From Aberdeen Communities Together:
Dear Concerned Citizen(s):
If you haven’t been reading the recent local newspapers, the Retirement Community of Carsins Run (AKA: Presbyterian Homes) and their lobbyist(s) have convinced Mary-Delany James to propose a bill that would again REQUIRE the County and the City to wave (forgive) property taxes on *ALL* of their planed development for 15 years. The bill as it was initially read may be seen at: http://mlis.state.md.us/2011rs/billfile/HB0584.htm
In this bill, Ms. James proposes a “SWAP” of this potential city revenue from Presbyterian Homes but “in trade” will allow the County and City to impose a small Hotel/Room Tax. As I said in my original e-mail that requested you to call Ms. James’ office to voice your displeasure, I feel that this is “BLACKMAIL” and the two items, other than both having the word “tax” involved, are TOTALLY unrelated!
A couple of years ago, our (YOUR) telephone *calls* and *_e-mails_* to Del. Sheila Hixson (http://www.msa.md.gov/msa/mdmanual/06hse/html/msa12241.html); Chair of the Ways and Means Committee were responsible for her making the “mandatory legislation” initially requested, to “enabling” giving the county and the municipality a voice. At that time, OUR CITY rejected the plan.
We, the group ACT and I ask you to again get involved and simply send an e-mail to Del. Hixson (sheila.hixson@house.state.md.us) telling her how you feel. OR if you prefer to call by telephone, her number has been given as (410) 841-3469. She is a busy lady and you will probably speak to her aide, TJ if you call.
ACT truly feels that our elected officials are doing what is right in this situation and would like to advise both Del. Mary-Delany James and the State of Maryland that if the Independent Living areas of any retirement community are Property Tax exempt, all other properties housing retired citizens should also be granted the same benefit!
The City of Aberdeen will miss the bus again and fall deeper into debt because of their enlarged ego. My advise to the Mayor, get over yourself and meet with these people. Aberdeen has no problem giving tax exemptions to Frito Lay and whatever wharehouse company that comes looking to add more scenic buildings. This is a church organization, and the City has a problem with them?
Guess there will be no hotel tax again!
Wouldn’t Ripken Stadium be better managed if it were turned over to the Maryland Stadium Authority? After all, that agency has all the experience in managing stadium infrastructure and occupancy agreements. Aberdeen can’t even manage a simple water contract with the Army. Ripken Stadium has been nothing a big thorn in Aberdeen’s budget for years due to mis-management, it’s time to let the professionals take over.
Dear ACT members,
Other than bring roof tops before the vital retail development around the Ripken project; what does this tax forgiveness actually do to you? If you are successful in yet another blind opposition to necessary growth and development to offset the high tax rate and the fiscal shortfall created by the lack of retail development around Ripken Stadium, how can you continue to piss and moan about your tax burden?
Just admit the truth. First, remind us all that ACT was the brain child of people who aren’t citizens of Aberdeen and second, the membership remains more non residents than residents. And third, this issue is just a bugle call to your members to keep them awake and together until the next local election where once again non residents can place in Aberdeen office, a council that represents your non growth agenda.
Good for us all that the people who make this decision in the end don’t give a shit about ACT.
According to todays Aegis (Page A7):
Bennett sent a letter of support to then-Harford Del. J.B. Jennings on Feb. 10, 2009 expressing his support of the Carsins Run development. At the time, Aberdeen’s city council had voted 3-2 to endorse a perpetual tax break for Village of Carsins Run, according to stories in The Aegis and The Record. Bennett cast the deciding vote.
After the mandatory tax credit provision of pending state legislation was dropped, leaving it up to the county and
city if they wanted to waive their taxes on the community, the city’s position on the tax break shifted.
WOW so Bennett SUPPORTED this until the name changed from Village of Carsins Run to Presbyterian Homes?
The bill that Ms. Dulany-James presented, to grant a hotel use tax if the property taxes were waived for 15 years for the Carsin Run Villages seems to be non-legal, perhaps even un-constitutional. It gives in one hand and takes with the other.
Raising one tax and lowering or voiding another in the same bill doesn’t appear on its face to be either logical or valid.
The taxes that are paid by homeowners w/n the city and the county are both legal and way to high to allow many folks the opportunity to either buy or sell their homes. If the prop. taxes for the Villages is waived, perhaps all of us “old fogies” w/n Aberdeen and the county, should have our prop. taxes waived for the next 15 years, too.
The prop. taxes that the Villages ought to pay, will allow the rest of us to keep our homes and afford the tremendous increase that the loss of income from the Villages taxes will put on all the rest of us. The number of jobs that the Villages may or may not maintain, will by the nature of the business, will employ folks that probably won’t be able to afford to live there if and when they are old enough, due to the expense. Most of the jobs will be housekeeping, landscaping, maintenance, nurse’s aides, and probably security and office staff. I welcome them, but those jobs will come, with or without the prop. tax exemption. They are the base of any nursing home/retirement site any where. The salaries of these jobs are mainstream middle America, not the high rollers that the proponents of the tax waiver are claiming.
If the Villages come to this county, and to Aberdeen, they need to pay the property taxes.
Tobe or not tobe here is a question for you – Since the Courtyard and Residence Marriott hotels don’t pay property taxes would they also be exempt from the hotel tax if it were to pass in any form???
Check SDAT the City owns the land they sit on – do they even pay rent to the City? Was that deal done just to provide the kind jobs you speak of?? Maybe ACT could look into that while they fighting a project that hasn’t even started and find out where that money has been going.