Ehrlich Gets Cash from Developer who sought protected lands

[PSU84]

THE SUN Baltimore, MD November 16, 2004

Hackerman's partner held fund-raiser for governor
Developer sought to buy preserved land from state

Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. collected $100,000 for his re-election campaign at a private fund-raiser held by a business partner of construction company owner Willard J. Hackerman this month, at the same time the governor's aides were contemplating the sale of state preservation land to Hackerman at a below-market price. Ehrlich raised the money Nov. 4 at the Owings Mills home of Howard S. Brown, a developer and president of David S. Brown Enterprises. Brown and Hackerman's Whiting-Turner Contracting Co. are partners in a project to build a $220 million town center at an Owings Mills Metro station parking lot that would include a library and university building.

<snip>

Four days after the fund-raiser, Hackerman bowed to criticism and abandoned his plan to purchase the 836-acre forest in Southern Maryland for the same price paid by the state. Hackerman stood to gain up to $7 million in federal and state tax breaks if he preserved the land, but according to documents released last week, he intended to build homes with a water view there. Repercussions from the aborted deal are continuing. Yesterday, state Sen. Roy P. Dyson, a Southern Maryland Democrat, asked state Attorney General J. Joseph Curran Jr. for an investigation "to see if there was any criminal misconduct" involved in the proposed St. Mary's County transaction. "I believe it is up to the attorney general's office to investigate this matter," Dyson said in a letter.

Some observers say the appearance of Ehrlich at the fund-raising event illustrates the unsavory role of money in politics and state affairs."I would say that sends a message that if you help raise money for the governor, you may get special treatment when it comes to bidding on state properties," said James Browning, executive director of the campaign finance watchdog group Common Cause. John Reith, Ehrlich campaign finance director, said the event at Brown's home was attended by 100 people who paid $1,000 each for the opportunity to meet the governor and view the developer's collection of modern art.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/bal-te.md.ehrlich16nov16,1,5650075.story?coll=bal-home-headlines

[cjmr]

1. "homes with a water view"

Did the Sun article happen to mention that the only way to build homes with a water view on this parcel of land would be to clear-cut the state forest next to it (i.e. between the proposed houses and the water)?

I am so hopping mad about this I can't see straight!!!

[PSU84]

2. You should write to the Sun and

the Wash. Post and to the Capital (the Annapolis paper) and any other media outlet in your area and tell them what you think of Ehrlich's policies. Forward the stories by email to your friends.

We need to build momentum now to oust Ehrlich in 2006.