AND BEFORE YOU KNOW IT, SUMMER WILL BE HERE. YOU CAN SEE THE ORIOLES JERSEYS GOING ON HERE. AND THAT MEANS OUR GAME IS ON THE WAY. THAT’S RIGHT. AND WBAL IS THE PROUD MEDIA PARTNER. AND NEW THIS YEAR THE FESTIVAL IS GOING TO RING IN THE SUMMER ON MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND. JOINING US HERE IS MAYOR BRANDON SCOTT WITH SOME OF THE CHANGES. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING LADIES. GOOD MORNING. WHY MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND ESPECIALLY LIKE YOU. YOU’RE JUST A GLUTTON FOR PUNISHMENT. YOU GOT PREAKNESS AND THEN ARTSCAPE ON THE HEELS OF ONE ANOTHER. WELL, LISTEN, WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND. WE KNOW THAT WE’VE HAD A LOT OF DEBATE ABOUT WHEN ARTSCAPE SHOULD BE. I THINK EVERYONE IN UNISON AND BALTIMORE. WE MIGHT NOT AGREE ON MANY THINGS, BUT ONE THING WE DO IS THAT ARTSCAPE HAS BEEN TOO HOT AND WE HAVE BAD WEATHER. WE KNOW IN BALTIMORE, IF YOU DO IT IN JULY, AUGUST AND EVEN SEPTEMBER, YOU’RE GOING TO GET HOT AND YOU’RE GOING TO GET WEATHER RIGHT. THE LAST 25 ARTSCAPE, ONLY FIVE OF THEM HAVE ACTUALLY HAPPENED IN ITS ENTIRETY. SO WE HAVE TO MOVE ARTSCAPE. AND THEN WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT WHEN WE ALREADY HAVE A-FRAME IN JUNE, YOU HAVE OTHER STUFF YOU HAVE. WE DO HAVE PREAKNESS. WE WANTED TO PUT IT AT A TIME WHEN WE DON’T THINK IT’S GOING TO BE AS HOT, BUT THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY HAVE IT AND NOT COINCIDE WITH A LOT OF OTHER THINGS. SO WE’RE MOVING IT NOT JUST TO MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND TO KICK OFF OUR SUMMER FESTIVAL SEASON, BUT ALSO MOVING IT TO DOWNTOWN FROM MOUNT VERNON. WE’RE STILL GOING TO HAVE FLOWER MART AND MOUNT VERNON, BUT WE’RE MOVING IT BECAUSE WE’RE TRYING TO RISE UP DOWNTOWN. BUT ALSO WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND SO MANY THINGS THAT ARE ALREADY HAPPENING AND PLANNED IN MOUNT VERNON. WHEN YOU HAVE THE BSO, WHEN YOU HAVE THE LYRIC, WHEN YOU HAVE UB. SO WE’RE LOOKING FORWARD TO KICKING IT OFF. AND IT’S ALSO GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT WE THINK IS GOING TO BE MORE ARTIST CENTRIC, RIGHT? WE’RE NOT GOING TO HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT ARTISTS SELLING THEIR, THEIR, THEIR, THEIR, THEIR ART OUT IN THE WEATHER. WE’LL HAVE IT COVERED EVEN UNDER 83 OR FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, A LED AND CURATED BY BALTIMORE’S OWN DEREK ADAMS. WE’RE GOING TO HAVE A ART SHOW INSIDE THE WAR MEMORIAL BUILDING WHERE PEOPLE CAN COME IN, GET AIR CONDITIONED AND GO PURCHASE ART, WHICH IS THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE ABOUT HELPING THE ARTISTS OUT, AND IT’S GOING TO BE A FANTABULOUS A FOOTPRINT. WE HAVE MORE PARKING GARAGES DOWNTOWN, THE SUBWAY COMES DOWNTOWN. WE KNOW THAT YOU CAN GET THERE BY 83 AS WELL. WE JUST WANT PEOPLE TO COME AND ENJOY THEMSELVES. SO THERE’S A LOT THAT PEOPLE CAN EXPECT. THIS YEAR IS GOING TO BE DIFFERENT FROM YEARS PAST. YEAH, THE FOOTPRINT IS GOING TO BE MORE WALKABLE, RIGHT? THAT’S VERY IMPORTANT. WE KNOW WE HEAR THIS CONSISTENTLY, ESPECIALLY FROM OUR OLDER RESIDENTS IN BALTIMORE, ABOUT IT NOT BEING WALKABLE. AND PEOPLE CAN’T WALK AND ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYONE. THE FOOTPRINT IS A LITTLE SHRINKED IN. WE’RE STILL GOING TO HAVE GREAT MUSIC ARTISTS, RIGHT? WE KNOW THAT FANTASIA IS COMING. WE KNOW THAT ROBIN THICKE IS COMING. WE KNOW THAT TWEED IS COMING. WE KNOW LITTLE BROTHER, ONE OF MY FAVORITE RAP GROUPS IS COMING BACK TO BALTIMORE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A LONG TIME. AND WHEN YOU HAVE ALL OF THAT, BUT THEN YOU ALSO HAVE THE FOCUS ON THE ART AND THE ARTIST, RIGHT? WHEN YOU SEE THE THINGS THAT’S GOING TO BE HAPPENING THERE. YES, WE KNOW CHANGE IS HARD, ESPECIALLY ABOUT ONE OF OUR FESTIVALS, BUT WE WANT PEOPLE TO TAKE A BEAT. COME CHECK IT OUT. YOU’LL SEE HOW WE’RE REIMAGINING THAT SPACE. WE KNOW PEOPLE ALREADY COME TO THAT SPACE FOR A FARMERS MARKET. ARTSCAPE IS ANOTHER WAY FOR US TO DO THAT, TO RISE DOWNTOWN UP, AS WE’RE SAYING. ALL RIGHT, LET’S TALK TEXAS. WE GOT A NEW PROPOSAL TO INCREASE THE CITY SALES TAX FROM 6% TO 8%. AND IT’S TO HELP OUT FOLKS WHO ARE LIVING IN THE CITY WITH THEIR PROPERTY. PROPERTY TAXES. YEAH. I JUST WANT TO BACK UP A LITTLE BIT. SO BALTIMORE IS ONE OF THE ONLY LARGE CITIES IN THE COUNTRY THAT DOES NOT GET A SHARE OF ITS EXISTING STATE SALES TAX. WE HAVE BEEN ASKING SINCE 2023 FOR BALTIMORE TO BE TREATED FOR THE STATE OF MARYLAND, TO GIVE US 2% OF THE EXISTING SALES TAX, WHICH IS, QUITE FRANKLY, LOWER THAN MOST CITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY GET. WE CAN’T BE COMPARED TO COUNTIES, RIGHT, BECAUSE CITIES ARE CITIES. AND WHAT WE WILL DO WITH THAT, THAT 2% IS ACTUALLY WE WILL LOWER EVERYONE’S PROPERTY TAXES BY $1,000 AND WE WILL USE THE OTHER 1% TO INVEST IN VACANTS. WE’VE BEEN ASKING FOR THAT. WE CANNOT GET THAT BILL INTRODUCED IN ANNAPOLIS. WE UNDERSTAND THE STATE’S FISCAL SITUATION. THE ONLY OTHER OPTION FOR US IS TO HAVE THEM TO ALLOW US TO CONSIDER INCREASING IT HERE LOCALLY. IT IS NOT A GUARANTEE THAT IT’S EVEN GOING TO PASS ANNAPOLIS, BUT EVEN IF IT DOES, IT WILL HAVE TO BE DEBATED AT THE CITY COUNCIL LEVEL. BUT I WANT FOLKS TO BE REMINDED ABOUT