Posted on 02/24/24
| News Source: FOX45
Baltimore, MD - Feb. 24, 2024 - Democratic mayoral candidate and former Deputy Attorney General Thiru Vignarajah condemned what he called the Mayor Brandon Scott’s mismanagement of $641 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds at a news conference today.
“The mayor has frittered away a once-in-a-century opportunity, padding agency budgets, repaying favors to donors and developers, and feeding pet projects and special interests,” said Vignarajah in a news release. “Squandering $641 million is this Mayor’s biggest, most unforgivable mistake.”
According to Vignarajah, the problems include the lack of timely and transparent spending as the City nears an important federal deadline that, if missed, will cost Baltimore the remainder of the funds and the use of taxpayer dollars as a political slush fund to repay donors and developers and curry favor with special interests.
Vignaraja says that Mayor Scott gave $5 million to Seawall Development whose owners donated thousands in campaign contributions to the mayor and that gave $2 million to SEIU whose PAC has donated thousands to his campaigns.
Seawall Development was the developer behind the upgrades to Lexington Market.
Vignaraja said the mayor should stop allocating funds until after the Democratic Primary in May and launch an audit into how the money has already been spent.
Mayor Scott's campaign has responded to the accusations with the following statement:
We recognize that since Mr. Vignarajah’s former supporter David Smith has put his money on Sheila Dixon – literally, by bankrolling her own Super PAC – Mr. Vignarajah has been lacking his usual TV airtime and wants to make waves. Mayor Brandon Scott and his ARPA office have been nationally recognized for its handling of ARPA funds, including its evaluation of programs. Mayor Scott’s handling of this federal funding is contributing to a historic reduction in homicides; reopening and building new rec centers and playgrounds, including some that were closed by former mayor Sheila Dixon; investing in affordable housing; and supporting Baltimore’s most vulnerable residents. For all of Mr. Vignarajah’s pretend concern, he offered no viable vision for how he would use this funding – which seems to be becoming a pattern of his campaign.