[Chat] FW: Neighborhood News Flash: June 11, 2004

[Christine Gray]

Forwarded by Christine Gray

-----Original Message-----
From: Mayor Martin O'Malley [mailto:mayor at baltimorecity.gov]
Sent: Friday, June 11, 2004 6:31 PM
Subject: Neighborhood News Flash: June 11, 2004

 Neighborhood News Flash
June 11, 2004
An Important Update on the City's Budget
Facing the financial challenges.
Neighborhoods First: The 2004 African American Heritage Festival June 18-20,
2004
Save next weekend for one of the largest east coast celebrations of its
kind.
Good News: We Like the Urbanite
At last, a magazine for and about Baltimore's neighborhoods.
More Good News: GBCA Hosts Symposium Monday
Entitled 10 Ideas for Baltimore, join the cultural enthusiasts as they
brainstorm.
Quote of the Week

Dear Community Leader:
As I’m sure you’ve heard, our city has financial challenges to deal with
this year.
Some of this is the result of State cuts – about $8 million this year, on
top of last year’s cuts. Some of it is a result of having to pay for
necessary things like a summer jobs programs without federal TANF dollars.
Some of it is the new unfunded mandate of Homeland Security in these
dangerous times – including $3.3 million in the first three quarters of this
year to support city employees that are on active military duty. Some of it
is a 4% cap on assessments that prevents the city from reaping the benefit
of property values that have nearly doubled over the last four years. And
some of it simply is the lingering effect of being a poor city with the
greatest population loss in America during the 1990s.
We began this budget cycle $68 million in the hole, based on the increased
costs of things like retirees health insurance, debt service, and retirement
contributions. By making $28 million in cuts, we got that gap down to $40
million.
In July 2000, members of the Greater Baltimore Committee and the Presidents’
Roundtable presented us with a report detailing 265 separate recommendations
for improving efficiency and producing cost savings in seven major areas –
Fire, Health, Public Works, Recreation and Parks, Housing, Citywide
Management, and Information Technology. Today, 83 percent – or 221 – of the
recommendations have been implemented or are in various stages of
implementation.
And this year, after two years improving service and holding the line – and
two decades of cutting non-public safety city-funded employees from 9,500 in
1980 to 3,500 today – we have very little to cut but public safety and
Recreation and Parks, which we have tried to protect since it already has
been cut from 1,300 employees to 290 employees since 1980.
This leaves us in a position where we are no longer looking at job cuts,
but, instead, service reductions to balance the budget: reducing police
protection by 180 officers, closing four fire stations daily, reducing trash
collection from twice to once per week, reducing library hours, and
eliminating recycling collection.
To prevent this from occurring – and to continue our progress in making
Baltimore a safer, more prosperous city – we are asking the people who live
and work in Baltimore to invest in our city’s comeback.
Unlike 13 other counties, Baltimore did not raise taxes last year in
response to State cuts.  Allegheny, Anne Arundel, Calvert, Caroline,
Carroll, Dorchester, Frederick, Howard, Montgomery, Prince George’s, Talbot,
Washington and Wicomico all raised taxes last year. 6 counties raised
property taxes. Six raised income taxes. And 8 raised transfer or
recordation taxes.
We will not raise property or income taxes. All that is left are consumption
taxes and the recordation tax. 7 other counties have recordation taxes of $5
per $500. And we’re proposing to join them. And we’re bringing the
telecommunications fee in line with the reality of our society. Years ago,
when Baltimore’s phone fee was implemented, there were no cell phones. We
simply are proposing to treat them like other phones – as other Maryland
counties and many cities have done. We don’t like to do either. But there
are no good options. We’ve tried to do this in a way that is fair and keeps
Baltimore competitive.
Here is where that funding will go:
*         According to youth advocates, the State has cut $8 million in
Baltimore from programs for children and youth: minus $5 million for
after-school, minus $1.7 for Success By Six, and minus $1 million for Summer
Jobs. We propose using $3 million to keep after-school programs from
closing, and to prevent the elimination of summer jobs.
*         According to the State Department of Legislative Services, the
State has cut $5.4 million from the City’s Department of Recreation and
Parks through Program Open Space in two years. We propose using $1.3 million
to keep Recreation Centers from closing due to these cuts.
The remaining new investment will prevent:
*         Reducing Police protection, laying off 126 Police Officers;
*         Reducing Fire protection, eliminating all Fire Department
overtime, which would require closing 4 Fire units daily;
*         Reducing Library hours;
*         Reducing trash collection, laying off 139 DPW Solid Waste
employees, further depleting the staff responsible for keeping the city
clean; and
*         Eliminating recycling collection.
I realize that no one likes to pay any more in taxes or fees. We have done
everything we can over the past four years to make government more efficient
and effective, and I wish there was another way. I hope, based on the
results you have seen from our efforts together over the past four years,
you will support what I think is a necessary investment to continue our
momentum.
Our long-term solution to our city’s fiscal difficulties remains growth: a
growing population, growing neighborhoods, growing real estate values. With
the average home sales price hitting $120,000 – almost doubling in four
years; with neighborhoods springing to life; with nation leading crime
reduction; with our kids achieving at higher and higher levels each year;
and with $2 billion in ongoing new development – and almost the same amount
in the pipeline, we are getting closer every year.
The purpose of these new revenues is to continue to improve Baltimore's
quality of life - making our city safer, cleaner, and a better place to grow
up.

