Local businesses recently saw their taxes go up ? and they are pleased.
The Waterfront Management District bill, an initiative to help keep the harbor and surrounding area clean, went into effect July 1, taxing businesses within the area 17 cents per $100 of assessed property value.
The tax goes to the Waterfront Partnership of Baltimore Inc., a nonprofit started 18 months ago by concerned individuals and area businesses. They hope the funding will better enable their hospitality, landscaping and cleanup services.
Mike Hankin, the chief executive of Brown Advisory, a financial services company in the district, was a founding member of the partnership. He serves as the group?s chairman.
“We have a significant economic investment down here,” Hankin said. “We have about 135employees at our office here, so making sure that the area is safe and clean has primary importance for these folks. But it?s more than that. With a little bit of effort, we can make it a lot better, and that?s what the waterfront partnership represents.”
The waterfront district spans from the Rusty Scupper along Key Highway to Harbor East, and into Bond Street and the wharf. With a working budget of about $1 million, the partnership expects to add $300,000 to $400,000 to its working capital as a result of the tax.
Specifically, the group employs 17 hospitality guides who provide directions and a greeting to the area for visitors, along with 10 “clean team members” who not only sweep trash but also fix broken benches and remove graffiti.
The organization also has four landscapers who maintain hanging baskets and seasonal flowers, mow grass and keep the Katyn Memorial in good repair.
Since its inception, the nonprofit painted more than 300 light poles and removed 800 graffiti tags in one 24-hour period. It has planted more than 2,500 flowers, answered more than 75,000 visitor questions and created the Halloween Around the Harbor event.
“Last year, the majority of property owners kicked in on a voluntary basis,” said Laurie Schwartz, managing consultant for the Waterfront Partnership. “It really is a partnership in that way.”
