From Del. Kathy Szeliga:
A Top 100 Girl!
Very Humbled to Be Selected
This week, I was selected as one of Maryland’s Top 100 Women!
The Daily Record has selected Maryland’s Top 100 Women for the last 20 years. The awards will be presented on May 4th.
Click Here to read the entire list of Maryland’s Top 100 Women.
Heroine
An Epidemic in Every Community
A couple of decades ago, heroine addiction only plagued some urban communities. No more. Heroine use is up in every county in Maryland. Many people have seen the effects of drug addiction too close to home.
Governor Larry Hogan joined with Lt. Governor Boyd Rutherford to announce the establishment of both the Heroin and Opioid Emergency Task Force and a separate Inter-Agency Coordinating Council. Both groups will work and support efforts to address Maryland’s growing heroin and opioid crisis.
In 2013, heroin-related overdose deaths (464) outnumbered homicides (387), which represents a 95 percent increase in heroin-related overdose deaths since 2010. Preliminary findings for 2014 show overall heroin-related overdose deaths have continued to rise and will outpace those in 2013 by approximately 20 percent. There is growing evidence that many new heroin addictions stem from the abuse of prescription painkillers. Once addicted to these opioids, individuals may switch to increasingly cheap and “available” heroin.
The Heroin and Opioid Emergency Task Force, a group made up of law enforcement prof
essionals, elected officials, and substance abuse experts will meet regularly and solicit input and guidance from a wide variety of sources throughout the state. The group will also meet with and receive guidance from educators, families of those suffering from addiction, and other vested stakeholders.
Governor Hogan also officially established the Inter-Agency Heroin and Opioid Coordinating Council. This council includes multiple state agencies and provides the opportunity to share data for the purpose of supporting public health and public safety responses to the heroin and opioid crisis. It will also serve to develop recommendations for policy, regulations, and legislation.
Governor Hogan appointed Lt. Governor Rutherford to lead both the Heroin and Opioid Emergency Task Force and the Inter-Agency Heroin and Opioid Coordinating Council.
Rain Tax Repeal
It Has Been Raining Taxes in Maryland
This week in my committee, we heard a number of bills to repeal the Rain Tax. I was a cosponsor of two bills (HB 481 & HB 874) and I’m working with Governor Hogan to Repeal the Rain Tax.
Passing the bills to repeal the rain tax means that counties can still implement a rain tax, but the 10 jurisdictions will not be required to do this or face possible fines and legal battles.
Who is opposed to Repealing the Rain Tax mandate and who supports it?
Keep the Rain Tax:
Baltimore County Executive
Sierra Club
Chesapeake Bay Foundation
Prince Georges County Executive
Repeal the Rain Tax:
Harford County Executive
Howard County Executive
many more citizens and businesses
I will continue to work to Repeal the Rain Tax.
Here’s a funny video on Maryland’s Rain Tax:
You’re Being Polled!
What Do YOU Think?
My District 7 Team and I are conducting a poll. I hope you can take a few minutes to tell me your opinion on issues that are important to you and your family.
Please feel free to share this link with your family and friends. Your opinion counts!
Thank you for your continued help and support. Please do not hesitate to contact me if I can ever be of assistance to you and your family.
Sincerely,
Delegate Kathy Szeliga
Wow, a Top 100 Girl. I’m speechless. As for the issues, can you say Captain Obvious? Like WATCHER has already reported, the Feds will get their money regardless if its called a Rain Tax or not. The payments will still be made through property taxes. Did anyone know that Heroin is an epidemic? No Sh_t Sherlock! I guess the next obvious step will be to open more Methadone Clinics! Wont that solve the problem? No, it will serve the problem! How about monitoring those Pain Management Programs a little more closely? That is where the Pills hit the street. Patients are selling their Pills like Hot Cakes all over Maryland! How do you think those Pain Management Patients are affording that new car? To derail an Epidemic, you must curtail the supply. Man, I guess I’m being Captain Obvious now! The irresponsible prescription of the Opiates is the REAL problem. Just as simple as that…….
