This week I worked with the members of the City Council to pass the FY2010 Baltimore City budget.  I want to again thank City Council President Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and the entire Council for their advocacy, oversight and partnership during this process.
 
Due to the current unprecedented economic times, this year's budget season was the hardest I have faced in my over twenty years of public service to the City.  We had to make many hard choices, including service and workforce reductions.  However, I am confident that the decisions made were both necessary and responsible.  They protect the short and long-term financial security of our City as well as our key priorities.  We have made city government leaner and more efficient, and will continue our momentum toward a cleaner, greener, healthier and safer Baltimore.
 
As one example, the 1+1 program approved by the City Council will save the City $7 million in operating costs, increase recycling, and allow us to proactively clean streets and alleys.  We will also put 50 more police officers on patrol, so that we can continue to reduce the City's homicide rate and protect our neighborhoods and business districts from crime.  Most importantly, in the area of public safety, we did not lay off a single fire fighter or police officer.  
 
As a former school teacher and as a mom, our youth have always been the driving force of my administration.  Our youth need strong programs to foster their talents and to enable them to make positive choices.  This budget keeps children as a priority.  The budget boosts investment in children in a number of ways: increasing City support for the Baltimore City Public Schools by $15 million, protecting key after school programs-BOOST, After School Matters, and Youth Places-from any reductions, placing a record 7,100 young people in summer jobs, increasing funding for Maternal and Child Health, and expanding structured recreational programming for youth.
 
We have worked hard to minimize layoffs.  Thanks to our foresight in implementing a hiring freeze back in November 2007, the vast majority of positions eliminated in this budget were vacant. Unlike most cities, we have achieved a balanced budget without raising taxes, dipping into reserves, using federal stimulus, or furloughing employees.  By avoiding these short-cuts, we have put the City in a stronger fiscal position to manage potential mid-year State aid reductions in Fiscal 2010 and a Fiscal 2011 that is shaping up to be even tougher than Fiscal 2010. I believe our budget protects our key goals, serves the needs of our citizens, and will help us continue our progress.


Sincerely,

Sheila Dixon
Mayor, Baltimore