I don't live in Baltimore City but I have family who does live there and I have a few friends who live there. So, I keep a track of what is happening in that city and it really is sad and maddening.
On Tuesday, Nov 8, 2011, there was a city election. Only 10 - 13% of the people eligible to vote turned out. On that day, those who turned out, overwhelmingly selected for mayor, Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, who has been the interim mayor since Shelia Dixon resigned in disgrace. On Thursday, Nov 10, 2011, interim-mayor-elect Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, announced she would propose a raise the city bottle tax. This same tax, when enacted, was listed as the reason the Pepsi Bottling Company, closed the Baltimore bottling facility.
(Behind a financial firewall)
Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake plans to propose Monday a plan to boost yearly funding for public school construction by $23 million, in part by increasing the city's new bottle tax to 5 cents,
according to administration sources.
The plan would raise to $40 million Baltimore's annual contribution to school renovation and construction, enabling the city to sell bonds to help pay for the estimated $2.8 billion in improvements needed for the aging school buildings.
All proposed tax increases are claimed to be necessary for school construction, yet it doesn't happen.
You get what you voted for, and didn't vote for, Baltimore.
Comments