Community Association Abuses Its Taxing Power
At a time when the government's favorite words are tax, tax and tax, I am dismayed to find yet another perpetrator of increased taxation at the local level -- my community association.
I live in Anne Arundel County's special benefit tax district for the Manhattan Beach peninsula. This year, the tax district was due to expire unless the community voted to continue it.
Information was sent from the Manhattan Beach Civic Association Board of Directors asking residents to come to a meeting to vote to continue the district.
The letter did not indicate that a budget would be voted on at this meeting. However, the information implied an assessment of no more than $25 per household was all that was needed to maintain the community.
Then, without advance notice, the board of directors asked approximately 40 families attending this meeting to vote to raise $10,000 for legal expenses through the benefit tax.
(The board plans to file a legal suit against Magothy Marina for a deed to a boat ramp used by less than 10 percent of the community.) This expense would increase the community tax by 72 percent.
Although the community can vote again on the budget, the board president contends that only line items can be changed, not the assessment. The community can vote down the budget entirely but then no tax will be collected and the community will have no funds for that year.
The board of directors is positioning itself to launch a legal battle against the planned expansion of Magothy Marina.
This takes money, especially when tackling a large corporation with deep pockets. I am deeply concerned that our community's taxing process will allow a small group of residents with special ,, interests to vote in a large tax to fund their legal battle.
Our bylaws require no advance notice of an assessment vote nor do they place an effective cap on the tax amount that can be assessed.
With no notice, residents may not know to come to vote at a very important budget meeting. With no cap, the tax can potentially be increased $100 or $200 per tax account.
Plus, with a required quorum of only 12 for approximately 550 tax accounts, all it takes is seven people to approve it. And once we get our property tax bill, the assessment must be paid or we risk a lien on our property.
It concerns me that Anne Arundel County would allow a community association to use such a non-communicative process to tax its residence. Since residents as a group pay the county more than $600 per year to administer the tax, I would like to think the county would take active measures to protect the interest of its citizens and ensure that benefit district taxes are assessed in a fair manner.
Kurt S. Larsen
Severna Park
Candles Out, Charm Off
I thoroughly enjoyed Liz Atwood's "Candles Go Out, Charm Comes Off" column of Nov. 13. . . . You really captured the mood in town that night.
I, too, went to the unusual Annapolis City Council meeting and then to the candlelight tour -- what a contrast!
The Main Street design has been improved since Nov. 4, and the improvement is a result of the input of many who care deeply about Annapolis.
?3 We appreciate your interest and fine reporting.
Ann M. Fligsten
Annapolis
The writer is president of the Historic Annapolis Foundation.
Sex and Parties
Two recent articles pointed out that in this past election, men voted 54 percent for Republicans and women voted 54 percent Democrat. Why not say men voted 46 percent Democrat and women 46 percent Republican?
I think the newspaper's effort to sexualize this election is greatly exaggerated. If these percentages are accurate, it appears both men and women are almost down the middle on the issues. I also think the good-guy (Democrat), bad-guy (Republican) editorializing is not doing anyone any good. This premise fosters a lot of misconceptions.
I am a woman and a Republican and I can assure you I care about health, children and the unemployed.
I also care about defense and the manufacturing base of this country, to wit, money, without which we would all be unemployed, uninsured and hungry.
Joyce C. Robinson
Glen Burnie
Give Year-Round Idea a Chance
As I begin my role as chair of the Anne Arundel County Task Force on Year-Round Education, I write with some concern about our efforts and the whole issue of year-round education for this county being reported to the citizens of this community in a fair and informed manner.
The issue surrounding year-round education are complex. As we hear from communities who have experienced this concept, we already realize that there are many advantages and disadvantages to year-round schooling. . . .
In your editorials dated Sept. 27 and Nov. 21, you have presented the public with a negative and somewhat limited perspective of year-round education. Though the task force is not committed at this time on what to recommend to the school board in June, we are committed to learning as much as we can about what has worked and what hasn't and informing the citizens of this county of our findings.
I ask, as your publication continues to cover this topic, that you join us as we become educated about the facts of year-round education, and that you allow us to work in an environment that is unbiased and fair. . . .
Jeanette D. Wessel
Annapolis
The writer is chairwoman of the Anne Arundel County Task Force On Year-Round Education.