BALTIMORE REGIONAL PARTNERSHIP Newsletter
Land Use and Transportation Issues Around the Region
October 29, 2002
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Contents:

*New Coalition Calls for Improved Housing & Revitalization
*CPHA Surveys Candidates on Regional Issues
*Regional Report Card Reveals Strengths, Challenges
*Fairfax Co. Pledges $500 Million for Rail Extension
*Calendar of Events

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NEW COALITION CALLS FOR IMPROVED HOUSING & REVITALIZATION

"Housing Maryland," a coalition of more than 40 environmental, business,
faith-based and non-profit organizations, is calling on Maryland's
gubernatorial candidates to make affordable housing and community
development a priority during their administration if elected this
November.  The new coalition, which includes the Baltimore Regional
Partnership and our member groups, calls on the next administration to
invest in Maryland’s future by increasing housing opportunities for all
Marylanders, reinvesting in affordable rental housing for working and
low-income families, and reclaiming blighted areas to stabilize
communities and limit sprawl. The Partnership joined Housing Maryland
because it believes that these state policies are crucial to building a
more sustainable future for our region.

To send a message to the candidates, click on:
http://www.housingmaryland.org/email.asp.  For more information, visit:
http://www.housingmaryland.org or contact Adam Gordon, Baltimore
Regional Partnership, at adam@balto-region-partners.org.  Housing
Maryland and the Baltimore Regional Partnership are nonpartisan
coalitions. In no way should this message or these web sites be
considered an endorsement of any candidate or political party.

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CPHA SURVEYS CANDIDATES ON REGIONAL ISSUES

As a follow-up to Rally for the Region 2002 last spring, the Citizens
Planning and Housing Association (CPHA) has released a candidate
questionnaire that shows where candidates stand on regional issues. A
questionnaire was sent to all candidates for Governor, County Executive,
County Commissioner, State Senate, and House of Delegates in the six
jurisdictions of metropolitan Baltimore.  The questions cover a variety
of issues related to the challenges facing metropolitan Baltimore.  All
responses received are included verbatim in the publication.  The
publication is available at
http://www.CPHARallyfortheRegion.org.  It is also available in printed
form from CPHA.

CPHA has also co-hosted a series of follow-up election forums with local
groups in various parts of the region. The final forum is Wednesday,
October 30 in Harford County - see the "Calendar of Events" for details.
CPHA encourages all citizens to attend candidate forums, including those
hosted by other groups, and ask the candidates questions about regional
issues, including those addressed in CPHA's candidate questionnaire.

Election Day is Tuesday, November 5.  Polls are open from 7:00 a.m. to
8:00 p.m.  For more information about the candidates on the ballot and
to find out where you can vote, visit www.elections.state.md.us or your
local jurisdiction's website.

For more information, please contact Matthew Weinstein, CPHA, at
MatthewW@cphabaltimore.org. CPHA is a nonpartisan organization that does
not endorse candidates or political parties.  The information in the
candidate questionnaire response publication is provided to educate
voters about candidates' positions concerning a variety of the
challenges facing metropolitan Baltimore. 

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REGIONAL REPORT CARD REVEALS STRENGTHS, CHALLENGES

The Goldseker Foundation recently released a report that compares metro
Baltimore's performance on a variety of economic, social, and quality of
life indicators with seven comparable regions, such as Boston,
Philadelphia, and Washington. The report concludes that though the
region "contains considerable assets" especially in "location, climate,
and cultural amenities" that overall the region is doing "fair at best"
due to "housing and crime issues" and "the quality of our natural
environment."  Businesses increasingly look to move to regions with safe
towns and cities, excellent natural environment, and affordable
workforce housing. Therefore, the report concludes, without significant
change, metro Baltimore may be left behind in the coming decades of
economic growth as firms choose to move to other areas with better
amenities - indeed the report shows that Baltimore is already trailing
comparable regions in indicators like recent job growth and small
business lending.

The report is available online at
http://www.goldsekerfoundation.org/region.cfm. Sun coverage of the
report is available online at
http://www.sunspot.net/bal-te.md.region26oct26.story

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FAIRFAX CO. PLEDGES $500 MILLION FOR RAIL EXTENSION

Yesterday the Fairfax County, Virginia Board of Supervisors endorsed a
$3.2 billion to extend the Washington Metro's Orange Line through the
county and pledged $500 million in county funds to help pay for it.  The
24-mile extension would start at Falls Church and serve Tyson's Corner
and Dulles Airport.  Virginia officials are also considering other
funding sources, including increased tolls on the Dulles access road,
although Fairfax supervisors balk at that measure, at least until the
project is under construction.  Virginia's Commonwealth Transportation
Board and Washington Metro's Board of Directors are both anticipated to
be seeking federal funding for the project as Congress reauthorizes
federal transportation law over the coming year.

