FIGHTING FOOD DESERTS IN PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY

Last week, I had the privilege of joining my colleague, Council Member Andrea Harrison, in testifying in Annapolis in support of state legislation sponsored by Senator Joanne C. Benson and Delegate Jazz Lewis to create tax incentive districts to bring better grocery stores (“Food Desert Incentive Area Personal Property Tax Credit”) to parts of the County lacking access to fresh food and produce, especially in our established communities.  Our communities between the District line and the Capital Beltway have been particularly hard hit by the closure of a number of grocery stores in the past several years.  These communities have been classified as “food deserts,” but, for our neighbors who live here, they are areas of economic opportunity for stores interested in providing high quality food and good customer service.  We have seen a great deal of economic progress in many parts of our County.  But, we are one County and we rise together.  A new grocery store in my neighborhood isn’t enough if your grocery store left 5 years ago without a good replacement.  A food desert in one part of our County is a food desert indirectly for all of us.

This Food Desert Incentive Area Personal Property Tax Credit will give the County another economic tool to attract better choices in our established communities and shopping centers and ensure that, as we grow and prosper, we don’t leave any of our longstanding communities behind.  Recently, very similar grocery tax incentive legislation helped bring a new grocery store to an underserved area in East Baltimore.

Do you believe in these efforts to invest in our established communities?  Then, sign up to volunteer in your neighborhood for my Council At-Large campaign and the Jobs First Movement for economic opportunity and public investment in the people of Prince George’s County.  We are one County and we rise together!

-Mel Franklin, Councilman

Candidate for Council At-Large