Maryland Constitution
Article XI - City of Baltimore
SEC. 7.

From and after the adoption of this Constitution, no debt except as hereinafter provided in this section, shall be created by the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore; nor shall the credit of the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore be given, or loaned to, or in aid of any individual, association, or corporation; nor shall the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore have the power to involve the City of Baltimore in the construction of works of internal improvement, nor in granting any aid thereto, which shall involve the faith and credit of the City, nor make any appropriation therefor, unless the debt or credit is authorized by an ordinance of the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore, submitted to the legal voters of the City of Baltimore, at such time and place as may be fixed by the ordinance, and approved by a majority of the votes cast at that time and place. An ordinance for the authorization of debt or credit as aforesaid may not be submitted to the legal voters of Baltimore City unless the proposed creation of debt or extension of credit is either (1) presented to and approved by a majority of the members of the General Assembly representing Baltimore City no later than the 30th day of the regular session of the General Assembly immediately preceding its submission to the voters, or (2) authorized by an Act of the General Assembly. The ordinance shall provide for the discharge of any such debt or credit within the period of 40 years from the time of contracting the same. The Mayor and City Council may, temporarily, borrow any amount of money to meet any deficiency in the City treasury, and may borrow any amount at any time to provide for any emergency arising from the necessity of maintaining the police, or preserving the health, safety and sanitary condition of the City, and may make due and proper arrangements and agreements for the renewal and extension, in whole or in part, of any and all debts and obligations created according to law before the adoption of this Constitution. The General Assembly may, from time to time, fix a limit upon the aggregate amount of bonds and other evidences of indebtedness of the City outstanding at any one time to the same extent as it fixes such a limit upon the indebtedness of the chartered counties (amended by Chapter 456, Acts of 1933, ratified Nov. 6, 1934; Chapter 739, Acts of 1982, ratified Nov. 2, 1982).