UPDATE: February 20, 2020: The Baltimore City Council has passed the resolution and now the property tax credit only awaits Mayor Jack Young’s signature. The resolution had unanimous support in committee, and in the council. CUB offers a huge thank you to Councilman Ryan Dorsey who worked this legislation through the council, Delegate Stephanie Smith who carried the enabling legislation in Annapolis and former Delegate Bilal Ali who first introduced the tax credit legislation and worked with CUB, even when he no longer was a state delegate, to see the bill come to fruition. 2020-02-20
The City Union of Baltimore testified before the Baltimore City Council Taxation, Finance, and Economic Development Committee in favor of a bill that would give a property tax credit to the lowest paid city employees. President Antoinette Ryan-Johnson and retiree James Carroll testified that the tax credit would help increase the number of residents in the city as well as add greater spending money to CUB members that ultimately would be recycled in the city. Council member Ryan Dorsey sponsored the bill and worked hard behind the scenes with various city agencies to ensure the bill could be implemented and benefit low wage city employees and the city. The committee members on the council were receptive to the tax credit although some agencies wanted a deeper look into the numbers.
The city’s finance department used tax credits given to public safety employees as a guide for how these tax credits would impact the city. The agency didn’t believe many members who qualified for the tax credit would actually use it. President Ryan-Johnson however, fought hard for her members sharing that this is a great and necessary way to reward the hard-working women and men who serve the city. Many council members shared and echoed that sentiment and ultimately the committee supported the bill and will send it to the full council for a vote.
2020-01-23
Member testimony is vital to the work AFT-Maryland does in Annapolis on behalf of its locals. If you would like to submit written testimony or come to Annapolis to provide oral testimony on behalf of your union, please contact Todd Reynolds, AFT-Maryland Political Coordinator at treynolds@aftmd.org.