Hall of Fame

What do all of these people have in common?

Alex Hetzek, S. Lee Caudle, Zora Lathan, Phil Reynolds, Ralph Naranjo, William Small, Ellen Moyer, James Urban, Michael Long, Catherine E. Stavely, Marilynn Katatsky, Harold Sherman. These are the writers whose editorials I have read in The Capital, just since February, on Crystal Spring. My apology to all those I may have missed.

If there were a Community Hall of Fame, prime nominees would be the people who stand up and state their case for an issue, who take the time to not only comment but to gather details for their arguments. But the major criterion for inclusion in this Hall of Fame is the need to convert passion to action, and that action must work toward a clear definition of our greater community.

Let’s use the intelligent, thoughtful, well-researched and organized editorials focused on Crystal Spring as a jumping off point to initiate the larger discussion about the future of Eastport.

We have at our fingertips many of the elements that may shape our community. These are:

• We are concerned and will be involved
• We are fully aware of the importance of the environment
• We are concerned that a wealthy community group will not have an excessive influence over the greater community
• Our concern for the greater community is not limited by jurisdictions
• Alternative resources exist in the community; Just because you have the resources to do something does not mean that you should.
• Jurisdictions need taxes to function

This is our opportunity to step up and challenge the impact of all the proposed projects. The developers and project proponents will carry the initial project costs. We will have to suffer the life-cycle costs.

These projects may cause:

• Excessive density of condo/rental units
• Misuse of open land
• More pressure on the environment
• Elimination of middle-class housing
• Pressure on the Bay
• Pressure on community infrastructure

If we care about our community, we must be present throughout the process. The entire process for all of the projects being planned for Eastport. It will never be time to declare victory and head for home. The challenges are guaranteed to keep on coming.

Our Fair Share

You and I just received our new property tax assessments. We don’t have the option of not paying our property taxes, we have to pay our fair share. But it is important to note that not all of the properties in the City and County pay property tax.

Let’s have some numbers:

The FY 2016 Total City Expenditures and Uses of Funds (Operating Budget) for Annapolis is approximately $98.6 M. Almost $40 M of that is from Property Tax. The City operates with a paper thin surplus of approximately $1.3 M.

Based on a Department of Legislative Services Office of Policy Analysis report dated January 2014, in Maryland state-wide:

• In fiscal 2014, tax-exempt properties have an assessed value totaling nearly $80 billion
• Tax-exempt properties account for 11% of the total assessable property tax base in Maryland

Using the same report, Anne Arundel County has:

• A tax-exempt value of approximately $ 4.3 billion (We need to get Annapolis equivalent information,)

The reason this is so important is that County-wide the per capita revenue loss is $74. The County population in 2013 was 555,743 individuals. Therefore, the County lost $41 million due to property tax exemptions. These exemptions are for Federal/State/County/Municipal, Educational, Religious and Charitable organizations. There are also other types of properties that are granted property tax exemptions.

These data are based on the prior Property tax rates. The new rates with updated assessments most likely will show an even greater per capita loss.

Does anyone know if there is a regular review of the exemptions? Are these exemptions granted in perpetuity? Does anyone have specific Annapolis information?

One of the rationales used to justify the spate of new proposed projects may be the need to generate additional property tax for the City. If we can evaluate existing Tax-exempt properties with a really sharp pencil we may be able to improve the city’s financial situation without promoting proposed projects with questionable community-wide life-cycle benefits.

The Hammer and the Nail

We will never get out in front of the process without knowing what the process entails. We may have projects of interest or concern that most closely affect our daily lives, but as I’ve stated before, and which bears repeating, if we expect our elected officials and their appointees to define our future without our input we will always be playing catch-up. That’s not a tenable position. We have to be proactive. We have to keep swinging the hammer at the nail.

The Crystal Springs project is getting lots of back and forth in the Capital and is currently in the hands of the developer with a new set of environmental guidelines from the city. All projects were initially ideas for projects. When an idea reaches the project stage we are already at a disadvantage if we have not been involved with the zoning process, or engaged in community/environmental plans. It is time to hold our elected officials accountable; they have to establish and transmit priorities to the appropriate City departments and be transparent about what they’re doing so that we, as residents, can take an informed and timely role in the process.

We’re seeing a clear indication that City Government lacks environmental leadership, lacks an environmental priority and is operating on a too little too late reality. Now is the time for City Government to present their policy. The campaign and election are over. Now is the time to govern.

I have a question from a reader on Quiet Waters, whether we are keeping an eye on Quiet Waters or if it is too late. Yes we are keeping an eye on it and hopefully it is not too late. But there has been relatively little press on Quiet Waters and possibly not enough citizen participation in the process, at least not loud and up front and not nearly of the magnitude of both pro and con we are witnessing over Crystal Spring Forest.

Without our participation, our community will be defined for us through uncoordinated development that will be the product of narrow business interests, and not necessarily in the best interests of the whole community.

Without our participation, we will be left behind in the process.