City Council's Wet T-Shirt Contest

For the past two days, Committees of the Baltimore City Council have been diving into some ordinances which were all about water.

Councilwoman Mary Pat Clarke of the 14th District yesterday introduced the Land Use and Transportation Committee to an ordinance (05-0059R - Water for Community Gardens - Paid Access to Seasonal Water Service) which would provide volunteer community gardens, as certified by the University of Maryland Extension Service, with free access City water service each year throughout the growing season. These gardens are run by groups of city residents who want to reclaim vacant lots and turn them into productive garden space. Providing free water will cut down on their expenditures, freeing up more money for more gardens. This is a great way for the City to encourage the transformation of vacant lots eye-sores into a source of pride and beauty in struggling neighborhoods.

Earlier today, the Committee on Judiciary and Legislative Investigations approved ordinance 05-0015R, which compells the Director of Public Works to conduct an inquiry into the question "Is the High Cost of Meeting Federal Mandates and Repairing Water Main Breaks Breaking the Budgets of Baltimore City Residents?" The investigation will address the burden of high water bills by seeking to reduce costs associated with federal mandates and system repairs. It will also inform residents of their rights as consumers. This is a much-needed inquiry which, if successful, will help the pocketbooks of Baltimoreans.

from The League: Reassembled with revisions