Gov. Hogan Criticizes Baltimore Leaders, Say They Need To 'Step Up' On City Crime
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- City leaders are now under more pressure to fix issues throughout Baltimore.
Some Fells Point business owners have joined forces with fellow business owners and community leaders in West Baltimore. They are demanding that leaders take action to stop the violence and clean up trash.
Some of the West Baltimore residents have been emboldened to speak up after problems in their community have been repeatedly ignored. "We have trash right down the street that's been there for weeks. Nobody seems to want to pick it up, no one seems to know the agency when you call 311," said Marcus Trent of Baltimore.
The meeting was in the Penn North neighborhood on Monday night. People in the room said they are fed up with crime but they are particularly concerned that their neighborhoods are being forgotten.
"Our mayor, the elected officials, they need to do more, they need to pull in resources, the federal dollars that have been coming into Baltimore," said Trent.
There were back-to-back violent weekends in Baltimore. The violence was so out of control in Fell's Point, some business owners threatened to withhold taxes. The city responded by deploying more officers in the area. However, those actions did not prevent another terrifying weekend.
People ran for cover early Sunday morning as more than a dozen gunshots were fired. Mayor Brandon Scott said his administration is focused on stopping the crime, not just in tourist spots, but in all parts of the city.
"The police are very active. We continue to push them to make sure that they are in the right spaces as well," said Mayor Scott. "We do have a homicide clearance right be over 50 percent. It's a big step in the right direction but we know we have so much more work to do."
People who attended Sunday's meeting said they welcome the support of Fell's Point business owners whose drastic steps have gotten the attention of city leaders. "We are asking them to come to the table, the table is open here people are here now, come to the table, hear what we have to say, if not then we are going to do everything that we can to vote you out of office," said Trent.
Governor Larry Hogan addressed the issue for the second day in a row. "We need leaders of Baltimore city to step up and take some new and additional actions. What they've been doing is obviously not working well," said Governor Hogan.