During the Baltimore City Council’s annual Taxpayer Night on Thursday, residents let officials hear their concerns about issues ranging from fine and fee increases to overdose prevention funding.

The event gave the public its second opportunity to weigh in on Mayor Brandon Scott’s proposed budget for the 2026 fiscal year, which seeks to partially close an $85 million deficit by increasing various fines and fees to deter illegal dumping and speeding while not increasing property or income taxes.

Scott’s proposal was passed last week by the Baltimore Board of Estimates in a 3-0 vote with two abstentions, and the council will hold six public hearings between May 28 and June 4 before voting on its final adoption next month.

Andre Johnson, a health care worker and District 4 resident, criticized the proposed fine and fee increases, which are estimated to generate more than $26 million to help close the deficit. Johnson believes the burden of fee increases will fall on working people and wants to see wealthy institutions such as the Johns Hopkins University pay more for city services.

“The city cannot fine and fee its way out of this,” Johnson said, referring to the budget deficit. “Everyday people don’t have that kind of money.”

Kim Trueheart, executive director of the Liberty Village Project, said she wanted to see greater transparency with regard to the Baltimore Children and Youth Fund. Founded in 2020, BCYF is legally required to receive 3 cents for every $100 of assessed property tax value in the city.

“I think it’s gone astray, and I really need y’all to get them in here and figure out what they’re doing because I don’t have a clue,” Trueheart said of BCYF.

Wendy Smith, a registered nurse and the leader of the Local 558 health care workers’ union, said her organization appreciates the budget’s proposed $6 million investment from the Opioid Restitution Fund, which would establish a new overdose prevention division within the Baltimore City Health Department and create 25 staff positions.

Despite this, she opposes the proposed cut of maternal health services funding from $37.9 million in fiscal year 2025 to $29.9 million in fiscal year 2026.

“Our union remains equally concerned about the proposed cuts to maternal and child services health and child services,” Smith said.

Carla Paisley, executive director of Southeast Community Development Corp., believes the city will always have a need for social workers and encouraged leaders to use public funds “responsibly.”

“We understand the importance of allocating funds and responsively using funds in support of new families, new individuals, new commercial business owners, new schoolchildren and new residents in our city,” Paisley said.

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