Government

Council Members Cast Votes on Bottle Tax

Find out how your City Council member voted on a 3 cents bottle tax increase.

By Adam Bednar
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June 11, 2012

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Councilman Bill Henry, who represents the York Road corridor, voted against increasing the bottle tax. Henry argued there were other avenues, such as approving a billboard tax and dedicating more of the projected revenue from a planned slots casino to fund school construction without increasing the bottle tax.

Credit Baltimore City

Councilwoman Sharon Green Middleton, who represents parts of Roland Park, Evergreen and Cross Keys, voted to increase the bottle tax. She said her vote was not only for the students but for educators who have to work in unacceptable conditions.

Credit Baltimore City

Councilman Nick Mosby, who represents parts of Hampden, Medfield and Hoes Heights, voted in favor of increasing the bottle tax. Mosby was the only council member who did not elaborate on the reasons for a vote. He simply said "yes."

Credit Baltimore City

Councilwoman Mary Pat Clarke, who represents parts of Hampden, Roland Park and Tuscany-Canterbury, voted in favor of increasing the bottle tax. "This is the first time in my entire history in the City Council, and as a parent, and a grandparent that I have had the opportunity to be part of a big plan for our children," Clarke said.

Credit Courtesy Baltimore City Council

Councilwoman Rochelle "Rikki" Spector, who represents Mt. Washington, Poplar Hill and Sabina-Mattfeldt, voted in favor of increasing the bottle tax. "I think the mayor has come up with this herself because she's the parent of a child that goes to Baltimore City Public Schools," Spector said.

Credit Baltimore City Council

Councilman Carl Stokes, who represents Charles Village and Remington, voted against raising the bottle tax. "I'm opposed to the bill, not because of the container tax. I'm opposed to the bill because money for our children should be on the front end of our budget, not on the back end," Stokes said.

Credit Baltimore City Council

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The City Council laid their cards down tonight, and passing a 3 cents increase of the bottle tax now appears to be just a formality.

The council voted 11-4 to pass the tax increase, which will now go on to a final passage next week.

The Taxation, Finance and Economic Development Committee voted to move the bill forward without a recommendation earlier in the day.

Scroll through the pictures above to find out how and why your council member voted.

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Paul Schiffbauer

9:36 pm on Monday, June 11, 2012

Another vote to reduce jobs in the city of baltimore and to stop people from buying a business within the city limits.The revenues that they predict from the increase will fall far short of what they expect. Higher taxes don't always equal more revenue.

Sean Tully

11:04 pm on Monday, June 11, 2012

I am not some anti-tax Tea Partier and I understand the need for taxes to support the functions of government, but this tax is so puny that it won't make a difference and is just another slice on the already overtaxed city resident. After this they will find another tax to create or increase. They will raise the cable TV tax or cellphone tax or who knows what. The fact is that they could pump billions and billions of dollars into Baltimore City schools and it would make a very little dent, if any dent at all. A large number of families in Baltimore City are disfunctional and no amount of public assistance is going to change that or improve the outcome for many the children. This city really needs a massive overhaul of leadership and governmental direction.

slangwhang

9:55 am on Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Yet another one of the TAXOHOLIC CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS! They learned everything they know from O'Malley! "TAX THEM TILL THEY HAVE NO MORE."
This tax is just another example of an overtaxed base. Stephanie Rollings Blake's first comment was, a creative way to find income. There is nothing CREATIVE about any of these people! They cut a little spending from City budgets, then tax the public with another tax. They balance out. At the end of the day, NONE are creative. THEY ARE LIARS & TAX COLLECTORS! The Baltimore City Schools are not in such bad shape. This seems as a pure and egotistic project of Mayor ROLLINS! Since she couldn't find money to pay for it, she TAXES BALTIMORE PARENTS AND ADULTS MORE. As for the poor, they're not concerned with them. The State of Maryland FOOD STAMP CARD (INDEPEDENCE) will pay for this. IMAGINE, your JOB IS TO TAX PEOPLE! TO BE A TAX BULLY AND GET PAID FOR IT BY THE VERY PEOPLE YOU TAX. WAKE UP BALTIMORE!
Baltimore City Schools are not in such Disrepair that this should occur.
It's just another way to TAX TAX TAX SPEND SPEND SPEND

slangwhang

10:04 am on Tuesday, June 12, 2012

I love when the city try's to make this School System Buildings to be in such bad shape. Well MS CLARKE.....MS BLAKE.....MS Green MIDDLETON......WHERE WERE YOU when these buildings became in such a third world state?
YOU WERE IN GOVERNMENT? The truth is they're not. I've not seen one Television or article from the press that these schools are in such disrepair.
YOU ARE ALL LIARS AND EXAGERATING!

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Council Members Cast Votes on Bottle Tax