By Lynn Pinder
As I watched the news last night, I was moved by the actions of a group of young people from Baltimore who launched a hunger strike as a last effort to force the City of Baltimore to provide $3 million dollars in support of a youth initiative called Peer to Peer Enterprises that would employ older youth in Baltimore to tutor young children. These young warriors – the epitome of youth development - are dynamic, articulate, and engaged in a righteous fight for justice. Their actions and behavior are in direct contrast to another group of older youth who also made the news last night for their vicious attack against a young barbering student last week.
As I sat watching the two stories, the urgency in the demands of the young people participating in the hunger strike pulled my heart strings as did the response of our City leaders. I heard the following comments from our City leaders: “The money has been allocated. We don’t have $3 million dollars. We’re willing to work with the young people if they will compromise.” And I wondered why should our young people have to compromise? These young people are our leaders today. Why can’t we – the adults – figure out a way to invest in them?
Although the City of Baltimore may not have the funds to support another youth initiative, it has access to wealthy business partners who might contribute financial support if they were asked. Corporations, production companies, developers, and investors - like the Ritz-Carlton, Struever Bros. Eccles & Rouse, Inc., the Marriott, Constellation Energy, the producers of the WIRE, and HBO - could easily write-off the expense of another youth initiative in Baltimore without it ever having to be a burden on the City’s “rainy day” budget.
Youth fund boost denied
City Council panel rejects bid to use interest earned in ‘rainy day’ account
By John Fritze
Sun reporter
May 29, 2008
A Baltimore City Council committee rejected a proposal to use interest from the city’s $88 million “rainy day fund” for children’s programs during an unexpectedly passionate debate last night about the best way to ensure the city’s financial future.
In a blow to advocates who have lobbied City Hall for more money for youth programs, a majority of council members said the city should continue to build its rainy day fund in case of an emergency rather than direct the interest from the fund to youth programs.
Debate over the programs has become especially contentious because surplus funds used to finance them in the past have run dry. Mayor Sheila Dixon earmarked more than $14 million for the programs this year in the budget, and advocates are seeking an additional $4 million.
“To me, it’s a priority. It’s not fluff,” said City Councilwoman Mary Pat Clarke, who has led the effort on the council to fund the programs and who voted in favor of using the rainy day money. “To me, it’s the first thing that should be funded every year.”
Guest Commentary by Marvin “Doc” Cheatham (Pres of Baltimore NAACP)
Baltimore City Public School System
By Marvin “Doc” Cheatham, Sr.
Recent violent occurrences in our Baltimore City Public School system should finally be the wake-up call for all of us to get actively involved in the education of OUR children.
The Family and Community Engagement Policy of the Baltimore City Public School System, approved May 25, 2004, needs to be scraped. Some of the language can be retained, but this document is merely words and not a plan to really engage parents, residents, community organizations, faith based institutions and businesses.
The Baltimore City Public School System’s Office of Parent Involvement and School, Family, Community Connections is failing in its objective to promote ongoing community engagement activities in our schools. Outside agencies and individuals are not participating at truly beneficial and successful levels, in helping our schools achieve greater success. We must be careful in engaging some of these non-profits that are only involved to receive funding for their experimental project that show no real benefit for our children. Communities, contrary to the schools allegations, are not being encouraged at the level we must have them to become increasingly more involved and committed to the shred responsibility of improving our schools.
Today’s the day Maryland! Let’s Go Out & Vote!!
For those who were not able to attend either of the Barack Obama rallies here in Maryland yesterday, here is a clip from his speech in Baltimore yesterday. I was one in the number as 13,000 people cheered him on.
You can view the rest of this video and all of my other vids on my youtube page.
Here’s video from the Obama Rally at the University of Maryland College Park. Thanks to Chip Dizard from Absolute Presence for providing this great piece.
