Jack Young - Returning Corruption to Baltimore

When Baltimore City Councilwoman Helen Holton was indicted on criminal charges in 2009, then City Council President Stephanie Rawlings-Blake removed her from her chair position over the City's Taxation Committee. Then Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon resigned in disgrace after facing corruption charges, which by-law moved Baltimore City Council President Stephanie Rawlings-Blake up to the position of Mayor. The Baltimore City Council then voted unannomously to appoint City Council member Jack Young to the City Council President.

Now with Jack Young as City Council President he has made a move that signifies that he is ready to return Baltimore back to the days when corruption was tolerated in city government. Jack Young has reaapointed Helen Holton to the chair of the Taxation Committee.

Helen Holton is no stranger to corruption. In fact, she gave former Mayor Sheila Dixon a run for her money for the title of the most corruption Baltimore City politician. Holton was charged with bribery, perjury, wrongdoing in office, accepting a bribe (ABC News 1/9/2009), and campaign finance violations (Baltimore Sun 7/28/2009) when she soliticed campaign contributions from developers Ron Lipscomb (Sheila Dixon's former boyfriend) and John Paterakis, the developer who is giving himself a questionable reputation.

The position for which she will be reappointed will give her the power to give tax breaks to developers. So let me get this straight - she was charged with illegally soliciting campaign contributions from developers, but she will be allowed to provide tax breaks for developers? No conflict of interest there!!! This would be like appointing Maryland Delegate Kumar Barve who was arrested for DUI to be in charge of the liquor board.

If Baltimore City wanted to remove any hints of impropriety, it would ban campaign contributions from developers to elected officials who can grant tax breaks to developers. In fact, the city should ban campaign contributions from any entity that receives tax breaks to any elected official who is on a board that provides such tax breaks. Think that will happen? Not a chance in hell!!! Baltimore City politicians like their cozy corrupt relationships.

So don't be too surprised when we learn of more corruption in Baltimore City. Because when you put people with no ethical standards in charge of the government, you get corruption.