Mayor Criticizes McDonough for 'Doomsday' Budget Support

Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said Thursday she has no interest in debating Del. Pat McDonough about safety isssues at the Inner Harbor.

"I think it would be probably more useful if he debated himself, and his Republican colleagues that supported the " Rawlings-Blake said. 

Gov. Martin O'Malley called a of the Maryland General Assembly this spring, and passed tax increases to avoid a state budget with more than $500 million in cuts. Republicans in the state legislature opposed holding the special session.

According to figures from the mayor's office, those cuts would have resulted in Baltimore eliminating positions for 92 police officers and 18 prosecutors in the State's Attorney's office, about 10 percent of that office's work force.

Earlier this month McDonough, a Republican who represents parts of Harford and Baltimore counties, called on Rawlings-Blake to resign because of terrorizing the area.

McDonough has since called for a televised debate with the mayor on the topic of safety in the city.

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