Baltimore is facing a new kind of test. For the last few years, federal COVID relief and major federal programs helped us pay for critical programs and services. But that money’s running out. This year, the city faces an $85 million budget gap, and federal support is unlikely to return anytime soon. That number is set to explode over the next two years as new federal legislation takes effect and robs the state of $189 million, according to the state comptroller.
That means we need to be smart. It’s not just about belt-tightening; it’s about prioritizing. What do families in Cherry Hill, or Sandtown, or Park Heights need to feel safe and supported? What will actually make a difference in their daily lives?
Our city has been forced to make difficult decisions, due mostly to federal funding cuts and the broader attacks that cities like Baltimore have faced. Our leaders are navigating real challenges, and I appreciate their efforts to keep the city moving forward. At the same time, I am asking that we stay focused on the essentials, programs and services that families can’t live without.
When I read online that the city is set to spend $25 million on another internet network on top of the ones we already have, it made me think of all the good that money could do in our community. That same money could cover nearly half of the renovation of hundreds of older housing units in Poe Homes, which sit empty, waiting for $50 million in redevelopment grants that aren’t going to come from the federal government. Or it could help pay skyrocketing utility bills that are forcing families to choose between power and food. And electricity rates are expected to keep going up. It could replace funding that used to support after-school programs and case management services that are lifelines for so many of our kids.
Even more urgently, those dollars could be used to expand programs for people struggling with trauma and substance abuse — the very real, day-to-day battles that so many low-income Baltimore residents face. At Changing Faces, I see firsthand how the stress of poverty, violence and housing insecurity can break down both mental health and physical health. If we want a stronger Baltimore, we cannot ignore the trauma that weighs on our people. Funding programs for healing, counseling and recovery would do more to stabilize families than another internet network ever could.
Now is not the time to divert funding from urgent public housing priorities or mental health services for a service we already have. If you live in a house that’s falling apart, can’t pay your bills or are carrying the weight of untreated trauma, what’s the use of another internet network?
In addition, other projects like the $2.8 million planned for greenways and trail development this year, and $12.5 million for the Eastside Transfer Station, may have long-term benefits and sound good on paper. But when immediate needs like fixing housing, paying bills or supporting those battling trauma and addiction are being put on hold indefinitely, we should ask whether this is the moment to prioritize projects that don’t solve the problems staring families in the face.
I’d ask the city to continue with the thorough review of spending choices, so that we can ensure that funds go to programs that keep people fed, housed, safe, supported and mentally healthy. This is how we protect Baltimore’s future while continuing to make progress today.
— Andrea Scott, Baltimore
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