1) Last year, you advocated for the Baltimore Baby Bonus. What’s the difference between the two campaigns?

In the 2024 election cycle, our team campaigned for the Baltimore Baby Bonus, which intended to create a fund in the city budget to give a $1000 direct payment to parents of newborns in Baltimore City.

Because this was deemed an unconstitutional charter amendment, we have updated the specifics of the fund to ensure we meet the new criteria. In our new amendment, the Baltimore Baby Fund must be used “exclusively to enhance the economic stability of families with newborns in Baltimore City.” While we are not able to specify how the fund will be spent, we advocate that the families who experience the deepest levels of poverty are included.

2) How much money will be put into this fund?

The projected budget for the program is $15 million, or 0.36 percent of the city budget.

3) Will this raise taxes?

No. Our amendment does not impact the tax code or raise property taxes. The funding comes from the existing city budget.

4) How is it paid for?

The funding for the Baltimore Baby Fund will come from the city's general budget, which is $4.1 billion for 2025. Our Charter Amendment mandates that the City Council must allocate a specific amount towards the fund, equal to 0.03 percent of city property value. This funding structure is modeled exactly after the Children and Youth Fund, which passed as a Charter Amendment in 2016 and has legal standing.

5) Who is behind this initiative?

We are the Maryland Child Alliance, an advocacy organization fighting to reduce and eventually eliminate child poverty in the state of Maryland. We are a collection of teachers, public defenders, medical professionals, union organizers, parent advocates, and community members dedicated to improving the lives of Maryland children and families.