Center finance change sought
CENTER, From page 1 the convention center. It would not be involved in taking out loans for the project.
The Cordish Cos. declined to comment for this article.
The county already has several paymentin-lieu-of-taxes, or PILOT, agreements with developers of housing communities that offer affordable rent to residents. The Berger Square community in Odenton was the most recent project to receive PILOT approval, in 2014.
Schuh’s proposal would create a new category of PILOT by authorizing the county to make such deals with commercial real estate developers.
Anne Arundel Economic Development Corp. CEO Julie Mussog said a PILOT for the Maryland Live convention center is a simpler approach that “to some degree, gives us more local control.”
Under a PILOT, she said, the county and developerwouldagreeonanannualfeetobe paid instead of taxes. The contract would likely be re-evaluated periodically, and could be ended if benefits to the county cease.
Under the proposal, any deal would have to be approved by the County Council.
Eleven of the delegation’s 13 members have signed on as co-sponsors of the measure.
Del. Pam Beidle, a Linthicum Democrat and chair of the county delegation, said she supports the idea because it would remove the necessity of holding graduation ceremonies out of the county. But she also wants to know what it will cost.
“I’m anxious to see what the projection is,” she said.
Del. Herb McMillan, an Annapolis Republican, is one of two delegates who have not signed on to the measure. He said this past week he hadn’t yet had a chance to review the details. The delegation was expected to discuss the proposal at its meeting Friday, which was too late for this edition.
Last year, McMillan opposed a state effort to provide tax credits to defense contractor Northrop Grumman in exchange for the company’s commitment to create and retain jobs in Maryland. He said this deal sounds different.
If passed, PILOT authorization would not be limited to the conference center.
McEvoy said the county has no plans at the moment for another such agreement.
“If we can help attract some large-scale endeavor, of course we would want to do it,” he said, but at the same time, county officials want to “narrowly tailor” the policy.
“We don’t want every developer coming out of the woodwork,” he said.
The Cordish Cos. declined to comment for this article.
The county already has several paymentin-lieu-of-taxes, or PILOT, agreements with developers of housing communities that offer affordable rent to residents. The Berger Square community in Odenton was the most recent project to receive PILOT approval, in 2014.
Schuh’s proposal would create a new category of PILOT by authorizing the county to make such deals with commercial real estate developers.
Anne Arundel Economic Development Corp. CEO Julie Mussog said a PILOT for the Maryland Live convention center is a simpler approach that “to some degree, gives us more local control.”
Under a PILOT, she said, the county and developerwouldagreeonanannualfeetobe paid instead of taxes. The contract would likely be re-evaluated periodically, and could be ended if benefits to the county cease.
Under the proposal, any deal would have to be approved by the County Council.
Eleven of the delegation’s 13 members have signed on as co-sponsors of the measure.
Del. Pam Beidle, a Linthicum Democrat and chair of the county delegation, said she supports the idea because it would remove the necessity of holding graduation ceremonies out of the county. But she also wants to know what it will cost.
“I’m anxious to see what the projection is,” she said.
Del. Herb McMillan, an Annapolis Republican, is one of two delegates who have not signed on to the measure. He said this past week he hadn’t yet had a chance to review the details. The delegation was expected to discuss the proposal at its meeting Friday, which was too late for this edition.
Last year, McMillan opposed a state effort to provide tax credits to defense contractor Northrop Grumman in exchange for the company’s commitment to create and retain jobs in Maryland. He said this deal sounds different.
If passed, PILOT authorization would not be limited to the conference center.
McEvoy said the county has no plans at the moment for another such agreement.
“If we can help attract some large-scale endeavor, of course we would want to do it,” he said, but at the same time, county officials want to “narrowly tailor” the policy.
“We don’t want every developer coming out of the woodwork,” he said.
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