The Maryland Public Policy Institute

Invites you to a policy forum:

Lowering Baltimore City's Property Tax Rate

Many people love city life. But Baltimore City's property tax rate - at least twice that of the rest of the state - often makes it financially impossible for people and businesses to choose. The situation is so bad the city's chief economic developer said recently that projects would not be built if not for tax and other breaks given to developers.

Hundreds of millions of dollars in incentives to developers has not turned the city around, however. It lost 30,000 people and 53,000 jobs in the past 10 years following decades of outmigration. These figures have made many residents question the city's development strategy and pushed lowering property taxes to the top priority of most mayoral candidates this year.

Please join the Maryland Public Policy Institute at a forum to hear competing plans for lowering property taxes from mayoral candidates and other civic leaders as well as alternative plans for reviving the city.

Panelists:

Ryan O'Doherty
Director, Policy and Communications
Office of Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, Baltimore City

Jody Landers
Baltimore City Mayoral Candidate

Hon. Catherine Pugh
Maryland State Senator
Baltimore City Mayoral Candidate

Otis Rolley
Baltimore City Mayoral Candidate

Stephen J.K. Walters, Ph.D.
Professor of Economics
Loyola University Maryland
Author of the Maryland Journal article, "How to Make Baltimore A Superstar City."

Moderator:

Christopher B. Summers
President
Maryland Public Policy Institute

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

The Center Club
100 Light Street
Baltimore, Maryland

1:30 to 3:30 PM

Refreshments will be served

Maryland Public Policy Institute policy forums are free of charge

To RSVP, please call (240) 686-3510 or email events@mdpolicy.org