Queen Anne's Rejects Tighter Tax Cap, Special to MTA, Lyle Siegel, 11-10-04

Special to MTA

By a Close Vote, Queen Anne's County Rejects Tighter Tax Cap
Taxpayers Association Petition Called for Lowering Cap from 10% to 5%
Lyle Seigel
November 13, 2004

In Queen Anne's County , a proposal to tighten the Homestead Act Property Tax Cap from 10% to 5% failed in a 3-2 vote by the County Commissioners November 9. The Taxpayers Association of Queen's County, Inc. had fought to lower the cap and for a time believed the close vote would go their way.

Ten Queen Anne's citizens testified eloquently in favor of tighter cap at the Commissioners meeting on the 9th, while one citizen testified against it. Commissioners Benjamin F. Cassell, Jr. and Gene M. Ransom III voted for the new cap, while Joseph F. Cupani, Michael S. Koval, and R. O. “NEMO” Niedomanski voted against it.

Commissioner Michael S. Koval had earlier signed the petition along with over 1,400 other residents to lower the cap, but then voted to defeat the tax cap proposal.

Top row, left to right:Queen Anne's County Commissioners Niedomanski, Cassell, Ransom; bottom row: Cupani, Koval.

The Queen Anne's County Taxpayers Association is preparing strategy for another attempt to lower this tax, possibly using the constant rate scenario.

For more information about the Taxpayers Association of Queen Anne's County, Inc., call Jim Griffin, 410-827-8559.

--Lyle Seigel, a member of the Maryland Taxpayers Association Board of Directors, works with county taxpayer groups. Reach him at: leseigel@hotmail.com.