What the HCPI has in mind for the CVCBD

A friend of mine sent me a report f rom the Homewood Community Partners Initiative, July 2012 statement as outlined in their general report.

"b.  The only effective way to provide public safety, coverage in the area is the employment of off-duty, uni-formed Baltimore City police officers.  These could be deployed initially in the critical corridors, in slective strategic crime areas or throughout the CVCBD by employing targetet patrols, depending on the resources available."  (A group of residents suggested this at the last hearing of the CVCBD budget, eliminating some of sanitation employees since much of the work is duplicative work that should be accomplished by the City and residents of this community.  A resident is responsible for maintaing the area around his/her property by law, so the CVCBD doing this work only means that they are doing what we as residents should already be doing.  The CVCBD fought this idea repeatedly since sanitation represented a basis to show the City what they achieved by the number of bags they collected.)

"c.  Public space cleanliness and attractiveness could reach the level desired by all parties in HCPI if CVCBD could increase the number of its sanitation workers by 50 percent and include the capacity to manage illegal dumping."  (If the CVCBD accomplished supplemental maintenance as mandated by the legislation enacting them, they would not require any additional sanitation workers and the HCPI boundaries exceed that of the CVCBD's boundaries.  It does not include many of the areas represented in the HCPI; Remington being one.)

To achieve the goal that is outlined above, please consider the budget that is contemplated for the CVCBD, "a complete package of expanded services would require an additional annual contribution to CVCBD of roughly $1.5 million, for a total budget of $2.5 million."  There is no indication as to where they expect to get this increase from, but we understand that JHU had mentioned that they would consider a one time allocation of $1.5 million in order to accomplish this goal, but then what happens thereafter?  Are you as a resident or business owner of this community prepared to pay an additional 310% more in surtaxes to cover these salaries, in addition to the planned and much heralded trolley (really light rail) that will run up North Charles Street and down St. Paul Street at a cost that they suggest would amount to $150,000,000, but in actuality would more than likely cost $350,000,000.?  How will this impact your costs to live in Charles Village or for that matter the City of Baltimore?   With this one time allocation, are the residents of this community supposed to now maintain the properties of absentee landlords?  If it becomes difficult for members in this community to get businesses to comply with the NCVPUD, are we setting a basis for future filth?  What is really contained in this message?  Since when do you resolve issues by making residents pay for services that are really supposed to be done by other fellow residents and businesses and institutions?  Also rather than attempt to increase their baggage numbers, the CVCBD should perform the required supplemental services under their legislation.  I think that the HCPI should rethink their ideas a little more in order to work with the City of Baltimore to ensure that we get as required by the Baseline Agreement with the City exactly what we, as taxpayers are entitled to.  Don't you?

http://web.jhu.edu/adminstration/president/about/communications/pdfs/HCPI%20Report-mod-1-2-2013.pdf