Voters in Baltimore overwhelmingly approved four general-obligation bond measures totaling $164 million, guaranteeing funding for a variety of facilities and infrastructure programs for the next two fiscal years.

Each of the four proposed bond issues received at least 82% of the vote. The largest will provide $72 million for upgrades to public infrastructure, including parks, recreation centers, libraries, streets, bridges, courthouses, city office buildings, police stations, fire stations, solid waste facilities and information technology. 

A separate $38-million measure funding improvements to public school building systems will complement the nearly $1-billion 21^st Century Schools program, a city and state initiative to renovate or replace nearly 30 city school buildings.

Other bond issues receiving voter approval include $36 million for community and economic development activities, such as eliminating blight through strategic whole-block demolition and efforts to improve the appearance of commercial and industrial areas, and $14 million to support affordable housing programs.

Funding proposals to support Baltimore’s facilities and infrastructure programs have enjoyed success at the ballot box over the past several election cycles, a trend the city credits in part to its conservative approach to issuing general-obligation bonds. 

In 2020, voters approved a $160-million bond package by a similar margin.