BMORENEWS.com

Pastor Cortly Witherspoon

Dear Editor of BMORENEWS.com,

We consider the finalization of the City budget to be the most important decision our Baltimore City Council will make this year.  The allocation of the City’s revenue will determine Baltimoreans’ level of education, job readiness, security, and overall peace and satisfaction.

The public participated in this year’s budget decision-making process and attended hearings, held rallies, sent letters, and made phone calls urging the Baltimore City Council to oppose the budget submitted by Mayor Rawlings-Blake, until funds were included to: 1) operate city recreation centers; 2) increase after school activities; 3) increase summer jobs for youth; 4) continue intergenerational programs; and 5) keep three fire stations open that are slated for closure.

City Council President Young responded and submitted a recommendation, The President’s Plan for a Better Baltimore, to modify the budget in accordance with the requests from the public.  In a strong mayoral form of government, such as Baltimore City, it is risky to challenge the office of the mayor. However, President Young assumed the responsibility demanded of his position and submitted a $17.1 million modification in response to citizen needs and priorities.

We commend President Young and are in full support of his funding recommendations and are disappointed to learn that Mayor is not.  In a copy of a letter dated June 7^th sent to President Young, Mayor Rawlings Blake dismissed the recommendations stating, “I believe that the vast majority of them {proposals} are unadvisable, unworkable and irresponsible. I cannot support them..”

We believe that the Mayor objects to the revenue sources the President identified to fund the increased opportunities and not the opportunities themselves.

We urge the Mayor to negotiate with the City Council to find acceptable revenue options to fund these important opportunities and safety provisions.  

According to the US Peace Index, the level of investments in economic opportunity, health, education and social capital positively correlate with the sense of peace in locales across the country.  In their latest survey, the Index found the country, overall, to be more peaceful than at any time in the past 20 years.  However, not in Baltimore, which ranked 4^th from the bottom. (USA Today, April 24, 2012.)

We believe that the people of Baltimore assumed their responsibility in guiding the allocation of the city’s $2.3 billion budget. We estimate that over 2,500 people, so far, have contacted their elected officials in support of the funding priorities included in President Young’s recommendations.  Although 2,500 is a fraction of the number of voters in the city, it is more than the number of votes received by six (6) city council members who won their democrat slots in the 2011 primary election and then went on to win their seats in the general election.  In fact, one City Council seat was won with only 1,776 votes. The democrat slot for Mayor was won with only 13% of registered dems or  38,829 votes and the City Council President’s Office garnered 17% or 48,863 votes. (Maryland Board of Elections, 2011 Primary Elections)

None of our numbers give any of us – Mayor, City Council or voters, bragging rights.

We suggest we park our high horses and work together.  We are confident that the Finance Department, under Mayor Rawlings Blake’s leadership, can trim $17.1 million from the proposed $2.3 billion budget to make the changes recommended by President Young and advocated by the citizens.

We commend the Mayor for doing the lion’s share of the work and for closing a $48 million funding gap. We urge the Mayor to finalize the budget with the President’s recommendations and celebrate a collaboration that produces more opportunities for our youth, continued  fire safety coverage and the satisfaction of working together to make Baltimore a more productive, safe, and peaceful city in 2013.  

Hathaway Ferebee                           
Executive Director                           
Safe and Sound Campaign              

Rick Hoffman
President
Baltimore Fire Fighters Local 734 I.A.F.F. AFL-CIO, CLC

Pastor Cortly Witherspoon 
President
Baltimore Chapter Southern Christian Leadership Conference

Tags: city council and city residents, Hathaway Ferebee, Op/Ed: Let the city budget represent the best efforts of the mayor, Pastor Cortly Witherspoon, Rick Hoffman