Harford County Council President Billy Boniface delivered his annual legislative address Tuesday night, citing the economy, budget, and property tax relief as the council’s priorities heading into 2010.
Addressing the slumping economy and its impact on Harford County’s budget, Boniface cautioned not to expect much in the way of new projects or programs.
“On the operating side it’s maintaining basic services without any bells and whistles. The Capital Program for this year; if the mortar isn’t being mixed or the dirt isn’t being moved, it’s most likely going to have to wait until things improve,” he remarked.
Boniface also said the council is determined to provide property tax relief for county residents.
“We lowered the homestead tax cap from a maximum allowed rate of 10% to 5% for this year forward, something no other Council since 1991 has had the fortitude to execute. We recently removed the service charge placed on those that choose ...Continue Reading
Harford County Executive David R. Craig delivered his annual State of the County Address before the Harford County Council on Tuesday night, promising “our budget will be truly balanced with no increase in the tax rate and be as close to the constant yield as we can estimate at this time.”
In the speech, Craig spoke of the difficulties of balancing revenues, expenditures, wants, and needs. “The balance for which we must strive is a balance between the taxes we pay and the services which we provide. And, which considers the public employee who is in the middle,” he said.
Craig opened his remarks with a remembrance of longtime Harford County Councilwoman Veronica Chenowith and recognized two former County Council Presidents who passed away in the last year – Joanne Parrott and John Hardwicke.
Typical of his addresses, Craig lauded the performance of each of his directors and their respective departments.
(Bel Air, MD) – - Harford County Executive David R. Craig has announced that he no longer wishes to pursue the purchase of the Prologis property in Joppa, and asks the County Council to withdraw the proposed legislation. County Executive Craig cited the potential move of a major business to Harford County that may occupy the former GAP Company building located adjacent to the Prologis property.
“We are actively pursuing a major firm to relocate to Harford County and join our outstanding business community,” County Executive Craig stated. “The business we hope to bring to Harford County is a strong national firm that could bring nearly 500 jobs to our county,” Craig stated.
As a result of the recent developments to potentially bring a business to the former GAP Company building, Harford County Government will no longer pursue efforts to purchase the Prologis property for the purpose of providing ...Continue Reading
At the request of the County Executive, Bill 09-36 regarding Prologis Park, also known as the Incinerator Bill, was pulled from the Harford County Council public hearing and decision meeting on Monday night.
Most of the Edgewood residents who attended the meeting in opposition to the proposal, which would put waste incinerator next to a community recreation field, didn’t learn about the agenda change until a few minutes before the session started.
Edgewood residents and activists have started a petition drive and will hold a special meeting Tuesday to discuss the implications of a Harford County Council bill which would place a waste incinerator next to a community recreation field.
Community activist Omar Simpson has created an online petition for the public to tell their elected officials they do not want a waste incinerator next to Cunion field.
As of Sunday morning, the petition appeared to have been signed by only 8 people.
There is a very important matter before the Harford County Council…a matter that will effect where our children play and where you live. The County Council has put in a Bill (Bill 09-36) that would put an enormous trash and waste incinerator right next to Cunion Field! The location for the facility would be directly across the street from Cunion ...Continue Reading
At the request of Harford County Councilman Dion Guthrie and several Edgewood residents, the Edgewood Community Council has called a special meeting to discuss Bill No. 09-36, Acquisition of Prologis Park, and it’s potential impact to the Edgewood Community.
WHAT: ECC SPECIAL MEETING
WHERE: Harford County Council Chambers, 212 South Bond Street, Bel Air, MD 21014: 410.638.3343 or 410.879.2000
WHEN: Wednesday Nov 18, 2009
TIME: 7:00 PM
AGENDA ITEM: Bill No. 09-36, Acquisition of Prologis Park, Edgewood/Waste Incinerator.
AN ACT to provide the County Executive, or his designee, with the authorization to execute, on behalf of Harford County, Maryland, an Intergovernmental Installment Purchase Agreement with Maryland Environmental Service, in substantially the form attached hereto, to purchase a parcel of real property, known as Prologis Park, Edgewood, Maryland 21040, containing approximately 134.210 acres, more or ...Continue Reading
A bill to repeal Harford County’s impact fee created some strange bedfellows when it was first introduced by Dion Guthrie, a Democrat representing Edgewood and Joppatowne and Chad Shrodes, a Republican representing the rural north.
Now, the repeal effort has sparked a rift among the leaders of the anti-tax Tea Party movement and drawn a number of local organizations into the fray. The bill is scheduled for what may become a lively hearing October 20th (today) at 7 p.m. in the County Council Chambers at 212 S. Bond Street in Bel Air.
The impact fee offsets the impact of new household creation on the cost of public schools by dedicating revenue specifically to public school construction needs.
Bel Air Tea Party organizer Tony Passaro would be expected to join other anti-tax advocates and support the repeal, but he sent a recent email to the members of the Harford County ...Continue Reading
After years of planning, months of deliberation, weeks of public hearings, and untold hours of discussion, it took only a few minutes for the Harford County Council to unanimously approve and enroll the new Comprehensive Rezoning bill Tuesday night.
In fact, the vote was so swift that County Executive David Craig – who made a special appearance in the council chambers Tuesday night – nearly missed it.
Last week, council members introduced and approved nearly 70 amendments to the Comprehensive Rezoning bill, but Tuesday night there were no amendments, no additions, and no discussion – simply a roll-call vote which resulted in a 7-0 approval of the bill.
The night got off to an inauspicious start – with a rousing intro from council president Billy Boniface (“Let’s rock!”) and a moving prayer from councilman Dion Guthrie (“God bless our pets”) – but it didn’t take long for the county to get down to, ...Continue Reading
What do hermaphroditic amphibians, a moonlighting comedian, and a symbolically-snapped ear of corn have in common?
Because no sane person could ever have guessed, I’ll just come out with it: each was involved in the Harford County Council’s Comprehensive Rezoning public hearing held Thursday evening at North Harford High School.
Perhaps one-third of the 100-or-so attendees addressed the county council during what was the third and final public hearing on the Comprehensive Rezoning review.
The Facts:
- In total, 34 people spoke = 26 were in opposition to upzoning requests and 8 supported upzoning requests.
- The meeting ran from 6:30 p.m. to 8:20 p.m.
- County Council President Billy Boniface announced the county council would introduce its amendments during the August 4 council meeting and expected to vote on the Comprehensive Rezoning during its August 11 session.
The Highlights:
- A Darlington man produced a dried ear of corn from a brown paper bag and symbolically snapped ...Continue Reading
A $65,000 grant through Maryland Environmental Services and a $500 donation from a Bel Air-based nonprofit group will allow Harford County’s nine waste oil and antifreeze recycling locations to remain open and keep monitors and restrooms active on the MA & PA Heritage Trail.
Information on the grant and donations was released late last week and gave County Executive David Craig’s office a chance to remind the public that the reduction in services were “due to last minute budget cuts by the County Council.”
Waste Oil Recycling Locations Spared
Grant from Maryland Environmental Services Allows Harford County Sites to Remain Open
(Bel Air, MD) – - Faced with the issue of closing nine waste oil and antifreeze recycling locations due to last minute budget cuts by the County Council, the Harford County Department of Public Works consulted with officials at Maryland Environmental Services (MES). Through a grant program available from the Maryland Department of ...Continue Reading