WHAT WHAT SALES TAX COVERS, RIGHT? FOOD, THINGS FOR BABIES, ALL OF THAT KIND OF STUFF IS ALREADY EXEMPT. AND YOU’RE ALSO TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE HITTING A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE COMING INTO THE CITY WHO ARE UTILIZING OUR RESOURCES, WHO ARE COMING TO OUR HOSPITALS. I MET A YOUNG MAN AT A AT A D.C. UNITED GAME A FEW YEARS AGO WHO SAID BALTIMORE SAVED HIS LIFE BECAUSE HE HAD TO COME TO THE CITY. HE WAS LIVING HERE, GETTING CANCER TREATMENT. ALL OF THESE THINGS GOING TO OUR RESTAURANTS, ENJOYING THE ORIOLES GAMES BECAUSE THEY’RE BETTER THAN THE NATIONALS OR THE EXPOS OR WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL THEM. RIGHT? AND THEN HE WOULD GO BACK HOME AND I SAID, WHERE’S HOME? HE SAID, I GO HOME TO POTOMAC. HE WAS COMING TO BALTIMORE FROM THE WEALTHIEST COUNTY, THE WEALTHIEST PART OF THE WEALTHIEST COUNTY IN THESE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. AND WE WERE NOT REAPING ANY OF THAT BENEFIT. HE WAS REAPING BENEFIT FROM US. WE WANT TO BE TREATED LIKE EVERY OTHER CITY IN THE COUNTRY. WE WOULD LOVE FOR US TO GET A 2% OF THE EXISTING SALES TAX, BUT IF NOT, WE HAVE TO CONSIDER DOING IT OURSELVES SO THAT WE CAN LOWER OUR PROPERTY TAX RATE BURDEN, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT WAS DONE FOR MANY OTHER CITIES MANY MOONS AGO. WHAT ABOUT THAT? I’M SORRY, I WAS GOING TO SAY, BECAUSE THE TAXES FOR CITY RESIDENTS ARE QUITE HIGH PROPERTY TAX AND THEY JUST KEEP GOING UP. BUT WHAT ABOUT THE CRITICISM FROM BUSINESS OWNERS WHO ARE REALLY CONCERNED THAT IT’S GOING TO HURT THEM AND IT’S GOING TO FORCE CONSUMERS TO GO OUTSIDE OF THE CITY TO SHOP? WELL, I JUST WE JUST WE HEARD THAT BEFORE, RIGHT? WE HEARD THAT WHEN WE HAD THE BOTTLE TAX FOR OUR 21ST CENTURY SCHOOLS. RIGHT. AND WE SHOULDN’T DO IT. THEY’RE NOT GOING TO BUILD THE SCHOOLS. THE CITY IS NOT GOING TO BUILD THE SCHOOLS, AND PEOPLE ARE NOT GOING TO BUY SODA IN THE CITY WHERE WE’RE 28 NEW SCHOOLS IN AND PEOPLE ARE STILL BUYING SODA IN THE CITY. RIGHT? WE KNOW THAT. AND YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT PEOPLE ARE SMART. THEY UNDERSTAND THAT THEY’RE GOING TO SPEND THE DIFFERENCE IN GAS GETTING THERE. AND AGAIN, WE’RE TALKING ABOUT FOOD IS EXEMPT. DRINK THE STUFF THAT THEY’RE DRINKING. WATER AND STUFF IS EXEMPT. WHEN YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT ESPECIALLY OUR LOW INCOME EARNERS HERE IN BALTIMORE CITY, THIS ISN’T TARGETED AT THEM. THIS IS TARGETED AT THE HIGH EARNERS WHO CAN AFFORD TO SPEND THE SPEND THAT EXTRA MONEY, AND THEY’RE NOT GOING TO JUST DRIVE ALL THE WAY OUT TO SHOP BECAUSE THEY’RE SMART