Dear Friends:

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

The summer months provide an excellent opportunity to update you on some of my legislative initiatives. This week I introduced two measures. The first calls for an informational hearing to learn more about a tax lien service that could improve the City's collection of owed property taxes, helping us make progress in providing property tax relief. The second measure would require more adequate notification for environmental and civil citations, enabling citizens to address the citations in a more timely manner. Hearings on these newly introduced measures will be scheduled at a later date.

Better Schools

In a matter of days, students will begin pouring into classrooms of the Baltimore City Public School System, and we need to be ready. Earlier in the summer, I introduced a resolution calling for hearings on school preparedness for the 2008-09 school year. Working in partnership with schools CEO Dr. Andrés Alonso, the City Council reviewed the status of capital improvement projects and the school systems suspension policy. The school system reported that overall suspensions were down significantly over last year. On Monday, August 18th at 5pm a second televised hearing will be held to review data on principal and teacher vacancies, and a progress report on the school system's budget decentralization initiative.

Safer Streets

Earlier in the year I introduced legislation requiring pawnshops and secondhand stores to report transactions to the Baltimore Police Department electronically. Electronic reporting of these transactions will help police recover stolen property and locate criminal suspects. Property crime remains a serious problem in many of our city's neighborhoods, and this bill will help police catch suspects who try to fence stolen goods at pawnshops and secondhand stores. The committee hearing for this bill is scheduled for Tuesday, September 9.

View WBAL-TV11 story on Emergency system

I'm also pleased to report that as a result of a resolution I introduced, the Baltimore City Fire Department is preparing to implement a new tiered-response system to emergency calls for service. This new system will help our firefighters respond to emergencies with the appropriate amount of equipment and personnel, while at the same reducing the potential for road accidents.

Stronger Neighborhoods

One of the best ways to strengthen our neighborhoods is make it easier for working families to become and remain homeowners. Unfortunately, because Baltimore City's property tax has been the highest in the state for decades, it is difficult for first-time homebuyers to buy homes, and difficult for existing homeowners to stay, as real estate assessments increase. Over the past few years, the Mayor and City Council have provided more than $32 million in annual property tax relief, but we need to do more. To help develop innovative ways for Baltimore reform its property tax structure, I created a special City Council Committee for Property Tax Reform, chaired by Councilman Bill Cole. The committee's first hearing will be scheduled for September 11th.

Last month, I introduced legislation to enhance our arts and live entertainment venues in Baltimore. The legislation is modeled after best practices that are in place in San Francisco and other cities throughout the country. The bill requires that live entertainment permit holders develop security, traffic, parking and sanitation plans-all measures that do not exist today under current zoning ordinances. The bill also strengthens and protects neighborhoods by empowering communities to become part of the process.

In the coming weeks and months, I plan to introduce more measures and initiatives. Together, we have a shared vision for Baltimore: Safer Streets, Better Schools and Stronger Neighborhoods. It is my hope that with the initiatives outlined above and with more on the way, we can continue to make progress toward our shared vision and get things done for the citizens of Baltimore.

Stephanie Rawlings-Blake
President, Baltimore City Council

Navy Sailors Work With the Community to Give Westport Playground a New Life Submitted by Bonnie Crockett, Director of Community Partnerships for the Westport Waterfront Development Project I was going to write, "Westport has never seen anything like it." But then I thought, no other neighborhood in Baltimore has ever seen anything like it either... more than 40 USS Sterett sailors volunteering with an eclectic team of civilians to revitalize a neighborhood playground. There were neighborhood residents, business owners donating their goods and services, kids, Boy Scouts and Rotary Club volunteers, enthusiastic folks from Baltimore City, a terrific Parks & People crowd, and quite a few others who wanted to pitch in and make a real difference. For an August day in Baltimore, the weather was wonderful. Lunch must have been good, because all that was left in the end was celery and a few carrot sticks. Taking a break and sitting at a table under the shade of the tents was nice and breezy. And the amount of work accomplished was amazing! It would be wonderful to say we’d do it again sometime, but having a Navy ship commissioned in Baltimore with at least forty crewmembers ready to volunteer on a community project is certainly a rare occasion. Of course, if it does happen again, we would love to welcome you back to Westport! The Indiana Street Playground Clean-Up was a lot of fun and a big boost to a community that needed it. Thank you to everyone who made it happen. Send us the good news about your Baltimore neighborhood! Do you have a neighborhood event or good news you would like to highlight? Let us know so that we can feature them in the Council President's CitySpot. Call Council President Rawlings-Blake's office at 410-396-4804 or send an e-mail to Marva Williams at marva.williams@baltimorecity.gov

City Council This Week

Monday, August 18

Hearing: Education Committee, Mary Pat Clarke - Chair
5:00 PM Du Burns Council Chamber, 4th floor, City Hall
08-0057R - Informational Hearing - Baltimore City Public School System - Preparedness for the 2008 - 2009 School Year
This hearing will be broadcast live on TV25.
Part II - Data on the number of principal and teacher vacancies; and progress report on the plan to decentralize the school budget process.

