"I am a third generation West Baltimorean, a U.S. Coast Guard veteran, and a lifelong community advocate. For years, I've managed non-profit organizations geared to helping homeless and vulnerable populations in Baltimore. I've learned, first hand, the policy barriers and the financial impediments to making a better Baltimore. Like many Baltimoreans, I've had enough with the smooth talk; I want real change."
PLAN OF ACTION
EDUCATION
1. Hold contractors accountable to cost overruns, which mismanage funds coming from the 160 state-funded capital grants (that total nearly a half-billion dollars)
2. Support a state audit of the Baltimore City Public School System to identify and eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse; Reduce the current 7 administrator per student ratio (i.e., administrative bloat).
3. Establish private sector-public school partnerships to ensure opportunities to combine academics with paid work.
INFRASTRUCTURE & AFFORDABLE HOUSING
1. Develop Investment Prospectuses that unveil the distinctive assets and advantages of selected Opportunity Zones (e.g., strategic location, land availability, anchor institutions) and tease out specific investable projects and propositions.
2. Establish private-public partnerships to provide short-term financing for families to make necessary repairs to homes and reduce the number of dilapidated/condemned homes
HEALTH
1.Work with academic/non-profit/business community stakeholders to expand adult dental care for Medicaid recipients
2. Promote a culture that respects and protects life, particularly for vulnerable communities and the unborn.
3. Advocate to allow WIC & EBT users online ordering & delivery options linked to local groceries stores/markets; this would help vulnerable folks and help small businesses.
TRANSPORTATION
1. Eliminate high fines for public transportation users who do not have correct change or not enough change; this is a poor person tax.
2. Propose study on costs associated with increased traffic congestion--specifically costs on businesses (inventory costs, logistics costs, reliability costs) to get more buy-in from area businesses and “riders by choice”, i.e. passengers who own cars and could drive if they wanted to.
CRIME AND PUBLIC SAFETY
1. Demand public reporting/monitoring of police response rates and arrests/convictions for perpetrators of violent crimes. Baltimore City has an average police response time of 16 minutes--way too long.
2. Ramp up community-based diversion programs for first time, non-violent offenders.
3. Advocate for victim's rights by promoting stricter state/federal statutes for witness/victim intimidation