* 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 R
(Resolution)
Introduced by: President Mosby and Councilmembers Middleton, Costello, Bullock, Conway, Glover, McCray, Schleifer, Stokes
A Resolution Entitled
A Council Resolution concerning
title
Amendments to the Ordinance of Estimates for the Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 2024
For the purpose of articulating the intent of the amendments to the Ordinance of Estimates for the Fiscal Year ending June 30, 2024, Council Bill 23-0281; and generally relating to the reallocation of monies in the Ordinance of Estimates for the Fiscal Year ending June 30, 2024, Council Bill 23-0281.
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Recitals
For the first time in 125 years, the City Council was authorized to transfer appropriations in the annual Ordinance of Estimates. During the 2020 general election, Baltimore City voters overwhelmingly supported Question F, the amendment to the City’s Charter that authorized the City Council to make increases to items in the City’s budget. Until this year, the City Council has had a limited role in the budget process. Before the passage of Question F, the Council could reduce budgeted items, but not make additions to them. Considering the new authority Baltimore City voters granted to the Council, Councilmembers approached this year’s process with great care and diligence.
The Council’s Ways and Means Committee conducted rigorous agency hearings from Tuesday, May 30, 2023 through Tuesday, June 6, 2023. This year’s budget hearings were constructive and led to productive conversations regarding the delivery of City services. During the budget hearings, the Council identified that, Citywide, 1,552 vacant positions were set to receive monies from the General Fund. Of these vacant positions, 210 had been vacant for longer than 18 months. Following the budget hearings, the City Council agreed to use alternate funding sources that were identified by the Administration, instead of freezing the funding for the vacant positions.
The City Council amendments to the Ordinance of Estimates for the Fiscal Year ending
June 30, 2024, Council Bill 23-0381, increase funding for the following priorities:
- $5,401,000 additional funding for upgraded fire equipment and apparatuses;
- $1,000,000 allocated to the Dante Barksdale Fund for vocational training;
- $1,000,000 to purchase additional CitiWatch cameras;
- $1,000,000 for Citiwatch Infrastructure Improvements;
- $800,000 for increased youth recreational programming at recreational centers;
- $250,000 for DPW Solid Waste Facility Improvements;
- $200,000 for the Home Security Rebate Program;
- $150,000 for the Lillian Jones Recreation Center Renovation;
- $125,000 for Citywide Façade Improvements; and
- $74,000 for a Language Access Coordinator.
Now, therefore, be it resolved by the City Council of Baltimore, That the Baltimore City Council adopts this Resolution to articulate the purposes of the amendments to the Ordinance of Estimates.
And be it further resolved, That the City Council will support supplementary appropriations for the Fiscal Year ending June 30, 2024, as needed, to successfully implement the priorities detailed in this Resolution and the related amendments to the Ordinance of Estimates for the Fiscal Year ending June 30, 2024, Council Bill 23-0381.
And be it further resolved, That a copy of this Resolution be sent to the Mayor and the Mayor’s Legislative Liaison to the City Council.