Posted on 07/10/24
| News Source: WMAR2NEWS
Baltimore, MD - July 10, 2024 - A proposal aimed at lowering Baltimore's property taxes will be left off the November ballot.
This decision comes from Board of Elections Director Armstead Jones.
"State law provides that the power to set a specific property tax rate in the counties and Baltimore City must remain with the County or City Council. Maryland's highest court has held that under this rule, a petition-initiated charter amendment may not set a specific property tax rate," Jones said in letter to Renew Baltimore.
Renew Baltimore, the group behind the proposal, said they will be "seeking appropriate judicial review of this decision in the Baltimore City Circuit Court."
Their full statement can be found below:
“Renew Baltimore disagrees strongly with the decision made by the Election Director of the Baltimore City Board of Elections to disregard the will of over 23,000 Baltimore City residents who demand real change to Baltimore City’s unfair property tax rate.” “Renew Baltimore will be seeking appropriate judicial review of this decision in the Baltimore City Circuit Court. We are confident that the tens of thousands of Baltimore citizens who support a fair and competitive tax rate will ultimately prevail.”
The group is made up of economists and former city officials who all believe property taxes are too high.
These members feel this is the main reason so many people are moving out of the city. The group's plan would lower the tax rate slowly over a period of seven years.
Just last month, the group had 23,000 signatures behind their petition, however Mayor Brandon Scott called the proposal "short-sighted and naive."
"This proposal does not grapple with the financial reality of our city, or have a real understanding of the impact of our status as an independent city that does not receive a share of state sales tax – like most of our peer cities. But for those pushing this amendment, the cuts to city services and negative consequences are a feature, not a bug. They are the same political forces that are misusing the ballot initiative process to institute term limits, attempted to implement a recall system, and are now attempting to shrink the City Council," Scott said.