Two cent tax passed to help balance city budget

BALTIMORE - Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake calls City Council's approval of a 2 cent bottle tax a compromise that's good for the city.  Before a Tuesday lunch, Rawlings-Blake said the deal preserves the city's core values by not laying off any police offiers or firefighters and by keeping the city's libraries open.

Representative Helen Holton of the 8th district voted yes for the beverage tax, but only to save jobs. “This is a dark hour for me and Baltimore City. There are no winners here, only casualties on both sides.”

Opponent Nicholas D’Adamo says the revote should never have happened. “I am ashamed to say that I am part of a body willing to do that. This should never have come up for a vote tonight. Last week it was dead. It should have been dead this week.”

The tax will rescind after three years.