By Robert Sobus and Madison Disney
Baltimore Watchdog Staff Writers
The Baltimore City Council passed two bills Monday that are designed to help employees in the hospitality industry who lost their jobs due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The first bill requires hotels and other companies in the hospitality industry to re-hire laid-off employees after reopening. The second measure ensures that hotel workers can get their jobs back even if the business ownership changes.
Hotel workers — thousands of whom have lost their jobs since the coronavirus forced the shutdown of the local economy last spring — held rallies in support of the bills. Hotel owners have opposed it.
The bill now goes to Mayor Bernard C. “Jack” Young, who has not indicated whether he will sign the legislation.
The council is also considering modifications to the Water Accountability and Equity Act (WAEA) to protect low-income residents from rising water rates and service disruptions until the law can be fully implemented next summer.
The act, which was signed into law on Jan. 13 by Young, is designed to cap water rates for those who meet federal poverty guidelines to between 1 and 3 percent of a household’s income.
The city was supposed to establish a new income-based water billing system by July, but as the coronavirus pandemic hit the country this spring, Young notified the council in April that the city would need until July 1, 2021 to meet the law’s requirements.
City Council President Brandon M. Scott said during the council’s meeting last night that city residents saw a 10 percent increase on their water bills on Oct. 1.
Scott, the Democratic nominee for mayor in the Nov. 3 election, said the council must take steps now to shield poor residents from such increases as the protective measures contained in the act are gradually implemented over the year.
“We know that access to clean and more affordable water is important more-so now as we continue to face this public health pandemic,” Scott said. “This bill offers immediate relief to those dealing with billing issues and amends the original law and includes a new timetable so that we can implement as many folks of the Water Accountability and Equity Act before July 1, 2021.”
The legislation was assigned to the Taxation, Finance and Economic Development Committee.
In the meantime, water customers who are having financial problems can apply for the Emergency COVID-19 discount.
The Department of Public Works introduced the Emergency COVID-19 discount in May. It includes a 43 percent discount on water and sewage use and a waiver of Bay Restoration and Storm Water Remediation fees. The discount would end 90-days after the state of emergency is lifted or Dec. 31, whichever comes first.
After a ransomware attack delayed water bills and increased bills in 2019, and the coronavirus pandemic, customers have been paying more for water.
In other action, the council passed a bill on a 12-3 vote that allowed the Baltimore City Police Department to receive funding transferred from the Department of Transportation.
The police department will receive $2 million from what Scott referred to as “rainy day money,” or excess funding not being used by the DOT.
Councilman Ryan Dorsey argued that the police are constantly exceeding their annual budget, adding that transferring money from the DOT is not an appropriate means of funding.
“I cannot not recommend this enough,” Dorsey said. “This is not an appropriate means of funding, so my vote is going to be no.”