ENOUGH TO KNOW THAT THEY’RE SPENDING THE DIFFERENCE. IT DOESN’T SEEM LIKE ANNAPOLIS HAS BEEN REALLY HAPPY WITH A FEW THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN PROPOSED THIS WEEK. THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE RESOLUTION ABOUT ASKING THE STATE TO FUND THE MARYLAND BLUEPRINT FOR EDUCATION, AND PRETTY MUCH SENATE PRESIDENT BILL FERGUSON SAID THAT’S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. AND HE POINTED TO A FEW DIFFERENT THINGS IN A PRETTY HEATED UP. I WOULD SAY SOUNDBITE BASICALLY ABOUT WHY THEY WEREN’T GOING TO FOCUS ON THAT. WHAT IS YOUR REACTION TO THAT? WELL, HE AND I TALKED ABOUT IT BEFOREHAND, RIGHT. SO HE AND I, WE UNDERSTAND I UNDERSTAND HIS POSITION. HE UNDERSTANDS MINE. RIGHT. BUT IT’S NOT. THE SENATE PRESIDENT IS IN A TOUGH POSITION BECAUSE THE STATE IS IN A TOUGH FISCAL POSITION. BUT I’M ALSO IN A POSITION TO SAY, AGAIN, FOR PEOPLE WHO SAY ALL THE TIME, WHY ISN’T BALTIMORE LIKE ALL THESE OTHER CITIES? WELL, EVERY OTHER CITY IN THE COUNTRY IN THE 60S AND 70S THE STATE AND THE CITY SET IT UP SO THAT THE CITY WHICH DRIVES THE ECONOMY IN THAT STATE, WOULD GET A PORTION OF THE STATE SALES TAX. IF YOU GO TO PHILADELPHIA, THEY GET IT. IF YOU GO TO SAINT LOUIS, THEY GET IT. IF YOU GO TO DENVER, IF YOU GO TO NEW YORK, IF YOU GO TO CLEVELAND, OHIO, THEY ALL GET IT. BALTIMORE DOES NOT. THAT’S WHY WE’RE OVER RELIANT ON OUR PROPERTY TAXES. AND WE WANT TO LOWER THAT. AND WE HAVE THE SUPPORT OF EVEN THE STATE COMPTROLLER, BROOKE LEHMAN, WHO BELIEVES THAT THIS IS THE WAY TO GO FOR BALTIMORE. AND SPEAKING ABOUT JUST, YOU KNOW, PROPERTY TAXES AND THINGS LIKE THAT. IT’S DRIVEN BY THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE, WHICH BALTIMORE IS NOW SEEING A GROWTH IN POPULATION, JUST LIKE A FEW COUNTIES SURROUNDING IT. WELL, LISTEN, WE CAME INTO OFFICE AND WE WANTED TO BREAK TWO TRENDS, RIGHT? WE WANTED TO BREAK THE TREND OF HAVING OVER 300 HOMICIDES. AND WE’VE DONE THAT, HAVING RECORD HOMICIDE REDUCTIONS TWO YEARS NOW, EARLY INTO THREE YEARS IN A ROW. AND ALSO WE WANT TO SWITCH TO POPULATION PENDULUM. AND THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU INVEST IN YOUR PEOPLE. THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DO BRING DOWN CRIME. THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DO HELP BUSINESSES GROW. THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU WORK THROUGH A PANDEMIC. AND WE JUST WANT TO KEEP PUSHING IN THAT WAY BECAUSE WE KNOW BALTIMORE IS A GREAT PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO LIVE, AND WE JUST WANT PEOPLE TO COME HERE, ESPECIALLY IN A TIME LIKE NOW WHERE PEOPLE