Councilwoman Clarke: Amendment Guts School Construction Fund Bill

Baltimore Councilwoman Mary Pat Clarke isn’t happy with an amendment added to a City Council bill that places a referendum issue on the ballot to create a recurring fund for school construction and maintenance.

During Monday’s council hearing, the bill was approved by second reader, the last step before final approval. But an amendment, added by Council Vice President Edward Reisinger, stripped the bill of a provision that would have allowed the council to allocate money to the fund from fines and fees.

Clarke, D-District 14, said the amendment “gutted” the bill. 

“The bill was all about being able to dedicate funds to the repair and construction of schools,” Clarke said. "So what's left? Nothing."

Clarke, Council President Bernard C. "Jack" Young, Councilman Bill Henry, D-District 4, Councilman Carl Stokes, D-District 12, and Councilman James Kraft, D-District 1, all voted against the amendment.

The proposed legislation with the amendment still must be passed by the council on third reader and approved by the mayor before it can be placed on the ballot for residents to vote on this November.

Young, who along with Kraft was the lead sponsor of the bill, released a statement calling the passage of the bill to third reader a "huge step in the right direction." 

Following the hearing, Reisinger, D-District 10, said his amendment was introduced to help preserve the flexibility of future mayors to address future budget issues, the same concern expressed by Rawlings-Blake's finance department. The vice president of the council traditionally advocates on behalf of positions supported by the mayor.