Last week the Baltimore County Council, on a 4-3 vote, approved the revised contract of sale between Baltimore County and Caves Valley Partners for County property slated to be the site of a commercial development known as “Towson Station.” It is as good a time as any to look back at the history of this project.
When you do look back at the history, a clear pattern emerges. Sometimes it is less obvious, but the pattern is always there: A bias in favor of the prospective developer, questionable decisions, rules bent and corners cut, and roadblocks thrown in the path of opponents of the project.
You can also detect an odor, and sometimes it is fainter, but it is always there. If you don’t recognize the odor, it is the odor of the pay-to-play culture that permeates the Baltimore County government.
Earlier this month Ann Constantino reported in the Baltimore Post that since 2010 Caves Valley Partners and its affiliates have contributed $61,000 to the campaign fund of County Executive Kevin Kamenetz. They also have contributed a total of $60,350 to the campaign funds of the current members of the County Council. Not included in those figures are contributions that may have come from spouses and other family members.
There’s an old saw used to deflect concerns about the influence wielded by large campaign contributors: They aren’t buying influence, they’re just seeking access to public officials. Read the history and decide if Caves Valley got its money’s worth of “access” to County officials.
Read full article: The history of Towson Station puts a spotlight on the pay-to-play culture in Baltimore County. – InsideOutsights
