Howard County Council District 3

A: To clean out special interest influence from the District 3 seat. My opponent Christiana Rigby votes consistently in favor or special interests and is harming our county considerably. I plan to work for the people and prioritize things like school funding, air quality, and economic stability for the residents rather than corporate or special interests. Christiana Rigby also seems to be allied with AIPAC-serving members of Congress like Rep. Sara Elfreth, which explains a lot. AIPAC certainly prioritizes it’s agenda over the interests of the American people, so it is critical the county votes out Christiana Rigby in the June 23rd democratic primary.

A: Cleaning out special interest influence, because if this is done a lot of other priorities like education budgets, fair zoning, etc. will begin to fall in place better. What we need most in this county is ethical decision-making, not insider experience. Insider experience are what county staff and subject matter experts are for. Elected officials are chosen for their principled leadership, and cycled out often with term limits to keep the freshest (non-insider) perspectives in those seats.

A: Yes, many! Christiana Rigby has voted to allow WR Grace to burn plastics near residential areas, or areas zoned for light industrial. She has voted against age-in-place supporting policies, inclusionary zoning for affordable housing, against adequately funding school budgets, and against residents seeking relief from large corporate interests to name a few.

A: It’s role is to strongly fund school capital and operating budgets, to make it affordable for educators to live in our county near the schools they work at, to fully fund the deferred maintenance backlog, to retain the best educators, to fully fund special education, to improve our Gifted & Talented program, to improve school safety, to allow teachers the right to strike to express themselves in areas we’re failing at funding, to fix the school capacity issue so class conditions are optimal and parents don’t have to deal with craziness of frequent school redistricting, and more.

A: We have limited land in many areas and that’s a fact. There are factors outside of county control that need to be resolved to deal with this issue, but there are some things the county can do. We can’t sacrifice the quality of life for people who already bought homes in our county so we have to be fair to them while reducing housing pressures where we can. We can increase the inclusionary zoning percentage in current and new communities, we need to virtually do away with fee-in-lieu as an easy out for affordable housing quotas, we need to look at underutilized commercial areas for conversion to residential, we need to better funding our affordable Housing Trust Fund, we need to look at reducing or eliminating large corporations from buying and owning residential properties in our county, we need more accessible age-in-place property tax credits, we need more living wage labor jobs, and we need to work with the state govt and lobby the federal government build interstate high speed rail to expand the commutable distance so we can open up access to land further out (even outside the county).

A: I have four top priorities for District 3: Lowering Costs and Increasing Affordability, Building Connected and Accessible Neighborhoods, Empowering our Education System, and Creating Cleaner, Greener Communities.

On affordability, I will continue working to keep regulations clear and straightforward, attract responsible investment, and explore innovative ways to reduce everyday costs, like helping residents and businesses access more affordable energy options.In our neighborhoods, I will continue working toward a future where residents of all income levels can thrive in our community. I will continue working to streamline regulations, preserve affordability, and ensure new housing meets the needs of a growing, diverse community.For our schools, I will continue to fight for sensible, sustainable tax structures that create stable County revenues and allow HCPSS to thrive. With reliable funding in place, Howard County can continue implementing the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, making critical investments in teacher salaries and retention, universal pre-kindergarten, career and technical education, and more. I will also continue to prioritize school construction funding in the capital budget to expand capacity and ensure every student learns in safe, modern, world-class facilities.For our environment and future, I believe our policies must target the biggest sources of emissions, while making clean energy more accessible and affordable for residents. By doing so, we can build a more sustainable Howard County that works for our residents.Howard County is a special place to live. We are home to outstanding schools, beautiful parks, walkable and bikeable neighborhoods, and a diverse community where people from all backgrounds contribute to our shared success. I love this community, and I am committed to ensuring Howard County remains a place where everyone can live, work, play, learn, and thrive.

A: My top priority for the County is to expand our tax base by growing our population. At its core, this means building new housing. Housing, particularly apartments, generates more tax dollars for the County compared to single-family housing. The people living in these apartments also tend to use less County resources. We can do this replacing underused parking lots and aging buildings near transit stations like Annapolis Junction. These policies are supported by Howard County’s General Development Plan, which explains where and how we should grow over the next ten years. It is our responsibility to support and advocate for the implementation of these policies.

A: The vote that weighs on me most is CR40-2026, legislation I championed that would have created a revolving loan fund modeled on the proven tools used in Montgomery County and across Maryland. That fund was designed to support disability income housing, help aging homeowners adapt their homes so they can remain in community, and expand affordable homeownership.

Through the amendment process, it was narrowed so significantly that it will not function as intended. That is a real missed opportunity for real people in our community.I share this not to assign blame, but because transparency is a core commitment of mine. The lesson I take forward is that we need deeper community education about these financial tools — how revolving loan funds work, who they serve, and why they cost less in the long run than the status quo. I’m committed to bringing that coalition together in the next term to get this right.

A: The Council’s role in supporting education in Howard County is by funding the Howard County Public School System. This is a huge responsibility that I take very seriously.

Despite large increases in County funding, State mandates are expanding (without additional state funding), forcing the school system to cut existing programs to fund new ones. That is unfair to students, educators, and families. These changes are pushing the boundaries of the County’s budget and we need to create a plan that supports HCPSS and increased funding needs. We can do this by building new housing. Every new home and person in the County increases our tax base. I am a strong advocate for moving beyond our one-size-fits-all approach and implementing Howard County’s General Development Plan. That means encouraging housing in designated growth areas, prioritizing unit types that generate strong tax dollars without overcrowding schools, and replacing the reactive emergency budget cycle with a proactive, multi-year funding strategy. Schools thrive when the County grows thoughtfully and has the funds to meet the needs of children inside and outside of the school building.

A: To address the housing shortage in Howard County, we must first all recognize that we do indeed have a housing shortage. Then, we need to stop blocking housing from being built. Even smaller projects like replacing aging homes or adding accessory apartments face years of red-tape and uncertain outcomes. This worsens the housing crisis and has led to the rise of home purchase prices and skyrocketing rents.

To fix this, we need to streamline permitting and cut red-tape. We should fund our inclusionary zoning tools (a revolving loan fund, LIHTC partnerships, PILOTs, etc.) so that affordable units get built. And we should embrace the housing diversity our County’s General Development Plan already endorses like backyard apartments, mixed-use buildings near transit, smaller starter homes, and housing that lets seniors stay in their communities.When housing works, everything else works better too. Schools get more stable funding, the local economy is stronger, and the County becomes a place where people of all ages can afford to live and stay.