My Take on Baltimore City Council District 3 Candidate Forum - Entrepreneur Generations

I was out of town at the National Council of Teachers of English conference the night of the 3rd District City Council Candidate Forum on November 18, but have been able to watch the video on YouTube (video above). I have already come out in support of Ryan Dorsey, and have continued to be impressed by his candidacy, but my support isn’t blind; I still want to learn as much as possible about the race for my district's representative on City Council. The reasons for this are many: I want to confirm that my support for Mr. Dorsey is warranted, because incumbent Robert Curran needs to be out of office, due in large part to his steadfast support of the new Royal Farms super gas station on Harford Rd., something that every neighborhood association opposes and something that will increase the "Harford Rd. as highway for commuters" phenomenon that most residents dread, but also just because he’s a symbol of the cronyism and corruption that often fuels Baltimore politics. However, because there is blood in the water regarding Curran, the race to replace him has become crowded: there are six major candidates -- Ryan Dorsey, George Vanhook, Alicia Joynes, Jermaine Jones, and Marques Dent -- who are opposing Mr. Curran, many of them with impressive resumes. I worry about a canceling out of votes between different candidates, allowing Curran somehow to eek out a victory in April.

The forum was moderated by Mike Hilliard of Harbel and a retired Baltimore City police major; Ben Smith, VP of the Baltimore City Young Dems; and Calvin Young, Baltimore City mayor candidate.

Attending the Nov. 18th forum were Jermaine Jones, 31, who is becoming a perennial candidate for office in Baltimore. He ran for District 12 City Council in 2011, coming in 5th out of 7th candidates for City Council there. In 2014, he ran for Democratic Central Committee for the 45th district, receiving 4% of the vote. Now, in 2015, he is running for District 3, though his campaign publicly still is hosted at 1505 N. Bond Street, which is in District 12. Despite this incongruence, he is clearly the establishment candidate; the Best Democratic Club of Baltimore (an organization I generally like, in that it has helped foster great leaders like Shannon Sneed and Cory McRae) is supporting him, and unions have been knocking on doors for him due to Jones’ connection with a labor union.

He’s joined in the race by community activist Marques Dent, 31, who also ran for 45th District Central Committee in 2014 (in fact, I voted for him during that election) and received around 4% of the vote. According to the State Board of Elections, his mailing address is 1509 E. Chase St., so I’m also not sure about his actual residency. He seems like a good guy -- Air Force veteran, board member of the Northwood Baseball League, an organization I love -- to the point where I voted for him for District Central Committee last election, but, like Jones, I’m just not convinced he didn’t establish residency, or perhaps not, in our 3rd district in order to be be able to run for city council. He still owns 1509 E. Chase St. (which is in District 12) and it’s listed as his residence on SDAT; he received the homestead tax credit (meaning you have to live there) for that house in 2014. Does he live in the 3rd District or in District 12?

Alicia Joynes, 30, is another candidate, and the one I knew the least about at the outset of the race (and, still, actually). She is the President of the Perring Loch Community Association, and owns a house in the 3rd district which she, by all the ways I can check online, lives in. She is founder and of Beautiful Butterflies, Incorporated, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping girls from 8-16 navigate.

George Vanhook, 61, is also running. I know Mr. Vanhook a little bit, as I taught and coached one of his sons and worked in the city schools while he was a Baltimore City School board member. He’s done a lot in the city.

Ryan Dorsey, 34, is a lifelong Baltimore City resident, and grew up in District 3, where he owns a house less than a block from his parents. He is a community activist and small business owner, but plans to work full time as only a council person if he is elected; he plans on operating an office in the district that is accessible and open every day.

The following is a quick rundown of what was asked and said in the forum of these candidates. I did my best to write exact quotes of candidates, and sometimes summarized; I certainly have my biases, but tried my best to capture what was said. I also offer a “my take” after each question, which is my opinion about how each candidate fared on that particular question, plus my opinion about how the whole thing went at the end.

