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There is a fascinating discussion right now among Prince George's county council members about racism, taxes, history & the impact of covid-19
The conversation began with a proposed charter amendment to increase the cap on the homestead tax credit by @CouncilmanDLD. Thread below
The conversation began with a proposed charter amendment to increase the cap on the homestead tax credit by @CouncilmanDLD. Thread below
Davis, who introduced the charter amendment, says Prince George's homestead tax credit, long capped at 5% and tied to CPI, is born of a "history of inequity"
His bill would allow voters to decide in Nov. whether they want to increase that cap up to 10%.
His bill would allow voters to decide in Nov. whether they want to increase that cap up to 10%.
Davis has long been opposed to the cap, and to TRIM, but says it is especially important that the council focus on this issue now, given the budgetary shortfalls that will result because of covid. Background here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/md-politics/report-prince-georges-needs-new-ways-to-bridge-budget-gap/2016/03/01/3cfa84d8-dfdb-11e5-9c36-e1902f6b6571_story.html
After he spoke, a series of very angry residents called in. @BelindaQueen decried the charter amendment as “senseless, senseless, and I’m trying my best not to say stupidity," saying it hurt low and middle income residents
“Is this the best option our Council can come up with?"
“Is this the best option our Council can come up with?"
. @joleneivey say that its not the time, in the middle of a pandemic, to consider raising taxes. She says budgetary issues won't be fixed by this, and are fundamentally related to racism -- businesses not locating in the county, subprime lending leading to housing crisis
@TomDernogaD1 says Prince Georgians already pay some of the highest tax rates in the state. He also says that the language in Davis's amendment is "misleading" and does not clearly tell residents what they are voting on. Below is Davis's amendment, and what Dernoga proposed
. @glaroscouncil3 says that more discussion is called for, noting that the homestead tax credit treats houses that have just been built the same as houses that have been in the county for 100 years. "This economic and health crisis has pointed out how deep these inequities are."
. @melrfranklin says TRIM & the homestead tax credit cap are linked with racism in Prince George's, which transitioned from a mostly white, blue collar county in the 1970s to a wealthy majority black county in the 1990s
"Let’s not be afraid to talk about our own racial history"
"Let’s not be afraid to talk about our own racial history"
@D8Monique says that council needs to stop giving tax breaks to businesses to locate in Prince George's. She says that Prince George's got wealthier as it got more black, and some people don't like that
That council voted to move Davis's amendment forward, not Dernoga's. There will be a (virtual) public hearing on July 21, which, if today is any indicator, promises to be filled with testimony from residents and more interesting discussions
