Go on, git!

Happenings in Columbia seem to driving too many decisions around Howard County. It was noted over at Columbia Talk that one of the reasons schools have been closed all three days this week is because the sidewalks in Columbia are not cleared. Maybe I'm being too much of a hard ass, but it seems dumb to close schools due to some snow on the sidewalks. Crap, we'd probably be speaking German right now if my grandfather's generation got to stay home from school over some snow on the sidewalk. And just curious: what percent of the student population has to walk to school? I can't imagine that it's anywhere near a majority in a county as suburban as Howard.

And Columbia seems to be taking up a significant share of the government's time as well. Being a County Council member is supposed to be a part time job (as in 20 hours a week or less), but back when the citizens panel was looking at the compensation of elected officials, Mary Kay Sigaty claimed to be working 60 hours a week. I think the other two Columbia based Council members, Jen Terassa and Calvin Ball, were putting in more than a part-time job worth of hours, too. As someone who despises government, I don't appreciate this. In a very real way, they are expanding the size of government beyond what was intended.

All of this suggests that perhaps Columbia should be its own city, distinct from the rest of Howard County and outside the reach of Howard County Government. Columbia already has its own distinct zoning laws (New Town Zoning) which was granted to allow Rouse to build Columbia in the first place. Columbia also has a third of the population of the county. Maybe it's time for Columbia to break on through to other side where it can be a planned new urbanist paradise completely distinct from the rest of HoCo.