* Warning: This is an unofficial, introductory copy of the bill.
The official copy considered by the City Council is the first reader copy.
Introductory*
City of Baltimore
Council Bill
Introduced by: The Council President
At the request of: The Administration (Department of Finance)
A Bill Entitled
An Ordinance concerning
title
Supplementary General Fund Operating Appropriation - M-R: Arts and Culture - $581,334
For the purpose of providing a Supplementary General Fund Operating Appropriation in the amount of $581,334 to M-R: Arts and Culture - Service 824 (Events: Art: Culture: and Film), to provide funding for general operations; and providing for a special effective date.
body
By authority of
Article VI - Board of Estimates
Section 8(b)(2)(iii) and (c)
Baltimore City Charter
(1996 Edition)
Recitals
Part 1. Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts - Background
The City Council reduced the Ordinance of Estimates for Fiscal Year 2024 by $1,744,002 in Service 824 (Events: Art: Culture: and Film), which supports the Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts’ (“BOPA”) budget. City Council Resolution 23-0177R, adopted on June 14, 2023, detailed concerns regarding the following: (1) BOPA’s board governance and structure; (2) operations of the Baltimore Film Office; (3) operations of the Baltimore Arts Council and Public Arts Commission; and (4) BOPA’s ability to carry out its mandate to produce events and festivals, administer grants, manage arts education and public art programming, provide film production support, and provide oversight of Baltimore City facilities in its care.
The Administration and City Council have determined that marked progress has been made in these areas in the time since 23-0177R was adopted. Ordinance 23-274, effective October 15, 2023, and Ordinance 24-300, effective January 17, 2024, each restored $581,334 to Service 824, totaling $1,162,668.
This is the 3rd supplemental appropriation that will restore funding to the Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts in recognition that BOPA has complied with the requested actions of the City Council. This supplementary appropriation will restore the final portion of the monies originally cut from the Ordinance of Estimates for Fiscal Year 2024. This supplementary appropriation shall fund BOPA for the 4th quarter of Fiscal Year 2024.
Part 2. Supplementary Appropriation
The revenue appropriated by this Ordinance represents Transfer Tax revenue in excess of the revenue relied on by the Board of Estimates in determining the tax levy required to balance the budget for Fiscal Year 2024.
This additional revenue could not have been reasonably anticipated when the Ordinance of Estimates for Fiscal Year 2024 was formulated.
This appropriation is made necessary by a material change in circumstances since the Ordinance of Estimates for Fiscal Year 2024 was formulated or is for a new program that could not have been reasonably anticipated when that Ordinance of Estimates was formulated.
On January 24, 2024, the Board of Estimates recommended this appropriation to the City Council.
Section 1. Be it ordained by the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore, That $581,334 shall be made available to M-R: Arts and Culture - Service 824 (Events: Art: Culture: and Film) as a Supplementary General Fund Operating Appropriation for Fiscal Year 2024, to provide funding for general operations. The source of revenue for this appropriation is Transfer Tax revenue in excess of the amount from this source that was relied on by the Board of Estimates in determining the tax levy required to balance the budget for Fiscal Year 2024.
Section 2. And be it further ordained, That this Ordinance takes effect on the date it is enacted.