Howard County Council hearings on proposals for downtown development and Councilwoman Jen Terresa's modified proposals held on July 14 and 18 provided an opportunity for a wide variety of viewpoints to be aired ("Divided public mulls over measures to overhaul downtown Columbia," July 19). Credit must be given to County Council Chairman Calvin Ball and to County Council members Greg Fox, Mary Kay Sigaty, Terresa and Jon Weinstein for endurance, as all interested community members were welcomed to say their piece. Each of the sessions lasted over four hours until past 10 p.m.
Many who spoke advocated for County Executive Allan Kittleman's proposals for development of the downtown. Especially enthusiastic were promoters of the arts whose desires have been incorporated into the new downtown plan and who see the new plan as good news for theater and for Merriweather Post Pavilion's future.
Evidently, school advocates were not at the table when this consensus was being formulated. The County Administration's proposed use of Tax Increment Financing would divert property taxes from 5,500 new residences away from schools and public safety services, leaving the existing seven villages to provide for these services for themselves and the population equivalent of two more. Property taxes from an additional 900 residences would also not contribute to schools and public safety and would also introduce additional students not accounted for in the county school system's baseline. A number of parents of school-aged children testified, expressing alarm that Howard County schools are being shortchanged. One individual offering testimony noted that it was curious that the new downtown library would have a very narrow street front.
Mr. Ball's decision to pursue an independent analysis of TIF financing for downtown development is a good sign. Let's hope it will ultimately lead to a solution that will continue to keep arts stakeholders happy and provide for affordable housing without trouncing on critical school and public safety services. One thing is certain, the impact of current downtown plans will have long-term consequences, and we can't afford to go forward with a faulty plan.
Nancy Schweiss, Columbia