Baltimore needs more than just change in who holds elected office: we need to completely rethink how City government is run. City government must be able to protect basic human rights and human dignity. Services like police, sanitation, water/wastewater, and transportation should work efficiently and effectively.

As your Comptroller, Bill Henry will be the City’s most powerful advocate for the public. It’s the Comptroller that has both the independence, access, and staff resources to provide real oversight.

Advocating for Better Policy. As Comptroller, Bill Henry will work with a broad array of partners to identify key areas of analysis that can be performed by the Department of Audits. The focus will be on empowering Baltimore’s decision makers to make better choices, ones that provide the results desired by the people of Baltimore City. Initial areas of analysis would include:

• Improving Public Safety
• A Comprehensive Real Estate Strategy
• Better Public Transit
• Fixing Waste Disposal Issues

Restructuring the Board of Estimates. Bill Henry knows that restructuring the Board of Estimates would effectively end the strong mayor system. We need a government that is accountable, but not gridlocked. Bill supports a formal study of options to restructure the BOE and curb the power of the Mayor’s office without ending the strong Mayor system.

Participatory Budgeting. It’s time to let communities have more direct say over the budget. Bill supports giving the City Council more input in the City’s budget process and would partner with the City Council to use that additional power to bring participatory budgeting to Baltimore City.

Annual surveys and town halls. Bill will reinstate the Baltimore Community Survey to continuously engage residents on what needs to be improved at City government.

Providing Reports and Issue Briefs to Guide Decision-Making. When the public, the press, and city government consider major issues, including crime reduction and housing affordability, the Comptroller’s office must be able to provide key data and analysis from an independent perspective. For example, the Allegheny County Comptroller produces periodic updates to taxpayers on relevant issues.