October 29 Washington Post story available at:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A32314-2002Oct28.html

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS

October 30

* Carroll County program for MDOT transportation tour. 1:30 PM, County
Office Building, Room 003, 225 N. Center St., Westminster. Submit
comments on proposed state road and transit projects for the next five
years in Carroll County - part of the "road show" that visits each
county to discuss transportation spending proposals for the state
Consolidated Transportation Program.

* Harford County election forum. 7:00 - 9:00 PM, Union Chapel United
Methodist Church, 1012 Old Joppa Rd. Joppa. Meet candidates for county
and state office in Harford County and learn their positions on local
and regional issues. Co-sponsored by Little Gunpowder Improvement
Association, Mountain Road-Stoneybrook-Woodcrest Improvement
Association, and CPHA.

October 31

* Baltimore City program for MDOT transportation tour. 10:00 AM,
Baltimore City Hall, 4th Floor, Curran Conference Room. Submit comments
on proposed state road and transit projects for the next five years in
Baltimore City - part of the "road show" that visits each county to
discuss transportation spending proposals for the state Consolidated
Transportation Program.

November 5

* ELECTION DAY - PLEASE VOTE! Polls are open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
For more information about the candidates on the ballot and to find out
where you can vote, visit
http://www.elections.state.md.us or your local jurisdiction's website.

November 7

* Joseph Alfandre on New Urbanism from a developer's perspective, 4 PM,
County Courts Building, Room 407, 401 Bosley Avenue, Towson. Mr.
Alfandre will discuss the opportunities and constraints of "New
Urbanism" from a developer's perspective at a meeting of the Baltimore
County Planning Board. Mr. Alfandre is a successful builder and
developer of mixed-use developments in the Washington, DC suburbs,
including the famous Kentlands community in Gaithersburg. Please allow a
little extra time to enter the building through the security check.  To
hear Mr. Alfandre's talk on television after November 7th, tune to the
Baltimore County channel-Channel 25-of Comcast Cable TV on Tuesdays and
Thursdays at 9 pm, Wednesdays at 7 and 10 pm, and Fridays at 8 pm,
through November.  For more information contact Jackie MacMillan,
Baltimore County Office of Planning, at jmacmillan@co.ba.md.us

November 8

* Baltimore County program for MDOT transportation tour. 10:30 AM, Old
Courthouse, 2nd floor, County Council Chambers, Towson. Submit comments
on proposed state road and transit projects for the next five years in
Baltimore County - part of the "road show" that visits each county to
discuss transportation spending proposals for the state Consolidated
Transportation Program.

November 19

* Baltimore Regional Transportation Board meeting with elected
officials, 5:30 PM, 2700 Lighthouse Point East, Suite 310, Baltimore.
Elected officials from all of the region's six jurisdictions meet to
discuss transportation issues. Open to the public; public comment period
available.

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ABOUT THE BALTIMORE REGIONAL PARTNERSHIP AND NEWSLETTER

The Baltimore Regional Partnership is an alliance of five civic,
environmental, and anti-sprawl groups:1000 Friends of Maryland
(www.friendsofmd.org), Baltimore Urban League (www.bul.org), Chesapeake
Bay Foundation ( www.savethebay.cbf.org), Citizens Planning and Housing
Association (www.CPHARallyForTheRegion.org), and Environmental Defense
(www.environmentaldefense.org).

This newsletter explores current issues, recent and upcoming events, and
ongoing deliberations that affect the region's quality of life through
transportation, economic development, and land use policy and planning. 
We hope to link citizens in the region who are working to fight sprawl,
promote clean and efficient transportation, protect valuable farm and
forest lands, and revitalize urban areas, older suburbs, and historic
towns. You can view past issues at
http://www.balto-region-partners.org/news.htm.

Has this newsletter been forwarded to you, and you would like to receive
it yourself? Go to
http://www.balto-region-partners.org/news.htm to sign up.

Send us information, too. Let us know about your work on land use and
transportation decisions that are affecting the Baltimore region. Email
information to Adam Gordon at adam@balto-region-partners.org.  Visit the
Baltimore Regional Partnership website at
http://www.balto-region-partners.org.