Baltimore City budget

City Council President Zeke Cohen joins host Tom Hall on this final edition of Midday to talk about some key city issues, including a ban on data centers, proliferating smoke shops and a welcome hike in salaries for city employees.

Baltimore City Mayor Brandon Scott joins Tom in Studio A for the final edition of Midday with the Mayor, their monthly conversations about key issues facing City Hall and the people of Baltimore.

City Council President Zeke Cohen joins the show to discuss the 2026 budget, immigration enforcement and taxes.

And how the FY 2026 budget will hit Baltimoreans’ pockets.

Overtime hours are expected to be lower this year at below 900,000.

Councilwoman Odette Ramos demands Mayor Brandon Scott to more than double the budget to cover legal services and wraparound support.

Last year two sanitation workers died on the clock, including Ron Silver II’s death from heat stroke.

Released early Wednesday morning, Mayor Brandon Scott’s budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2026 tries to close an $85M budget gap without cutting services.

Nearly half of that, about $33 million, went to the Baltimore City Fire Department to cover overtime for sworn positions and unexpected contracting costs for fire and EMS services.

The Baltimore City Council on Monday passed Mayor Brandon Scott’s 2025 budget without amendments.