Candidate for Baltimore City Council 12th District

A: No, I don’t support the ballot measure that would reduce the size of the council from 14 to 8. I don’t support this ballot measure because, ultimately, it will hurt the quality of service residents receive. Each councilmanic is sized to have about 44,000 residents, and if we cut the districts down to eight, that would bring each district’s size to about 77,000. One of the primary responsibilities of a council person is ensuring that city services are delivered to residents, and in a city like Baltimore, which has infrastructure challenges due to deferred maintenance, trying to manage a district of 77,000 residents can be a lot for one person to manage.

A: To address the affordable housing crisis in Baltimore, we must attack it from many angles, legislatively and financially, and by educating the community. Legislatively, I would like us to strengthen tenant rights and protections against unjust evictions, discrimination, and substandard living conditions and establish an Affordable Housing Trust Fund to provide dedicated funding for affordable housing initiatives. Financially, we must provide tax incentives and offer low-interest loans or grants to developers and nonprofit organizations for affordable housing projects. Lastly, we need to engage and educate the community by going directly into neighborhoods and informing residents of new affordable housing initiatives and protections. When an affordable housing project is proposed, I will ensure that tenants and community members are involved in planning and decision making.

A: One of a council person’s primary powers/responsibilities is passing legislation. I would use this authority to pass legislation that will place a higher property tax rate on vacant properties that have been sitting. This will encourage those who sit on vacant properties to sell or renovate them to be rented. Currently, Baltimore City does not have the authority to do this, but there’s legislation getting passed this session in Annapolis that will grant Baltimore City the authority.

A: Yes, I support the proposed plan at Harborplace only under the condition that the developer enters into a community workforce agreement with the city, ensuring that a portion of the construction jobs will go to city residents and that the jobs generated from the project include health benefits and family-supporting wages. I understand that what currently sits there doesn’t help our city, and the Harborplace development has the potential to be a tremendous opportunity for both the city and its residents. But I also know that all development doesn’t benefit our communities, and having a community workforce agreement will ensure it is.

A: One bill I would like to introduce during my first year of the next term is to require Community Workforce Agreements on all large-scale development projects requesting financial assistance from the city. I chose this bill because I’ve come across too many development projects that TIFFs or PILOTs from the city have supported, but when you look at who is working on them, you will see that there are only a few Baltimore City residents. Residents and young adults in my district would like an opportunity to work on this project, and requiring a community workforce agreement will help make that happen.

A: No, I don’t support the Renew Baltimore efforts to cut property tax because it has the potential to cripple our city services during a time when it’s already struggling to manage. The plan is to make up for the lost revenue by increasing the number of new residents who anticipate coming to Baltimore due to lowering the property tax rate. The problem is that there are no clawbacks or plans in place if the increase of residents never happens, thus having the potential to cripple our city financially.

A: I am still deciding whether to resign from my current employer if I become a City Council member. Currently, my position as chief of staff/political engagement director of LiUNA Local 710 is my only source of income.

A: One thing the council could do better to support young people is to engage them, meet them where they are, and provide them with the support they need. If we fail to engage our young people, we risk potentially losing them for good, and the sooner we commit to engaging, the easier it will be. I would first provide families with access to resources, information, and support networks to address the diverse needs and challenges of raising young children and fostering healthy child development and well-being. We also need to address our young people and wellness issues by collaborating with health care providers, public health agencies, and community organizations to raise awareness, provide education, and advocate for policies and practices that prioritize and support early childhood health and wellness because it’s easier to build stronger children than to heal broken men.

A: Voters should elect me because District 12 needs a council person willing to do the work. I’ve been working to make Baltimore better for my entire adult life by fighting for our neighborhoods and working people, and when elected, I will continue to do so on the City Council.