BALTIMORE, MD (WBFF) — Baltimore could see a $3.3 million deficit next summer and is in a tight spot through one quarter of the new fiscal year if current spending levels continue, the city budget director said Tuesday.
Numbers presented by Baltimore Budget Director Laura Larsen show that, from July 1 to Sept. 30, the city had a revenue surplus of $9.1 million but an expenditure deficit of $12.4 million, leading to the $3.3 million shortfall. The deficit is an improvement over the $14.4 million deficit Baltimore projected through the first quarter of fiscal 2025, a figure which improved to just over $3 million by year’s end.
As Larsen noted, excessive employee overtime costs driven by staffing shortages in public safety agencies continue to be the biggest strain on city finances — though they are not alone. The Baltimore City Fire Department is on track to see a $25.6 million deficit in fiscal 2026, while the Baltimore Police Department is trending $14.9 million in the red. BPD also had 462 vacant positions as of October, according to Larsen…