ADVOCACY UPDATE—June 11, 2013

  • Nonprofit Relief from Storm Water Management Fee Considered

The Howard County Department of Finance is expected to publish by June 21 regulations that will provide hardship assistance to commercial, religious and not-for-profit property owners who will be assessed the new Watershed Protection Fee beginning July 1. Testimony on the proposal will be heard by the Department at a July 23 public hearing. The proposal is likely to postpone, until the hardship regulations are approved, introduction of other legislation seeking to provide relief to nonprofits such as a bill forwarded by Councilman Greg Fox that would have limited the fee to $1 for Community Service Partnership awardees, religious institutions and non-collegiate private schools.

Members are encouraged to find the estimated fee for property owned or for the office space, etc. that you may lease by going to Scroll down to “Check Your Impervious Footprint” and enter the address of your property. If you lease space, contact your property manager/home owners or condo association who should be able to tell you the amount of the fee that could be a pass-through to your organization immediately or perhaps when a lease is renewed.

ACTION REQUESTED: The Public Policy Committee (PPC) is seeking input regarding how the fee will impact ACS

member organizations. Specifically, to what degree will the fee cause financial hardshipthat couldnegatively impact programs and/or client services? Response please to

  • Combined Federal Campaign – Opposition Comments Filed on Government Proposal

ACS has submitted comments in opposition to elements of a federal Office of Personnel Management proposal expressing concern that the proposed regulatory changes will result in a decreased number of nonprofit organizations able to participate in the CFC as well as a decrease in donor contributions. ACS comments focused on changes that would (1) impose a nonrefundable nonprofit participation fee; (2) eliminate current local campaign infrastructure (United Way of Central Maryland, in Howard County’s case); and (3) eliminate all but electronic submission of donor contributions. The full comment submission is available in the Advocacy section/Advocacy Alerts of the ACS websiteas a downloadable document:ACS Comments FR-CFC 6-7-2013

  • Affordable Housing Legislation

ACS will testify June 17 in support of the following two legislativeproposals that, if enacted, have the potential to increase the availability of low and moderate income housing units. Testimony on CB35-2013 will include support for new “fee-in-lieu of” monies paid to the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) when a developer elects an option of greater project density. ACS will also recommend that the legislation be amended to include how such monies will be spent, for example as part of the County’s Housing Initiative Fund and for emergency eviction prevention.

ACS will also testify on June 24 in support of several Comprehensive Zoning changes that, again, support opportunities for more low income housing in the County.

  • Nonprofits Fuel Howard County Economy—New Advocacy Statement

The Public Policy Committee will be widely distributing a document that offers a picture of the Howard County nonprofit community and how its business operations, employees and clients contribute to the County’s economy. Data cited include:

  • In FY 2012, nonprofits employed 11,640 people representing eight (8) percent of the county’s workforce; and
  • Nonprofits paid $203 million in wages, representing nine (9) percent of total county wages.

The advocacy statement also points out the economic value of nonprofit employees and clients in our workforce and how public-private partnerships have an exponentially positive financial and service delivery impact on the County’s economy and social fabric.

ACS members are encouraged to analyze their own economic contributions to the County and to use the data in discussions with the business sector and other potential funders.The Advocacy Statement is available on the ACS website under Advocacy section/Advocacy Alerts as a downloadable document: Economic Value of NPs

  • Regional Transportation System

June 5, County Office of Transportation Administrator John Powell provided the Public Policy Committee with an overview of the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) that is being developed collaboratively with Anne Arundel County and the City of Annapolis. The ultimate goal, as was recommended by State and County study commissions in 2007, 2009 and 2010, is to include all regional jurisdictions in the RTA. Mr. Powell reported that the RTA, expected to be operational by July 2014, will combine all administrative and operating activities involving the Anne Arundel County and Howard County fixed-route and paratransit services.

Responding to questions and issues raised by PPC members, Mr. Powell asked that ACS facilitate a meeting with current transportation service providers who will be integrated into the RTA to ensure they are fully aware of how the transition will affect current contractual relationships. The Committee also encouraged a dialogue with County residents whose transportation needs could be negatively affected by the new RTA alignment in some sectors of the County.

  • Stress About Living Expenses A Significant Health Issue

The recently released Howard County Health Assessment Survey reveals that residents are stressedabout money for vital expenses such as rent, mortgage and food. Data show that, depending upon where in the county respondents reside, from 4% to 13% are always or usually stressed about these critical living expenses, and from 14% to 19% are always stressed.

The survey of more than 2,000 Howard County residents—a collaborative initiative of the Horizon Foundation, Howard County General Hospital, Columbia Association and Howard County Health Department—explores access to affordable health care; mental health and addictions; chronic diseases; health weight, exercise and nutrition; and, tobacco usage. Survey data will be used to meet health needs and improve the quality of life in Howard County. (

If you wish to discuss these PPC activities or other policy/advocacy related topics, please contact: Executive Director Joan Driessen () or Public Policy Committee Chair Jackie Eng ().

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ACS Members are invited to attend Public Policy Committee meetings held the first Wednesday of each month,

8:00-9:30 a.m., Horizon Conference Room, 10480 Little Patuxent Parkway, 9th Floor.