Baltimore City committee advances 10 supplemental bills to close out FY25; all move to Nov. 10 second reader

The Baltimore City Council Budget & Appropriations Committee on Oct. 29 voted to advance a package of 10 supplemental appropriation bills intended to bring fiscal 2025 agency budgets into balance, the committee chair said.

The committee’s action follows a presentation by City Budget Director Laura Larson, who said preliminary, unaudited FY25 closeout work shows a $66.6 million general fund revenue surplus driven by stronger-than-expected income tax receipts and higher property tax collections. At the same time, agencies incurred roughly $53.5 million in expenditure overages, leaving an estimated $13.1 million net surplus before final audit adjustments.

Why it matters: The supplemental bills appropriate funds to reconcile those agency overages so the city can complete the FY25 financial statements and meet the charter requirement to close the year in balance.

Key details

- The administration and finance staff told the committee the supplemental package is funded from the Municipal Telephone Exchange fund balance and other internal revenue surpluses realized in FY25. - Larson identified the major drivers of FY25 agency deficits: Fire Department ($38.5 million, driven by contract and overtime costs); Police Department ($47.5 million, driven by contract and overtime); Baltimore City Public Schools ($12.9 million, tied to the City Springs contribution); Recreation & Parks…