Baltimore is taking another stab at proposing a citywide budget for fiscal year 2021 in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic and unpredictable economic circumstances. City officials presented the $3.8 billion budget Wednesday to Baltimore's spending board with significant changes from an earlier version submitted in March that totaled $3.9 billion.
Among them: a reduced general fund revenue forecast, trimmed agency spending, the defunding of over 200 vacant city positions, project deferrals and smaller contributions to safety net funds. However, the budget also seeks to protect several key priorities of Mayor Bernard C. "Jack" Young, including retaining core city services, keeping the property tax rate stable and making targeted investments in public safety and children and family services.