Things are heating up between Baltimore’s city council and Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake. In a move that has upset several people, Mayor Rawlings-Blake has proposed budget cuts that will impact city services. The mayor is recommending a $2.64 billion dollar city budget for the 2017 fiscal year.
In an initial attempt to solve Baltimore’s $60 million dollar budget deficit, the following was proposals were offered:
- City property tax would be reduced by a penny
- $4 million dollars would be cut for after school programs
- 225 vacant positions in the Baltimore City Police Department would not be filled
- 4 percent increase at city-owned parking garages
- 6 million dollars would go towards police body cameras
- City employees would get a 2 percent raise
- Potential cuts to code enforcement, graffiti removal, tree maintenance, merit pay and grant management
- Increased spending on the school system by $10 million
- $20 million dollar cut from the police department
The biggest point of contention between city council and the mayor is the after school program funding. With the new fiscal year starting July 1st, city council threatened a government shut down if the mayor did not make cuts to pay for after school programs. On Monday, in an attempt to compromise Rawlings-Blake announced additional cuts to public health services, libraries, and housing inspections.
Despite this compromise, city council and the mayor are continuing to battle it out.
In response Rawlings-Blake said, “Clearly there is little willingness on the part of the City Council leadership to enter into good faith negotiations to get things done. Instead they have relied on pointless rhetoric versus meeting their fiscal obligations to the City.The City needs a balanced budget. Not grandstanding. That is what we are elected to do.”
Hopefully, the city council and mayor can come up with a solution that benefits the city in a balanced way. If not, as Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake leaves office in December, she may be leaving a mess in the hands of her successor.
