I propose a 100 percent decrease in the property tax over the next century. Will this be enough to get me elected as Baltimore's mayor next year?

This is such a singularly political move that fails to address a very real problem, which apparently SRB does not care much about. She is basically throwing this POS proposal in the faces of everyone who willingly pays these high taxes as if we don't understand the motivation behind it. I'll save $400 on my property tax if I stick it out here for another decade? Great. Where is her 10-year plan to repair the city's roads, schools, and reduce crime?

A 9% reduction over 10 years will do nothing to stop the population outflow. Even with the savings I'll still be paying $6,000 more than someone who lives on the other side of the city line. The only good thing about the proposal is that the slots revenue won't be thrown into the black hole known as the school budget...

The best proposal by far was to eliminate the Homestead and new construction phase-in, leave the rate the same for non-owner occupied units, increase the tax rate for blighted properties, tax the real estate of non-profits and religious institutions, and lower everyone else's rate by the equivalent savings. This would actually align the incentive system with what the city wants.

9% over 9 years??? Puh-leeeze! This is nothing but a half-baked attempt by SRB to pretend that she is being proactive in making Baltimore City's property tax rate competitive with the surrounding jurisdictions. She doesn't want to legitimize Otis Rolley's and Jody Landers' proposals.

This is little more than an election year talking point. But it is at least a rare sign of life from a Mayor who shows little interest in Baltimore's average citizens.

This proposal proves that she doesn't really understand the problem. This isn't about people demanding a tax cut to save a few bucks. This is about making the City competitive. This does NOTHING to solve the actual problem with Baltimore's property tax rate.

And it will be a self-fulfilling prophecy for those who don't think lowering the property tax rate will help the City grow. Of course it won't help when the rate isn't cut enough to get Baltimore in line with the rest of the state.

I was at one point really interested in moving to Baltimore, in the NE sector where there were some pretty nice older homes that would've cost an additional 30-50k just across the city-county border. It looked like we'd get a good deal, crime didn't appear to be as big an issue as other areas in the city, and had that sort of middle-class neighborhood charm, where you actually had a tree or two and an actual yard. Yet, when I was vetting the potential mortgage costs, etc, I soon found Baltimore's property tax rate to be a huge barrier to entry. As a result, I am now more willing to spend more in the county with a prop tax rate half that of the city. It's a shame, because I was quite willing to move to Bmore.

Jody Landers will be speaking about his property tax proposal this evening.

He will be at the monthly meeting of the Mid-Atlantic Real Estate Investors Association (MAREIA).

The meeting takes place at 6:30 pm at the Pikesville Hilton off Baltimore Beltway exit 20.

Mayor Bloomberg of NY is paying $20MM for a Hamptons house where real estate taxes are $42K - they way to attract buyers is to signifcantly cut the tax rate and tax those underpayers as andrew suggests - then prices and value will increase

The risk is to make a tax cut that both reduces City revenue and does not tilt homebuyers towards purchasing in the City. I fear the 9% is just that: enough to hurt City revenue in a meaningful way, but not enough to tilt people's opinion about buying in the City.

The Hamptons? Not sure that that's really a comparable example, and certainly not a causal one. I'm pretty sure that the main function of the government in the Hamptons is to stay out of the way of the people who live in the Hamptons.

Maybe instead of looking to current city leadership, who are completely off base with the long term reality that the city is a patient that is bleeding out on the table, maybe we need to push for an aggressive statewide law limiting the amount a county can charge in property taxes. I would call for a statewide property tax cap of 1.5 cents per $100. This will help to make Maryland, in general, a more attractive and predictable place to live and do business.

Vote for Senator Pugh! Baltimore needs to get back in the game! Enough is enough! Years ago Boston cut there taxes down dramatically and the city flourished! Lets do the same!!! If SRB gets re elected I am going to have to move to the county, I cant afford the real estate taxes anymore!!!

robert.... I hope you are registered to vote so you help someone else besides SRB get back into office if you are really worried about the property taxes.

Folks who decry 9% as "nothing" -- how would you feel if the rate was increased by 9%?

Exactly. So save your phony outrage.

9% is a start, but still not enough to make me consider buying in the city.

"9% is a start, but still not enough to make me consider buying in the city."

Case in point.

Again, the issue is that the City is uncompetitive and out of line with the region. City residents are not just looking for a tax cut.

A better idea would be to take a comprehensive approach of encouraging property renovation, returning vacant/slumlord properties to use, and lower rates across the board to encourage new purchases.

Renovaations and improvements could be incentivized by offering a 5 yr moratorium on higher assessments for homeowners who put at least 10k into a property (require permits to be taken and the project budget placed into escrow). A similar program could work to encourage people to turn vacant or slumlord properties into up-to-code housing, by deducting the expenses to make the code repairs from future property taxes. Lastly, a 10% property tax cut over 10 years is not a cut at all--it basically means the rate will come down, but property assessments will likely go up, even if its slowly.

Anyone who keeps up their house or makes improvements on it would still pay higher taxes with the lower rate. And the rate is still appreciably higher than AA /Howard/Balt County. So why bother? SRB's plan is weak. I hope we end up with a change... the city deserves more.

"9% is a start, but still not enough to make me consider buying in the city."

It's not 9%. It's 1%/year for 9 years until this or another administration decides to raise it or replace it with a psuedonym called a bottle tax.

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

I agree with elweedz. These issues need to be looked at in a comprehensive fashion. The city clearly has a lot of unutilized and underutilized housing stock, as well as disincentives to make improvements on one's property. Why pull a permit and do the work when you're going to be hit up with twice the property tax you'd pay for the same improvement in another county? If you're wealthy.... sure. But what the city really needs to attract is wage-earning, skilled labor and educated young people willing to do the work of fixing up and improving houses and neighborhoods.

SRB has not been a good mayor where the average Baltimore resident is concerned. I had a lot of hope for her, as did others, but she has really shown us nothing but the same old...

Well, at least this proposal is funded, unlike those that depend on magical market forces and have no escape hatch if they don't work.

My I express my doubts that "something small will be given in the course of 10 years" could ever be a successful re-election platform?

IMO Jody Landers has the best plan for dealing with this insane property tax rate. The 9% reduction SRB offers up is slap in the face to home owners.

What I find amusing is SRB changing her stance from "lower taxes isn't realistic" to this sorry excuse for a plan.

This woman is a complete joke. I'd be thrilled if Rolley or Landers kick this woman out of office.

The only reason to reduce taxes is to drive population. This is not enough to incent people to come back to the city. I would call this dangerous because you lose revenue and you gain nothing. The Otis Rolley 50% cut over ten years drives population and increases aggregate property value. It's sound. This is irresponsible.

Issue Kavlar vests to new Residence. May be that would help.

I agree with most poste, especially Steve and Frangler. Aside from a handful of livable neighborhoods (that have to put up with constant burglary, at a minimum) vast sections of Baltimore are among the most blighted in the country. Why spur growth??? And, oh yes, landlord bashing is great politics. Lets leave those evil landlords out of the cuts so there will continue to be plenty of vacant houses and litle in the way of decent affordable rentals.

Lisa,

Given your pro-status quo stance on vacants, I assume that you are a spokesperson for either the MD Chamber of Commerce or the Baltimore Real Estate Investors Association.

MCG, ?? The comment was intended as sarcasm.