By Greg Bassett

The three candidates running for Wicomico County Executive displayed three remarkably contrasting visions for the county’s top elected post during a forum last week at Salisbury University.

As she has been during the campaign, Republican Julie Giordano was the clear aggressor in the battle of issues and philosophies while on the Holloway Hall stage with Democrat Ernest Davis Jr. and Libertarian Muir Boda.

The forum was organized by the Greater Salisbury Committee, along with the Salisbury Area Chamber of Commerce and SU’s Institute for Public Affairs and Civic Engagement, with questions coming from the sponsors, as well as the audience.

Giordano, who lives in Hebron, is a former Human Services manager and 16-year veteran of Wicomico County schools. She prevailed in the Republican primary with 52 percent of the vote, beating incumbent Acting County Executive John Psota.

Davis of Salisbury, who is the current Wicomico County Council Vice President and a small business owner, was unchallenged in the July primary. Boda of Salisbury is the current Vice President of the Salisbury City Council.

The candidates addressed issues new and old to the county, including the County Executive’s role in government, the pressing need for municipal sewer and water expansion, the controversial revenue cap on property taxes and public education.

Giordano made clear from the first question that she would govern as a Republican, but also said unity was a key to advancing government.

“I am a teacher, a mom, a wife, a concerned citizen, and I stand for the national anthem and I say the pledge every morning,” she said in an opening statement. “My heart beats Republican red, I back the blue and I bow my head in prayer.”

Providing leadership – and what she said was a lack of it at the highest ranks of county government – would be her top priority.

“We are in a pivotal time in our county when we need a strong and active leader,” she said.

Davis opened by citing his background as a small business owner, a lifelong Wicomico resident and retired Maryland State Police Trooper.

He said his eight-year tenure on the County Council had been successful, and touted his role in adding $1.2 million to the county’s most recent budget to fund additional school security.

He said ensuring water and sewer expansion, as well as county-wide broadband access, would be his top priorities.

Boda, the son of a waterman, noted he is a lifelong Shore resident who has lived in the county since 1999, having served the last seven years on Salisbury City Council.

He touted his contributions to the city’s new “Here Is Home” program, designed to increase home construction, thereby lowering housing costs and creating more-affordable housing.

“I offer fresh ideas,” he said, including “re-imagining government in Wicomico County, and years of experience managing people and understanding and implementing municipal budgets.”

Boda also stressed his partnerships with community role players and leaders; Davis touted his experience in business, law enforcement and government; Giordano declared the County Executive should always be “the voice of the people.”

“(The County Executive) is the elected position – it is the people’s choice as to who is going to lead Wicomico County. How lucky we are to have someone to represent the people and be the voice of the people,” Giordano said.

Revenue Cap

In 2004, Wicomico voters approved a referendum capping any increases in county revenues derived from property taxes.

The Revenue Cap has always been criticized as too complicated -- there has always been suspicion that voters confused the Revenue Cap with a Tax Rate Cap.

Two of the three candidates last week said they firmly supported the cap.

“To some extent it is a good thing,” said Boda. “Maybe there could be some tweaks to it. In and of itself, it is a good thing and should remain in place.”

Giordano offered a longer defense of the cap.

“As far as the revenue cap is concerned, it will be left in place,” she said. “I’m here to increase your quality of life in Wicomico County, not your property taxes. I want to grow the business community and bring more jobs. A lot of people are hurting in this county and the last thing they need is a property tax increase.”

Davis, however, said the cap needs at least some serious review.

“Right now (the Revenue Cap) is strangling the county,” he said. “Taxes have been going down because of the cap.”

He cited needs for increased funding, mentioning EMS and Fire Services, public safety, airport expansion and roads construction.

“I’m not going to say we need to get rid of the (Revenue) Cap, but we need to sit down with a group of people, educate ourselves and revamp the cap,” he said.

Each candidate agreed that the tax differential that affects budgets in the county’s municipalities needs consideration. Residents in towns have long complained that they pay both municipal and county taxes, which could be considered a dual taxation.

In Maryland, every county but Wicomico has some system where county money is somehow allotted to municipalities to ease tax burdens.

Giordano said the matter needs to be studied again, as the last public look at the issue was more than 20 years ago.

Davis said the issue has never been truly presented. “On the council, no one has ever brought it up to us. I would be willing to sit down with municipalities and hear their case.”

Boda, for whom tax differential is an issue as a city official, said it “desperately needs to be looked at.”

“The city (of Salisbury) is subsidizing county residents, mostly when it comes to police coverage,” he said.

All three candidates said water and sewer expansion was a priority.

Davis said he would create a county Sanitation Department to oversee the need. Boda called water and sewer “the biggest issue facing our county,” adding that he would insist public water be added in conjunction with public sewer.

Giordano said she supports the efforts of the Greater Salisbury Committee and business leaders, who have created a special committee to push officials to address the issue.

She added that she would appoint a Chief Executive Officer to lead and coordinate the effort.

Big ideas

Asked what “big ideas” they would promote as County Executive, each offered a platform.

Boda said he would work to “re-imagine how government serves people,” calling the current system “somewhat antiquated.” He touted Salisbury Mayor Jake Day’s across-the-board restructuring of city departments and functions, saying the same thing needs to occur in the county.

