[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6086099,"mediaKeyId","2899643-50e64b87d9e1669a7443b46e1789da74","parentId",2899643,"title","Planning department outlines FY24–FY25 capital program as temporary HUR increase boosts transportation funds","audioSeconds",376,"startMs",7344000,"endMs",7720000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2899643-50e64b87d9e1669a7443b46e1789da74&start=7344&end=7720","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2899643-50e64b87d9e1669a7443b46e1789da74/thumbnail_7344000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6086099/Baltimore-City/Baltimore-County/Maryland/Planning-department-outlines-FY24FY25-capital-program-as-temporary-HUR-increase-boosts-transportation-funds","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6086099-d4be3a7f6817891a5bb1b93c10f3fe9b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770269004&Signature=QrmzmCswqsnMwhrfFsFOca9739OiHcOfKry3qpEXGHNXBGzQ6K5qZKdCx58nla3VxNubLz87YUbAhk~aA9snJN9ETYnoJgfrchgsGWJCeWhc1LHwfgnQvxUbZ~QEYR7qFLWqq1xi94F-iCw5UKj1XLaFjWMM8XxuAFRljl~kMxQfeIeJP2PQL8ixz~nzEHhvjIiUK15h1Q5XrgzKgN~BBQ9GLzi81ZcsPIhyIL~TFmpScsjllkmfFakh2AKpThFcaItxJDlLScIm~BjxEobFX~QvPY8LayL8cAIUoexXx71hqCpckVqNU6tzYgZ9OKKbCfgFRY5wTGsHExZGklNcVA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Baltimore, MD","date","2025-04-08T18:04:12Z","article","The Baltimore City Planning Department presented the FY24–FY25 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) and warned that procurement, supply-chain and labor pressures — and recent federal policy changes — complicate capital delivery even as a temporary Highway User Revenue (HUR) increase boosts FY25 transportation funding.

Sarah Parnellum, division chief for policy and data analysis in the Baltimore City Planning Department, told the Budget and Appropriations Committee that utility funds (water, wastewater, stormwater) and revenue bonds make up the majority of the two-year CIP and that transportation’s share rises in FY25 because a temporary HUR increase added roughly $69 million to the capital program.

Parnellum said that FY24 and FY25 maintained $80 million a year in general obligation bonds but that guidance for FY26 would increase local bonding to $125 million, enabling the administration to ask agencies to request full funding for a project phase in a single fiscal year rather than spreading design and construction across multiple years.

Parnellum warned that long procurement timelines, limited bidders for city work, regulatory reviews (stormwater, building permits, state/federal reviews) and inflation have combined to make capital estimates and delivery “lumpy.” She said the Mayor’s Office of Infrastructure Development (MOID) is working with agencies to improve capital contracting and monthly project monitoring for priority projects.

DOT officials said a fiscal 24 to 25 change in the traffic-safety line reflected the award and use of a federal discretionary Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) grant in FY24; local funding for traffic safety remains similar year to year. DOT and other agencies acknowledged ongoing coordination issues across agencies and said they are working to improve interagency communication for sidewalk, ADA and street-safety projects.

Highlighted projects in the two-year program included a $100 million-plus lead service line inventory and replacement program (water), Patapsco Headworks and clarifier upgrades (wastewater), significant street resurfacing funded by the temporary HUR increase, and continued capital investments in affordable housing and impact-investment areas. Parnellum said the Middle Branch Resiliency Initiative and site-level stormwater projects are also included in FY25 allocations.

