Baltimore voters deciding on Question F during the November 3, 2026 ballot face a measure that alters the City Charter and enables the legislative removal of a list of authorities currently held by the Board of Estimates. The ballot proposal offers potential changes to government transparency while sparking debate among city officials about future oversight.
The Mechanics of the 2026 Budget Shift
The current charter requires the Director of Finance, who reports to the mayor, to present a draft budget to the Board of Estimates. The board must then wait 30 days before approving the budget and sending it to the City Council. This procedural requirement dates back to 1964, when a charter review commission consolidated financial offices into a Department of Finance under the mayor but left the legacy 30-day waiting period intact in the Charter.
Question F alters this timeline by moving the budget to the City Council earlier. This adjustment gives the council additional time to gather public input and negotiate proposed changes with the mayor. The change aligns with state requirements that mandate earlier certification of the tax rate, which otherwise reduces the time available for legislative budget review.
Board of Estimates Powers Under Question F
Beyond budget timing, the ballot measure authorizes the City Council to take many of the powers and responsibilities of the Board of Estimates out of the Charter and distribute them as desired by ordinance. These responsibilities include formulating and executing fiscal policy, advertising for contracts, establishing professional services and bidder prequalification processes, and approving emergency contracts. The measure also impacts the fixing of employee salary and wage scales, collective bargaining agreement approvals, official bond determinations, procedures for paying or releasing claims, State’s Attorney’s Office salaries, and expenditures on new improvements.
While these roles can be delegated to other agencies or departments by city ordinance, no detailed public plan currently specifies which entities will assume each responsibility. Baltimore City Comptroller Bill Henry noted that voting no maintains current accountability levels, whereas voting yes requires trusting that the mayor and council will act collaboratively to protect transparency.
Potential Precursor to 2028 Charter Amendments
The ballot measure functions as a potential precursor to another charter amendment likely to be proposed for 2028. That future proposal could eliminate the Board of Estimates and divide its remaining authorities and responsibilities. Such an outcome could restore most of the City’s financial offices and oversight to the comptroller, positioning the office as the City’s elected Chief Financial Officer (CFO) providing independent financial analysis. Alternatively, the restructuring could divide contract approval responsibilities between the mayor and the city council while splitting administrative approvals between the mayor and the comptroller.
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