The Tuesday, August 27th edition of OPEN AGENDA (S2 E37) is now available! On this episode we explore developer subsidies for extending municipal water/sewer services into some areas of the county, and question whether the aspirational goals of creating affordable housing and improving the quality of life are actually achieved by such policies. Does everyone else have to pay more to make up for the millions of dollars in lost fees and tax revenues? Likewise, we examine whether most city/county residents will benefit from downtown development funded in part by subsidies and state grants. Is there a return on investment and do most residents even care about having downtown cultural amenities and luxury housing? We also discuss the upcoming Maryland Folk Festival to be held downtown on September 19-21. Although this is an enormously entertaining annual event that attracts spectators from around the region, does it generate enough economic benefit to offset the costs and state-provided grants? At the end of the day, someone has to pay for all of these things, so whose pocket do you think it will come from? Tune in and be informed.
