Democratic Mayoral Accountability Assembly Responses
1. Finance the construction of 28 new schools and renovate the remaining 134 so children are able to achieve in spaces that support academic excellence with the basic necessities of light, heat and air-conditioning, safe structures and up-to-date equipment.
Recent estimates have placed the total cost of the school system’s facility needs at about $2.8B. In order to keep a favorable bond rating and control capital costs the City limits its GO Bond spending to $60M annually. Even If the entire $60M could be devoted to schools alone, it would take approximately 45 years to fund the outstanding need. Clearly there is a need to accelerate spending on school construction, but how many schools can be done in a given year depends on a number of factors. According to construction industry sources, average new school construction costs are as follows:
High Schools $15-18M
Middle Schools $13-16M
Elementary $5.5-7.5M
As these figures illustrate, one H.S. is equivalent to the cost 3 elementary schools, so the pace with which a rebuilding program can move forward is very much dependent on coming up with the financing and the mix of the schools to be redone.
2. Match dollar for dollar any public subsidies spent on the Convention Center, a new arena, Inner Harbor tourist attractions and any new large-scale downtown development. Invest those funds in new neighborhood developments and jobs for Baltimore residents. Baltimore has 26,000 vacant lots and buildings, sitting on abandoned streets. Baltimore does not have a shortage of affordable housing, we have a shortage of decent affordable housing. Rebuilding blighted neighborhoods is not just about bricks and mortar, it is about making neighborhoods places where families can thrive and grow, develop equity in their lives, attend excellent schools, shop, and be safe. Blight creates havens for drug dealing and violence and is a leading cause of poor health among residents. Baltimore must leverage the development downtown to rebuild uptown and ensure that the jobs that are created go to Baltimore residents.
Actually, I believe the number of vacant properties in the City is closer to 30,000, and the US Census found close to 47000 vacant housing units. In addition to school construction, I am committed to clearing and removing one quarter of the blighted abandoned houses in the City over the next 4 years in order to eliminate the blight, improve living conditions and attract new residents, new investments and jobs in the hardest hit neighborhoods. I am also committed to creating a financing pool that will enable families who are currently renting to purchase their homes. Recent surveys of home prices and rental costs in the Baltimore City have confirmed that it is less expensive to buy a home than it is to rent. We can help families reduce their housing costs and begin to build household wealth by opening up opportunities for families to purchase a home.
I intend to adopt a much more restrictive policy on approving tax subsidies for properties downtown. I will insist on both State and regional participation in the funding of a new arena, to ensure that the funding burden is shared. I certainly am willing to match dollar for dollar any net public subsidy that is granted to new downtown developments. By net public subsidy, I mean the difference between that sum of all taxes paid minus the total property tax abatement.
3. Create 55 high-quality recreation centers so that all neighborhood children have access to recreation.
I am committed to keeping recreation programs operating and to preserving access to supervised recreational activities. I do know believe that this has to be through 55 free standing centers. As we build and refurbish schools, I would plan to include recreational space and allow access for after school and weekend activities. I have indicated that I would keep programs operating, even if it means hiring fewer new police officers. We need a balanced approach to maintaining safe neighborhoods raising healthy children.
4. Double funding for after-school programs to $10 million to give young people the chance to learn, play and explore.
Over the course of my term in office, I will expand the program and look to creating a stronger tie between recreational and after school programming.
5. Double youth employment from 5,000 to 10,000 jobs so youth don’t have to turn to the streets for opportunities. Teach them the discipline and value of work now so they are prepared for the future, and let them help provide for their families.
I will place a top priority on raising and providing funding for youth summer jobs. This is a project, where I believe the Mayor needs to lead by example, and I consider this to be such an important endeavor that I will donate directly from my mayoral salary the funds necessary to cover the cost of 10 job slots. At a cost of $1200 per slot, it will cost $1.2 million dollars for each 1000 jobs added.