Let’s Get Real About Property Taxes (2016)

This essay argues that Baltimore’s high property tax rate is a significant competitive disadvantage, but contends that dramatic, immediate tax cuts are fiscally unrealistic and unlikely to deliver the promised economic benefits. Instead, it advocates for a disciplined strategy of incremental rate reductions tied to measurable growth in population and revenue, greater transparency around development incentives, and structural reforms that would make Baltimore’s tax system more comparable to neighboring jurisdictions. The article maintains that sustainable progress requires financially responsible policies grounded in realistic projections rather than speculative assumptions about future growth.