Baltimore recently elected a new mayor, Brandon Scott, who is the youngest mayor to be elected to this position in more than a century. Scott is a native of Park Heights and saw first hand many of the challenges faced by Baltimore City residents. This motivated him to enter politics in the hopes of creating a change for his community. As a teenager, he attended Mervo High School and later went on to St. Mary’s College in MD, where he earned a B.A. degree in political science. At the age of 27, Scott became a council member. In 2019, he was elected President of Baltimore City Council, around the same time when Catherine Pugh resigned during her children’s book scheme scandal. While President, Scott fought for a livable minimum wage, advocated for change in the Baltimore Police Department, and improved Baltimore city schools and community centers. In June of 2020, Scott was elected Mayor after defeating Baltimore’s former mayor, Sheila Dixon. Scott’s campaign gained traction because it stressed building racial equity, professionalizing city government, and reducing the homicide rate in Baltimore. 

Although he came into office in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, Scott has met many of his goals for the city. During his 2021 State of the City Address, Scott spoke about goals he achieved in his first 100 days in office, and gave a glimpse of what is to come. One of his initial accomplishments was to create a strong foundational team with an administration that would tackle the major issues in his platform. He hired the first City Administrator, Christopher Shorter, to help implement transparency in financial matters. Dana Moore was hired as Chief Executive Officer to ensure equity in policies. Jason Mitchell was hired to lead the Department of Public Work. At the request of Governor Hogan, Scott also restarted the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council to help curb violence. 

In the coming months, Scott plans to launch a system called Open Checkbook to track city expenditures, open the Cahill Fitness and Wellness Center in West Baltimore, as well as revise the 911 service to ameliorate response times, among others. In terms of the $670 million in federal funds given to Baltimore as part of the American Rescue Plan, Scott hopes to increase employment rates that suffered during the pandemic, help businesses recover, and invest in businesses left out due to inequitable policies. 

Thus far, Scott is meeting his goals and providing Baltimore with a sense of hope. If you are interested in seeing how his plan is progressing, follow this 100 day tracker.

Cover Photo Courtesy of the City of Baltimore