* 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
Introduced by: Councilmember Clarke
A RESOLUTION ENTITLED
A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL concerning
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Public Development Subsides - Fair Development Standards
FOR the purpose of establishing a framework to guide the approval, rejection, modification, and creation of publicly subsidized economic and community development plans and projects in Baltimore; expressing the intent of the City of Baltimore that economic and community development subsidies provided by the City shall not be provided to private interests unless certain standards are met; and setting a special effective date.
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Recitals
City public subsidies in the form of grants, bonds, tax increment financing (TIFs), payments in lieu of taxes (PILOTs) and tax credits, abatements, and expenditures have been provided in the past to private developers with few, if any, standard criteria for determining public value or benefit. The lack of such criteria gives rise to the belief that these subsidies are provided in an arbitrary manner.
Publicly subsidized projects should promote and fulfill the public values of the City and shall abide by the principles of universality, equity, participation, transparency, accountability, and environmental sustainability.
SECTION 1. BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL OF BALTIMORE, That the improvement of the standards of living of the citizens of Baltimore, particularly those with the greatest need, shall be regarded as the principal objective in the planning and provision of public city subsidies for economic and community development, including tax expenditures.
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That all Baltimore citizens have the right to the fair distribution of benefits that are the direct or indirect result of any publicly subsidized economic or community development plan or project, in such manner that citizens� fundamental needs of good jobs, education, health care, food, housing, and social security are enhanced and realized. As these needs are indivisible, no single fundamental need shall be pursued to the detriment of other fundamental needs.
SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the citizens of Baltimore, particularly those with the greatest need, have the right to active, free, and meaningful participation in the planning and provision of economic and community development.
SECTION 4. AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That workers who are directly or indirectly employed in Baltimore as a result of publicly subsidized economic and community development, have the right to fair and living wages, health care benefits, and opportunities for skill enhancement, the right to organize collectively and the right to labor peace so as to protect the City�s proprietary interest in the subsidized development project.
SECTION 5. AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That all city residents have the right to be protected from the risk of involuntary displacement that is the direct or indirect result of any publicly subsidized economic or community development plan or project.
SECTION 6. AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That all Baltimore citizens have the right to publicly subsidized economic or community development plans or projects that increase racial and ethnic inclusion.
SECTION 7. AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That all Baltimore citizens have the right to clean air, water, and protection from harmful toxins, and no publicly subsidized economic or community development project shall abridge these rights.
SECTION 8. AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That all Baltimore citizens have the right to publicly subsidized economic or community development projects that further and promote environmental sustainability.
SECTION 9. AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That all Baltimore citizens have the right to transparency in the discussion, planning, implementation, and monitoring of publicly subsidized economic or community development plans or projects.
SECTION 10. AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Baltimore City Council has the duty to assess all publicly subsidized economic or community development projects that come before it according to these rights, and shall set enforceable performance standards and duties relative thereto for private developers who receive public economic or community development subsidies.
SECTION 11. AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this Resolution takes effect on the date it is enacted.
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