Every citizen within the Baltimore City limits should be outraged. They should be outraged at the fact that the mayor is willing to endanger their security and safety with large cuts and shutdowns of the Baltimore City police and fire departments ("Deep cuts for city's budget," March 18).

While Mayor Stephanie C. Rawlings-Blake is proposing cuts to departments ensuring public safety, she is leaving millions upon millions of dollars in grants in the budget. The programs supported by the grants are all worthy causes. However, in times of crisis, you just have to say no. When a normal person has to tighten their budget, do they decide not to get the brakes on their car fixed in order to make a $300 charitable donation? Of course not. Safety should always come first.

These programs netting free money should be the ones put on furlough, not the police and fire departments.

Brian Fitzpatrick, Baltimore