The County Council yesterday overrode by a vote of 8-1 the county executive’s veto of a bill that would establish a business improvement district in downtown Silver Spring; Councilmember Will Jawando (D-At Large) was the sole “no” vote.
The members of the District 20 state delegation in Silver Spring have sent a letter to the County Council asking for its support for proposed changes to the state law allowing the establishment of Business Improvement Districts in the county.
County landlords would be required to revise rental applications to improve transparency and be limited on what types of arrest and convictions could be considered in housing decisions under the terms of a bill passed April 20 by the County Council.
The County Council has extended the deadline to apply for a seat on the Charter Review Commission until Wednesday, Dec. 23. No more than six members from the same party can sit on the commission, so the council is seeking Republicans, unaffiliated people or members of another party recognized by the Board of Elections, as long as it’s not the Democratic Party.
The Greater Silver Spring Chamber of Commerce has joined a coalition of businesses and organizations to oppose any attempt to implement a tax on digital ad revenues in the 2021 Maryland General Assembly. “We opposed this last year in the General Assembly because we felt that, as they had said, it would be a tax not just on the people accepting advertising but also on small businesses,” said Jane Redicker, GSSCC president and CEO.
The County Council yesterday unanimously passed additional targeted funding in response to COVID-19, as well as an amended executive order on county restrictions in response to the pandemic. The council approved a $3.3 million special appropriation to implement the African American Health Program Executive Committee program to provide a response to the impact of the pandemic on African American and Black residents. In addition, bars and restaurants will be barred from selling alcohol after 10 p.m.
The County Council yesterday approved about $28 million in appropriations to provide assistance to residents and various entities dealing with financial issues related to COVID-19 emergency. The largest appropriation, $20 million was requested by County Executive Marc Elrich from the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act to expand rental assistance for eviction and homelessness prevention.
The County Council continues to work on providing funding for specific sectors to assist in the economic recovery from the COVID-19 health emergency. At the behest of County Executive Marc Elrich, the council yesterday introduced legislation to appropriate $20 million from the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act to expand rental assistance for eviction and homelessness prevention.
Councilmembers Hans Riemer and Andrew Friedson introduced legislation Tuesday that would extend Metro’s existing property tax abatement for 15 years for new high-rise development. Bill 29-20, the “More Housing at Metrorail Stations Act,” would require the Director of Finance to offer a payment in lieu of taxes for a high-rise building constructed by a private developer on property leased from the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority at a Metro station.