Renew Baltimore, the organization behind a widely discussed ballot initiative aimed at significantly reducing the city’s property tax rate, has submitted over 23,000 signatures — more than double the amount required to place the measure on the ballot. However, the Maryland Supreme Court recently blocked the proposed charter amendment from appearing on Baltimore City’s 2024 Election Day ballot. The initiative sought to lower local property taxes incrementally over seven years.

Mayor Brandon Scott has criticized the proposal, calling it “short-sighted and naive,” and warned that it could bankrupt the city and hinder essential public services like fire, EMS and waste management — services that have already faced challenges. Armstead Jones, director of the Baltimore City Board of Elections, said only the City Council holds the authority to legislate on local tax rates.

Baltimore City’s property tax rate stands at $2.248 per $100 of assessed value — more than twice the rate of Baltimore County’s $1.10 and higher than any other county in Maryland. This tax disparity has created significant barriers to growth, making it harder for residents to afford to live in the city and for businesses to invest and thrive. The elevated property tax has deterred much-needed investments in areas such as residential renovations and the redevelopment of vacant properties. For decades, the city’s residents have borne the burden of a tax system that exceeds those of neighboring counties.

In a majority-Black city that’s seen a history of systemic racism, these tax policies that burden Baltimore’s Black population are rightly under growing scrutiny. The rejection of the property tax reduction measure echoes past controversies, such as the Baltimore Gas and Electric conduit deal with the city that could cost residents hundreds of millions of dollars, where residents’ concerns were similarly dismissed. The refusal to lower property taxes continues to drive residents, especially seniors, out of the city.

When will the leadership of the city’s Democratic administration deliver real change in areas like crime, education and taxation? Baltimore’s elected officials, year after year, fail to address these systemic issues, all while accusing residents of being at fault for the city’s struggles. This narrative, which blames Black residents for problems that persist under government inaction, is both misleading and harmful.

Renew Baltimore’s proposal would not have compromised essential services but would have provided much-needed financial relief to residents. Despite paying disproportionately high taxes compared to surrounding counties, Baltimore residents continue to suffer from underfunded services, failing schools and high crime rates. These ongoing disparities raise questions about how city funds are being allocated and why surrounding counties, with lower taxes, face fewer of these issues.

We should all be joining the call for an end to these inequities, for leaders to listen to their constituents and for Baltimore’s elected officials to be held accountable for perpetuating a system that places a heavier financial burden on Black residents. These policies serve the interests of those in power, while the community continues to bear the costs of systemic racism and corruption.

Christopher Anderson is a third-generation Baltimorean and a community advocate. He is a member of the Baltimore City Republican Central Committee and is running for election to the Baltimore City Council.