Community Events

Friday, August 15

Little Italy Outdoor Film Festival
High and Stiles Streets, Little Italy, 9pm. Folding chairs are provided on a first come-first serve basis, although attendees may wish to bring a lawn chair to assure seating comfort and availability.
Featured film: The Blues Brothers

Summer Sounds at the Square
Belvedere Square, 6-9pm
Free outdoor concert featuring: The Crawdaddies

Saturday, August 16

Back to School Festival
Enoch Pratt Library's Herring Run Branch, 3801 Erdman Ave., 1pm-4:30pm. Arts & crafts, free school supplies, music & more, 410-396-0996.

BMOOREHOOPS.COM’s 4th Anniversary Celebration
Madison Dome (Biddle & Chase Streets), 2pm. Six youth basketball games, a slam dunk contest, voter registration, school supply giveaways, marching bands and more. 410-207-4329.

Stone Soul Picnic
Druid Hill Park, , 12pm-8pm. Regina Belle, Joe, Eric Benet, Paula Campbell and more. Free, but a parking fee. No pets allowed.

Summer Live! Harborplace & The Gallery's Summer Concert
Inner Harbor Amphitheatre. Featuring: The Players (rock, ska and reggae)

Your Hair, My Hair: A Discussion of Hair-itage
The Walters Art Museum, 600 N. Charles St. 4th floor gallery, 3pm-5pm. Facilitated by natural hair stylist Malaika Tamu-Cooper and Shirley Basfield Dunlap, Coordinator of MSU’s Theatre Arts. Free.

Saturday Sunsets at the Top of the World
World Trade Center, 401 E. Pratt St., 27th Floor
Enjoy live jazz with a birds-eye view of the Baltimore skyline.
www.viewbaltimore.org 410-837-VIEW.
Featuring: Street Corner Symphony

Sunday, August 17

BMA Family Free Sundays
Baltimore Museum of Art, 10 Art Museum Dr., 410-338-4397. www.artbma.org

Summer Live! Harborplace & The Gallery's Summer Concert
Harborplace & The Gallery is excited to bring a variety of musical acts to Baltimore’s Inner Harbor Amphitheatre. Featuring: J Street Jumpers (Swing)

Wednesday, August 20

Complete It, Connect It DTV Coupon Program Event
Baltimore State Office Center, 201 W. Preston St., 5:30pm-8pm, Lobby, 410-767-4230. Free.

The Urban Leadership Institute Praise Academy Open House
Johns Hopkins School of Education Building, 2800 N. Charles St., 6pm-8pm. For boys entering the 7th grade this fall for admittance into PRAISE, a Saturday school on the campus of JHU. RSVP by calling Bettye Blaize at 410-467-1605.

Center Plaza Outdoor Film Series
Hopkins Plaza, films start at sunset (around 9 PM)
Park opens at 7pm. Bring blankets, snacks, beverages. The park has chairs and tables for use off the lawn. 410-244-1030.
Featured film: Men of Honor

Films on the Pier
Fells Point Broadway Pier, 8:45 pm
The Sound Garden and Su Casa present films every Wednesday this summer on the Broadway Pier in Fells Point. BYOC-bring your own chair! Screenings on a 300 square ft. jumbo screen with professional sound. In case of rainouts, movies will be shown on Thursdays.
Featured film: Spongebob Squarepants Movie

Upcoming/Ongoing

More Medical Assistance for Maryland Families through the Working Families and Small Business Health Coverage Act During the recent Maryland legislative session, state lawmakers passed the Working Families and Small Business Health Coverage Act, which expands medical assistance eligibility to parents with dependent children with annual incomes up to $20,500 for a family of three. Parents and relatives caring for children can also apply to receive free comprehensive health care coverage, including doctor visits, low cost or free prescriptions and other services. Get more information at 1-800-456-8900, your local health department or www.marylandSAIL.org. Maryland Science Center Offers Transportation Grants to Maryland Schools Grants are to help offset travel costs on field trips during the school year. Any Maryland school booking and completing a visit in September, October, November or December can apply for a grant of $100 for use toward bus transportation. $100 grants are on a first-come first-served basis and limited to one grant per reservation. Limited funds are available. Call 410-685-5225. Attention Principals And Teachers: Free Educational Field Trips To Port Discovery Children's Museum Funding is available for over 13,000 children, Pre-K to 5th Grade. Exhibits and programs are aligned with Maryland State Voluntary School Curriculum and Maryland Reading Readiness Program. Pre and post lesson plans are available. To register, call 410.864.2664 or email kgulick@portdiscovery.org.