Baltimore voters approve baby fund and water utility changes

Baltimore voters backed a new baby fund on Tuesday, signaling support for a program designed to help families with newborns. The measure passed after the majority of precincts reported their results. City officials will finish counting remaining mail-in ballots on Thursday. The fund is financed by a small increase in property taxes. The rate is $0.03 for every $100 in taxable property value.

The Maryland Child Alliance collected signatures to place the question on the ballot. The group estimates the fund will generate about $17 million in its first year. The ballot language requires the money to enhance the economic stability of families with newborns. It also stipulates that the new funding cannot replace existing budget lines for newborn services. This differs from a similar question floated in 2024, which promised direct cash assistance.

Mayor Brandon Scott said he intends to use the funds for one-time cash payments to parents of newborns enrolled in the program. He noted that recipients might also qualify for additional cash or contributions to a Maryland 529 college savings account. Scott announced a partnership with the CASH Campaign of Maryland to distribute the money. That group previously managed a guaranteed income pilot for the city. However, the City Council has not yet agreed on how to allocate the funds.

Councilman Mark Parker, who will first legislate on the issue, said he prefers to see part of the fund go toward childcare assistance. Other council members expressed similar views. Voter sentiment was mixed on the details of implementation. Deonna Smiling, a 26-year-old resident and teacher, voted for the measure. She cited her experience with students who lacked proper care. She said she thought of those children while voting. Smiling remained unsure about how the city would decide eligibility or set distribution dates.

Jessica Lemon, a 37-year-old lifelong Baltimorean, voted against the measure. She supported the concept in theory but had concerns about execution. Lemon pointed to families she knows with more than nine children. She said she could not condone the current situation regarding child supervision in the city. She described the measure as dope but ultimately chose to oppose it.

Voters also approved Question G, which bars the city from selling or renting its stormwater system as a franchise. A 2018 ballot question already protected the water and sewer systems from being sold or leased. Question H passed with broad support. It creates a new city department to handle water and wastewater. Currently, the Department of Public Works oversees these utilities. The amendment separates them to improve the city's bond rating and support regionalization of services for Baltimore County and other jurisdictions.

Question E, which eliminates the requirement to award contracts to the lowest bidder, also appears poised to pass. Preliminary results show a smaller margin than for other questions. Proponents argued that vendors intentionally underbid to win work and then recoup costs through change orders. Question F, which streamlines the budget-making process, was expected to pass but drew less enthusiasm. The amendment requires the mayor to present a proposed budget to the City Council by April 30. It eliminates the preliminary budget hearing before the Board of Estimates.

The City Council would adopt the budget eight days before the July 1 start of the fiscal year. This timeline allows time for vetoes and overrides. The changes aim to align the city's budget process with modern practices. The final results will be certified once all mail-in ballots are counted on Thursday.