Baltimore mayor backs ballot measure creating taxpayer-funded 'Baby Fund' for newborn families

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott is backing a ballot measure to establish a municipal fund that could provide direct cash payments, subsidies, or supplies to parents of newborns .

Recently, Scott and the campaign behind the Baltimore Baby Fund (BBF) issued a joint statement outlining their collaboration to build public support for the measure ahead of the election.

"Mayor Scott and the Baltimore Baby Fund campaign look forward to working together in the months ahead to earn voters’ support and, if the initiative passes, outline a program that gives Baltimore’s babies and families the strongest possible start," the BBF campaign posted on Instagram.

ALBUQUERQUE USES WEED TAX TO FUND 'NO-STRINGS-ATTACHED' GUARANTEED INCOME, SPARKING POLICY DEBATE The announcement comes after organizers submitted more than the 10,000 signatures required to qualify for the ballot.

The initiative officially secured a spot on the November ballot following structural revisions.

Voters will decide whether to amend the city charter to establish a dedicated, permanent line item in the municipal budget for the fund.

If approved, the measure would require the city to allocate 3 cents per $100 of assessed property value into the fund.

The City Council would retain authority over the specific disbursement rules and eligibility criteria through future enabling legislation.

CHICAGO SUBURB EXPANDS CASH HANDOUTS AS RACE-BASED REPARATIONS PROGRAM FACES MAJOR LEGAL BATTLE "Mayor Scott has always been supportive of the policy ideas driving the Baltimore Baby Fund campaign, and, now with the necessary adjustments made in the 2026 version, is eager to move it forward," the BBF statement read.

The proposed fund is modeled after Rx Kids , a high-profile cash assistance program for prenatal and infant care launched in Flint, Michigan.

Co-founded by pediatrician Dr.

Mona Hanna-Attisha and University of Michigan professor Luke Shaefer following the Flint water crisis, Rx Kids has expanded to dozens of communities across Michigan, providing eligible expectant mothers with $1,500 during pregnancy and $500 per month for six to 12 months after a child's birth, depending on location.

MICHIGAN LAWMAKER MOVES TO SHUT DOWN 'GUARDRAIL-FREE' CASH HANDOUT PROGRAM FOR NEW MOTHERS The initiative aligns with broader efforts by Mayors for a Guaranteed Income , a coalition of over 150 U.S. mayors advocating for direct cash distributions to address cost-of-living concerns.

The coalition has supported more than 100 pilot programs across the country since 2018, including a program in Cook County, Illinois, which subsequently approved local funding to make its guaranteed income initiative permanent.