The latest incident involving dirt bikes in Baltimore City – which are no more legal than hand guns – is absolutely appalling.  Coming just weeks after a pack of dirt bikers terrorized the Fells Point area, the dirt bikers are nothing more than a gang of thugs with no respect for the law.  But who can really blame them, since the law does nothing.  It’s no surprise that these thugs decided to “double up” on their victim of mayhem.

It’s one of the reason I keep a tire iron under the front seat.

Dirt bikes are outlawed in Baltimore City, but Baltimore City Police are prohibited by policy from chasing them.  That’s right.  The Baltimore City Police cannot go after people breaking the law.  Whoever started this silly policy should be thrown in the harbor tied to a heavy concrete block.

But Fred Bealefeld needs to step up and change the policy.  He needs to tell his commanders to get far more aggressive in both finding these punks AND catching these punks.  It’s time for Baltimore’s top cop to get his head out of his ass and get it in the game.  

Baltimore City Council President Jack Young has a great idea:  tax property owners of vacant commercial and industrial properties by charging a $250 fee to register the property as vacant.  The problem is that he does not go nearly far enough.  That paltry fee is the same as the new proposed fine for spitting on the sidewalk.  Are you frakking nuts?

The fee for owning a vacant commercial or industrial building should be $5000 per year, with a pro-rated refund should the property become occupied during the license year period.  And, should the property owner fail to register the property within a reasonable time (say, 90 days) , the city will be required to condemn and take ownership of the property under eminent domain.  At that time, any liens (public or private) on the property will be cancelled and the property will be auctioned at a public auction.  However, the previous owner will be disqualified from bidding at the auction.

Put some real teeth in the proposal. Don’t make it comparable to spitting on the sidewalk, and you won’t look like such a complete dumbass.

Dan Rodricks has an interesting column in The Baltimore Sun, noting that the Safeway in Mt. Clare – just west of the B&O Railroad Museum is closing.  Read the whole column.  But it should be noted that the City’s new Orange Route for the “Charm City Circulator”, paid for by increased taxes on parking downtown was deliberately routed out to Hollins Market just to serve this area.

At least now the folks in the surrounding communities – citizens, drug dealers, and all – can ride over to Canton to do their grocery shopping.