A better way to run a Community Benefits District

This is my final entry on "What if there was no Charles Village Community Benefits District (CVCBD)?  And, what is it anyway? by Pamela Wilson

Part V - "A better way to run a Community Benefits District – By, of and for the People".

When we moved into Charles Village 13 years ago, long-time residents began telling us about the Charles Village Community Benefits District and their confusion about what it is, what it does, and who runs it.  The answer to who runs it is certainly not the community of Greater Charles Village since a community individual who is not affiliated with a legislatively-named organization can only run for and only vote for one voting seat on the CVCBD Board which consists of 18 voting seats from named associations and quad representatives.

As I've said in my earlier blogs on this subject, I and others in the community spent a long time trying to unravel the threads of this governmental entity.  What has become apparent to many of us now is that Greater Homewood Community Corporation (GHCC) may well be the force behind the CVCBD and we wonder if its involvement has a lot to do with JHU.  Once, GHCC was a true community-run group and one of its first presidents, upon receipt of a check to GHCC from Johns Hopkins University (JHU) to support one of JHU's initiatives, returned it back to the JHU president because the initiative was not of benefit to the community.  Somewhere down the line something changed and we now hear GHCC called a "development corporation".  Since inception GHCC has grown to cover a huge area that GHCC claims encompasses 45 neighborhoods and almost 13% of Baltimore City's population.  This makes GHCC another layer of non-elected control over communities, beyond that of our elected City officials, special benefits districts, other committees and initiatives, and local community and business associations.  We wonder if GHCC any longer serves only community interests as it once did or if it now serves some larger power as it spreads throughout North Central Baltimore?  Contrary to how GHCC began in 1969, GHCC's Board of Directors now includes at least two members from Hopkins, Inc..  Does GHCC's heavy influence over the community organizations which agree to "partner" or connect to GHCC point to the day when GHCC will be the sole voice of the residential and commercial neighborhoods impacted by JHU's present and future plans?  And how does this relate to the CVCBD and its lack of democratically elected Board members?

Does the Benefits District Engage in Taxation without Representation?

 Here is another of the "Other voices from Charles Village", Joan Floyd, Benefits District homeowner:

DOES THE BENEFITS DISTRICT ENGAGE IN TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION?

Because the Board of the Benefits District decides on a surtax rate to submit to the Board of Estimates, and decides how all surtax funds are spent, it’s a very powerful group.  Does it engage in Taxation Without Representation?  This question is on the minds of many.

Perhaps the way to explore the question is to look at how each voting member is placed on the Benefits District Board.  

We would need certain information about each group that is entitled to send a member or members to the Board.  What are the group’s eligibility requirements for membership?  Are there dues to pay?  How many members does the group have?  When the group chooses its Benefits District representative(s), exactly how is that done?    

Once this information appears on the Benefits District’s website, it will be possible to explore the question of Taxation Without Representation.

This is the continuation of my blog entry "What if there was no Charles Village Community Benefits District (CVCBD)?  And, what is it anyway?

Part I. What is the Charles Village Community Benefits (CVDBD) and where did the CVCBD come from? was posted on Sunday, May 6th, 2012

Part II. How the CVCBD is run? was posted on Sunday, May13, 2012

Part III. What does the CVCBD do? was posted on Monday, May 21. 2012

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Part IV – If you are wondering "Why don't I get any services" I think you'll understand the reasons when you read below "What would happen if it was to cease operations, if there was no CVCBD?"

A.  What would happen if there was no CVCBD is that very little would change in terms of losing services because: