Mack Clifton

"Yes, I do. My plan was to cut the property tax by 25 percent annually beginning in March 2017."

Shelia Dixon

"The City’s current real property tax rate stands at $2.248 per $100 of assessed value – more than two-times the average of surrounding counties. Still too high, Baltimore City’s tax rate is lower today than it was in the 1970s.

As Mayor and City Council President, I cut or supported three tax cuts. We assembled a Blue Ribbon Panel on Tax and Fees with members from business organizations, citizen, corporations and the major foundations. The Panel concluded that there were easy solutions. As recommended by the Panel, my administration did secure the legislation in Annapolis to bring gaming into the city, generating revenues for property tax reduction and school construction.

I commit to addressing the tax burden in the city; otherwise, the city will stagnate. We will pursue a livability agenda that unleashes private investment throughout our neighborhoods, creating jobs and growing the tax base. In consultation with local economic experts, I will support an annual reduction in the real property tax rate that allows the City to maintain fiscal responsibility and a balanced operating budget.

Cutting the tax rate in half, as some have suggested, would have disastrous effects on the city’s ability to meet its most basic public safety and public education mandates, not to mention other basic services. The math of supply side economics – that massive tax cuts will stimulate private investment so dramatically that the tax base will expand to cover the lost revenue – does not add up. It is a risky, unproven bet that is not backed up by the facts. Advocates point to San Francisco and Boston (Proposition 13 and Proposition 2.5) as examples; however, in both instances the State bridged the lost revenue for many years until the tax base recovered. Even with the reduction of taxes in Boston, for example, Baltimore City’s tax rate is still lower. Cutting the tax rate in half would cost more than $370 million per year, just less than the $400 million Baltimore City spends on the police department. The City spends $207 million on public education."

Elizabeth Embry

"Baltimore’s tax rates are among the highest in the nation, placing a staggering burden on homeowners and making it far more difficult to attract and retain families and businesses. To promote economic growth, we need to ease the tax burden for everyone in Baltimore. But, we also must do so in a responsible manner that does not open up an enormous hole in the budget. There are those who have proposed massive reductions in taxes, essentially crossing their fingers that doing so will not force cuts to police or firefighters, or education and housing. And to pay for these reductions, they often are forced to make other tax changes that harm some owners to benefit others. That approach is gambling with the future of our city, and unfair at that. The best way to grow the economy and encourage families and choose Baltimore is to implement tax reform in a gradual, dependable, transparent and equitable manner. As Mayor, I will:

• Reduce taxes each year to complete the 20 cent commitment. Mayor Rawlings-Blake committed to provide a 20-cent property tax cut for Baltimore City homeowners by 2020, and the city is about 14 cents of the way there. As Mayor, Elizabeth will follow through on this commitment to completion, reducing taxes each year through 2020. A critical ingredient for the long-term economic health of the city is that families and the business community come to see Baltimore as a fair and predictable partner for taxes and other elements of their economic future. This predictability allows families and companies to engage in long-term planning, and encourages them to do so in Baltimore.
  
  
• Commit to a schedule for further property tax reductions. The hope of tax reform is that as the city eases the property tax burden, families and business will be drawn back to Baltimore, which in turn will increase tax revenue, which in turn provides an opportunity for further cuts to grow Baltimore all the more. But this path to prosperity requires a great deal of discipline. The City must hold true to this plan in good times, and not overreach with deductions that harm the budget in bad times. As Mayor, Elizabeth will create a schedule for further property tax reductions after the 20 cent commitment that is keyed to changes in property valuation and revenue."

Armand Girard

"The prop tax should be on the level of the county...so it should be cut fifty per cent...casino revenue was voted for that..."

Nick Mosby

"I am the only mayoral candidate who has put together a property tax plan that says exactly how much I would cut, where those cuts will occur, and precisely what the resulting tax rate will be. For residential properties, the rate will reduce from $2.13 to $1.80. For non-residential properties, it will be reduced from $2.248 to $2.10. I will do so beginning in my first year, in fixed increments over the next four years of my term. A much more detailed plan is available on my website, www.mosbyformayor.com."

Carl Stokes

"Baltimore has to lower its property tax rate. Incentivizing investment with a lower tax rate will create both jobs and economic viability. I propose cutting the tax by 50 percent within 5-8 years."

David Warnock

"Baltimore is at a crossroads. This election will be the difference between us writing the greatest turnaround story in America, or slipping backwards into permanent decline. Our city’s high tax rate is often entioned as the reason more businesses and families don’t invest in Baltimore. And it’s true: Our city’s tax rate is high, and typical politicians are racing to see who can make the biggest cut. But I believe that before we make promises about the tax rate, we have to understand where we’re spending our money. This lack of accountability is not respectful to the people who invest their hard-earned tax dollars in Baltimore, and promising cuts before we fully understand the issue is even more disrespectful."