1. Please describe your educational and professional background and how it has prepared you to serve on the City Council.
I am a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania (B.A. History) and the University of Maryland Law School (J.D.). I have lived near Martin Luther King and Washington Boulevards since 1980--since 1997 as a homeowner in the Barre Circle section of Pigtown and before that for 17 years as a renter in Ridgely's Delight. I served 6 years as President of Citizens of Pigtown. I have also been a member of the Democratic Central Committee a Vice-President of Congregation Kol HaLev and a Board Member of the Friends of the Enoch Pratt Free Library. I am a commuting, shopping and recreational bicyclist.
Professionally, I work for the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation, reviewing corporate and other entity filings. I serve on the Department's Labor-Management Committee, representing fellow members of the Maryland Professional Employees Council, AFT-MD, AFL-CIO. I have extensive experience in Child In Need of Assistance (CINA) matters, first as a private attorney and then in the Office of the Public Defender. I have also been employed with the U.S. Small Business Administration, working with both regular business loans and disaster loans. Immediately after law school, I was a VISTA Attorney with the National Center for Law and the Deaf.
2. Why do you want to serve on the council? What would your top priorities be if you are elected?
I am committed to public service, as was my father, a federal government attorney, and my mother, a teacher and committed volunteer. While still in high school I chaired a social action weekend for my youth group.
My top priorities will be:
a. Great constituent service
b. Making City Government work better
c. Creative ideas. One idea is that Baltimore's Visitor Center should have brochures available in a variety of foreign languages. My major creative idea, which influences many of my answers, is my One State, One Rate! property tax proposal, described in #6, below.
3. Do you support Baltimore's current crime-fighting strategy? What changes, if any, would you advocate for to improve public safety in the city?
Our police must be adequately supported to do their job but not at the expense of other government programs such as schools, recreation, and substance abuse treatment. My One State, One Rate! proposal will allow reasonable funding of all of our needs, see #6, below.
4. Do you support the recent reforms in the Baltimore City school system? Do you believe any changes are needed in the schools' governance structure (such as direct mayoral control or an elected school board)?
Despite the testing problems at George Washington Elementary School, where my neighborhood votes, I hope and believe progress is being made in our schools. Democracy and the possibility of someday having an anti-City Governor, points towards Baltimore City controlling its school board, preferably with at least some elected members.
5. How would you address the city's backlog in school maintenance and renovations, estimated to be as much as $2 billion?
My One State, One Rate! proposal will provide the necessary funds, see #6 below.
6. Property taxes have become a major issue in this year's election. Do you believe the city's tax rate needs to be cut? If so, by how much, and what steps would you take to keep the city's budget in balance while lowering the rate?
I am the author of One State, One Rate! a revenue-neutral proposal to end Maryland's subsidy of rich jurisdictions through the property tax system. I suggest that the State of Maryland should tax all of its citizens with the same property tax rate, put the proceeds into one fund, and, at least initially, distribute the funds to counties (including Baltimore City) according to population. This will cut Baltimore City's tax rate over 50% while increasing our resources. This idea will benefit not only Baltimore City, but approximately 55% of all Marylanders.
7. The city has faced large budget shortfalls in recent years. If that trend continues, what top priorities would you protect from cuts? In what areas would you pursue spending reductions?
Pending implementation of my One State, One Rate! proposal, which can not happen immediately, I will fight to protect the interests of my constituents, who are mostly not rich, rather than focusing on proposals to subsidize the wealthy in the hope benefits trickle-down to the residents of the 10th District. F7I would encourage the City's Annapolis Delegation to aggressively pursue more State funds on the realization that Baltimore City has long subsidized other Marylanders.
8. Baltimore has lost tens of thousands of jobs in the last decade. What would you do to encourage economic development and provide employment opportunities for city residents?
My One State One Rate! proposal will greatly enhance business opportunities in the City by reducing the real property and possibly personal property tax rates. In addition, for 17 years as a Charter Specialist I have noted the lack of coordination between SDAT's Charter Section, the U.S. Small Business Administration, the Department of Economic Development, the Comptroller, and other relevant agencies. I hope to foster such coordination, and in particular offer assistance to City entrepreneurs when they start their businesses.