Mayor Brandon M. Scott Signs City Budget for Fiscal Year 2027

BALTIMORE, MD (Thursday, June 25, 2026) - Today, Mayor Brandon M. Scott signed the Baltimore City budget for Fiscal Year 2027 following its final passage by the City Council yesterday. The budget - passed by a vote of 14-0 - will take effect July 1st.

"This budget will help us build a safer, cleaner, and more prosperous Baltimore," said Mayor Brandon M. Scott. "It invests in public safety, recreation and parks, transportation, vacant housing rehabilitation, support for local businesses, expanding the Enoch Pratt Free Library collection, and more. I'm grateful to members of the Council for their partnership through this process, and most importantly, to all of the residents who made their voices heard and helped to shape this budget."

"Yesterday, the Baltimore City Council passed a budget that literally puts our money where our values are: safer schools, stronger neighborhoods, and support for the local, worker-owned businesses that power our economy," said Council President Zeke Cohen. "I'm grateful for the collaborative process we engaged in with the Mayor's Office to make changes that invest in our residents and will keep Baltimore winning over this next year."

"This budget reflects months of thoughtful collaboration between the Council and the Administration," said Budget and Appropriations Committee Chair Councilwoman Danielle McCray. "I am proud of the thorough and productive process that brought us to this point. Together, we worked through difficult decisions, balanced competing priorities, and delivered a budget that invests in our communities, delivers property tax relief, strengthens city services, and positions Baltimore for continued progress."

"This year's budget begins delivering long-awaited property tax relief for Baltimore homeowners and legacy residents, providing meaningful support to the people who have invested in our neighborhoods and remained committed to our city," said Council Vice President and Budget and Appropriations Committee Member Sharon Green Middleton. "In my 20 years on the City Council, this has been one of the most productive budget processes I have been a part of. Working collaboratively with the Administration, we have delivered a budget that makes real progress for residents and invests in Baltimore's future."

"Budgets are about choices, and the FY27 budget makes our priorities clear- investing in people, strengthening city services, and moving Baltimore forward," said Budget and Appropriations Committee Member Councilman Paris Gray. "This was a productive process between the Administration and Council, and while difficult decisions were necessary, we stayed focused on delivering what residents expect. The true measure of this budget will be its impact- cleaner streets, faster services, safer communities, greater opportunities for youth, and a city government that works better than it did the year before."

"At a March 19th committee hearing on smoke shops, I asked the Health Department to hire additional tobacco enforcement officers to ensure smoke shops are complying with laws meant to protect our young people," said Budget and Appropriations Committee Member Councilman Antonio "Tony" Glover. "Mayor Scott listened, and this budget includes those two positions. Baltimore is not anti-business, but we are anti-harming our young people, and I want to thank Mayor Scott for standing with me in this fight."

"I want to thank the Mayor for partnering with the City Council to make property tax relief a top priority," said Budget and Appropriations Committee Member Councilman Isaac "Yitzy" Schleifer. "Together, we've put Baltimore on the path to sustained property tax reductions, with the rate to fall below 2% next year for the first time in our lifetimes a historic milestone that will make our city more affordable, more competitive, and better positioned for growth."

"I am especially proud that this budget includes funding to strengthen enforcement of the City's wage laws, helping ensure workers receive the pay they have earned and that employers are held accountable when they fail to follow the law," said Councilman Jermaine Jones. "Baltimore's economy is strongest when workers are treated fairly, and this budget reflects the Mayor's continued commitment to protecting working families and standing up for labor."

"This budget reflects a shared commitment to investing in Baltimore's future while remaining fiscally responsible," said Councilman James Torrence. "Through a collaborative process between the Administration, we advanced investments that will have a lasting impact from moving forward with the transformation of the Lillian Jones Recreation Center campus, to breaking ground on Charm City TV, expanding pathways to homeownership for renters and advancing the Druid Hill Vision Plan. These investments strengthen neighborhoods, create opportunity and improve quality of life for residents across our City. I am proud of the work we accomplished together and look forward to seeing these projects become reality."

"Every child deserves the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive, and that starts with access to quality healthcare. This budget makes a meaningful investment in the health and well-being of Baltimore's children by expanding access to preventive care, dental services, vision care, and mental health support," said Councilwoman Phylicia Porter. "Just as importantly, it reflects our commitment to supporting families from the very beginning, recognizing that healthier mothers and healthier children lead to stronger communities. I am proud that Mayor Scott continues to prioritize our young people and put families first."

"Thanks to Mayor Scott for making this a priority and fully funding this request, this budget includes $1.6 million for the Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs to expand critical services for immigrant families," said Councilwoman Odette Ramos. "As ICE escalates its efforts in our city and state, Baltimore is once again making clear that we are a welcoming city that will protect our immigrant neighbors."

The budget strategically invests in coordinated strategies and measurable goals to deliver services, strengthen neighborhoods, support economic growth, and invest in the systems that residents and businesses rely on every day. The budget aligns City resources and agency work around a shared set of priorities to improve safety, opportunity, and quality of life for residents.