What’s next: agencies will continue monthly capital monitoring, MOID will pursue process and contracting improvements, and the council requested a district-level breakdown of CIP projects for FY24 and FY25 to be provided to the committee within two weeks.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council Hearing:Budget & Appropriations Committee ;April 8, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Planning department gave a quarter-two capital improvement program briefing showing utilities dominate CIP funds, a temporary increase in Highway User Revenue boosts FY25 transportation allocations, and procurement/industry pressures are complicating project delivery.","taxTitle","Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Maryland","taxId",4816,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6086104,"City projects $8.3 million FY25 shortfall as police, fire overtime and fleet costs drive deficits",1208,5192000,6400000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2899643-50e64b87d9e1669a7443b46e1789da74&start=5192&end=6400","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2899643-50e64b87d9e1669a7443b46e1789da74/thumbnail_5192000.jpg","/articles/6086104/Baltimore-City/Baltimore-County/Maryland/City-projects-83-million-FY25-shortfall-as-police-fire-overtime-and-fleet-costs-drive-deficits","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6086104-87abc94f6fb9d3caaef3a82851a6ea32/orig.mp4?Expires=1770269004&Signature=hQ35lRxXtu9m5gY7QEUJTS6z2g0txF3zMeH5MdsbqD0oprW~bWG-XuiKJvjLRx16drkBBTLdar5xHSCnWWA2~SQy9GQMRYsx7pGymSQ2UDe~iVGcxG3cZ8qvJw~yesf7SoncQHB~W8ld647dqENLxpyINqmiGLloX-8yxV9QjhWdaSDMU5AO5g8w2Rf1uMfHTv7dBepx6ESjIoR9AmTOe5lgjj0LSiA~wKHC5-aqjGu5piU0O38LBWq038PUHF~m33vodn7hXlTCXM93BRLGsN7Exs3qwfBqK0w9m3jTvY8aubtzXUrpEqL79vHDipSa6i1vq6xXvrkYDNmjsic0LA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Baltimore City’s budget office reported a second-quarter FY25 projection on Tuesday showing an $8.3 million shortfall driven by an estimated $30.9 million expenditure deficit against a $22.6 million revenue surplus.

Laura Larson, city budget director, told the Budget and Appropriations Committee the projection covers actuals from July 1 through Dec. 31 and reflects a $22.6 million revenue surplus driven largely by stronger-than-expected income tax and transfer/recordation receipts. Larson said the projection shows a $6.3 million shortfall in investment earnings and smaller revenue shortfalls in parking and traffic-camera receipts.

On the expenditure side, the budget office cited sworn overtime (police and fire) and fleet upfitting as the primary drivers of the $30.9 million deficit. Larson said sworn overtime was up about 9% year over year through the first half of the fiscal year, with police overtime among the largest contributors. She said the fire department’s year-to-date fleet and overtime costs contributed to its projected deficit.

Larson provided agency-level highlights: the fire department is projecting a deficit of just under $36 million, the police department a $25.2 million deficit, Recreation and Parks about $7.6 million and the sheriff’s office about $1.7 million. Several other agencies showed surpluses driven by vacancies and turnover, including the State’s Attorney’s Office and Department of Public Works. The citywide vacancy count improved from about 1,900 to 1,600 compared with the prior year.

The administration announced a spending freeze on agencies with projected deficits, requiring additional review of personnel reclassifications, discretionary overtime, procurement and P-card use except for agency directors and their direct reports. City Administrator Leach said finance staff monitor personnel actions and procurement and confirmed that the sheriff’s overtime spike was identified and halted once detected.

Larson said some FY25 third-quarter costs — notably the police contract and heavy snow removal — occurred after the period covered by the Q2 projection and will be reflected in Q3 updates. She said the city will provide updated third-quarter projections when the mayor’s FY26 budget is transmitted to the council in May.

