City of Baltimore - File #: 19-0175R

• File #: 19-0175R
• Version: 0
• Name: Request for State Action - Real Property Tax Credit for Grocery Stores in Food Desert Retail Incentive Areas
• Type: City Council Resolution
• Status: Adopted
• File created: 10/28/2019
• In control: City Council
• Final action: 10/28/2019
• Title: Request for State Action - Real Property Tax Credit for Grocery Stores in Food Desert Retail Incentive Areas For the purpose of calling on the Maryland General Assembly to enact, and the Governor to sign, legislation amending State law to authorize a real property tax credit for existing and potential grocery stores inside food desert retail incentive areas.
• Sponsors: Bill Henry, Mayor Brandon M. Scott, John T. Bullock, Kristerfer Burnett, Shannon Sneed, Ryan Dorsey, Isaac "Yitzy" Schleifer, Leon F. Pinkett, III, Sharon Green Middleton, Mary Pat Clarke, Edward Reisinger, Zeke Cohen, Eric T. Costello, Robert Stokes, Sr.
• Indexes: Food Desert, Real Property, Request for State Action, Tax Credits

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result
10/28/2019	0	City Council	Adopted
10/28/2019	0	City Council	Introduced

* Warning: This is an unofficial, introductory copy of the bill.
The official copy considered by the City Council is the first reader copy.
Introductory*

City of Baltimore
Council Bill R
(Resolution)

Introduced by: Councilmember Henry


A Resolution Entitled

A Council Resolution concerning
title
Request for State Action - Real Property Tax Credit for Grocery Stores in Food Desert Retail Incentive Areas
For the purpose of calling on the Maryland General Assembly to enact, and the Governor to sign, legislation amending State law to authorize a real property tax credit for existing and potential grocery stores inside food desert retail incentive areas.
body

Recitals

About 25% of Baltimoreans and 30% of school-aged children live in City-designated “food deserts,” also known as “grocery store incentive areas,” which are defined as those areas where (1) a grocery store is at least a quarter of a mile away; (2) the median household income is at or below 185% of the Federal Poverty Level; and (3) at least 30% of the residents lack access to a vehicle.

Currently, the State authorizes the City to provide a tax credit against the personal property tax of a supermarket that establishes itself within one of these incentive areas. This policy comes out the Baltimore City Food Desert Retail Strategy, created by the Baltimore Food Policy Initiative (BFPI). The BFPI works to provide incentives for and grow healthy food options inside the city. This has included increasing urban agriculture, improving corner stores, and working to retain and attract supermarkets. Despite being established in 2015 and expanded in 2018, only 2 grocery stores have utilized this credit. We can and must do better.

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