BALTIMORE — On Tuesday, Mayor Scott signed the city budget for the year 2024, which will become effective on July 1.
The ceremony followed the City Council's passage of the budget last week.
“Today marks the continuation of record levels of investment in our city,” said Mayor Scott.
This was the first year in over a century that the process included council sponsored amendments.
“Of this being a brand new process for everybody, I think we did a great job, and we look forward to continuing to work with the administration moving forward, continuing to push towards the priorities of the city of Baltimore,” said Nick Mosby, City Council president.
One of the major changes to the budget was the $79.3 million investment into Baltimore City Public Schools, setting the record for the city investing the most money into the system at almost $500 million.
“While the initial investment for the city that was required for blueprint was slightly higher than we initially expected, the record level of funding going to our public school system is absolutely an investment that this city is proud to be making and will continue to make as we move forward."
Mayor Scott says this type of investment is long overdue, and while creating the budget, a lot of the focus was put on youth, not just in schools but into youth programming as well, a key investment in the future leaders of Baltimore City.
“But when I think about this historic level of investment the city is making into public schools, I think about how different this city would be if that kind of investment was made when the council president the council members who grew up here when we were growing up. How many more lives would have been saved if their education was invested in the way that we’re going to be investing in the education of our young people today?"
Council president Nick Mosby also says he and the council are looking forward to the continued partnership and the administration's work on future budgets.
Mayor Scott also mentioned that the budget was completed without raising any of the tax burdens for people living in in Baltimore City.
