Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake wants to cut property taxes and give city employees a raise as part of her proposed 2015 budget.
The budget, presented Wednesday during the Board of Estimates meeting, would have no increases in other taxes and no cuts to city services. For the first time in several years, it does not count on any revenue from speed and red light cameras that have been offline for nearly a year.
The proposed 2015 operating budget of $2.49 billion is 3.5 percent larger than the current fiscal year, which ends June 30. The proposed capital budget is $897 million; most of it going towards water and sewer infrastructure.
Rawlings-Blake is proposing a two cent cut to the effective property tax rate to $2.13 for every $100 of assessed value; a cut of nearly 14 cents over three years under her plan to cut the rate 20 cents by the year 2020.
The budget provides $208 million operating funds for the school system and another $38 million for renovating old buildings. Funding would remain the same for recreation centers and public swimming pools and library hours would remain the same.
Other highlights include funding for several crime-fighting initiatives including Operation Ceasefire, extended curfew centers and night basketball programs. The Vacants to Value program would get $10 million to demolish whole blocks of vacant houses.
Council President Jack Young says he was pleased with the budget. Councilwoman Helen Holton, who chairs the committee that will look at the proposal, told The Baltimore Sun she is happy that services will not be cut; saying they already have been cut “to the bone.”