An Open Letter to Salisbury Mayor Jim Ireton

Mayor Ireton,

I would advise you to remove the "Slum Property of the Week" from the City website. In my opinion as a resident and taxpayer of this city, I find it divisive, divergent, and embarrassing.

If we set out to attack and call business people names, it immediately creates a division between the city and the people who do business in his city. I would advise you to take a more moderate approach and open your door to business owners, including members of SAPOA. Listen, listen, listen. Working with business owners to face the many issues that face our city is one way to take a big step forward.

This division that has been created has only widened the gap between the "two sides" in this town. It has created a divergence in this city and it is affecting nearly every major issue, specifically crime. Pointing out the number of calls for service to a specific address is often times irrelevant and can draw attention to a citizen who is reporting criminal activity, placing them in danger. We want to encourage people to report criminal activity, not deter them from providing the police assistance and information. Discouraging people from reporting crime will only embolden criminals and increase criminal activity.

With the divisiveness and diverging the focus from the root causes of crime, it continually causes us embarrassment as a city. Salisbury is struggling to shake the reputation that has unfortunately plagued us for years. We need to all work together to find sensible solutions, be inclusive and not disrespectful.

This is the reputation we want to build here in our city. This is what the residents of our city expect from our elected officials and government.


Muir W. Boda
Executive Board Member
Communications Director
Maryland Libertarian Party