ARE THINKING ABOUT WHERE THEY WANT TO LIVE BECAUSE THEY’RE SEEING THE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING. WITH ALL THE INSANITY COMING OUT OF DC AND THE PEOPLE WHO SUPPORT THAT, AND WE WANT THEM TO KNOW THAT BALTIMORE IS A PLACE WHERE THEY CAN COME NO MATTER WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE, AS LONG AS THEY’RE COMING HERE TO TO LIVE IN THE RIGHT WAY AND WANT TO RAISE A FAMILY IN THE RIGHT WAY, THIS IS A PLACE FOR THEM. WELL, SPEAKING OF RAISING A FAMILY, YOU JUST WELCOMED YOUR FIRST DAUGHTER. CONGRATULATIONS, BABY. CAMDEN, YEAH, I CAUGHT THE THEME, BY THE WAY. YEAH. CHARM. CAMDEN. AND THEN YOUR SON. YES. NUMBER ONE, AS I CALL HIM. BUT. YES. OH, LOOK AT THAT LITTLE FACE. YOU’VE GOT THE NEW DAD. NEW DAD? EYES TOO. YOU’RE NOT FROM CANADA? THIS IS FROM CHARMING. YEAH, RIGHT. EXACTLY, EXACTLY. HOW IS SHE? SHE’S A GOOD BABY. SHE’S GOOD, SHE’S GOOD, SHE’S GOOD, SHE’S DOING GOOD. GETTING BIGGER BY THE DAY. GETTING. YOU CAN SEE MORE. A LITTLE BIT MORE OF THE PERSONALITY. YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY’RE THAT LITTLE, IT’S JUST EVERY. EVERY SECOND IS A BIG CHANGE. YEAH. SHE SHE’S GOT THE. HOW’S MOM DOING. MOM IS GOOD. SHE’S RECOVERING. SHE’S BOUNCING BACK FASTER THAN MOST HUMAN BEINGS, WHICH IS AN AMAZING THING. BUT SHE’S DOING GOOD. SHE’S LOVING IT, EVERY BIT OF IT. AND YOU’RE READY FOR OPENING DAY. I AM READY FOR OPENING DAY. THE ONLY PERSON THAT IS ADJUSTING A LITTLE BIT IS CHARM. FIRST THING HE DOES WHEN HE SAW HIS SISTER WAS STEALING SOCKS. OH MY GOSH, ARE YOU SERIOUS? HE SAID I’M NOT A BABY ANYMORE. THIS CAN’T BE. HE’S 14 MONTHS. OH WOW. OH, HE LEARNED FAST. HE WANTS THE ATTENTION. WELL, LOOK, WE TALKED ABOUT SO MANY THINGS. I DO WANT TO KNOW. ARE THE POOLS GOING TO OPEN THIS SUMMER? THE POOLS WILL BE OPEN. WE OPEN. WE’RE GOING TO HAVE. WE ACTUALLY HAVE NEW POOLS OPENING THIS SUMMER. SO SOME OF THE ONES THAT WE STARTED RENOVATING OR RENOVATING WILL BE OPEN REOPENING THIS SUMMER. SO WE LISTEN, I DON’T CARE WHERE YOU WANT TO GO, IF YOU WANT TO GO TO DREW HILL PARK POOL, WHICH IS OUR FLAGSHIP POOL, IF YOU WANT TO GO DOWN TO MIDDLE BRANCH THAT ACTUALLY HAS INDOOR AND OUTDOOR WILL BE HOPEFULLY OPENING UP THE TOWANDA AQUATIC CENTER, WHICH IS WHERE I GREW UP, RIGHT? THERE’S SO MANY OPTIONS. AND AGAIN, OUR POOLS IN BALTIMORE ARE FREE DURING THE SUMMER. YOU JUST HAVE TO REGISTER A REC AND PARKS. BUT PLEASE COME OUT AND AND SWIM AND ENJOY YOURSELF. YOU MIGHT CATCH THE MAYOR AT THE POOL BECAUSE WE LOVE TO SWIM TOO. WELL, LOOK, WE CAN ASK YOU QUESTIONS ALL DAY. WE’RE DEFINITELY GOING TO HAVE YOU BACK SO WE CAN GRILL YOU SOME MORE ON ANOTHER DAY.