The Baltimore City Board of Estimates adopted routine items including a 1-cent property tax reduction and leaders said it is the first step in a multi-year plan to reduce property taxes; the board scheduled a special meeting June 24 to address end-of-fiscal-year items.

Vice President Cohen introduced City Council Bill 26-0151 to raise the homestead tax credit cap from 4% to 6% to begin lowering Baltimore’s effective property tax rate below $2; the measure was referred to Budget and Appropriations with a hearing set for Feb. 17.