Politics & Government

North Baltimore Lawmakers Split on Budget

Council members are split in their opinions and votes on Baltimore's operating budget.

Baltimore’s $1.3 billion operating budget for fiscal year 2012 easily passed the Baltimore City Council as a whole, but some North Baltimore lawmakers expressed reservations.

Carl Stokes, D-District 12, tried to amend the budget during a special council meeting on Monday afternoon. Stokes’ amendment would have removed $7 million from the public safety budget.

Although the council doesn’t have the authority to appropriate funds, Stokes, who is running for mayor, said he was hopeful Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake would have put the money toward youth programs.

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Stokes said he didn’t believe he would get support for the amendment but presented it anyway.

“I didn’t think we had a chance because no one was talking about it on the floor,” Stokes said. 

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Councilman Bill Henry, D-District 4, argued against Stokes’ amendment saying he was unsure what would be affected in the public safety budget if the money were stripped and where that money would be diverted.

Henry said Stokes’ amendments put him in a tough spot because he would have liked the idea of more give-and-take between the council and the administration with appropriating funds. But, because he didn’t know the details of Stokes’ amendment, such as where the money would come from within the public safety budget, he couldn’t vote for it on the floor.

But Henry joined Stokes in voting against moving the budget forward for final approval.

Councilwoman Mary Pat Clarke, D-District 14, said not enough was being provided to youth programs in the budget, but at least the city was making progress by providing youth services, such as summer jobs.

Clarke also said that she could not vote for Stokes’ amendment because it would reduce funds going to public safety. In the last six months, two children have been killed in the eastern half of Clarke’s district.

“I can’t cut the police budget for all I’m asking them to do in the Northern and Northeastern [police districts],” Clarke said.

North Baltimore lawmakers Councilwoman Sharon Green Middleton, D-District 6, and Councilwoman Rochelle "Rikki" Spector, D-District 5, also voted for the budget.


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