Image by Desiree Stover via Towson University
Yesterday, the Prince Geroge's County Council and Prince George's County Executive Angela Alsobrooks transmitted a joint letter to the Maryland General Assembly as the 2022 session begins today. A few highlights from the letter:
Continued Support For Education Funding
Continued collaboration in the working group established to embark on the second round of schools to be constructed through the Alternative Construction Financing/Public-Private Partnership (ACF/P3) program.
Transportation
The letter notes the draft FY 2022-2027 state Consolidated Transportation Plan (CTP), which contains funding for the design and construction of Arena Drive Interchange that will serve as a gateway to the new hospital and development taking place in downtown Largo.
Prince George's County is seeking an additional $21.4 million to continue road infrastructure improvements, the creation of complete streets, protected bike lanes and walk paths, and a street grid for developable parcels to keep Blue Line Corridor project moving forward, which would stretch from the D.C. line, down Route 214 into downtown Largo.
The Council continues to advocate for Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) funding for the completion of the Purple Line project and associated MD 193 corridor improvements as recommended by the M-NCPPC SPACES study; transit projects around the New Carrollton, Largo, and Branch Avenue Metro Stations; as well as the Southern Maryland Rapid Transit project.
The letter notes several road projects critical to improving vehicle and pedestrian safety along County roadways, helping to further the County's "Vision Zero" efforts to eliminate serious traffic-related injuries and fatalities by 2040.
Economic Development and Housing
The Council will be supporting legislation to allow targeted grocery stores in Prince George's County to sell beer and wine.
Seeking $5 million in state funding for the Façade Improvement Program, which would allow the County to provide funds to property owners that they must then match to improve the look of their facilities.
Preserving affordable housing to ensure that residents can stay in their homes long-term, and our seniors can continue to age in place while enjoying all the new and updated amenities in their communities.
Supporting the Right of First Refusal (ROFR) program that allows the County, working with non-profits, to protect rental households at risk of displacement from their homes. They will be seeking an additional $15 million from the state to help fund this program.
The County is seeking an additional $15 million in state funding to continue its recently established Housing Investment Trust Fund, which committed $10 million towards expanding the creation of new affordable and mixed-income rental and homeownership opportunities in designated Transit Oriented Development (TOD) areas.
Healthcare
State funding for additional COVID testing.
Continued discussions with the Maryland Department of Health regarding the potential expansion of state funding for Community Based Health Centers (CBHCs) in Prince George's County schools.
Seeking state funding for a Comprehensive Opportunity Assessment (COA) for the County's new regional hospital to identify all the areas of concern for the hospital and discover any opportunities to improve the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS).
Community Investments
Pursuing legislation that will require the state to publish their litter pick-up schedules to see when and where they will be in our County and how often they come to our County versus how frequently they work in other jurisdictions.
Support legislation to create a centralized, confidential database aimed at ending the physical and mental abuse suffered by seniors at the hands of their caregivers.
Capital Improvement Budget Requests
Requests include:
$4 million for the remaining state-funded portion of the County amphitheater.
$12.4 million for improvements to the Showplace Arena and Equestrian Center
$5.5 million for two transportation projects at the intersection of MD 223 and Woodyard Road and the intersection of MD 4 and Suitland Parkway.
Ensuring that a sports and entertainment facility along the Blue Line Corridor is included in the fund being created for professional sports teams.
You can read the letter from Prince Geroge's County Council in its entirety at this link or view the PDF below.