Ocean Pines Association General Manager Bob Thompson made a good point in the association’s request last week for a major increase in the amount of money Worcester County government gives it in the county’s annual allocation to communities.
Of the five major residential areas — Pocomoke, Snow Hill, Berlin, Ocean City, and Ocean Pines, the latter gets less per capita than any of the others, even though it has the largest population.
While Ocean City deserves and receives the largest check from the county, because it produces far more real estate tax revenues than the other communities, there is no reason Ocean Pines should be at the bottom of the county’s list of financial beneficiaries.
Its real estate tax base, which pales next to the billions of dollars on which Ocean City is taxed, has to compare favorably to that of other Worcester communities, since it has more homes than any other Worcester community. In addition, because it has the most year-round households, Ocean Pines also produces the most piggyback income tax revenue for the county.
Yet, the county’s $1.15 million grant to Ocean Pines last year was $300,000 less than the next smallest award of $1.45 million to Snow Hill.
Obviously, the difference between the sizes of the grants is related to Ocean Pines not being an incorporated municipality and the public perception that all of its residents are wealthy.
As to the first situation, the focus in awarding grants should be based on a community’s contribution to the overall economy, not its legal status. With regard to the second, that perception is wrong. If it weren’t, any number of residents who work in Ocean City wouldn’t be living in Ocean Pines because it’s less expensive.
No doubt, some people are put off by the major boost in county funding that Ocean Pines has been seeking, while Berlin, Snow Hill and Pocomoke generally ask for marginal increases.
While those critics might view the association as being greedy, it could be that it’s only asking for its fair share, and that Ocean Pines has been underfunded for so long that giving it less than the others has become more of a tradition than it is a financial justifiable fact.
Of the five major residential areas — Pocomoke, Snow Hill, Berlin, Ocean City, and Ocean Pines, the latter gets less per capita than any of the others, even though it has the largest population.
While Ocean City deserves and receives the largest check from the county, because it produces far more real estate tax revenues than the other communities, there is no reason Ocean Pines should be at the bottom of the county’s list of financial beneficiaries.
Its real estate tax base, which pales next to the billions of dollars on which Ocean City is taxed, has to compare favorably to that of other Worcester communities, since it has more homes than any other Worcester community. In addition, because it has the most year-round households, Ocean Pines also produces the most piggyback income tax revenue for the county.
Yet, the county’s $1.15 million grant to Ocean Pines last year was $300,000 less than the next smallest award of $1.45 million to Snow Hill.
Obviously, the difference between the sizes of the grants is related to Ocean Pines not being an incorporated municipality and the public perception that all of its residents are wealthy.
As to the first situation, the focus in awarding grants should be based on a community’s contribution to the overall economy, not its legal status. With regard to the second, that perception is wrong. If it weren’t, any number of residents who work in Ocean City wouldn’t be living in Ocean Pines because it’s less expensive.
No doubt, some people are put off by the major boost in county funding that Ocean Pines has been seeking, while Berlin, Snow Hill and Pocomoke generally ask for marginal increases.
While those critics might view the association as being greedy, it could be that it’s only asking for its fair share, and that Ocean Pines has been underfunded for so long that giving it less than the others has become more of a tradition than it is a financial justifiable fact.