Baltimore mayor addresses public safety, accomplishments at 'State of the City' address

BALTIMORE -- Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott discussed public safety, economic security and more at his State of the City address Monday evening.  The mayor also highlighted his administration's accomplishments and plans for 2023.

He also said that his administration has helped to improve the city economy.  "Collectively, we have done so much in this short period of time drove down unemployment from 12.6% in 2020, and 4%, in 2023" Mayor Scott said.  "In 2021, we saw a 16.9% growth income in our techspace new small businesses like urban oyster, Accubond and crust Biomek are expanding and opening across our city."  

The mayor also said hotel occupancy is now close to pre-pandemic levels, and that projections indicate that the average nightly demand will reach 90% this fiscal year.    

Mayor Scott also said he's also been focused on improving education and services for youth in the city, saying his fiscal 2024 budget calls for a $393 million investment into the Baltimore City school system.  He also added that he's increased school funding by 49% in the past two years. 

While homicides and non-fatal shootings are down overall, Baltimore leaders are still trying to get a handle on violence impacting juveniles, which has surged.

Mayor Scott said overall homicides are down 17 percent and non-fatal shootings are down 19 percent compared to this time last year in the city.

Last week two teens were shot at the Inner Harbor while officers were breaking up a "large fight." Police said about 250 teens were gathering. On Saturday night a 12-year-old boy was shot and killed in South Baltimore. 

Mayor Scott said part of his plan to address gun violences involves ridding the streets of ghost guns.  "In 2022 brave women and men of BPD recovered over 2600 illegal guns on the streets of Baltimore, 485 of them that were ghost guns, more than any other year in a decade. Already this year, we have seized 515," Scott said.  He also added that he is working with state and federal law enforcement partners to break up violent drug rings around the city.

Building on his goal to address violence in Baltimore, the mayor announced a violence intervention program in partnership with the University of Maryland Medical System, LifeBridge Health, MedStar Health, Ascension St. Agnes, and Johns Hopkins University.  The program will help to address trauma for victims of violence, and prevent retaliation.