Board of Estimates sends Mayor’s budget to the Baltimore City Council for deliberation

BALTIMORE, MD (Wednesday, May 12, 2021) – In a vote of 4 to 0 with one abstention at Wednesday’s meeting, the Board of Estimates sent the Mayor’s $4.3 billion budget to the Baltimore City Council for consideration. The action formally kicks off the Council’s budget process that will include open hearings, taxpayers’ night and preliminary and final votes on the spending package by late June.

City Council President Nick J. Mosby voted in favor of advancing the budget for further deliberation.

“Next up in the city’s budget process is a chance for the City Council to dig into the details of the mayor’s proposal — invite our agency leaders to discuss their priorities, ask the tough questions and find places to suggest Mayor Scott redirect spending,” Council President Mosby said. “The city’s budget, just like the budgets in each of our residents’ households, speaks to our priorities.

“Folks in Baltimore have been very clear: You want your city leaders to take an evidence-based approach that drives sustainable results and reverses our structural inequities. Today’s vote signals the start of the Council’s work.”

The fiscal 2022 budget is expected to be introduced at the Council’s May 17 meeting as three pieces of legislation: the Ordinance of Estimates, the property tax ordinance and the budget for the Board of School Commissioners.

Residents are invited to offer testimony and direction to the Council at Taxpayers’ Night on May 27 beginning at 5 p.m. The public can participate in the meeting virtually on Webex, the city’s video conferencing platform. The meeting will also be streamed live on CharmTV. To submit written testimony, the public can send an email to Testimony@BaltimoreCity.gov.

The Council will hold budget hearings in early June to evaluate spending by agency. The full list of hearing dates and times will be announced in the coming days. The public can watch the hearings on Webex or CharmTV.

After that consideration, the full Council will convene to vote on the budget. The city Charter requires the Council pass a budget by June 25. The 2022 fiscal year begins July 1.

Under the current City Charter, the Council can cut spending in the mayor’s preliminary budget but cannot redirect funding to services or programs. City voters approved a Charter amendment in November 2020 to give the Council the authority to also direct spending. That change will go into effect next year.