I found this interesting Op/Ed in the Sun Paper.  I’d like to hear what other people think.  Please leave a comment if you get a chance.

 By Carl Hyman

February 13, 2008

Marylanders want great services with low taxes, but they can’t have it both ways. There are measures we could take, but some of them make too much sense to be enacted. For example, we could save billions of dollars without raising taxes by combining Baltimore and its surrounding counties into one consolidated metropolitan government.

Imagine the city and Baltimore, Anne Arundel, Howard, Harford and Carroll counties as a single jurisdiction. Taxpayers would easily save billions through the elimination of unnecessary, redundant functions. And the citizens would likely see a vast improvement in services with no tax increase - and in fact a probable tax savings. As a bonus, it would also eliminate the need for slot machine revenue. What’s more, with 2.6 million residents, the combined area would recategorize Baltimore as one of the top-tier consolidated economic centers of the nation, which would generate even more industry and revenue, and more federal tax support.

What prevents this from taking place? Politics. The region’s citizens and government leaders need to put aside irrational objections and try to understand the importance of acting soon.

Counties in Maryland were very important - in the largely agrarian 19th and early 20th centuries. With the advent of industrialization, these political subdivisions became increasingly obsolete as economic entities, as citizens began to freely traverse boundaries for work, residence and recreation.As the forthcoming 2010 census will reveal, racial and economic segregation between city and suburb is rapidly dissipating, and the city is further reduced as the center of key mercantile opportunities in the region. In essence, our entire economy has changed, but the structure of government has not.

Now the global economy and the Internet have made it very difficult to distinguish national boundaries, let alone metropolitan areas or cities. Yet we still hang on to these political relics. It is costing us billions in unnecessary taxes and lost growth opportunities, and it weakens our ability to promote the region and its resources.

In Baltimore, metropolitan cooperation started years ago, with the development of the water supply. This extended to other essential systems, such as the standardization of fire suppression equipment across the region. Cooperative purchasing for fire, police and public works equipment also proved that great savings could be realized through mutual cooperation.

We have a fine Baltimore Metropolitan Council, and its work is commendable. However, it cannot effect the cost savings that could be realized through real government consolidation.

Consider the potential effects in a single area: criminal justice. Instead of five circuit courts, we would have one, with a single jury pool serving 2.6 million people. Trials could be handled speedily, because of the geographic flexibility of the personnel hearing or handling cases, and the availability of an ample pool of peers. Speedier trials mean less jail overcrowding.Bigger financial savings could follow through the conjoining of local police, fire, public works, schools, central services and other functions into one entity. Immediately, all of the redundant government costs in human resources, legal and accounting services, to name just a few, would disappear.

True, there are sometimes good reasons for jurisdictions to operate on a smaller scale, especially when it comes to school governance. But even in this area, from a financial point of view, it makes sense to think big. At the very least, school districts stand to gain by pooling their resources on items purchased in bulk.

Imagine the leverage that could be brought to bear on medical insurers by combining government employee health care premiums. Imagine the power of Smart Growth initiatives. Imagine how a unified 911 system could reliably cover the places where people live, shop or visit in a national homeland emergency. Imagine how expertise in government could be shared among more people over a wider area. The public health system could then more comprehensively address regional health issues and emergencies that do not conveniently follow county lines.

This arrangement is already the norm in progressive cities such as San Antonio and Miami, where true metropolitan taxing authorities and properly scaled government economies are in place. It accurately reflects the way we live in the 21st century in this country, and it is perhaps the only way we will all be able to afford government services in the very near future.There is a common misconception that suburban residents are paying fewer taxes and getting better services, and that this works well. Both ideas are dubious at best, considering the general price differentials in housing and its impact on property taxes (higher suburban prices result in higher taxes). What’s more, because other state taxes are based on income and are being redistributed to support poorer jurisdictions, these arguments ring hollow.

In any event, the disparity in city and suburban wealth may be moot in the next five years as our inner-ring suburbs continue to age and become populated with in-migrants who are substantially poorer than the out-migrants. This seems to be happening at an accelerated pace right now in Baltimore County.

Meanwhile, in order to survive, the suburban governments continue to cater to the unrelenting pressure of developers, who, by continuing their destruction of open spaces for inferior tract housing at greater distances from the city, are further exacerbating the cost of water, sewer and natural resources, schools and services for all citizens.

Collectively, we no longer can afford to have separate, self-interested suburban governments doing the bidding for the region. The state has the power to make these changes; all that’s needed is sufficient political will.

It was announced this weekend that Ed Hale’s Canton Crossing in Southeast Baltimore (aka Canton City USA) will be home to a new “Main Street” style shopping center similar to The Avenue at White Marsh or the Hunt Valley Town Center.  Hale’s company is also apparently in talks with high-end grocer Harris Teeter and retailer Target about possibly anchoring the center.  Both Harris Teeter and Target are expanding in the area.  Harris Teeter is in the process of building a store in Columbia and also considering a location at Locust Point’s McHenry Row development.  Target has also announced plans to build a store at Mondawmin mall.  While nothing is certain, the announcement that a Target or Harris Teeter may settle in Canton was welcome news.  Many Cantonites are frustrated at the other local options which include the cramped Whole Foods in Harbor East and the crowded Safeway in Canton.   Often times, late evening shoppers at Safeway find bare shelves ravaged by hordes of people earlier in the day.   While Whole Foods is looking to expand to a larger location across the street from its existing store, it doesn’t seem likely that Southeast’s Baltimore’s grocery needs will be easily satisfied until more markets open. 