Neighborhoods First: The 2004 African American Heritage Festival June 18-20,
2004
Once again, the African American Heritage Festival will bring it’s joyful
celebration of African American history, culture, education, heritage and
arts to the city of Baltimore. Beginning June 18th, through June 20th,
Marylanders and people from all over will converge onto the grounds of
Camden Yards stadium to partake in a weekend of festivities that promote the
rich and diverse spirit of cultural education, arts, and entertainment.
During the weekend festivities, national and local talent will have a chance
to highlight their craft to thousands of people. Some of this years
performers include: Ashford & Simpson, Gerald Levert and LL Cool J. Past
performers have included Eryka Badu, Nancy Wilson, and Baltimore’s own, Dru
Hill. In addition, educational and historical exhibits will be complemented
by a children’s interactive area, as well as a strong representation by
hundreds of vendors, merchants, and community organizations.
With an average of over 300,000 spectators in a three-day period, the
African American Heritage Festival will prove to attract an enormous turnout
for yet another year! If all of the above is not enticing enough, admission
to the event is FREE! In keeping with the City of Baltimore’s commitment in
neighborhood solidarity, the BelieveMobile will be on hand to provide
educational and support services. However, volunteers are still needed. For
more information on the becoming a volunteer, or all other inquiries on the
African American Heritage Festival, please visit:
http://www.aahf.org/geninfo.html. For more information or a schedule of
upcoming BelieveMobile events, call (410) 396-1809. See you there!

Good News: We Like the Urbanite
 Urbanite 3You've probably already noticed Baltimore's newest publication in
cafes, stores and other haunts around town. With the third issue already
out, I am happy to say that the Urbanite is reborn and better than ever. I
just wanted to take the opportunity to welcome the free magazine to our
streets, and compliment editor Tracy Ward Durkin and her colleagues for
undertaking such a colossal effort. The Urbanite is unique publication which
shares conversations with native luminaries and insightful commentary that
extends local awareness of all things Baltimore - things familiar, and
things to learn. Issues are often themed to provide perspectives on
different subject areas. The May/June issue explores immigration in our city
and is a must read for all good Baltimoreans. We look forward to more and
thank the Urbanite for the attention given to our city's most noteworthy
asset: its neighborhoods.

More Good News: GBCA Hosting Symposium Monday
This Monday morning, June 14th, the Greater Baltimore Cultural Alliance will
be hosting a Symposium Entitled 10 Ideas for Baltimore. "The symposium will
generate - through a collaborative process like a charette – ten ideas that
can readily be implemented in Baltimore." Participants will be given chapter
16 of the Rise of the Creative Class, by Richard Florida, and the Americans
for the Arts Monograph on the Creative City. This event compliments the
City's own efforts to galvanize Baltimore's cultural assets to affect a
better quality of life while providing another catalyst for local economic
development. The cost of $25 includes coffee, donuts and lunch. For more
information, visit http://www.baltimoreculture.org/

Quote of the Week
"We can decide to let our trials crush us, or we can convert them to new
forces of good." – Helen Keller


 BELIEVE
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