Coronavirus In Baltimore: Young Orders Hiring, Spending Freeze
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Baltimore Mayor Bernard C. "Jack" Young has ordered a hiring and spending freeze across city departments to make sure the city has the resources it needs to address the coronavirus pandemic.
In a news release Friday afternoon, Young said the freeze will take effect immediately. Essential spending and hiring, including for public safety, are not affected.
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"From a budgeting standpoint, municipalities across the state, and throughout the nation, will need to be fiscally prudent as we navigate this unprecedented emergency," Young said in the release. "The hiring and spending freeze represents a pair of necessary first steps to ensure that as revenues continue to decline, we remain in a position to quickly respond to the needs of our residents and first responders."
The city expects a significant drop in income from hotel taxes and parking, among other sources, due to decreased demand.
As of Friday, Baltimore has reported 13 cases of COVID-19.
For the latest information on coronavirus go to the Maryland Health Department's website or call 211. You can find all of WJZ's coverage on coronavirus in Maryland here