Fellow Prince Georgians,
When I alerted you to the annual public hearing of the Prince George's County Delegation pre-filed bills last month, not many bills were posted on the Delegation's website so I didn't provide my normal summary. I just revisited the website and one bill arrested my attention - PG-406-25. You can read the bill here: PG-406-25.
This bill was sponsored (or asked for by) the Prince George's County Council. Although the Council is in recess until later this month when it has its Exchange of the Gavel for new leadership of the chair and vice-chair, if any, the Council has asked the County's House Delegation to sponsor PG-406-25 that will do 2 primary things
DEFER PAYMENT OF THE SCHOOL FACILITIES SURCHARGE; and
DEFER PAYMENT OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SURCHARGE
I guarantee you that this bill is akin to 2 Council ordinances (Flagship Project Overlay Zone and Streamline Development Review Process) that the Council introduced this fall to streamline development so development projects regardless of the size can be approved faster. The goal is to attract and spur development (hopefully commercial) in the County, but PG-406-25 does not spur commercial development but only residential. Why?
This is why this bill arrested my attention. If the County is facing a structural budget deficit and PGCPS is also facing a deficit, why would we incentivize and delay the payment of school facilities and public safety surcharge fees "until final inspection of new residential construction; issuance of a use and occupancy permits for the property; or time of closing of the first sale of the property occurring after the issuance of a building permit"? Doesn't the County need these funds in its general treasury ASAP to help close the budget deficit? Why are we continuing to offer incentives to residential developers, but very little to nothing to attract commercial development that everyone in leadership admits we need?
Please don't tell me that we're still falling for the okey-doke and lame argument that we need more density to attract commercial development. Tell that to the folks living in Westphalia who still don't have a local grocery store nor any of the amenities promised (other than a too small MNCPPC community center), but yet a majority of the development there is townhomes.
May I suggest that we oppose PG-406-25 on these grounds or at least ask the questions - why are we still incentivizing residential development? What are we doing to promote commercial development? This bill isn't even limited to development around our County's Metro stations where our priority should be.
It's too late to register to testify for tonight's public hearing on these County pre-filed bills, but it's never too late to call, email or write your state legislator to ask these questions and make your opinion heard. This is simply the pre-bills introduction and public hearing. There is still time to weigh in.
Here's the link to livestream tonight's hearing: PGC House Delegation Live Stream.
Don't look for me as I have a conflict this evening, but I hope that you will stay engaged and active in what happening in our local government as All Politics is Local and affects us locally.
I hope that you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends. Feel free to share this email with your neighbors throughout the County.
"The heaviest penalty for deciding not to engage in politics is to be ruled by someone inferior to yourself." Plato
Keeping you educated and informed,
Tamara Davis Brown
Candidate, District 9 County Council
Host, All Politics is Local: The Maryland Edition with Tamara Davis Brown
Click here to learn more about my District 9 candidacy: www.tamaradavisbrown.org
Click here to donate to my campaign: DONATE
Click here to listen to: All Politics is Local Podcast
By Authority: Tamara Davis Brown for Prince George's County, Barbara D. Waits, Treasurer
