A digest of Baltimore news from local sources.
From the Baltimore Sun: City Council votes for sweeping changes to Baltimore government
"Baltimore's City Council voted overwhelmingly Thursday for a sweeping overhaul of city government, approving two bills to strip the mayor of near-absolute power over financial matters.
"The package of legislation, backed by City Council President Bernard C. "Jack" Young, would effectively end the "strong mayor" form of government in Baltimore. It includes measures that would take away the next mayor's control of the Board of Estimates — which approves all spending of more than $25,000 — and grant the council power to add spending to the city's budget.
"The bills need one more vote for final council approval, but both face a veto threat from Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake. The 15-member council would need 12 votes to override a mayoral veto.
"The measures are charter amendments, meaning they would need to be approved by the voters in November to become law. The first, which advanced on a 12-1 vote, would shrink the five-member Board of Estimates to just the mayor, comptroller and City Council president. It would remove from the panel the city solicitor and public works director, both of whom are hired by the mayor and have traditionally voted with the mayor.
"City Councilman Nick J. Mosby, who is running for mayor, cast the lone 'no' vote. Council members Brandon Scott and Mary Pat Clarke abstained.
"A second bill, which advanced unanimously, would allow council members to increase spending in the city budget. Currently, the council can only cut spending proposed by the mayor. City budgets must be balanced by law."
From the City Paper: Maryland lawmaker pushes to expand definition of domestic violence
"When she was running for office, Maryland Del. Angela Angel (D-Prince George's County) thought it would be best to keep the dissolution of her violent marriage to herself. She wanted to avoid the uncomfortable questions it might raise, plus she felt that it would distract from all she'd accomplished as a seasoned attorney.
"'That's not my whole story,' she says. 'We didn’t want that to be the narrative.'
"However, she's changed her tune since introducing HB 1396, a bill that would expand the definition of domestic abuse to include written and electronic harassment and malicious destruction of property. It would also require the State Board of Education to incorporate domestic violence education at all age levels.
"Angel says that her husband didn't just physically harm her—he would take her cell phone and threaten to call important business contacts. She says it was embarrassing, intimidating, and abusive.
"Similar legislation is already in place in many other states and proposals have been introduced here in Maryland. However, Angel's bill keeps getting shot down. She says one of the bill's biggest detractors also happens to be chair of the House of Delegates Judiciary Committee, Del. Joseph F. Vallario (D-Prince George’s County).
"She says Vallario has said that women could use the bill to put their husbands out of the house for any reason at al—but that's not so. According to the legislation, there would have to be proof that the victim had asked the harasser to stop contacting him or her, and that the harasser had ignored this request.
"Angel says that because Vallario says no, other members of the committee fall in line behind him. Not only that, but the fact that she refuses to back down means that other pieces of legislation she has proposed are getting ignored, too.
"Time is running out. The Maryland General Assembly session ends on April 11, so Angel is speaking out. She's urging citizens to put pressure on lawmakers to push the bill through."
From the Baltimore Sun: Rawlings-Blake reflects on nearing anniversary of Freddie Gray arrest, death in Baltimore
"Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake will be out of the country next week on the anniversary of Freddie Gray's arrest, a date tied to questions about how the city's police department has changed.
"Rawlings-Blake — who is traveling to the Arabian Peninsula to visit Qatar in her capacity as president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors — said this week she is not concerned that the trip takes her out of Baltimore on April 12. She returns on April 17.
"Gray died on April 19 after suffering a severe spinal cord injury in police custody. His death set off widespread rioting and looting on the day of his funeral, April 27.
"Rawlings-Blake was asked at a news conference Wednesday about the changes she has seen in the police department over the past year.
"'From his death to the riots and the unrest, there have been significant changes that have been made,' Rawlings-Blake said. 'From training to equipment, and in so many ways, there have been changes and improvements and lessons learned.'"