Game Challenges Baltimore Residents To Balance Budget
Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake will also be holding a budget workshop in the Broadway East neighborhood Saturday.
The city is facing a $40 million deficit heading into fiscal year 2014, a decrease from the $52 million shortfall the city faced entering this fiscal year, but still a large enough deficiency to force some tough choices.
As the city begins its budget process, the government is giving residents the chance to understand the decisions Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake must make by using an online game.
The city unveiled the game last year, which allowed residents to make choices as to where they would cut the budget and focus spending.
If using the game is not for you, the mayor will also be addressing residents about the budget in person this weekend.
Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake will be holding a budget workshop open to residents starting at 10 a.m., Saturday at the Humanim at the American Brewery, 1700 North Gay, according to a newsletter from Councilwoman Mary Pat Clarke.
The workshop will involve a question and answer period about the city’s fiscal situation as allowing participants to craft their own budget proposals.
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Baltimore Matt
2:16 pm on Friday, February 1, 2013
This game is complete BS because it only lets you change small variables in the budget. The game does not allow you to change the amount the city spends on welfare (cash, foodstamp, and housing assistance), the core education spending, or core police budgets. I does not let you have real pension reform and it also does not allow let you change large parts of the tax code or take into account potential growth from a reductions in taxes. Thanks Stephanie for scaring Baltimorons into going with your anti-growth, anti-business, anti-job, and anti-middle class policies.
Stephanie, Baltimore is not a poor city, and you saying that only scares away potential investment. This city has resources that most cities would covet (deep water port, a major rail corriodore with access to the midwest, inexpensive housing and office space, highway access, a simple grid design, etc.), the problem is that this city has been mismanaged by the same clowns, all working for the same political machine for too long.