MARCH 30, 2023
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BERLIN • NORTH WORCESTER COUNTY• OCEAN PINES
Council sticks with tax rate ... for now Last year’s 81.5-cent levy might be in notice, but not necessarily in new budget
CINDY HOFFMAN/BAYSIDE GAZETTE
NATURE’S BOUQUET
Daffodils show their colors along the road in front of an abandoned house on Racetrack Road.
By Jack Chavez Staff Writer (March 30, 2023) The Town of Berlin will advertise that the property tax rate of 81.5 cents may stay the same in FY24, but plenty could change before a final vote. On Tuesday, the Berlin mayor and Town Council agreed that newspaper public notices that will advertise an April 24 public hearing will show 81.5 cents as the proposed tax rate. “The information tonight will not set the tax rate,” Town Administrator Mary Bohlen said on Monday. “We are required to run this exact advertisement prior to the public hearing for the tax rate and prior to the introduction of the tax rate … We have to send it to the newspaper tomorrow to have it in next week’s paper.” She added that the number is intended to just give an idea of what the tax rate might look like. For FY23, it is expected that the town’s estimated real property as-
sessable base will increase from $515.23 million to $537.94 million. Keeping the tax rate the same would result in a 4.4 percent increase in real property tax revenues, resulting in about $185,000 more. To offset the effect of increasing assessments — and produce the same revenue as the year before — the rate should be reduced to 78.06 cents, which is the constant yield tax rate for FY24. Councilmember Steve Green said he felt it’s too early to throw a number on anything yet. “My gut would be that we let the ad run as proposed but, speaking for myself, I do think we’re looking at some sort of adjustment to the tax rate because of pressures, helping our employees,” Councilmember Steve Green said. “However, I do believe this notice is not a protocol, it’s a matter of process and it’s important to show the constant yield tax rate does bring in new revenue.” Bohlen said the mayor and council would not be running wrong information by running an identical tax See BERLIN’S Page 2
Stop diamondback terrapins from drowning in crab pots Bycatch reduction device must be used to prevent access by other species By Cindy Hoffman Staff Writer (March 30, 2023) Crabbing season is almost here. That’s great news for crab lovers, but not so great for Maryland’s state reptile, the diamondback terrapin. Diamondback terrapins are aquatic turtles that were once plenti-
ful but today are struggling to survive, largely because of the human presence: their greatest threat is drowning in crab pots. “Crab pots don’t kill crabs, because crabs don’t need air,” Sandi Smith, outreach and marketing coordinator for the Maryland Coastal Bays Program said. “But they do kill turtles. Once the turtle gets inside the crab pots, they can’t escape and drown.” Terrapins are drawn into crab pots by the same bait crabbers use to atSee TERRAPIN Page 2
PHOTO COURTESY TIMOTHY RUSSELL
Diamondback terrapins found alive inside this crab pot will be released.
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