Hearings Begin on Bill to Allow Corporate Sponsorships of City Property

Baltimore City Council President Bernard C. “Jack” Young’s legislation to allow corporations to sponsor city assets received no criticism from city agencies during a hearing Tuesday, but did face scrutiny from some officials.

In the first of several hearings on Young’s resolution on corporate sponsorship of city assets, officials from city agencies told the Judiciary and Legislative Investigations Committee they were interested in how the sponsorships could improve city revenue streams.

Some officials, such as Marcia Collins of the Department of Public Works, also expressed hope that any corporate sponsorship would be done “tastefully.”

“We want to be tasteful, not tasteless,” Young said.

Committee members did express some concerns about what the bill could mean for the city.

Councilman James Kraft, who described himself as a “Diet Pepsi addict,” said he was worried about the impact of advertising products such as soda in schools.

“I don’t want to see Coca-Cola ads at schools,” Kraft said.

Kraft, D-District 1, also said whatever the city does with corporate sponsorships, a one-time infusion of cash would not be good enough.

“We need continuing streams of revenues,” Kraft said.