Md. high court upholds sheriffs’ mover, weather policies in tax sales
Sheriffs may continue to require buyers of homes at tax sales to pay for a mover to transport the personal property of those whose houses they bought, Maryland’s top court unanimously ruled Tuesday.
Court closures don’t affect interest, taxes in Maryland foreclosures
The temporary closure of Maryland courts does not spare pre-shutdown purchasers of foreclosed property from paying interest and property taxes, the court ruled.
Md. high court revives Forest Heights’ bid to expand
ANNAPOLIS – A sharply divided Maryland high court ruled Friday that a municipality wishing to expand its area must get the approval of the property-tax-paying owners of 25 percent of the land it seeks to annex. In its 4-3 decision, the Court of Appeals said owners of tax-exempt property are not part of the calculation. […]
Baltimore synagogue must pay ‘rain tax,’ appeals court rules
Requiring a Baltimore synagogue to pay a stormwater management fee imposed on city property owners does not violate the facility’s right to free exercise of religion, Maryland’s second-highest court has ruled in upholding a circuit court decision.
Md. high court rules ‘date of finality’ not final date for assessing property
Saying the “date of finality” is not necessarily a final date, Maryland’s top court ruled Tuesday that property- tax assessments may be made based on the sales price of nearby, comparable homes bought after the state tax assessor’s Jan. 1 deadline for setting the assessment.
No property tax break for Baltimore businesses
Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake's proposed budget would keep real property taxes in the city at twice that of surrounding jurisdictions.
Mayor’s tax-reform mantra: ‘Nothing is off the table’
When it comes to reforming Baltimore’s tax structure, “nothing is off the table,” Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake told reporters Wednesday in announcing a new work group that will study the issue.
Rawlings-Blake: Why audit ‘broken system’?
Ten days before public hearings are to be announced on calls for auditing the city’s Finance Department, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake upped the ante in the war of words at City Hall over the proposed scrutiny.
Businesses fear huge bills from stormwater fee
ANNAPOLIS — Bill Blanchett crunched some numbers and cringed. Under legislation pending before the County Council, which would charge property owners to help pay for stormwater pollution cleanup, he’ll get an annual bill in excess of $20,000 for one of his four commercial properties. That’s more than his annual property tax bill on the Curtis […]
Small unpaid tax bills cost many their homes
WASHINGTON — The elderly and other vulnerable homeowners are losing their homes because they owe as little as a few hundred dollars in back taxes, according to a report from a consumer group. Outdated state laws allow big banks and other investors to reap windfall profits by buying the houses for a pittance and reselling […]
Top court affirms Power Plant’s property tax assessment
The Court of Appeals has upheld a property tax valuation of The Cordish Companies’ Power Plant Building and the adjacent Pier IV Office Building at a combined $38.1 million. Cordish argued the value should be $29.9 million, based in part on the fact that the land is leased from the city of Baltimore. Cordish argued […]
Senate approves budget package; House ready for debate
ANNAPOLIS — The House of Delegates gave preliminary approval Tuesday to a budget package that raises taxes and shifts the cost of teacher pensions to local jurisdictions, setting up a final vote Wednesday morning. The largest component of the tax bill is an income tax rate hike on individuals earning more than $100,000 and couples […]