1) What is the community's biggest challenge, and what will you do to address it?

Dent -- Relationship between community and officers. He cites a baseball game he put together with kids and police that over 1000 people attended. Wants to increase accessibility and accountability of police forces. Uses example of Walther Ave. between 4pm and 8pm and residents talking to police about making that safer as example of how this works well.

Dorsey - Described the 3rd district as the safest in Baltimore City re: murder rates, which have stayed same this year versus last year, unlike rest of city. Looked broader, looking at housing, employment, and transportation with progressive policies. Introduce minimum wage to $15/hour. Continue work . If Belair-Edison had a median income of $90K, no one would be killing anybody else. Continue to call for removal of people who do nothing to better the lives of the citizens of Baltimore, like Bill Johnson of transportation and Paul Graziano of housing.

Jones - Burglary and Larson. Cited psychological effect of having someone in your home. Mis-spoke about number of residents in District 3, saying twice it was 1,000 or 1,030 residents, when other districts have "as little as" 40,000 residents. Not sure what numbers he meant there, but his point is that police should be disseminated more throughout the district because there's more people.

Joynes - Also cited burglary and larson.Wants to keep communities well-informed through e-mail and social media about problems.

Vanhook - Wants to bolster the school system, because, "Children who are not educated are a threat to themselves and their families. They break into houses because they do not have the skills to survive."

My take: I liked Dorsey’s encompassing answer about citywide problems of inequality, something that would feel right at home in my Divided Baltimore class. I think Jones’ response was a good one, although lost a bit in his mis-speaking of the numbers. Vanhook’s discussion of schools was an interesting take on the question, and well-founded. I thought both Dent and Joynes both lacked specificity on this particular question.

Question 2: What investments would make the largest improvement and quality of life for Hamilton/Lauraville community residents, and how would you accomplish it as our Council person?

Dorsey - "Harford Road should be considered one of the most vital commercial cooridors in Baltimore City. It needs to be redeveloped with a Complete Streets plan". Cited a plan to make Harford Rd.

Jones - Our children. Cited our district's large amount of children (25%). Would create world class schools and invest in rec centers.

Joynes - To develop a youth-led program to help older adults live independently and businesses stay in the community.

Vanhook - Talked about investing in children, but vaguely (had already addressed this earlier). Spoke mostly about putting residents in the "driver's seat" with decision making.  "Right now, with the way the incumbent is operating, you are so far away from the decision-making that it's like you don't even exist."

Dent - "We need to invest in our people." Gave specific idea of an anchor library, instead of the proposed Royal Farms. Citing the example on Eastern Avenue, it would be a community hub.

My take: I thought all of the candidates had very specific and exciting answers, except I thought Mr. Vanhook’s was too unspecific (though I did really appreciate his blunt criticism of Curran). Dorsey’s answer about Harford Rd. and Dent’s answer about a central hub of a library in the Royal Farms location were the most specific, but feel like Dorsey’s answer was more wide-reaching. I found Joynes’ idea to be interesting, but it seemed difficult to incorporate, and Jones’s answer was vague, something I think could be said in any district in the city.

3rd Question: How would you bring development to the Harford Road corridor?

Jones - Through incentives. Cited incentives for large corporations, but not small businesses. Wants to survey residents about what businesses we want in the area, and then seek them out.

Joynes - Facades grants to bring new development to the area, plus business equity loans and business investment programs. Response is read completely from paper.

Van Hook - Take advantage of existing resources. Utilize Hamilton-Lauraville Main Street, an "excellent organization not always fully utilized by area businesses." City agency for small businesses. Use Morgan State University for jobs and partnerships. Create a business roundtable.

Dent - Wants to attract more businesses to our "beautiful" and "vibrant" Harford Rd area. Providing seminars for financial funding of small businesses.

