http://news.mywebpal.com/news_tool_v2.cfm?pnpID=573&NewsID=859455&CategoryID=742&show=localnews&om=1

Legislators take up tax credit, mobile home bills

Howard County Times, 12/06/07
Nate Sandstrom

Howard County's state senators and delegates last week took testimony on a variety of local bills, including one that would give a property tax credit to some residents and another that would give the county government greater oversight of septic systems in the western county that serve homeowners who lack public sewer service.

The delegation also heard testimony on a bill to require the owners of mobile home parks seeking to sell the parks to give residents the first crack at buying the properties.

Legislators took the testimony during a Nov. 29 public hearing in Ellicott City.

To become law, the bills must receive majority approval from the county's eight members of the House of Delegates and three state senators during voting sessions that begin in January, after the 2008 session of the Maryland General Assembly convenes.

The bills would then go to the full Assembly for approval.

Among those who attended the Nov. 29 hearing were several homeowners who testified in support of a bill that would allow the County Council to provide them a tax credit.

Homeowners in the county's public water service area pay an "ad valorem" property tax of 8 cents per $100 of a home's value.

Most who pay the tax also receive public water and sewer service; however, about 1,600 are eligible to receive water service only, according to the county's Department of Finance.

The bill, which is sponsored by Sen. Allan Kittleman, a West Friendship Republican, would allow the County Council to grant the residents who pay the tax, but don't receive sewer service, a tax credit to be determined by the council.

Kittleman said County Council member Greg Fox, a Fulton Republican, asked him to sponsor the bill after residents contacted him about what they perceived as an unfair tax.

Michael Odochowski, an Ellicott City resident, said at the hearing that he already pays $500 a year in homeowners' fees for the construction of a private wastewater treatment plant in his community and therefore should not also have to pay county sewer taxes.

West county wants septic bill

Another group of western Howard residents testified in support of a pair of bills that would give the county greater oversight of multi-user septic systems, many of which serve residents in western Howard County, which lacks public sewer service.

The bill would allow the county to require a developer who installs a septic system to post money with the county that would not be returned unless the septic system met certain performance standards set by the county.

A companion bill would enable the County Council to enact local laws governing how multi-user septic systems are installed and perform.

The state now has much of the oversight of those systems, said Del. Warren Miller, a Woodbine Republican, who sponsored the bills.

Miller said he filed the bills in response to a failing septic system in a west county retirement community that has vexed residents there for years.

Mobile home bill mulled over

Also, several members of a community group called People Acting Together in Howard County spoke in favor of a bill that would require mobile home park owners to give residents a chance to match any purchase offer the owners receive on a park.

Several mobile home parks along Route 1 have closed in recent years as redevelopment in the area has increased land values.

"There are no guarantees that you'll be able to remain in those parks forever, but (the bill) is providing another tool for the residents of the park and, in my opinion, it's simply an issue of fairness," said Del. Guy Guzzone, a Columbia Democrat and one of the bill's sponsors.

The delegation also heard testimony on County Executive Kenneth Ulman's requests for $500,000 in state funding for three local park projects, including the North Laurel Community Center, and several bills involving government administrative procedures.