Baltimore City Mayor Brandon Scott signed the fiscal 2024 Baltimore City Budget, which will become effective July 1. The budget — which does not raise property or income tax rates — priortizes education, youth engagement, public safety, economic development, and neighborhood revitalization.
“With this budget, we’re prioritizing Baltimore’s young people and communities all across the city like never before,” said Mayor Scott. “Through a new, collaborative amendment process, my administration worked closely with the City Council to outline an equitable, inclusive, and forward-looking budget for every Baltimore resident – no matter where they live.”
The budget includes a record $405.5 million for Baltimore City Public Schools, with a $79.4 million increase in contributions related to the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future. In addition, there is funding for 7,000 young people to gain summer work experience through the Mayor’s Office of Employment Development (MOED) YouthWorks Summer Job Program.
The budget includes $800,000 in additional support for programming at recreation centers to increase access for young people and other program options. The budget also provides investments to expand the Group Violence Reduction Strategy (GVRS) and Baltimore’s Community Violence Intervention (CVI) ecosystem through increased grant support for community-based organizations.
“This was the first time in 125 years that the City Council could redirect. Baltimoreans can be assured that this finalized budget was designed to work for everyone and represent the needs of our youth, public safety, and workers while strengthening our city as we move into the future,” said Council President Nick Mosby. “I am proud of the work of the council and administration, as we worked tirelessly and in partnership to achieve that goal.”
According to a press release:
The final version of the $4.4 billion budget included:
- Increased funding for the Baltimore City Housing Department to tackle vacant buildings throughout the City
- The creation of the Mayor’s Office of Minority and Women’s Owned Business Development to support the increase of opportunities for small and minority-owned businesses
- The inclusion of $1.2 million to expand programming and services for older adults
- This investment will fund 7 additional staff positions at the City’s Senior Centers and lay the groundwork to establish the independent Office of Aging
- Investments for staffing and programing costs for the completion of the citywide equity assessment
- Continued funding for Baltimore’s Police Accountability Board within the Office of Equity and Civil Rights
- Investment in the continuation of wage incentives for City positions requiring a CDL to improve recruitment and retention for critical positions across City services
- Continued funding to maintain the current level of service at the City’s homeless shelters
- Increased funding for the Community Action Partnership (CAP) centers operated by the Mayor’s Office of Children and Family Success designed to continue their work on eviction prevention despite the expiration of COVID related grants
- Increased allocations for upgrading and replacing fire equipment apparatus designed to help the Baltimore City Fire Department to reach its optimal fleet level