Boda also said a Fire Services Commission needs to be created to examine fire services needs over the next 15 to 25 years.

“Volunteers are dwindling,” he said. “We need to re-imagine fire service. We need countywide EMS that is paid for by the county government.”

Giordano said her aggressive leadership style would serve to fulfill many of the county’s needs and she would improve communication between government and the public.

She said she would hold town meetings across the county monthly, giving the public better opportunity to both learn and provide feedback to officials.

She also said she would adopt a regional approach to issues, citing the work of the Tri-County Council. “We need to blur lines and create a strong force,” she said.

Davis re-emphasized his campaign promises to fill open employee positions within county government while working to ensure total broadband coverage county-wide.

The forum became a bit tense when a question was posed concerning each candidate’s financial prowess. It is the County Executive who crafts the county budget and presents it to the council. As the legislative branch, the council may cut the budget, but not add to it.

In the GOP primary, Psota made issue of Giordano’s personal financial history – which included a home foreclosure –  suggesting she lacked financial credentials.

Girordano first said she would retain county Finance Director Pam Oland, complimenting Oland’s work with both the city and county. Then, she addressed her own history.

“We’ve all had our issues. I barely made it out of the last recession in 2008,” she said. “I think when you are given a financial challenge and you are able to overcome it, that shows the kind of leader you are.”

Davis didn’t take advantage of the opening, and instead recounted how he had “built two businesses from the ground up.”

Boda, who works as a corporate security official for Wal-Mart stores, said his professional background includes business finances and loss prevention. He also referred to his work on the City Council, which scrutinizes the annual budget and spending.

Schools

The County Executive’s role in education generated discussion. Under the County Charter, the executive has no direct role in education, but can help steer money for capital spending such as new schools.

Davis said he would stress to educational leaders that the county’s graduation rates need improvement, while also calling for an increase in per-student funding.

Boda said the executive should serve as a partner to the schools administration and be a cheerleader for improvements, but added the executive “is not a rubber stamp for the school board.”

Giordano said she saw herself taking a more active role in education.

“There is nothing more important than our schools,” she said. “We need to teach our children how to think and not what to think. We need to bring our community stakeholders back into our schools.”

On funding, she said spending more is not always the best solution.

“Throwing money at a problem doesn’t solve a problem,” she said. “I’ve been teaching for 18 years and never have I said, ‘Oh, I’m doing this for the paycheck.’

“I’m doing this for the kids,” she said. “The schools have much deeper issues than the salaries of teachers.”

Candidate-specific questions

At the conclusion, each candidate faced a question geared specifically to their campaign and history.

As a third-party challenger, Boda was asked if there is a serious prospect of his election.

“The path for third-party candidates is always tough,” he said, “(but) I am to many in the county a known commodity. It’s a tough path, but sometimes it’s about bringing forth ideas that aren’t being discussed.

Known for a reluctance to engage in debate at County Council meetings, Davis was asked if his quiet nature meant he lacked the necessary leadership.

“Just because I’m quiet doesn’t mean I’m (not) active,” he said. “Look at my actions – actions speak louder than words. I don’t talk just to be talking. I’m going to tell you what I think we should do and get it done.”

Giordano was asked if she is a “new Republican,” as opposed to traditional GOP members.

A supporter of controversial Maryland gubernatorial candidate Dan Cox, Giordano likely benefited in the primary from the Trump-aligned Republican. Cox easily defeated more-moderate Republican Kelly Shulz in the GOP voting.

Giordano shared some campaign advertising with Cox, who appeared in Salisbury with Giordano during early voting. 

She said she remains a supporter of Cox.

“I supported Dan Cox and I’m glad I did, because he won our county by 18 points,” she said. “As far as there being two different types of Republicans, I don’t feel there are.

“I think there are people out there who want to see change made. I think there are people out there who are not happy with what’s going on right now,” she said.

Closing arguments

Giordano used her closing statement to toss barbs at the mainstream media, as well as her opponents on the stage.

She chided the media for not publishing various campaign news releases, chided Boda’s election endorsement from eight-year Democratic County Executive Rick Pollitt and blasted both Davis’ endorsement from the county teachers association as well as his “Jumpstart Wicomico” campaign slogan.

I feel like your slogan is comparing Wicomico to a dead car on the side of the road,” she said. Later she added: “Wicomico doesn’t need a jumpstart – it needs a whole new engine.”

Davis, meanwhile, took issue with a Giordano campaign mailer that suggested he would raise taxes if elected.

“Just look at the facts. We have never raised taxes in the eight years I’ve been on the council.”

Davis said “jumpstart” refers to what he considers the county’s lack of forward momentum.

“The county is stagnant,” Davis said. “We need to get it moving.”  

The forum was moderated by 47-ABC news anchor Hannah Cechini. The panelists were Mike Dunn of the Greater Salisbury Committee, Bill Chambers of the Salisbury Area Chamber of Commerce and Sandy Pope of SU’s Institute for Public Affairs and Civic Engagement.

Early voting in Maryland starts Oct. 27 and Election Day is Nov. 8.