The Howard County Council passed legislation (CB8-2019), filed by County Executive Calvin Ball, to repeal its mobile home tax. An estimated 1,100 county mobile home residents previously paid an average of $45 a month in mobile home taxes. The repeal will be effective on the start of the new fiscal year, on July 1, 2019.

“[These tax savings] could be used for some basic necessities that low-income people regularly struggle to afford,” said Amy Lamke, Howard County mobile home resident, in her testimony.

“As a community we must continue to push for equality in all of our neighborhoods,” said Councilmember Opel Jones. “This repeal will assist the most vulnerable members of our community and acknowledges the need for affordable housing in Howard County. I am thrilled County Executive Ball has introduced this significant piece of legislation that will affect residents throughout the county.”

“Our legislation will reduce an unjust tax burden on Howard County residents in manufactured homes and support our community in expanding opportunity for all. The owners of these mobile home parks derived no benefit from this tax, so repealing it was the right thing to do,” said Ball. “I want to thank Councilmembers Mercer Rigby, Jones, Jung, and Walsh for their support on this legislation.”

To read the legislation, visit https://bit.ly/2EocKfl.