Earlier this year the City adopted six strategic pillars outlined in Mayor Scott's Second Term Action Plan. The six pillars are:

• Prioritizing Youth, Older Adults, and Vulnerable Communities
   
• Enhancing Public Safety
   
• Clean, Healthy, and Sustainable Communities
• Equitable Economic Development
• Responsible Stewardship of City Resources
• Modernizing Public Infrastructure

The Fiscal Year 2027 budget includes key investments within the six pillars summarized below:

Prioritizing Youth, Older Adults, and Vulnerable Communities

The budget invests $646.66 million across all funds to support Baltimore's young people and some of our most vulnerable communities. Key highlights and investments include:

• An additional $600,000 for the Mayor's early childhood initiative, advancing a multi-year strategy to increase Pre-K enrollment and help childcare providers meet licensing requirements. The budget also allocates $3.2 million for PreK programs delivered by Baltimore City Public Schools under the Blueprint for Maryland's Future.
• $16.5 million for YouthWorks, funding 8,500 summer jobs for Baltimore youth.
• Development of an Age Friendly Baltimore Plan, so seniors can age in place.
• $5 million in investment to support Baltimore's immigrant communities through the Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs.
• A $740,000 increase to expand the Enoch Pratt Free Library's collection.
• $1.2 million of funding to open two newly renovated recreation centers, Gardenville and Elijah Cummings.

Enhancing Public Safety

The budget invests $1.3 billion across all funds to strengthen public safety through a comprehensive, community-based approach. Key highlights and investments include:

• $4.35 million to sustain violence prevention efforts within the Mayor's Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement, including hospital- and school-based intervention programs, support for returning citizens, and the Group Violence Reduction Strategy (GVRS).
• $35 million of Capital funding to replace the Northeast Police District Station.
• $5.4 million to support the 911 Diversion Program.

Clean, Healthy, and Sustainable Communities

The budget invests $1.1 billion across all funds to maintain clean, safe, and healthy neighborhoods. Key highlights and investments include:

• Sustaining investments in additional trash and recycling crews within the Department of Public Works, along with dedicated yard waste collection to advance the City's Zero Waste goals.
• Increased funding of $2.3 million to support operations across the City's homeless shelter network. The capital budget includes $8.0 million to acquire two additional facilities as permanent shelters. Since the pandemic, Baltimore has shifted to a modern shelter model focused on dignity and housing outcomes, with 57% of clients exiting to permanent housing.
• $2.0 million to reopen a second Sexual Health and Wellness Clinic, restoring capacity lost due to prior Federal and State funding reductions and increasing available visits by 33%.
• $3.0 million to sustain the Clean Corps program, formerly funded in ARPA dollars, maintaining six regional teams providing proactive neighborhood cleaning services.
• Creates 5 new positions to enhance the City's graffiti removal response.

Equitable Economic Development

The budget invests $380.92 million across all funds to promote equitable growth and neighborhood stability. Key highlights and investments include:

• Continued investment in the City's permitting system, including dedicated customer service and 311 support, as well as $500,000 for additional Fire Department staffing to accelerate plan review.
• $1.35 million in additional staffing for the Department of Housing and Community Development and the Law Department to support the ReFrame initiative, our strategy to end the vacants crisis within 15 years.
• Ongoing support for broadband infrastructure to expand public WiFi access, along with capital funding to extend connectivity to public housing residents.
• $8.5 million for housing incentives including the "Buy Back the Block" program and funding to protect legacy homeowners.
• Increased operating and capital investment in the Baltimore Development Corporation, including the launch of a $15 million revolving fund, to drive business attraction, retention, and economic growth.
• Adds $0.9 million for new positions to support traffic calming projects.
• $85,000 for each of the 9 Baltimore Main Streets programs.

Responsible Stewardship of Resources

The budget invests $242.34 million across all funds to ensure responsible, efficient use of City resources. Key highlights and investments include:

• Relaunching the Innovation Fund, supporting projects in Recreation and Parks and the Department of General Services that will generate recurring savings through reduced maintenance, fleet costs, and energy use.
• Increased investment in IT infrastructure to address system vulnerabilities, alongside continued efforts to reduce reliance on contractors by building in-house capacity.
• Funding to support the newly established Office of Business Licensing and Consumer Protection, including expansion of the Consumer Protection team.

Modernizing Public Infrastructure

The budget includes nearly $1.0 billion of capital investment. Key highlights and investments include:

• $337 million in locally supported capital investment, more than doubling the annual average of the last twenty years.
• Over $300 million of transportation improvements across all funds, including neighborhood traffic calming, resurfacing, ADA compliance, bridges, and traffic signals, among many others.
• Over $45 million for recreation and parks, including $18 million for a new youth sports complex.
• $12.4 million for CAD system replacement to strengthen emergency response operations.
• More than $60 million for Public Works facility upgrades, demolition and stabilization.

Looking Beyond 2027

This budget advances several key elements of Mayor Scott's updated 10-Year Financial Plan. The plan guides long-term investments, modernizes services, expands capital improvements, and provides property tax relief to residents. Key elements of the plan advanced in this budget include:

• An increase in GO borrowing to $125 million, $80 million in Highway User Revenue for capital investment, and the strategic use of FEMA COVID-19 reimbursement to boost one-time capital investments.
• The second year of the City's salary study implementation for CUB and AFSCME employees, ensuring more equitable pay structures and delivering an average 8% cost-of-living adjustment for some of our lowest-paid workers.
• The relaunch of the Innovation Fund to support initiatives that generate long-term savings and improve service delivery.

Earlier this month the City Council and the Board of Estimates advanced a key part of Mayor Scott's 10-Year Financial plan, lowering the City's effective property tax rate. This change, alongside the budget, puts the City on track to lower property taxes below $2 by Fiscal Year 2028.