Taxpayers at Baltimore budget forum criticize Mayor Brandon Scott’s second straight proposed increase in police spending

Baltimore residents tuned in virtually and turned out in person Wednesday night for the first of two 2022 Taxpayers’ Night forums. The hybrid event was relatively calm compared with public testimony heard during the previous budget cycle, but the subject of resident requests and protests remained the same: Spending for the Baltimore Police Department should not increase. Rather, 30 residents and activists urged the Board of Estimates to cut $100 million from the police department’s allocated funds and use those dollars to enhance community organizations that specialize in housing, health care, substance use treatment and other programs.