Baltimore FY21 preliminary budget is out https://bbmr.baltimorecity.gov/sites/default/files/fy21_prelim_web.pdfand because of scheduling, I present to you, some things that caught my eye, in no particular order: we're increasing the Youth Fund by $3.5m /1

Who does the Youth Fund serve, in what neighborhoods, with which services? Who knows, but here's more money for...whomever is going to be running it as of July 1, 2020 (permanent entity? another fiscal agent?) after a not-so-good audit: https://comptroller.baltimorecity.gov/sites/default/files/FINAL%20VERSION%20-ABC%20%20as%20of%207-29-19%20-%20Copy.pdf /2

$19 million in General Obligation Bond funding to City Schools for school facility improvements, which is the same as the previous fiscal year or three, and only slightly above the stuck-at-$17m for many previous years. This is tens of millions below neighboring jurisdictions. /3

Baltimore's infant mortality rate is up 2017 to 2018, from 8.7 to 9.2 deaths per 1000. Still, a sizable drop drop from where we were in 2008ish (over 13 per 1000). /4

City general funds to city schools rise slightly from $278.4m to $287.3m. Budget notes "Other low wealth jurisdictions that contribute less than a quarter of their share of education funding include Allegany, Caroline, Somerset, and Wicomico Counties." /5

First, are we aspiring to be like small, rural jurisdictions in the western panhandle and Eastern Shore region? No? Then why compare ourselves to tiny jurisdictions? Second, this obfuscates how spending works in Maryland. /6

This, from Conduit Street, is useful: https://conduitstreet.mdcounties.org/2015/01/02/qa-marylands-education-funding-escalator/ as is this flashbacks-to-graduate-econ report on equity: http://www.marylandpublicschools.org/Documents/adequacystudy/APA-POA-Combined-MarylandEquityWealthReport-10-8-15.pdf If you read those, you'll wonder: what was the city's per pupil wealth growth? /7

I'm on a little bit of time crunch so here's something I found: http://marylandpublicschools.org/about/Documents/DBS/BudgetRes/2018/FY2020LEAPreliminaryEnrollmentWealthData122018.pdf about Baltimore's per pupil wealth growth. Oh look, it is higher than many other jurisdictions! /8

Apart from meeting MOE and some sad trombone about the fiscal impact of Kirwan, the city is cutting general funds for school nurses by $150k while noting that chronic absenteeism and behavioral health are major disadvantages. This is why I have hypertension. /9

$4.8m in gen funds for Intelligence Centers for all 9 police districts to "utilize crime data analysis, strategic deployment of police officers, case management services designed to prevent violence, and close cooperation with prosecutors." AKA another war room ::Headdesk:: /10

Opioid deaths are up to 814 in 2018 but we're cutting substance use and mental health services by $46k? But emergency services, health is up by almost the same amount -- $44k so your guess is as a good as mine. /11

While there is $4.3m cut to police emergency communications (function 627) overall police funding (state, city, federal) is UP quite a bit -- $524.8 to $545.3; a $20m increase and well on the way to 2/3 of a BILLION dollars. /12

The city says our vacant buildings increased slightly but are still below 17,000, which, ok, sure whatever you say. /13

Ewww factor: mean E. Coli readings up in Herring Run and Jones Falls, holding steady elsewhere despite huge increases in water/sewer to pay for infrastructure upgrades to make the city's watershed cleaner/healthier. /14

Some significant cuts to health department: $86k down in general funds for chronic disease prevention and $437k cut to clinical services, also in general funds. /15

Cruelly, large cuts to Office of Homeless Services. Down $2.98m overall, with city general fund cuts to outreach and permanent (but not temp) housing services. And that's all I have for now. /End