- inclusive –for all our cultures, races, ages;
- affordable –for a range of incomes, housing types and lifestyles; and
- sustainable—for our climate, environment, and fiscal health.
The Next Two Years
Here’s what I think we need to do on some of the major upcoming city issues.
Housing:
Protect current lower income tenants.
Improve rental building quality.
Encourage new missing-middle and senior housing.
Review plans for former hospital site when they’re proposed.
Safer Streets:
Base traffic calming and sidewalk decisions on safety data (the newly adopted process).
Continue to push SHA for safety actions on state roads within the City.
Guide ward 2 requests through the new process (such as lower Flower, Lincoln/Boyd).
Climate:
Focus city programs on residents and buildings needing the most help, and collaborate with the county and others on policies.
Expand City resiliency efforts.
Seek funding for the stormwater projects recommended by the LIDC study.
City Budget and Fiscal Health:
Find a way to revitalize the recreation center.
Develop additional sources of revenue.
Continue to balance City revenues, budget and services.
Maintain a level property tax rate, and push for targeted tax credits.
Allocate remaining ARPA dollars to benefit all our community.
Support healthy small businesses.
The Past Few Years
No one council member gets things done alone. Here’s some of our city successes that I played a large part in.
Sustainable:
- Introduced ban on gas-powered leaf blowers.
- Helped develop City multifamily electrification and repair program, building on City 2020 climate action framework and earlier climate plan I supported.
- Serve as council liaison to the City’s Sustainable MD committee.
- Pushed for LIDC stormwater study of flood-prone areas.
- Working for safer streets through a new data-driven city process for traffic calming and new sidewalks, 2022 policy resolution setting new direction.
- Advocated for stop signs at Elm & Ethan Allen, at Garland & Davis, and new sidewalk on Belford Ave.
- Pushing SHA for more attention to pedestrian issues and for Carroll Ave/Flower Ave intersection improvements.
- Authored City testimony on state climate and environment bills affecting the City, served on council legislative working group.
- Funded tree planting, part of the urban forest management plan and tree ordinance revisions I worked to pass pre-COVID.
Affordable:
- Wrote 2023 budget policy resolution to examine budgeting assumptions, require regular reporting, expand revenue sources.
- Advocated for 2 state bills for low-income residential property tax credits (one of 2 bills passed).
- Coordinated council’s search group to recruit and hire current City Manager, who has extensive budget and fiscal experience.
- Support City housing strategic plan goals--protect tenants, preserve current housing, provide new housing—with programs, policies and funding.
- Supported adoption of the MMPA, as one tool to address barriers to create more housing, and pushed for greater attention to protecting current tenants.
Inclusive:
- Send out weekly council updates to residents and actively reach out to those less engaged.
- Support library renovation to improve library services for all our residents, and worked to include energy efficiency measures.
- Building effective City committees that represent our full community.
- Approved targeted COVID recovery programs, such as food security, multifamily building improvement and electrification, rental assistance, mental health crisis counselors with police, and $1.4m direct cash assistance to 1400 households.
- Consider equity for all residents in all my major decisions.
- Collaborate with the County and regional and national groups to further City goals, identify funding, and stay current on issues, including:
- Metro Washington Council of Governments Climate Energy & Environment Policy Committee,
- National League of Cities Board (former NLC committee chair for energy & natural resources),
- MD Municipal League Board and
- Chesapeake Bay local government advisory committee.
