Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott and the City Council have filed a lawsuit to remove the Baby Bonus from the upcoming ballot, according to a recent filing in Baltimore Circuit Court. The Baby Bonus, a $1,000 payment to city residents after the birth or adoption of a child, aims to combat child poverty. Initiated by the Maryland Child Alliance, the measure gained over 13,000 signatures from city voters and was certified by the City Board of Elections last week.
Legal Dispute Over Referendum
The mayor’s office claims the referendum is unlawful and overreaches residents’ authority in governance, resembling city legislation too closely. “While Mayor Scott is supportive of the proposed amendment’s objectives, charter amendments that effectively commandeer the role of the legislature go against Maryland law and the City’s charter,” stated a spokesperson.
The lawsuit, filed against the city and state boards of elections, argues that charter amendments should propose structural changes to government, not legislation. This typically requires budget reviews and public hearings. “The voters are usurping those powers by creating a specific appropriation for a specific purpose and removing the City Council’s power to adjust that appropriation to meet the needs of the City in any given year,” the Baltimore City Law Department wrote.
Concerns Over Funding
The Baby Bonus would cost the city at least $7 million annually, providing $1,000 payments to approximately 7,000 families each year. Unlike the city’s guaranteed income pilot program, which offered $1,000 monthly cash assistance to selected parents based on income and age qualifications, the Baby Bonus has no such requirements. The mayor’s office stressed support for the bonus’s intent but highlighted the city’s lack of resources to make such support permanent. “At the local level, we currently don’t have the resources to make that type of support permanent,” the statement read.
Civic Engagement and Democracy
Baby Bonus organizers, informed of the lawsuit on Thursday, expressed disappointment. Julia Ellis, a spokesperson for the Baltimore Baby Bonus Fund campaign, stated, “To try to squash this because we did this as private citizens and as community organizers sends a message.” Ellis emphasized that fighting this initiative suppresses civic engagement, adding that the charter amendment process empowers citizens to influence government directly.
Historical Context and Future Steps
City ballot measures in Baltimore almost always pass. Since 2004, Baltimore voters haven’t rejected a ballot question. Ellis noted, “The charter amendment process is something that exists to empower citizens and to empower the voters to directly influence what we want to see in our government. It’s the strongest example of democracy that we have.” The campaign is now strategizing to prevent the court from ordering the removal of the referendum from the ballot.
“There is no more urgent cause than fighting child poverty,” Ellis said.