Mayor Sheila Dixon wants to expand the city's gun offender database to include juveniles and to survey Baltimore residents on their opinions, two new ideas presented in a State of the City address tempered by declining city revenues.
Rather than outlining a raft of policy proposals, Dixon used her third annual address yesterday to highlight progress on public safety and education and to reiterate earlier commitments. Underscoring the difficult financial situation that Baltimore faces, Dixon said after the speech that she might be forced to close libraries and recreation centers.
Nonetheless, she called the city "strong and resilient."
"I want the citizens of Baltimore to know that we are doing our best to strengthen our communities and see each other through these unprecedented times," Dixon said.
Among the ideas the mayor highlighted during her 37-minute speech were her plan to break ground this year for a 275-bed homeless shelter along the Fallsway and to build community support for a proposed light rail line that would connect East and West Baltimore. She also pitched her proposal to establish mandatory minimum sentences for gun offenders - an idea that failed last year in the General Assembly but which is the subject of a hearing in Annapolis today.
Taking questions after the speech, Dixon said that the tightening budget could mean that she will have to shut some libraries and recreation centers. Libraries that remain open might have to reduce hours of operation. She suggested that the recreation centers are not run as effectively as they could be, noting that they serve only about 10 percent of the city's youth.
"We have a number of programs that are out there that are still not meeting, with the existing budget, the potential of [serving] more young people and families," Dixon said.
Dixon was escorted into the City Council chamber shortly before 3 p.m. by three lawmakers, among them Councilwoman Helen L. Holton, who, like Dixon, is under indictment after an investigation by the state prosecutor. Dixon, who was indicted last month on charges of theft, perjury and misuse of office, made no mention of her legal problems. She and Holton, who is charged with accepting a bribe and related offenses, have denied any wrongdoing.
