State's Attorney Bernstein

Welcome to the Web site for the Baltimore City State's Attorney's Office.

You will see in the center of the home page an interactive map of Baltimore City. By clicking on the police district where you live, you can keep track of our work in your community.

Other features of the site include forms to submit online victim and community impact statements; a translation function for Spanish-speaking visitors; and a calendar of upcoming public safety events throughout the city.

If you ever have a question, comment, suggestion, or invitation for a prosecutor to attend an event, please do not hesitate to contact us at 410-396-4001 or mail@stattorney.org. 

I am honored to work with you in our goal to make Baltimore a safer city.

Economic Crimes 410-396-4996

The Economic Crimes Division investigates and prosecutes a variety of economic crimes, including major theft, fraud, counterfeit, and white-collar matters. The division also prosecutes arson cases, including homicides caused by arson.

MY LETTER TO THE CITY PROSECUTOR IS THE SAME LETTER I FORWARDED TO CARL STOKES AND MARYPAT CLARKE WHO CHAIR COMMITTEES THAT OVERSEE THESE ISSUES.  I ALSO SENT IT TO CIVIL JUSTICE, AN ORGANIZATION WHOSE MISSION IS TO ADVOCATE FOR THE PEOPLE.

States Attorney for Baltimore,

 

The primary driver of crime in the City of Baltimore is the lack of resources and employment opportunities in our underserved communities.  All of this is predicated on where city financial resources are directed.  We know that City and State legislators have historically fenced in revenues paid to the city/state so that the bulk of money paid by the wealthy stay in their communities.  So goes the business tax credit system that dominates Baltimore's spending.  We also know that the system is replete with fraud and that it is totally without oversight.  Politicians and local media have said so publically.  These two factors are what drive crime in Baltimore......laws protecting revenue and distribution of revenue to development corporations.

 

There was a city investigation by the Attorneys General office that discovered some infractions with then Mayor Dixson and developers, but it surprised everyone that the investigation failed to reveal the depths of the fraud and corruption in this business tax credit system for one.  There is of course wide-spread problems with fraud in city and state government.  The Center for Public Integrity gave Maryland a D- in State Corruption over a wide range of government agencies-----this is a direct reflection of the States Attorney General's Office and the City Prosecutor's Office. 

 

One of the excuses for failure for oversight is funding; but these two areas of known fraud are the very source of the funding for investigations.  The funding is available if the Justice Department does its job!

Below we see the Baltimore City Council's response to community concerns over corruption and fraud in the business tax program.  A task force was formed and nearly all the members of this task force are recipients of these funds or politicians who decide who gets these funds, or groups associated with them.....a closed circle of operators.  You saw my concerns over the education/development organizations all coming from the same sources....many being Johns Hopkins affiliates.

Look at the funding for city audits that even the Chair of the committee of Taxes and Finance, Carl Stokes, admits has been left dormant for decades.  It's funding matches that of the tax credits given.  The funding for audits includes all city functions...this funding for tax credits is just one request for the year.  Budgets for legal administration is very low. 

The point is this:  if you know you have massive fraud in your system and you know that the citizens of the city want accountability....would you be leveraging the very source of much of the fraud, or leveraging the funds for oversight?

131 Audits
General Fund Appropriation $ 3,898,358

705 Loan and Guarantee Program
Loan and Guarantee Enterprise Fund Appropriation $ 3,313,772

Law

860 Administration - Law
General Fund Appropriation $ 567,623

861 Controversies
General Fund Appropriation $ 1,916,989

Special Fund Appropriation $ 11,903
862 Transactions

General Fund Appropriation $ 1,236,149

869 Minority and Women's Business Opportunity Office
General Fund Appropriation $ 444,025

Totalling about $4 million



BALTIMORE CITY'S TASK FORCE ON PUBLIC PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT FINANCING EFFORTS 
October 2011

 SUMMARY

A Task Force comprised of business, philanthropic, institutional, and community leaders was convened

in January 2011 by Councilman Carl Stokes to review Baltimore’s process for awarding and then

monitoring tax increment financing (TIFs) and Payments In Lieu of Taxes (PILOTs). At this time of

national economic uncertainty and very limited availability of private capital for development these and

other public capital resources are even more valuable and necessary to support the economic and

neighborhood growth of Baltimore. The committee was also directed to explore whether TIFs and

PILOTs were being committed at the expense of neighborhood priorities.

Working with Baltimore’s Department of Finance, Housing and Community Development and Baltimore

Development Corporation the Task Force found that the city explores various means of supporting

economic development throughout the city and has a process for awarding public financing with stages

in the process for public engagement.

The Task Force concluded that the process could be improved and in this report makes several

recommendations which follow. Among them the city should:

• require a greater and consistent return for all economic concessions and investments;

• carefully and continually measure the economic results and social returns to the community

that are promised by developers and limit the time for developers to begin work;

• enhance the involvement of Planning in the pre‐legislative process to oversee that incentive

programs fit the needs identified in the city’s master plan;

• increase communication with communities and citizens during the process;

• evaluate other creative ways to provide tax incentives;

• implement ways to make transparent all considerations for TIFs and PILOTs;

• increase efforts to find ways to use PILOTS and TIFS for community revitalization, “public good”

projects, and building a larger middle class; and,

• research a way to adjust the formula used to calculate state aid to Baltimore City.

Other topics discussed by the Task Force included providing more or additional incentives to developers

working in “priority” areas in neighborhoods; forming policy to minimize the possibility of favoritism;

and devising a way for small businesses to benefit from similar incentives.

The Task Force realizes and appreciates the role of developers in the physical aspects of community and

economic development. The City’s role is to incentivize economic development goals in a manner which

addresses the priorities of the City.

Baltimore has great potential and the city needs to direct development efforts to fulfilling that potential,

which includes investment downtown and in neighborhoods. The Task Force was unanimous in the

belief there are many development opportunities that will benefit from aggressive market‐driven

public/private partnerships in all corners of the city and that Baltimore must seek out every source of

available capital.

 TASK FORCE MEMBERSHIP

The Task Force held its first meeting on January 11, 2011 with seven subsequent meetings held in

January, February, March, May, and June and one small workgroup meeting.

Co‐Chairs

Wendy Blair, W.L. Blair Development

Calman “Buddy” Zamoiski, Independent Distributors Incorporated

Members

Peter Angelos/Tom Marudas, Law Offices of Peter Angelos

Paul Bernard, Walker & Dunlop

Robert Embry, The Abell Foundation

Andy Frank, Johns Hopkins University

Ronald Kreitner, Westside Renaissance, Inc.

Jody Landers, formerly of the Greater Baltimore Board of Realtors

Linda Loubert, PhD, Morgan State University

Robert Manekin, Colliers International

Jonathan Melnick, Jonathan Melnick Auctioneers

Gary Rodwell, PhD, Coppin Heights Community Development Corporation

Mark Sissman, Healthy Neighborhoods

Mark Wasserman, University of Maryland Medical System

Maria Welch, Respira Medical

Council Staff

Councilman Carl Stokes

Kelley Ray, Legislative Analyst

City Representatives

Carolyn Blakeney, Office of the City Council President

M. Jay Brodie/Irene Van Sant, Baltimore Development Corporation

Paul Graziano, Department of Housing

Steve Kraus, Department of Finance

Tom Stosur, Department of Planning

Colin Tarbert, Office of the Mayor

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