By Yael T. Abouhalkah, Kansas City Star Editorial Page columnist

For all critics of KC Mayor Mark Funkhouser (that's most of us anymore), a timely reminder: At least he isn't facing criminal charges right now.

But some other large-city mayors are. The latest: Maryland officials Friday filed corruption charges against Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon.

Dixon allegedly lied to investigators and used gift cards for her own purchases, though the cards reportedly were donated to City Hall to go to needy families.

She also allegedly received improper gifts from a developer and former boyfriend, Ron Lipscomb.

According to WBAL TV in Baltimore:

Dixon is also being accused of accepting gifts without disclosing them from Lipscomb, whom she admitted to once having a personal relationship. At the time, Lipscomb was also lobbying for tax credits for his projects. The gifts listed in the indictment include a $2,000 gift certificate at a local fur store, thousands of dollars in travel and lodging expenses in New York and Chicago and several thousand dollars for a shopping spree in Chicago at stores like Saks Fifth Avenue, Giorgio and Coach.

On Friday Dixon said: "I will not let these charges deter me from keeping Baltimore on the path that we have set, or from carrying forward the significant progress we have made thus far."

Dixon becomes at least the second large-city mayor charged with corruption in recent months.

As I wrote in December, Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford was charged with receiving more than $236,000 in expensive clothes, designer watches and cash to pay his personal debt.