Hey Kathy, I guess there is a lack of modesty in your personality. Nothing like blowing your own horn for no BFD. And by the way, Soul Crusher is absolutely correct, you are definitely Captian Obvious (and have been since you started posting on The Dagger). I assume you think that us “Dagger Observers” are the idiots? And BTW….the “funny video” is not funny at all…….. 🙁
The fact that she led the article by announcing her “selection” to the awards list shows a sincere lack of humbleness and modesty. Amazing that she tooted her own horn in an article shared with these other topics! Basically, by leading with herself – she is unintentionally showing that she could care less about the real issues and only wants to bring light to herself. At a minimum – she could have at least congratulated the other 99 winners, or seemed a bit more humble about the selection process.
While I am not one to continuously point out grammatical errors, THE FACT THAT AN ELECTED OFFICIAL CANNOT GET THE SPELLING OF A MAJOR ILLEGAL DRUG RIGHT IS ABSO – F*CKING – LUTELY MINDBLOWING! Really? Heroine?
heroine:
noun
1. a woman of distinguished courage or ability, admired for her brave deeds and noble qualities.
2. the principal female character in a story, play, film, etc.
heroine:
: a woman who is admired for great or brave acts or fine qualities
: the chief female character in a story, play, movie, etc.
Examples of HEROINE –
The town remembered her as the heroine of the flood and erected a statue in her honor.
So making such a massive blunder on a relatively “large” stage has got to be a bit of an embarrassment for not only the elected official herself, but also for the people who voted for her. I cannot repeat the sentiments of Soul Crusher as he nailed it perfectly – “pointing out the obvious”, which seems to be her reoccurring mission here on The Dagger.
I would have preferred some original thought – then again, are these her words? So she was just “voted” to be one of the Top 100 Women in Maryland (supposedly), and then makes a huge gaffe by replacing “heroin” with “heroine”. Not subtle at all. The only parts in the article where it is spelled as intended (heroin, referring to the illegal drug) are obvious “Copy and Paste” from other articles / bills / updates / sources.
If you look at the definitions provided above for “heroine”, it is clear that this was intentional on the part of the Delegate. She herself merely desires everlasting love and devotion from all those that come across her – nevermind the real issues. Nevermind solving the problems…as long as she can get her name out there, maybe she will get her very own statue? Right?
I thought it was just me who felt the first paragraph of this article was self serving, narcissistic, and irrelevant. I guess not. As far as the misspelling of the topic of the second paragraph, just think, this coming from an elected employee responsible for legislating on behalf of those in the 7th district. Why do people keep voting for the same inept power hungry goof balls?
(R)
Congratulations, Delegate Szeliga, on being chosen one of Maryland’s Top 100 Women! I think you are very deserving of the award and I have been impressed with the way you communicate so openly and frequently with your constituents. I am very pleased that you are representing me in our Maryland State government.
I call Troll.
Wow Kathy….Top 100. Maybe we could get Impalaria in the top 100 men as well.
Two obvious points the delegate might or might not be willing to admit:
1. The “rain tax” is a tax on pollution, not a tax on rain. That’s why the cleanup programs will be funded one way or another.
2. Any attempt to mitigate the heroin problem must include re-establishing the government’s credibility. For decades, young people have been making the fatal mistake of trying heroin after learning from experience that the government was lying to them about marijuana.
People who are truly “humbled” don’t start off their communications by proclaiming they’re received some kind of an award, Mrs. 100.
By the way, by what means do you propose to mitigate the environmental problems associated with toxic runoff? Or is the pollution in the Bay just another conclusion of “faulty science.”
“If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem.”
Heaven help us
Any politician who uses the term “rain tax” is either completely uninformed, or they would like their constituents to be uninformed. It is not a tax on rain but a fee to help deal with storm water runoff, which is polluted with our pet crap and lawn chemicals. It was $12.50 a year and personally I was very willing to pay for it to help preserve the Chesapeake. Republicans invent insidious sounding nick names for ideas that they don’t care about, like the Chesapeake.
Doug, are you willing to pay for all of our $12.50 fees this year? How about in 2 years, when the EPA decides it needs to be twice as much? Can you pay my flush tax while you’re at it?
“…are you willing to pay for all of our $12.50 fees this year? How about in 2 years, when the EPA decides it needs to be twice as much? Can you pay my flush tax while you’re at it?”
For some, “Save the Bay” means others should pay…