 The possibility of a Target nearby got people excited as well.  Currently, the nearest Target is about a 25 minute drive away.  The only other option is the Wal-Mart in Port Covington, which still takes about 15-20 minutes after fiddling with the tunnel tolls or fighting downtown traffic.  Even so, the Port Covington Wal Mart is considered to be “not that nice”. 

Visit www.harristeeter.com and www.target.com to learn more about these retailers.  If you have time, send an e-mail of support for their projects.

Click below to see the full Canton Crossing Site Plan:

http://www.cantoncrossing.com/images/New_CC_Retail_Plan_2.pdf

Despite prolific natural snowfalls and some of the best ski conditions in years, travelers for this year’s long Presidents weekend (February 16-18) seem to have a decided preference for warmer destinations.

Today, priceline.com released it annual list of the top 50 destinations for the national holiday. To compile its list, priceline.com looked at a sampling of more than 30,000 hotel room booking requests made by priceline.com customers for the long weekend. Since the priceline.com study is based on actual booking requests, and not on consumer preference polls or votes, priceline.com believes the study is one of the more accurate predictors of future travel trends.

Priceline.com says it still has a broad selection of airline tickets, hotel rooms, vacation packages, rental cars and cruises available for Presidents Weekend and for the entire Presidents Week. In addition to warm-weather destinations, priceline.com has ski vacations and international getaways available. To check out the deals, visit www.priceline.com.Of the 50 top destinations, 33 were warm weather destinations in places like Florida, Hawaii and California. New York City’s Times Square Theater District, a perennial favorite at this time of year, was #1 on the list. “It may have reached the point where many Americans said ‘enough’ to the snow, rain and recent cold snaps,” said Tim Gordon, priceline.com’s Senior Vice President, Hotels. Areas like Florida and Mexico also could be benefitting from the fact that they didn’t have a strong hurricane season.

Thanks to Kate for brining this article from the Daily Record to our attention.  Chinatown in Baltimore - sounds like a great idea.

When most people look at the area surrounding the intersection of North Charles Street and North Avenue, they see vacant row houses, a few large condemned buildings, a fried chicken restaurant and cracked, buckling pavement.

When Tony Cheng looked at it, he saw Chinatown.

The Washington-based restaurateur and businessman, who once owned a restaurant near Mount Vernon Place, has been buying up property in the Station North area of the city with the intention of attracting Chinese and other Asian business owners to a redeveloped arts and entertainment district.

Full article

Cakelove opens its 4th location at the American Can Company Complex in Canton, Baltimore.  Maybe it’s a sign of the times, but I was somewhat surprised to pay $3 for a cupcake.  I can’t complain too much, because it was delicious and definitely worth the cost.  If you decide to get a whole cake, be prepared to spend $40 to $150.  Definitely suggest you check it out http://www.cakelove.com/

If for some reason you ever feel down about living in Baltimore, just be glad you don’t live in one of America’s 10 most miserable cities according to Forbes Magazine.  Baltimore, which seemed to be dogged by “worst of” lists in the late 90’s and early 00’s managed to stay off the list.  This could be a signal that negative opinions of Baltimore from outsiders are changing.  The measurement is based on a city’s unemployment rate, personal tax rate, commute time, weather, crime, and toxic waste proximity. The top ten “most miserable” cities, according to Forbes:

1. Detroit, MI
2. Stockton, CA
3. Flint, MI
4. New York City
5. Philadelphia, PA
6. Chicago, IL
7. Los Angeles, CA
8. Modesto, CA
9. Charlotte, NC
10. Providence, RI

If you haven’t checked out these maps on the Baltimore Sun website yet, you might want to.  The show the comparison of home sale prices for 2007 vs. 2006. It’s interesting to see prices up in many low-income neighborhoods.

 Maryland home sale prices 06 - 07

Baltimore home sale prices 06 - 07

Work has begun on the old Fallsway Spring and Equipment building on Central Ave. in Little Italy. The project will turn into a mixed use building that will house offices, retail, and approximately 40 condominiums. The project will complement the recently opened Tack factory (further down the street) which houses Lemongrass, Tsunami, Mustang Alleys, and 38 luxury condos by the same developer (Union Box Co.). Union box also plans on redeveloping the former Saval Foods Building on the corner of Central and Lombard into approximately 30 condos. Perhaps this is proof that the renaissance started by the development of Harbor East is spreading through the area.

I was reading this article on the Baltimore Magazine website earlier in the week and found it pretty interesting. I wasn’t going to mention it here, since it’s a bit off topic. But then again, so are many of my posts now… so why not. Plus I’m a big fan of The Wire. And it’s controversial, and controversy is good.

Article: Down To The Wire

I just Google’d BRAC: it stands for Base Realignment and Closure. They’re marching our way.

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The Live Baltimore Home Center will host a FREE Relocation Fair in the City of Baltimore for BRAC-impacted individuals and families considering relocation to Maryland and APG.

Live Baltimore is providing complimentary motor coach transportation to Baltimore City or participants can provide their own transportation. The event will begin with a community fair, showcasing the charm of Baltimore’s 225+ neighborhoods, variety of housing options and quality of life amenities. Lunch will be provided during the fair, followed by narrated bus tours of different neighborhoods and housing options in Baltimore City.

http://www.livebaltimore.com/brac/greenlight/