AFSCME Works to Better Government

Baltimore, Maryland — A coalition that includes AFSCME Council 67 has collected enough signatures to place before voters an initiative designed to shrink the size of the Baltimore City Council.

The initiative's supporters, working together as Community and Labor United for Baltimore, had to submit 10,000 valid signatures of registered city residents by Aug. 12 to put the question on the November ballot. They submitted 10,065 validated signatures.

Voters will decide whether to amend the city charter to replace six 3-member council districts (18 members) with 14 single- member districts. An existing at-large council president would still be elected city-wide.

The current system lessens accountability by diffusing authority among three members per district, rather than one. It also makes it tougher for challengers to run for office because they are forced to campaign against a team of three instead of a single incumbent. A reduction of four council members would save taxpayers about $560,000 a year in salaries, backers say.