Dorsey - Will oppose all tax credits for harbor development, unless the awarding of such programs are accompanied with similar developments in our neighborhoods  "If Kevin Plank wants a $4- or $5-million handout to redevelop Port Covington, he’s going to have to pony up for bike lanes and Complete Streets infrastructural development up along Harford Rd.” Also, invest in artistic community to beautify community.

My Take: I thought Vanhook and Dorsey provided the best answers here, loving both Dorsey’s applause line about Kevin Plank, as well as Vanhook’s multi-point plan. Dorsey’s take on the injustice of tax credits for the inner harbor and Harbor East versus the neighborhoods is really what I’m feeling in my bones right now, and his answer excited me. Jones’ answer was similar, but much less specific. Dent and Joynes had similar answers, but Dent’s short response and Joynes’ reading from paper did not inspire confidence.

4th Question - What steps would you take to resolve the Hamilton community’s issues with vacant and nuisance properties?

Joynes - Start a database for community groups and members so that once identified, resources can be disseminated.

Vanhook - Use city agencies. Will hold Housing Department and housing agencies, such as HUD, accountable. Will make Vacants to Value program work better.

Dent - Over last 5 years, he has developed a strong working relationship with code enforcement.

Dorsey - is only candidate who has pledged to be the full time councilman, having no other job and  having an office in the district available all the time. Will address issues right away. Connect struggling residents with city services. Encourage artists to refurbish abandoned spaces and spur economic development.

Jones - Citywide, vacancy is at 14%. In District 3, it’s at 8%. We don’t have that big of an issue, but we have an opportunity here. Larger fines for owners of vacant homes, because right now it’s the same $50 fine for both individuals and corporations.

My take: I thought all candidates gave solid responses here. I connected the most with Dorsey’s pledge that he would be the only full-time council person, meaning he’s the only one who will take the $62,918 salary and not attempt to work another job, and instead have an office open every day in the district. I liked Vanhook’s consistent response about holding existing city agencies accountable, although he wasn’t specific about how he would hold them accountable. Jones’ idea about corporations and individuals receiving different fine amounts struck me as a bit small of an idea, but it was specific.

5th Question - What do you see as the greatest challenge faced by the district’s aging population, and what steps would you take to address it?

Vanhook - City agencies need to be held accountable. Need to approach seniors where they are,

Dent - implement estate planning, financial help with books. Wants to think about it wholistically.

Dorsey - The main challenge is growing old and wanting to remain in your home. (1) Nurse practictioner; an occupational therapist for concerns about remaining active; and a handyman to maintain a livable house. Public/private partnerships with Morgan State (nursing, public health students to address needs) and Mergenthaler and our unions could be a great partner in maintaining houses in livable conditions.

Jones - #1 issue is crime; #2 is being able to afford to live.Cites $1204/month for social security, and cites increase of rates for water and BGE.As a councilperson, would make sure there would be more resources. When it comes time for cuts, would make sure that our youth and our elderly will never have their resources cut.

Joynes - Summarized a lot of concerns of older residents, and would help seniors enter and navigate existing services that many seniors don’t know about. The response is completely read off a piece of paper.

My take - All of the candidates except one are in their 30s, and I think they all had a difficult time with this question about old people, but, then, so would I. I don’t feel like I know enough about the topic to even judge the answers to this question. Dorsey’s 3-point answer, using his mom’s paper, was specific, and implementation seems plausible, with connection to Mervo and Morgan State. I found responses by Dent, Jones, and Joynes to have some merit, but to be painted with too broad of strokes, and found Vanhook’s answer about continued accountability of city agencies to be too similar to his other answers. I wonder what aged people thought about all these answers? Honestly not very sure here.

6th Question: What is the most significant challenge you anticipate in engaging residents and their associations from the council office, and how do you plan to address it?

Dent - Face-to-face relationships are the most important part of building relationships.

