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By GERMANIA RODRIGUEZ POLEO, US CHIEF REPORTER
Published: | Updated:
Baltimore locals expressed outraged after it emerged that Democratic mayor Brandon Scott spent over $100,000 of taxpayer money on a new, fully-loaded luxury SUV.
Scott has been in hot water over the 2025 Jeep Grand Wagoneer, which cost the city $164,000, including over $60,000 for upgrades such as police lights, sirens and a security phone.
Residents of the city told Fox 5 they want answers from the mayor regarding his fancy new ride.
‘Not the taxpayers’ money! If he wants it for himself, yeah. But not with our money,’ local Christian Heath said.
‘Our money should be for the city, the schools, the kids. Just to ride around? We don’t have cars like that.’
Retired Marine veteran Benjamin Luster agreed with the sentiment and questioned why Scott needs such a secure vehicle in a city he says is safe.
Baltimore’s Democratic mayor Brandon Scott is being slammed over a new city-funded luxury SUV
The 2025 Jeep Grand Wagoneer, which cost the city $164,000, including over $60,000 for upgrades including police lights, sirens and a security phone.
‘Why is it that he says the streets are safe, but he still needs to up armor and get protection for his car? He’s making himself more important than the common folk,’ Luster said.
The mayor has defended the purchase, telling Fox 5: ‘The new vehicle is going to serve the same purpose as the old vehicle: to transport me around.
‘I think the residents of Baltimore will understand the governor of Maryland, the comptroller of Maryland, the county executives, we all have vehicles.’
Scott continued: ‘I think that it’s in particular funny that you guys are only asking me. I don’t remember [former Republican Governor] Larry Hogan ever being asked about whether we should upgrade his vehicle fleet.’
City Councilman Zac Blanchard also defended the mayor’s new ride.
‘I think buying a nicer SUV with relevant safety and communications enhancements twice a decade is pretty reasonable for a large city’s top elected official,’ Blanchard said.
But the Taxpayers Protection Alliance, a government watchdog, told Fox 5 the mayor’s purchase is not justifiable.
‘Spending more than $160,000 for a vehicle is not common sense,’ said the group’s president David Williams.
Scott has defended the purchase, but a government watchdog has deemed it unjustifiable
‘The mayor should be protected. The mayor should be comfortable, but you can achieve that for way less than $160,000. That’s why people get frustrated.
‘People are asked to sacrifice with higher taxes, higher fees, but the mayor? He doesn’t sacrifice. He’s able to buy a vehicle worth more than $160,000.’
Daily Mail reached out to Scott for comment on this story.
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