BALTIMORE — This week, Baltimore city unanimously passed the budget for the 2023 fiscal year and Mayor Brandon Scott had full support from the city council.
Mayor Scott discussed details concerning the budget and how it’s going to impact residents and city services moving forward.
The city council voted 15 to 0 when approving this budget.
Mayor Scott said it shows all the hard work his entire team put into it, making sure it was the best decisions for Baltimore.
Thursday the city council passed Baltimore city’s budget for the 2023 fiscal year totaling around $4.11 billion in funding.
“ We have a strong budget one that’s responsible and responsive to what we have going on in the city especially as we are starting to come out of the pandemic. One that also invest in the areas that we know needs to be invested in in our great city,” Scott said.
MORE: Baltimore City Council unanimously approves $4.11 billon budget
The city has reserved $3.2 billion for operating expenses, $792.6 million for capital investments, and the general fund budget, totaling around $2.1 billion, which is an 8% increase from the fiscal budget for 2022. Scott said the portion of this funding that’s allocated for city schools is part of what he’s most proud of.
“This year has seen a $57 million increase into the public school system. As a part of the first year of the implementation of the blueprint for Maryland’s future. This is a historic level funding for our school system and that is something that we know we desperately need,” Scott said.
How the allocated funding will be used for city schools will be determined by city school leaders.
However, another monumental moment in the finalization of the city’s budget was the low-rate increase people will see in their water bill at only 3% which is lower than inflation, and the lowest increase city residents have seen in years.
“ There’s only a 3% rate increase for water in Baltimore. When you add on top of that, that you have the water for all discount program funded by this it continues our fire and policing that we have expanding some of that work that we are trying to do,” Scott said.
Improving how EMS workers do their job and making sure their equipment is up to date was also included in the plan, as well as making sure policing efforts were improved throughout the community.
“It funds the civilianization and smart policing efforts that we’re doing to have our patrol officers be able to be out and be more proactive,” Scott said.
The budget also continues to fund the changes they’re making within the city’s recreation and parks sector, making sure the young people in our community are taken care of with options for constructive activities in their neighborhoods.
“ Putting funding back for rec centers that have been closed because our young people are worth it, we know it will increase even more next year and we’re going to be there to meet that challenge as well,” Scott said.
In addition, the Scott administration said this budget will utilize federal recovery funds for critical investments to make the city safer, healthier, cleaner, greener, and more equitable.
This 2023 fiscal budget reflects key priorities in the Mayors Action Plan, and you can view that plan here.
