BALTIMORE — Baltimore city taxpayers will have an opportunity to voice their opinions about how the city spends their money Wednesday night.
The Board of Estimates will hold a public hearing on the city's preliminary $4 billion budget for fiscal year 2023.
The board will address spending more money on public safety for the Baltimore police and fire departments, more money for education, as well as money for community improvements for a better baltimore.
Every year, the Board of Estimates invites Baltimore city taxpayers to chime in on how it plans to spend their money over the course of the next fiscal year.
Wednesday’s taxpayer night will focus on Baltimore in a post-Covid and high inflation economy.
On the revenue side, property tax revenues overall are projected to increase due to strong home sales, despite commercial losses from many businesses moving out of downtown.
Officials say tourism dollars from hotel tax, parking revenues, and convention center income have already recovered to about 75% of pre-Covid levels and are expected to continue to rise.
The city proposes to use those revenue sources to fund its $4 billion budget, which includes more than $3 billion alone in operating expenses, and about $745 million in capital improvements.
The city plans to spend $340 million on education, which includes an additional $65 million as part of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future also known as “Kirwan.”
The city plans to spend about $1.9 billion, more than a quarter of the entire budget, on public safety.
It includes an additional $5 million for the Baltimore Police Department for a total of $560 million. The fire department would get an additional $13 million for a total of about $317 million.
Taxpayer night will be a hybrid hearing, meaning Baltimore City taxpayers can attend in-person at City Hall, online via Webex, or watch on CharmTV.
City Council will review the proposal by the middle of May, while the final budget must be approved by the end of June.
