A Baltimore City Council committee voted to send a package of bills for the Harbor Point development to the full Council for consideration Wednesday night. The bills included a $107 million Tax Increment Financing (TIF) plan. But the work session did not end without drama.
Protestors to the financing package marched around city hall before the meeting began. The session was emotionally charged. Comments from the crowd – solicited and unsolicited – drew the disdain of Councilwoman RikkiSpector, who referred to them as the "peanut gallery" which drew even stronger reactions. Councilman Carl Stokes, who chairs the Taxation, Finance and Economic Development Committee, told Spector to be respectful to those in the audience. He also repeated his call for the audience to be respectful.
The plan for developer Michael Beatty has drawn loud objections from opponents who say it short changes city taxpayers.
When council vice president Ed Reisinger moved to send the package of bills to the full council, committee chairman Carl Stokes stormed out. “You guys can do what you want,” said Stokes who banged the gavel and adjourned the meeting.
After clarification from the law department, Councilman Bill Henry, the committee’s vice chairman, took over and the committee sent the package on to the full council.