In the Advocate, published June 14, 2006, Senator Larry Haines said:
                        “I want to carry on my public services, helping meet the needs of my constituency.”

            For those of you in Baltimore County, what has Senator Haines done for you lately? He’s been your State Senator for four years. Do you even know what he looks like?
            There’s only one Republican named club in District 5B and Mr. Haines finally took them up on their offer to have him address the club...three years after the offer was made, according to the club president.
            Senator Haines has taken Baltimore County Republicans for granted for over four years. He didn’t campaign in Baltimore County in 2002 but you saw his signs at your local polling precinct. Do you really want an absentee State Senator who only comes around when he has competition?

                        “I’ve always stood for less government and lower taxes, more jobs and safe streets.”

            Senator, safe streets doesn’t only mean less crime. Safe streets should also mean less congested roadways. Carroll County has not had a major road project since the 1950’s. You’ve had 16 years to bring home much needed and deserved state dollars yet we see very little. The county citizens have been taxed twice. Since we receive limited funds while other counties are constantly building new roads with state     funding, we’ve had to pay for our own roads.

            More jobs: What I see more of in Carroll County is more homes, many of which were sold by Haines Realty. If we cannot provide the necessary infrastructure to attract quality businesses, they will look elsewhere and that is quite evident with Carroll’s low industrial tax base.

            Lower taxes: Senator Haines will attempt to fool you by touting his bill introduced in 2006 to lower Carroll’s Homestead Property Tax Cap from 7% to 5% and tell you how horrible the commissioners are for working with the Democratically controlled legislature to defeat his bill. He will also tell you that many other counties have a 1.5% HPTC and our commissioners had the audacity to ask for a transfer tax of up to 1%.
            What he neglects to tell you is: Had Mr. Haines not reneged on his agreement with the commissioners to approve the transfer tax if they were willing to lower the cap to 5%, assessments that many in Carroll        received in their 2005 Christmas stocking would have been considerably lower. You see, the commissioner’s request of the transfer tax included lowering the HPTC to 5% and they showed their good faith prior to the 2005 session by lowering the cap from 10% to 7%.
            He also fails to tell you those same counties that have such a low cap do in fact ALL have a transfer tax and a much larger industrial tax base that enables them to have such a low cap.

            Less government:  Allowing the 2004 referendum of voting for 5 commissioners in Carroll County to be put on the ballot enlarges, not decreases the size of government. 

            Last but not least, the Senator claimed in the same Advocate article that he has been a member of the Carroll County Republican Club for more than 20 years. Oddly enough, that club hasn’t been in existence for at least 4 years. Senator Haines holds no membership in any Carroll County Republican Club.

To see the full article in the Advocate go to:  www.westminsteradvocate.com and click on ‘2006 Election, Haines challenged for seat, Delegate race heats up’