What does a YES vote on Baltimore City Question C mean?

Baltimore City could borrow up to $50,000,000 for economic development, including property development, removing blight, neighborhood and retail corridor improvements, and loans or grants for housing, businesses, jobs, home repair and tourism.

What does a NO vote on Baltimore City Question C mean?

Baltimore City could not borrow this $50,000,000 for its economic development program.

Would this raise my property tax?

The ordinance requires the City, while any of these bonds are outstanding, to levy an annual property tax at a rate sufficient to pay their interest and principal. It does not set a separate rate for this loan, and no official estimate of the cost per household was published.

How long could the City take to repay?

Each bond's principal must be repaid within 40 years of issuance; interest rates are set by the Board of Finance.

What happens if voters say no?

The ordinance does not take effect unless a majority of Baltimore City voters approve it, so the City could not borrow this money under it.

How many votes does Baltimore City Question C need to pass?

A simple majority: more than half of the YES and NO votes on this measure must be YES. Leaving it blank doesn't count either way.

Should I vote yes or no on Baltimore City Question C?

SpectrumVote doesn't endorse anyone or tell you how to vote. Read what a YES and a NO vote each do, and the official text, then decide based on what you want to happen.

The general election was Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Counts are unofficial until each state certifies its results over the following weeks; your state or county election office has the official results.

Baltimore City Question C — Bond Issue: Community and Economic Development Loan

Last updated Sat, Nov 7, 4:07 PM ET

Ballot measure · November 3, 2026

What it does: Question C authorizes the City to borrow up to $50,000,000 to be used for the City's economic development program. The money may be used to acquire, develop, and dispose of property in the City for this purpose, along with related costs. The money may be used to eliminate unhealthy and unsafe conditions, including blight, and to create healthy, sanitary, safe, and green conditions in the City. It may be used to stabilize and improve middle neighborhoods and neighborhood retail corridors, as well as to improve land, buildings, streets, highways, alleys, sidewalks, utilities, parks, recreational land or facilities, and other structures, including all related costs. The money may also be used as loans or grants to develop, improve, or construct buildings in the City for residential or commercial purposes, and as loans or grants for growing businesses, attracting and retaining jobs, encouraging homeownership, providing home repair assistance, promoting economic inclusion, achieving whole-block outcomes, improving the City's cultural life, and promoting City tourism. Voting for this amendment allows the City to borrow this money. Voting against the amendment means the City is not allowed to borrow this money.
A YES vote means: Baltimore City could borrow up to $50,000,000 for economic development, including property development, removing blight, neighborhood and retail corridor improvements, and loans or grants for housing, businesses, jobs, home repair and tourism.
A NO vote means: Baltimore City could not borrow this $50,000,000 for its economic development program.
Needed to pass: A simple majority: more than half of the YES and NO votes on this measure must be YES. Leaving it blank doesn't count either way.
Left–right lean: Unclear: our AI read of the official summary isn't confident enough (we require 70%) to place this on the left–right spectrum, so we don't. Read the summary and decide for yourself.

The YES and NO lines are SpectrumVote's plain-language reading of the official text above; the official text is what you vote on.

Official text: source

Explained

Today

Baltimore City may borrow this money only if voters approve the bond ordinance (Council Bill 26-0181); the ordinance says it will not take effect otherwise.
The City pays back its general obligation bonds from an annual property tax set at a rate sufficient to cover interest and principal.

If it passes

The City could borrow up to $50,000,000 by selling bonds, at one time or over time, through its Board of Finance, for the City's community and economic development program.
Allowed uses include buying, developing and selling property; removing blight; stabilizing middle neighborhoods and neighborhood retail corridors; improving streets, sidewalks, utilities and parks; and loans or grants for residential and commercial buildings, growing businesses, jobs, homeownership, home repair, economic inclusion, whole-block outcomes, cultural life and tourism.
Each bond would have to be repaid within 40 years; while bonds are outstanding the City must levy enough property tax each year to pay them.

Who would notice

Baltimore City property taxpayers, who repay the debt, and the residents, organizations and projects that would receive the money.

How it got here

The City Council adopted Council Bill 26-0181 in May 2026 at the request of the Administration (Department of Planning), after the Baltimore City delegation to the General Assembly approved the borrowing by House and Senate resolutions of 2026. The ordinance sends it to voters on November 3, 2026.

Written by SpectrumVote from 3 linked sources (1, 2, 3). Arguments are each side's own, not ours; the official text is what you vote on.

Background

Ordinance 26-0181 authorizes the $50,000,000 borrowing under General Assembly House Resolution III and Senate Resolution III of 2026, which Baltimore City's state legislators approved.

The Budget & Appropriations Committee recommended it favorably on May 5, 2026. The Council approved it on May 11, and the Mayor signed it on May 20, 2026, according to the City's legislative record.

Per the State Board of Elections' question text, the money may be used for blight elimination, middle-neighborhood and retail-corridor stabilization, and loans or grants for housing, business growth and home repair.

Put on the ballot by Baltimore City Council; signed by the Mayor May 20, 2026 (Ordinance 26-0181).

From official source 1, official source 2.

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Quick answers

What does a YES vote on Baltimore City Question C mean?: Baltimore City could borrow up to $50,000,000 for economic development, including property development, removing blight, neighborhood and retail corridor improvements, and loans or grants for housing, businesses, jobs, home repair and tourism.
What does a NO vote on Baltimore City Question C mean?: Baltimore City could not borrow this $50,000,000 for its economic development program.
Would this raise my property tax?: The ordinance requires the City, while any of these bonds are outstanding, to levy an annual property tax at a rate sufficient to pay their interest and principal. It does not set a separate rate for this loan, and no official estimate of the cost per household was published.
How long could the City take to repay?: Each bond's principal must be repaid within 40 years of issuance; interest rates are set by the Board of Finance.
What happens if voters say no?: The ordinance does not take effect unless a majority of Baltimore City voters approve it, so the City could not borrow this money under it.
How many votes does Baltimore City Question C need to pass?: A simple majority: more than half of the YES and NO votes on this measure must be YES. Leaving it blank doesn't count either way.
Should I vote yes or no on Baltimore City Question C?: SpectrumVote doesn't endorse anyone or tell you how to vote. Read what a YES and a NO vote each do, and the official text, then decide based on what you want to happen.
When is the vote?: The general election was Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Counts are unofficial until each state certifies its results over the following weeks; your state or county election office has the official results.

Not sure how to decide? Read our nonpartisan guide to the Baltimore City ballot.

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