She says it will benefit the state’s economy.
Md. Comptroller Brooke Lierman
Greenbelt, Md (KM) It’s a win-win for Maryland is how State Comptroller Brooke Lierman describes the decision by the federal government to locate the new FBI headquarters in Greenbelt. “There’s a great location right next to the Metro Center so it’s transit-oriented development. There’s different types of housing options that would be available around the region and of course the state. Very adjacent to a federal court house, other federal agencies and a really quick trip into the Nation’s Capital,” she said.
Lierman also said this new FBI headquarters will have benefits beyond Greenbelt and Prince George’s County. “There will certainly be people who live throughout the state of Maryland who commute to Greenbelt. But there will also be other benefits, services and housing near other types of benefits that accrue to the state,” the Comptroller says.
And, she says, it will mean additional sales and transfer tax revenue. “Rate stays the same, but more people are purchasing things because there’s more people doing economic activity in the state of Maryland,” Lierman says.
With the announcement of this new site, FBI Director Christopher Wray has raised a concern about a “potential conflict of interest” in the selection process. An e-mail obtained by The Associated Press says Wray has no objections to the site itself, but is concerned about the process. He says Congress may review the matter.
Comptroller Lierman calls this “unfortunate.” “This has been an incredibly rigorous selection process that has lasted well over a decade,”; she says.
“I’m fully confident that the GSA {General Services Administration} made the right decision, and it will have the added benefit of being a great space for the FBI and all its employees while also saving American taxpayers over a billion dollars,” Lierman adds.
The new headquarters will replace the crumbling J. Edgar Hoover building in Washington DC which is a few blocks away from the White House.
By Kevin McManus