Local leaders calling for fewer barriers in water bill discount program

Local leaders calling for fewer barriers in water bill discount program

IN BALTIMORELATESTDDISDISCODISCOUNDISCOUNTDISCOUNT FODISCOUNT FORRETESTRESESTRESIDTRESIDENRESIDENTSRESIDENTS WRESIDENTS WHORESIDENTS WHO CRESIDENTS WHO CANRESIDENTS WHO CAN PRESIDENTS WHO CAN PRORESIDENTS WHO CAN PROVEUNEMPLOYMENT ELIGIBILITY.

BUTCITY COUNCILMEMBERS ANDADVOCATES ARE CALLING FOR MORESTEPS TO BRING FINANCIALRELIEF.

WMA━2 NEWS ABBYISAACS ATTENDED A VIRTUALPRESS CONFERENCE ABOUT WHATHEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE.LOOKLIV━ THEY WANT TO EASEFINANCIAL BURDENS FORRESIDENTS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLEAND MAKE SURE PEOPLE AREN'TACRUING DEBT BECAUSE OF WATERBILLS.

WHILE THECOUNCILMEMBERS AND ADVOCATESCALLED MAYOR JACK YOUNGCOVI━19 DISCOUNT A VICTORY,THEY WANT LESS BARRIERS, ANDMORE ACTION.

22:0━13Councilman Zeke Cohen━ Wetalking a level of devastationthat I just think isunprecedented.

THESECOUNCILMEMBERS HEAR FROMCONSTITUENTS DAILY, THE IMPACTTHE PANDEMIC IS HAVING, ONHEALTH, ON FINANCES..

1:1━20Councilwoman Shannon Snee━our residents are filing forunemployment at a staggeringrate COUNCILWOMAN SHANNONSNEED SAYS ONE WAY TO HELP..IS RELIEF FROM WATER BILLS.SHE THANKED MAYOR JACK YOUNGFOR EXPANDING THE CURRENTASSISTANCE PROGRAM TOCUSTOMERS WHO CAN PROVEUNEMPLOYMENT ELIGIBILITY.

BUTDURING A VIRTUAL PRESSCONFERENCE TODAY, SHE JOINEDOTHER COUNCILMEMBERS ANDADVOCATES IN CALLING FOR MORETO BE DONE.

ESPECIALLY SINCECUSTOMERS WILL GET LARGER THANUSUAL BILLS IN MAY BECAUSE OFA BILLING DELAY.

4:2━34Rianna Eckel, Food and WaterActionresidents were alreadystruggling with unaffordablewater bills before this crisisTHEY WANT TO SEE THE DISCOUNTEXPANDED TO SMALL BUSINESSESAND RENTERS WHOSE NAMES ARENOT ON THEIR WATER BILL.9:1━16 Zafar Shah, PublicJustice Centercannot apply for the discountthey cannot apply for apayment plan unless theirlandlord intervenes on theirbehalf&.

9:3━39 This is anenormous barrier for manytenants who are more likely tobe lower income thanhomeowners.

THIS IS SOMETHINGADVOCATES SAY THE WATERACCOUNTABILITY AND EQUITY ACTWILL FIX..

YOUNG SIGNED ITINTO LAW EARLIER THIS YEAR BUTITIT he water for5:0━22 Eckelall program is needed becauseit will not only cap waterbills at an affordablepercentage of household incomebut it will also create apathway out of water debt thatwill be so needed for familieswho have lost jobs and wagesdue to covi━19 LOOK LIV━NEXT THURSDAY, THERE IS AVIRTUAL COMMITTEE HEARINGWHERE STAFF FROM THEDEAPRTMENT OF FINANCE AND THEDEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS AREEXPECTED TO GIVE UPDATES ONTHE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ACT.FOR WMA━ 2NEWS IISAACSWE REACHED OUT TO THE