City Council President Zeke Cohen

Earlier this year, the city’s Department of Housing and Community Development revamped the permitting system — and delays got worse. City Council members want to know why.

Zeke Cohen was elected to City Council President in December 2024 after serving 8 years as councilmember representing District 1.

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.

The council must vote on any amendments to the mayor’s $4.6B budget proposal by June 26th.

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

At an annual remembrance event Friday, city leaders acknowledged a reduction in student deaths from last year — but said it’s not enough.

“Baltimore is built different. So, we have to build different.”

A similar measure introduced in the General Assembly did not advance this session.

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