The Baltimore City Council sent Monday a package of bills that included the much criticized public financing package of the Harbor Point development to a final vote over the vocal objections of many of the critics.
Council Vice President Ed Reisinger, a member of the committee that considered the package, moved to bring the bills out of committee even though committee chair Carl Stokes refused to sign off on the committee’s unanimous favorable vote at last week’s work session.
Stokes, who stormed out of last Wednesday’s committee meeting, sharply criticized a process that he said did not allow for enough citizen input. He called the session “Baltimore’s day of infamy” and complained that some members were disrespectful to citizens in attendance. “I couldn’t believe frankly not only to our general citizens but to the faith community,” he said.
Stokes referred to Councilwoman Rikki Spector, who referred to the audience during the work session as the “peanut gallery.” Monday, some in the audience started chanting, “We’re people, not peanuts.”
Councilman Bill Henry, vice chairman of the committee, voted against the bill that would authorize $107 million in tax increment financing, or TIF, because he wanted more private investment for the project.
The Harbor Point development will be the first project that will be affected by a bill passed by the council earlier this year requiring 51 percent of available jobs to go to city residents. Developer Michael Beatty said he would voluntarily seek city residents for whatever work becomes available.
The final vote on the bill is expected at the council’s next meeting in September.