What’s next: the budget office will finalize third-quarter projections and continue to forecast revenue and expenditure trends as the FY26 budget is prepared for Board of Estimates action.","Budget office reported an $8.3 million second-quarter shortfall in FY25 driven by higher sworn overtime, fleet upfitting costs and other agency deficits; administration imposed spending freezes for agencies with projected deficits.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6086109,"Baltimore officials outline $2.6 billion FY26 general fund and targeted fees plan to close $85M gap",1571,82000,1653000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2899643-50e64b87d9e1669a7443b46e1789da74&start=82&end=1653","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2899643-50e64b87d9e1669a7443b46e1789da74/thumbnail_82000.jpg","/articles/6086109/Baltimore-City/Baltimore-County/Maryland/Baltimore-officials-outline-26-billion-FY26-general-fund-and-targeted-fees-plan-to-close-85M-gap","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6086109-18bc790d46589e7b406c3ff0614bf5ab/orig.mp4?Expires=1770269004&Signature=B6YVCDk12wlyaU0axQQ9aHvI1jhBstuWMiR1VFzoVcI~9kePzmty7WQNSzglXbTSurawusHazfxZ5diOcT0GlTFC1e4mbcX6qe8eGjdyQMekUGpB3XJvm4YgaySNnbX~8aWXXk77he3xjVOFIG7tQolicIKPjtIiM-HaLfTkWpBcNOoamRQhBf93jB~oV7-5pvY~KnMMi4~r70aIZcCujo~G0jQbt~T8JYkSpiuEZOY0QgNJgvqOMvy0BK60F7tkflrjleW73IrPCKQgHoyFsX-yq0fHzyXMETAxsnMhypiA9RaJiLzdexghGDWesqV9vg81j8rSvAozngq6cYo1ww__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Baltimore City Budget and Appropriations Committee heard on a preliminary revenue forecast Tuesday showing a $2.6 billion fiscal 2026 general fund and a proposed $26.6 million package of targeted fee and fine changes to help close an $85 million budget gap.

Laura Larson, city budget director, told the committee the FY26 preliminary budget “reflects a $2,600,000,000 general fund budget,” with property tax making up about 46% of the total and income tax just over 19%.

The administration proposed roughly $26.6 million in new or adjusted local fees and fines rather than broad-based tax increases, Larson said. The package includes a landfill tipping fee increase to $135 per ton, a 20% increase in EMS transport fees, changes to parking- and transportation-related charges (including raising the taxi tax from $0.25 to $0.38 per ride), a recalibration of city fines and a revision of the grocery bag fee split between retailers and the city. Larson said the proposals are targeted at fees that are out of date or below cost recovery levels and that many will require council approval before taking effect.

The plan will be paired with $2 of expenditure reductions for every $1 of revenue identified, Larson said. City Administrator Leach told the committee the administration has balanced multiple recent budget shortfalls without general tax increases and urged partnership with the council on alternatives, while Council President Cohen and other members cautioned against measures that would broadly burden residents or small businesses.

Council President Cohen said, “I’m extremely concerned about any broad based fees that would hit the residents of Baltimore,” adding that increases to fees such as a bag tax or taxi tax could be harmful in the current economic climate.

Larson said the city will conduct a comprehensive review of its fee inventory (more than 2,000 fees) this summer, then return to the council with targeted recommendations in the fall. She said the revenue forecast assumes reforms would be in place by October and would generate roughly three-quarters of their annual value in FY26.

Larson and other administration officials emphasized that some items are intended to align city charges with peer jurisdictions or to recover full costs for services first priced decades ago; the tipping fee, for example, was last updated in 1993 and the EMS fee was last altered in 2018. The administration also said it is pursuing operational improvements — including broader online payment options and collection process changes — to increase collections on existing charges.

The committee did not take formal votes on any fee changes at the hearing. Larson said specific legislation would be introduced after the council completes its work on the FY26 budget.

What’s next: the budget office will finish its fee study over the summer and present specific fee and fine recommendations to the council in the fall; any change would require council action and implementation timelines would vary by item.","City budget director presented a FY26 preliminary revenue forecast centered on property and income taxes and a $26.6 million package of targeted fee and fine changes that city leaders say are intended to avoid broad-based tax increases.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Planning department outlines FY24–FY25 capital program as temporary HUR increase boosts transportation funds

City projects $8.3 million FY25 shortfall as police, fire overtime and fleet costs drive deficits

Baltimore officials outline $2.6 billion FY26 general fund and targeted fees plan to close $85M gap