Imagine living in a city where one of the things you want most is not to have to worry about being killed. Imagine wanting nothing more than an increase in the quality of life. In today’s world of rampant crime and soaring inflation, these might both seem like novel concepts. But according to a recent poll, these are the simple requests of many
Baltimoreans.
Sadly, it’s indicative of just how bad things have become in Charm City.
The
Baltimore Banner
, a new nonprofit media organization focused on all things Baltimore, recently released a public opinion
survey
of 1,002 residents, asking them about their thoughts on the city’s politicians, schools, police, and taxes. The results showed most people are vastly unhappy and want change. And with soaring homicide rates, failing schools, and corrupt politicians while having a property tax rate nearly
twice
as high as every other county in Maryland, it’s hard to blame them.
Approximately 2 out of every 3 people felt the city was headed in the wrong direction. Granted, with all the newsworthy challenges the city has faced, this isn’t exactly a ground-breaking revelation.
Crime
is the biggest concern for Baltimoreans. About 90% list that as the main problem plaguing the city. This also isn’t a shock, given the number of homicides over the past few years. However, what is a surprise is the strategy most Baltimore residents want to use to reduce crime. It is a woke, progressive left-winger’s worst nightmare.
More than 80% want to “impose harsher punishment for violent offenders, and an equal proportion want to both increase police presence and the number of patrols in the city.” Moreover, most Baltimore residents feel the
Baltimore Police Department
should receive “more funding, not less.”
Innocent people victimized by rampant violent crime want more funding for police, more officers to protect them, and harsher punishments for those committing crimes. Imagine that.
Baltimoreans are also tired of their schools failing their children. The school system is nothing short of atrocious, with numerous examples of students failing to achieve even the most rudimentary competencies in subjects such as reading and math. One
report
revealed that 41% of all high school students earned a grade point average below 1.0. So, it should come as no surprise that approximately 60% of respondents graded Baltimore City Public Schools with a “D” or below. And with the school district’s recent embarrassing
failures
, it can be argued that even “D” is too high of a grade.
Baltimore used to be a beautiful city; it is nicknamed the “Charm City” for a reason. However, corrupt and incompetent one-party rule (there hasn’t been a Republican mayor since 1967), combined with disastrous left-wing government policies and programs, has left the city in shambles. But while the survey shows the city’s residents are sick and tired of the status quo, they are also somewhat responsible because they keep voting for the same type of politicians who support the same failed policies.
The people of Baltimore should have greater ambitions than merely settling for not wanting to be killed and a better quality of life. Their city’s leaders have failed them. The people are fed up, and it’s time for a serious change. They can help matters by not voting for the same type of politicians that created this mess. Now it’s up to them to be the change they want.
