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Council asks for detailed comparison after administration shifts TIF plan and parking-garage approach
Summary
Councilors pressed the administration for a clearer, line-by-line comparison of the original Tax Increment Financing (TIF) program and the revised proposal that removes a publicly financed Crescent parking garage and accelerates certain road projects; they asked for specifics on qualified costs, developer fees, parking phasing and how shifting improvements affects later TIF tranches.
The County Executive’s office presented a revised TIF financing plan for Downtown Columbia that removes a previously proposed county‑financed Crescent parking garage and instead anticipates Howard Hughes privately financing the garage while granting Merriweather Post Pavilion continuing access. The revision also accelerates several road projects — notably the North–South connector and the so‑called "jug handle" — into the first authorization. Council members asked for a clearer, itemized comparison between the original authorization and the revised plan and pressed the administration and Howard Hughes on several points:
- Qualified costs: County staff explained which line items can…
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