Dorsey - The most important part of communication is being present. Has been attending neighborhood association meetings month after month. Committed to having an office in the district and no other job while councilman. District meetings to ask residents about what sort of legislation should come out of the 3rd district, which he says is the “most broadly middle class district in the city” and “the only district without a food desert.” This, he argues, provides an opportunity; the 3rd district can “stand together behind progression legislation… and really be a beacon of democratic ideals.”

Jones - Getting people to believe in the city again. Last election, only 5000 out of 23000 voters bothered to vote for their city council. Will engage in quick communication back to residents so they start to believe again.

Joynes - Most significant challenge is adequate means of communication - social media not most effective for communicating with seniors. Community events and paper communication.

Vanhook - “The incumbent has engendered a culture of mistrust.” Through facemail, through facebook, through Twitter, whatever way we can. We need to establish relationship and build trust. Advisory Board with representatives from all community organizations so we can talk to each other and learn from each other, because that’s what makes us strong.

My take: Dorsey’s answer to this question was inspiring to me, about the 3rd district becoming a beacon of progressive ideas. Vanhook’s answer also had some inspiring moments, as well as clear criticism of Curran. Jones’ answer had a very solid thesis but lacked specifics about how he would engage in the communication. Joynes and Dent, particularly the latter, were not specific enough on this answer.

7th (and final) Question: Are you familiar with any youth-oriented projects or organizations in the Harford Rd corridor, and which do you find most important, or most promising, and why?

Dorsey - Discussed H.L. Sprouts and Northeast Community Partnership. Doesn’t want to choose one, because we need to be bolstering all of our youth programs, but cites pickup games on North Harford parks where kids play even though one rim is half a foot lower than the other, “next to baseball fields where I played as a child… that hasn’t existed since 2005” and no programming or advocacy for the rec center there since 2009 .

Jones - The H.L. Sprouts program. Likes that it’s a locally based program, volunteer-based, and starts with young children.

Joynes - Sports programs such as Hamilton Youth Baseball League. Cites her own creation of Beautiful Butterflies, a mentoring program for girls 8-16 years old. Harford Rd corridor is on the short list for expansion.

Vanhook - Northwood Baseball League. All of his sons went through the league, even though none of them could play baseball very well. “We Imagine” program

Dent - Cites being chairman on the board of the Northwood Baseball League; he played there as well. D.E.N.T. group providing school supplies for 3 schools. 42 grants over the last 3 years.

My take: Joynes and Dent, who I thought overall were on the lower end of responses for most questions, gave their best answers here, mostly because it’s clear they are heavily involved in the organizations they are a part of. I’m a big fan of the Northwood Baseball League, so liked hearing that Dent has been part of the organization for 25 years; Joynes is even more impressive, as her Beautiful Butterflies organization seems pretty awesome (and she’s engaging, especially when she’s not reading a response). I liked hearing Dorsey pivot back to the issue of rec centers, and both Vanhook and Jones were able to discuss youth programs as well.

Overall, I still remain most excited about Dorsey’s candidacy. His vision for the district remains the most specific, but his progressive vision for the entire city has an inspiring urgency to it. I thought Vanhook performed well, with his passionate rhetoric and some specific plans. Jones showed some strong general knowledge about the city but less about the district, which is a concern for me, as he’s an experienced candidate at this point in his 3rd race, but am not sure of his specific commitment to the district. Both Dent and Joynes struck me as good people who were a little raw on occasion in terms of delivery; Dent was sometimes hard to follow, whereas Joynes read too much from the paper until the end. My concerns about the residency of both Jones and Dent remain strong. However, I am happy that one of them will be replacing Robert Curran, as each has displayed progressive values that will serve the district better than Curran does. I just hope it’s Dorsey.

I look forward to another candidate's forum soon! Great things are coming to District 3.

from Epiphany in Baltimore http://ift.tt/1XEZJNT My Take on Baltimore City Council District 3 Candidate Forum - Entrepreneur Generations

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