“Questionable” practices continue to hound Baltimore City Government
I used to be one of those people that had a lacksadaisical attitude toward politics. Yea - I saw it on the news, but I didn’t pay it much mind. But for the past two years, I have really developed a strong passion for community organizing, advocacy, and public policy. Once I learned that I could manipulate my environment (I got two bills passed last year in Maryland); my appetite to be involved in more systemic change quickly developed. I began learning A LOT! And finding out that so much was being HIDDEN from the general public concerning the political process like where the money is going, and who really makes up the Power Structure. Let me give you an example.
See this guy?
Slots coming to Maryland is the Goliath that can’t be beaten
At least that’s what “they” want you to think. Who’s “they?” - the politically powerful, the well-financed, the mainstream media. They want the public to think, “what’s the use in opposing slots? It’s coming whether we want it or not. ”
O’Malley’s flip flop change of heart on the matter of using slots to fund education has signaled to all who a part of his machine that it’s time for them to get in line as well. Mayor Sheila Dixon has done her part. She sent out an e-blast last week letting everyone know that she supports slots “under certain conditions.” The money, “they” say will help close the state budget deficit, save the horse-racing industry, and fund education. Word is Baltimore Ravens Middle Linebacker, Ray Lewis, is in on the deal. Apparently, he’ll be part owner of the casino that they’re talking about bringing to Baltimore just south of downtown.  (He must be getting ready for his post-football career because they got their butts whupped last night for the world to see on Monday Night Football against the Pittsburgh Steelers.)
Baltimore Algebra Project march for Jobs & Education Today! (City Hall, 3:30PM)
Today I will join members of the Baltimore Algebra Project and their many allies as we march for jobs and quality education for Baltimore City’s youth. These committed students are extremely frustrated with a government that seems to be more concerned with criminalizing them and/or locking them up than it is providing a quality education for them and securing avenues to gainful employment. While “gang enforcement” is the buzz word in Baltimore and other cities in the nation, fewer people are talking about the root causes that help to cultivate the growth and expansion of these street organizations. What many will find is that at the root is social injustice - concentrated poverty, substandard educational systems, aggressive policing, blight, and divestment by the business sector coupled with fragmented families and shotty social support (i.e. unconcerned Faith institutions, dirth of recreational opportunities, etc.) create the perfect storm that propels the disconnected and marginalized to fashion their own “community.”
I join the Baltimore Algebra Project (BAP) in calling on Governor Martin O’Malley, Mayor Sheila Dixon, and all other elected officials (especially the Baltimore delegation) to provide Baltimore City youth with a quality education as mandated by the Maryland State Constitution (and as requested in this 2006 Baltimore City Council Resolution) and to create job opportunities so that the city’s younger population can become members of the city’s workforce.
Today the march will begin at Baltimore’s City Hall, 3:30PM. For those in Baltimore, I pray to see you there.
Enjoy this rap video by a couple of members of BAP as they offer lyrical expression to their desires. (This video features some of my pictures - Chris! X! Can a brotha get some credit?!)
The Sad Story of Compromised Leading Blacks in Baltimore
After a season of strategic separation, Martin O’Malley and Sheila Dixon are back together again - this time to help Sheila become the Mayor of Baltimore City.
Today, O’Malley and Kweisi Mfume (who also has been mysteriously absent from the public sphere since facing allegations of his involvement in the ouster of Tyrone Powers from the airwaves of 88.9FM in January) endorsed Sheila Dixon at the War Memorial Plaza downtown.
A large crowd of luminaries were on stage in support of Dixon and today’s endorsement including : Sen. Nathaniel McFadden, Sen. Catherine Pugh, Delegates Maggie McIntosh, Curt Anderson, Melvin Stukes, Cheryl Glenn, City Council President Stephanie Rawlings Blake, City Council Vice President Robert Curran, and even Dr. Frank Reid, pastor of Bethel AME Church.
Interestingly enough, Martin O’Malley called Dixon “a constant advocate for the best interest of the majority of the people of the city.” However, that view is far from a consensus. Creators of the accountability site: The Truth About Sheila Dixon, want to remind voters that Dixon has often looked out for her best interest and the interest of her “Boss”- Martin O’Malley.
