From Harford County Executive Barry Glassman:
BEL AIR, Md., (Dec. 10, 2014) – County Executive Barry Glassman proposed legislation Tuesday to repeal Harford County’s stormwater remediation fee, or “rain tax”, planning instead to meet federal mandates with existing county resources. The new county executive also proposed legislation to promote economic development and tourism by collecting a fee from travelers in local hotels.
Regarding the rain tax repeal, Mr. Glassman said,
“Harford County is committed to watershed protection and restoration, but the rain tax is not the answer. Not only does it pile another burden on the backs of our hardworking citizens and local businesses, regional disparities in funding stormwater remediation have put Harford County at a competitive disadvantage versus other jurisdictions. Rather than continuing this unfair tax, we can meet our obligations using revenue from the county’s general fund with flexible credits and innovative planning.”
State legislation enacted in 2012 required certain Maryland counties to enact a stormwater remediation fee, also known as the rain tax, to fund federal EPA requirements. Several of those counties, including Harford, have questioned the inequity and lack of clarity in the law, which is likely to be reviewed under incoming Gov.-elect Larry Hogan.
Despite serious concerns, Harford County complied with the law in 2013 by enacting a rain tax with rates that varied depending on a property’s use and ownership. For improved properties with a residential (excluding apartment buildings), or agricultural use, a flat charge of $125 was applied. The same charge also applied to properties owned by non-profit organizations. For properties with a business, commercial or industrial use, the tax was $7.00 per 500 square feet of impervious surface area, with some exemptions. Collection of the tax was limited to 10% of the amount owned pending further review. County revenue from the tax was approximately $1 million in each of the fiscal years 2014 and 2015.
“While the rain will no longer be taxed in Harford County, I look forward to working with Gov.-elect Hogan and the Maryland General Assembly to find common sense solutions that help protect the Chesapeake Bay,” Glassman said.
Mr. Glassman also proposed legislation Tuesday to collect a fee from travelers staying in local hotels, as part of an overall plan to spur economic development in the county.
Speaking about the plan, Mr. Glassman said:
“The proposed legislation does not tax Harford County residents. Instead, it levels the playing field for our citizens who are charged a hotel tax when they travel to every other Maryland jurisdiction, and throughout much of the nation, but do not benefit in kind when travelers come to Harford County and use taxpayer-funded roads and services. Since revenue from hotel taxes is often used to promote tourism, our taxpayers are subsidizing tourism in other locations and also funding local efforts, in essence, paying both ways. The legislation sets a reasonable rate of 6% of the cost of a room, which is in the mid-range of rates charged throughout the state. However, the legislation is only part of the plan.
Instead of using the additional revenue generated to grow county government, we plan to invest 100% of it to promote economic development through a competitive grant process with built-in accountability. This innovative process will require businesses, non-profits and museums promoting tourism and related activities to present a business plan justifying their one-year funding requests, and to demonstrate success in order to be funded in future years. Along with privatizing the county’s Tourism and Marketing Division in a previously announced shift to the non-profit Visit Harford!, this plan will create a new center of opportunity for tourism to drive economic growth in Harford County, and a natural synergy with our local small businesses.”
The proposed room charge applies for stays of 30 or fewer consecutive days. It does not apply to bed and breakfast establishments with three or fewer lodging rooms. For funds generated from hotels located within the municipalities of Aberdeen, Bel Air and Havre de Grace, revenue will be distributed in a 50-50 split between the municipality and the county. All of the funds generated from hotels outside of the municipalities will go to the county. Municipalities will also be able to apply for the county grants. Tourism-related activities are defined in the proposed legislation as relating to sports, festival, museum, agriculture and agriculture exposition and farm-to-table experiences.
Both the rain tax repeal and the hotel legislation were presented Tuesday evening to the Harford County Council, which will determine further action on each bill.
I think Glassman is going to wreck some of our counties departments to smithereens’. Some of his appointments are completely without merit an he has a gutless council to approve any appointments he wants to make. I will let the chips fall where they may but be aware that Community Services Department has been gutted of all leadership with the appointment of Mrs. Shrodes. She is completely clueless. First day on the job and she didn’t even know we had some departments in the county code. Can you really be in charge of this department and not know its divisions and agencies within her supervision. It is well known that she was chosen ahead of the election so she had more than ample time to at least take a look at the website and see what all it involved at least from a superficial level. Asking deputies such as where is the book to manage the department? isn’t the type of question that’s going to earn you respect or give your staff below much confidence…. She also thought the funding for the department is guaranteed by the county, not so!
The Department of Community Services has been in dire need of a shake-up for some time now, but I’m not suggesting that the Director chosen is the correct one for the job. There are many highly educated and experienced human service professionals in this county that would have been far more deserving of the position. I guess time will tell what happens. Much of what the Department does is a lot of fluff anyway. Over the years, they systematically sucked up several direct service agencies in a very underhanded way, and now in their place, the Department produces a lot of reports and award recognitions. Some of the direct services previously available to Harford County citizens are gone.
Exactly, CE needs to hire qualified folks to direct departments. The least CE can do is appoint people that have done it at director or deputy level before letting the library secretary run the show.
