Matthew Santoni, The Examiner
2008-04-03 07:00:00.0
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BALTIMORE -

Tax districts to pay for BRAC-related growth in Harford have received state lawmakers’ approval.

As the General Assembly entered its final, frantic days this week, the House of Delegates enacted the legislation enabling Harford County to create special taxing districts inside the “development envelope” around Bel Air and the Route 40 corridor.

The districts, which need County Council approval, would allow the county to charge developers the additional tax for building new schools, roads, sewers and such. If all the landowners within a proposed district agree, the county council could pass the additional taxes for that district to pay for the added strain of Base Realignment and Closure-driven development, said Sen. Barry Glassman, one of the bill's sponsors.

“For folks at the north end of the county, BRAC growth won't be subsidized by the general taxpayers' funds,” Glassman said.

Taxes would be added to the cost of new homes in the areas the county wants to concentrate development. But Glassman said he didn't think the additional cost would push development into the rural areas exempt from the tax.

“There's no doubt it will be more expensive, but I'd rather have new housing paying its own way,” Glassman said. “In the northern part of the county, prices are already higher, and there are a limited number of lots that can be zoned for development.”

Developer Clark Turner, who said he has several projects in the works that would be eligible for the taxing districts, called the legislation a good “public-private partnership.”

“There's a huge infrastructure demand on our budget, but it's probably beyond what the state and county in these tough economic times can do,” Turner said.

County Council President Billy Boniface, who worked with Glassman to draft the bill, said Harford would be unique among the other nine counties with authority to create special taxing districts. Of these, he said, only Harford requires all landowners to agree to the tax.

Amendments to the state bill required developers to inform potential home buyers of the additional tax that would be passed onto them, and would give the buyers the option of backing out without penalty.

msantoni@baltimoreexaminer.com