Bill Henry is an American politician serving as the Comptroller of Baltimore City since December 2020. As Comptroller, he serves on the Baltimore City Board of Estimates and oversees the Baltimore City Comptroller's Office, which includes the Departments of Audits, Accounts Payable, Real Estate, Telecommunications, the Municipal Post Office, and the Executive Office. Before being elected Comptroller, Henry represented Baltimore's Fourth District on the Baltimore City Council from 2007 to 2020.
Early life and education Bill Henry received a bachelor's degree in social and behavioral sciences, with concentrations in urban studies and public policy, from Johns Hopkins University. He later earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a concentration in finance from Loyola University Maryland.
Career
Baltimore City Council Henry was elected to the Baltimore City Council in 2007 to represent the Fourth District. During his tenure, he served on multiple committees and focused on issues including fiscal oversight, neighborhood development, environmental sustainability, transportation, and government accountability.
Baltimore City Comptroller Henry was elected Baltimore City Comptroller in the 2020 general election and assumed office in December 2020. As Comptroller, he serves as a member of the Baltimore City Board of Estimates, which reviews and approves major municipal contracts, expenditures, and property transactions.
The Comptroller's Office is responsible for promoting fiscal accountability, transparency, and responsible stewardship of public resources. Under Henry's leadership, the office has overseen departments responsible for audits, accounts payable, real estate, telecommunications, and other administrative functions that support Baltimore City government.
Elections
2020 In September 2019, Henry announced his candidacy for Baltimore City Comptroller, challenging incumbent Joan Pratt, who had held the office since 1995. Henry campaigned on increasing government transparency, strengthening fiscal oversight, modernizing the Comptroller's Office, expanding public access to financial information.
Henry won the Democratic party (United States) primary on June 2, 2020, defeating Pratt. Because no Republican candidate filed to run for the office, he was unopposed in the general election and was elected Comptroller. He was sworn into office on December 8, 2020.
2024 Henry sought a second term as Baltimore City Comptroller in the 2024 election. He was unopposed in both the Democratic primary and the general election, and was re-elected to a second term.
Tenure Since taking office, Henry has focused on increasing transparency, modernizing the Comptroller's Office, and strengthening oversight of municipal spending. Early in his administration, he implemented the recommendations of a transition committee that emphasized ethics, procurement reform, and improvements to the Department of Audits and Real Estate.
As Comptroller, Henry serves on the Baltimore City Board of Estimates and the Board of Finance. He also serves on several other city boards and commissions, including the Architectural and Engineering Commission, the Hotel Corporation, the Biennial Audits Oversight Commission, and the Boards of Trustees for the City's pension systems.
Electoral History +Baltimore City Comptroller Democratic Primary Victories Election Votes Percentage Opponent 2020 Democratic Primary74,13554.7Defeated Joan Pratt (61,388; 45.3%) 2024 Democratic Primary 74,131100 (unopposed)None
+Baltimore City Comptroller Election 2020Party Candidate Votes % Democratic Joan Pratt 206,919 98.7
+Baltimore City Comptroller Election 2024Party Candidate Votes % Democratic Re-elected 171,993 98.87
References
External links https://www.baltimorecity.gov/comptroller https://billhenry.com/about/ Comptroller of Baltimore