How much money does the county spend on the stupid “Wheres Winnie” videos. The Harford Country Tourism department is quite a joke. Taxing people for more money to waste is not the way to go. Work Smarter not harder.
Perhaps come up with a better, specific, plan and you will not see folks resisting more money being spent.
The county doesn’t spend a dime of these productions. Comcast produces it and is include in their franchise costs in the county. Comcast had to use county right of ways to lay cable down and franchising fees pay for that, of course in the end the Comcast customer pays it but you aren’t being taxed on its production.
Fee’s recouped by Comcast are just a corporate tax on their user. The taxpayer already allowed them access to land they or their government owns. There should be no fee at all, straight out of profit since the fee would be basically double billing. I am sure their 2500 dollar production cost is a fraction of collected fee’s from the masses. Too many promises made by Comcast (and now Verizon) on wiring up “every home in the county” and then given a pass on not doing it. Glad I don’t pay Comcast fee!
But it’s not a tax because you don’t have to pay Comcast, you don’t have to have cable. You choose to pay the exorbitant fees for the entertainment or access to fast internet they provide.
Ahh, the infamous, it’s not a tax, it’s a fee of both Ehrich and OMalley. I don’t have Comcast as they (and now VZ) do not have to provide service to rural parts of the county unlike what they originally promised to get both the rights of way and EXCLUSIVE access to Harco. What I am stating is, I as a taxpaying member of Harco, allowed Comcast to receive a tax break by giving them “rights of way” to property owned by Harco for free based on a reciprocal agreement that Comcast (and now also VZ) would provide ALL citizens of Harco this access. They reneged on that portion (with council approval unfortunately) as has Verizon BUT they have not had to pay a fee to the country for that change AND can charge their current fee to Comcast customers. As I stated before, I do not (thankfully) have Comcast TV/Internet and will not be able to get Verizon either due to where I live. Much happier with DirecTV anyway (had Comcast in different house before moving). Why the users of Comcast in Harco are NOT complaining to county council types is entirely up to them. They like paying “tax” to Harco and “Fee” to Comcast…more power to them but they should be demanding it be removed.
Community services dept should be dissolved. There are much better things the county government should be doing for it’s residents.
Let me see, Community Services has under its management the Office on Aging and all the senior centers. Are you saying that this isn’t a service that our seniors use? There is the human relations department which investigates abuses and discrimination claims, don’t you think people should have recourse when their rights are being denied? Should everyone have to hire a lawyer every time your rights aren’t being allowed? The mediation program helps people solve disputes and keeps them from clogging the courts. Community block grant funds from HUD are sent to community services, should the county turn a blind eye to funds directed for our use? Remember, these are Harford County funds from federal taxes, should the money go to other jurisdictions because we choose to not apply???
Next time you question the need for a department, at least know its components.
While all that sounds great, not one of those should be the function of Harford county government.
Helen Hunt, you are absolutely right. That’s historically why nonprofits originally started. Government can’t and shouldn’t be all things to all people. Our local government has been doing the opposite. It thinks it knows best.
Don’t confuse not having to pay taxes with them not getting a profit, Non-profits are an addition to government as far as public service, not a substitute to it. Federal law and state laws created Offices on Aging and AARP and other Faith Based groups actually do work together to fund and run shelters, transitional housing and other support groups for people in need. As much as I rather have non-profits have exclusive control and needed funding from private contributions exclusively, the fact is that helping the homeless, drug addicted and abuse women isn’t quite as attractive as Breast Cancer Awareness and other illnesses that get the lion share of public financial support. It is up to the federal, state and local governments to provide the funding needed to serve those in need.
Nope, not confused whatsoever. I wasn’t even talking about the structure of a nonprofit. Nonprofits can and should earn a profit. That’s how they sustain and build the organization to continue serving the needs of others. They are subject to losing their tax exempt status if theyengage in activities outside their mission. That is Nonprofit 101.
What I am speaking about is that as the third sector, nonprofits were formed to serve myriad social service, educational, health , legal, cultural needs and so on. Government should be about governing, not providing direct services. It can also serve as a coordinating force toassist nonprofits access certain funding. In addition to federal and state funding, nonprofits can access foundation funding unlike local government. streams, iincluding than public
Instead of concerning ourselves with appointments which we have no control over we should focus on recent events which have greatly impacted our lives. Two days ago Pugsley from the Adam’s Family passed away. Maybe Mrs. Shrodes should “test the water” in her position as Director of Community Services by proposing a national day of mourning. Let’s see how she handles that one before we pass further judgement
I’d rather see visitor’s paying the taxes when visiting rather paying it myself.
Most hotel nights in Harford County are for APG. That cost gets picked up by companies, which ultimately charge it to the USG, which ultimately charges it to you.
Government levies taxes, corporations transfer tax expense, people pay the bills… the buck stops with families like yours and mine, always.
While a good bit of that is true, a goodly portion is paid for by the New Jerseyians who never moved here, drive down early Monday, stay M/T/W/T night and drive home after work on Friday. BRAC has been mostly a bust for APG and Harco in general. Everyone though those people would move and they haven’t unless they were young families. If you lived 30 minutes from the ocean in one direction and 30 minutes from work in the other, would you really move to Fallston, especially within 5-10 years of retirement?