Jun 22, 2008 10:40 pm US/Eastern
Annapolis Homeowners Angry About Sidewalk Bill
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WJZ) ―
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Annapolis city leaders thought a sidewalk bill was a good way to repair the city's crumbled walkways, but some homeowners want their money back.
Annapolis city leaders thought a sidewalk bill was a good way to repair the city's crumbled walkways, but some homeowners want their money back.
Gigi Barnett explains why.
For blocks and blocks, there are no sidewalks on Fairfax Road in Annapolis, but neighbors say this week, they were hit with a tax to repair city sidewalks.
"We are, in essence, paying for sidewalks that we don't have access to. It's a fee without a service or a good," said Scott Bowling.
Back in October, Annapolis council members approved the $25 tax for homeowners and $150 for businesses. The money collected goes toward the maintenance and construction of city-owned sidewalks and the inspection of private walkways. Neighbors say they were never told that a bill was coming.
"Twenty-five dollars may not seem like a lot of money to a lot, but $25 is $25 and for some people, it's a half a tank of gas," Bowling said.
"It absolutely is amazing to me that property owners are saying that they don't want to maintain the responsibility for the cost, the work, the liability associated with repairing the sidewalk in front of their house," said Mayor Ellen Moyer.
Moyer says even though some homeowners don't have sidewalks, they still use city walkways.
"They walk on sidewalks and they use sidewalks in other places," she said. "You're going to be walking down a sidewalk that another property owner has a responsibility for."
"Well, that's true. I walk downtown. I walk down Main Street and up West Street, but so do the residents of Anne Arundel County and so do the many tourists who come here to Annapolis," Bowling said.
Until the bills arrived, homeowners were completely responsible for the sidewalks in front of their homes. Now the city says the tradeoff is one $25 bill a year instead of the upkeep of the sidewalks that could cost as much as $1,000.
"If the city's going to take it over for me, paying $25 a year, that's great," said Dianne Dodson. "It costs a lot more if you hire a contractor."
Moyer says homeowners are calling her office and aldermen, asking to repeal the tax, which she believes may happen.
"People are coming in with their petitions, saying, `No, no, no, why me?' But on the other hand, don't ask for safe sidewalks," Moyer said.
Annapolis residents say any repairs to sidewalks should be covered in their property taxes.
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