Bye-bye proffers; hello impact fees?

The Free Lance-Star: Senate advances bill to replace proffers:

A controversial bill that would dramatically revamp the way localities get development to pay for itself won approval from a Senate committee yesterday, clearing the way for a vote from the full Senate.

Sen. John Watkins’ bill would replace the current proffer system with capped impact fees, something developers want but has local government leaders complaining.

Watkins told the Senate Finance Committee that the proffer system is “out of hand, it is out of control” because some localities charge proffers of up to $40,000 per new house. He said that raises housing prices, making homeownership less affordable, and artificially inflates real estate taxes.

Read the whole article, it’s pretty interesting (I’ll see how many cases of insomnia I cure).

I wonder what the Caroline County Board of Supervisors thinks of the proposal?

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