From Harford County Government:
(Bel Air, MD) – The public is invited to comment on the proposed expansion and recertification of the Edgewood/Joppa Enterprise Zone. A public hearing will be held at the Harford County Sheriff’s Office Southern Precinct, 1305 Pulaski Highway, Edgewood, MD 21040, on Thursday, January 9, 2014 at 7 p.m.
The Enterprise Zone encompasses the commercial, residential and industrial properties along and in the vicinity of the U.S Route 40 Corridor (Edgewood/Joppa), MD Route 24, MD Route 755, MD Route 152 and MD Route 7.
The purpose of expanding and recertifying the Edgewood/Joppa Enterprise Zone is to continue the redevelopment and revitalization of Edgewood and Joppa through business expansion, retention, and attraction of new industries into the designated areas.
Businesses must meet minimum requirements for job creation or capital investment to qualify for tax credits. The Enterprise Zone designation affords businesses the chance to create additional employment opportunities for all of Harford County while simultaneously enhancing quality of life.
For additional information about the Enterprise Zone Program or to view the new proposed Enterprise Zone map please visit www.harfordbusiness.org/index.cfm?ID=84, or contact Jim Richardson, Director of the Office of Economic Development at 220 South Main Street, Bel Air, MD 21014, 410-638-3059, email jcrichardson@harfordcountymd.gov.
Anyone in need of accommodations for the hearing impaired or for any other reason should call 410-638-3059 at least five days prior to the public hearing date.
Wonder whose buddy needs a favor on this one?
The Money Tree –
Would you be happy if a moratorium was put on all commercial development in Harford County?
Why are you surprised that developers lobby government?
Why are you shocked that developers want to make a profit?
You are the ultimate NIMBYist.
Why don’t you go as an individual or with a group like-minded NIMBYists and fight all the development you don’t want and pick all the areas in Harford County where future development should be halted?
None of the above. Development goes on all the time and in fact there are multiple proposals for most community input meetings and only occasionally do you find me making snarky comments about one. When you smell a pile of crap a it usually means there’s a pile of crap there. Zoning regs and changes outside the norm, or in this case an expansion of an area that brings with it tax free and tax reduced credits, etc. and eligible low or no interest taxpayer supported loans, etc. brings to mind that somebody wants a favor. All of those things affect the taxpayers…the ones who actually foot the bills while this Richardson character in Harford “economic” Development tries to tell us we need more free stuff to bring businesses here. No indeed we don’t need a moratorium but we sure need an infusion of ethics into this process.
@The Money Tree –
I am with on the abuse of Tax Increment Financing – TIF.
The way that Harford County has used TIFs is two time bombs that could blow up on Harford County taxpayers.
1. Harford County has to provide the improvements for these developments and forgoes the real property taxes until the bond is paid off.
2. If the bond is not paid off Harford County is the guarantor and will owe the money.
Ooh, ooh, I know, I know! Let’s build another big fancy, big window, big brick office building for no one to lease!!! Hell yeah! Let’s truck in the most expensive asphalt mined from South America jungles too!!! Fancy fancy!!!
Ooh, ooh, I know, I know! Let’s build another big fancy, big window, big brick office building for no one to lease!!! Hell yeah! Let’s truck in the most expensive asphalt mined from South America jungles to pave the parking lot too!!! Fancy fancy!!!
The Money Tree, I think you are right on the money, pun definitely intended. I don’t know who you are, but I tend to agree with you on nearly everything you’he written on this site. Politics is very deliberate. Nothing in this County happens by chance, and certainly not for the good of the people who they are supposed to be serving. The only ones who they are serving are themselves. I think that’s what you call self-serving.
Does this mean that we can finally get rid of the highly disproportionate amount of Section 8 and subsidized housing vouchers in Edgewood that has been going on for years! The same folks who were smiling and cutting the ribbon on “move to prosperity” back in the 80’s/90’s are now loyal faithfuls at the Edgewood Community Council Meetings acting as if they are not part of the solution. ART HELTON included! Hey Dion have you figured out where you live yet, since apparently someone had to tell Mr. Helton where he officially lived!