A pro-business association led by real estate entrepreneur Mareen Waterman in Queen Anne’s County alleged yesterday that the Committee Against The Big Box Amendment is a front-group to protect the Cordish Company, a developer that owns shopping centers in Kent and Queen Anne’s counties.
“They now see a possible shopping center in Northern Queen Anne’s as something they don’t want,” said a broadcast email from Business Queen Anne’s, a group that has advocated killing restrictions on the size of “Big Box” stores in QAC.
The “possible shopping center” is a reference to a proposal last year to eliminate QAC’s 65,000 square-foot size limit on retail space for a proposed shopping center near Kingstown.
The proposal led to passage of a law that ended the size restriction—but the law was quickly postponed from taking effect when over 3,000 QAC voters successfully petitioned to put the law to referendum on Nov. 6.
BQA’s email said the CABBA’s opposition to the law has everything to do with protecting the Cordish Company’s shopping centers from competition in Kent and Queen Anne’s—and little to do with protecting small businesses from unfair competition.
“We don’t believe this opposition is for the benefit of Queen Anne’s citizens,” the email said. “It’s about protecting the bottom line of one Big Box owner operating in [QAC].”
The letter took aim at the Committee’s treasurer, Stan Ruddie, who successfully led another anti-Big Box group, Up Against The Wall, in blocking a Walmart from coming to Kent Island over a decade ago.
“Up Against the Wall was reportedly financed by the owners of the Kent Island Kmart—the same owners who battled Walmart in Chestertown—where they also own a large shopping center,” the BQA email said. “The Committee Against the Big Box seems to be financed by the same group, one of Maryland’s largest shopping center developers, and owner of the casino at Arundel Mills.”
Ruddie told the Spy late Wednesday that Cordish and other developers have supported Up Against the Wall in the past–but that Cordish was not giving money to CABBA in the current fight to kill the Big Box law in referendum on the Nov. 6, although he said he asked for their support.
“Some of the same supporters of Up Against The Wall, going back 12 years, are supporting CABBA.” Ruddie said, “The owners of the Kmart is not one of those supporters—they have given nothing to CABBA.” He also said he was unaware of any Cordish owned shopping center in Chestertown.
“I’m happy to take help from whomever will give it to us,” Ruddie said
He said SafeWay was one of the Committee’s biggest supporters, but he said much of the support there comes from the union workers.
“The Safe Way cashiers are wearing our buttons,” Ruddie said. “And the cashiers at Food Lion and Kmart will be wearing them soon.”
Ruddie said CABBA has received support from many small businesses that flatly reject the claims by Mareen Waterman that Big Box stores will as act as anchors and increase the bottom lines of small retailers. Ruddie said many of the smaller retailers on Kent Island fear they will be undercut and forced out of business if “super stores” are allowed to exceed 65,000 square feet size limit.
Personal attacks not warranted
Ruddie said BQA’s personal attacks did not further the democratic process. He said CABBA is made up of a diverse group of citizens, former commissioners, former planning and zoning officials, and current business owners.
“An attack against me personally serves no useful purpose,” Ruddie said. “My name is on CABBA because I am the treasurer of the ballot committee and by law my name has to be on any ballot initiatives and advertising.”
BQA not playing by same rules, Ruddie says
Ruddie said BQA has not registered as a ballot committee in their effort to see the Big Box law pass through referendum–and is under investigation as a result.
“They have been operating as a ballot committee without following the election laws,” Ruddie said. “If you collect and spend money to promote a ballot issue, the laws are that you must form a ballot committee, and put the name of the treasurer on all advertising materials.”
“They are being investigated by the QAC Board of Election and the state prosecutor for not adhering to the election laws,” Ruddie said.
The Spy could not confirm Ruddie’s claim that BQA was under investigation by the state prosecutor or the board of elections. Calls to the prosecutor’s office were not returned by the time this story ran, but the Spy did receive a copy of a complaint filed by the Great Schools Queen Anne’s–requesting an investigation of BQA’s activities on a separate ballot measure.
Jay Falstad, a sponsor of the petition to take the law to referendum, said BQA’s assertions are false, baseless, and misleading.
“They use words like “apparently” and “reportedly” to conceal their deliberate attempts to deceive the public in favor of their own self interest,” Falstad said. “[CABBA] is completely transparent, filing the necessary campaign finance reports, and BQA isn’t.”
Ruddie responded to BQA’s allegations yesterday.
Dear Administrator of Business Queen Anne’s and members,
There are over 3000 voters that have signed on and they are also interested in protecting their bottom line. Bottom line for most of us is the quality of life and unique character of Queen Anne’s County
The anti-Superstore movement has continued for some time now. The funding sources are public information, where anyone can see on the Board of Elections web site. You can also see which business people and individuals are behind campaign donations for all of our elected officials.
The Committee Against Big Box Amendment is a registered Ballot Committee and we are therefore transparent as to our motives, resources and expenditures. We are receiving substantial help from the business community and appreciate the support from members of Business Queen Anne’s, the Chamber of Commerce, other business groups and especially citizens of the county
All donors to the CABBA are listed on our filed disclosures. We invite your members to help protect your bottom lines, whatever they are, by joining us in this democratic process.
Stan Ruddie, Treasurer
Committee Against Big Box Amendment
Below is the email from Business Queen Anne’s alleging that CABBA is a front-group for the Cordish Company.
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