Anne Arundel County Executive

A: I believe that County Executive Pittman has done an outstanding job. He inherited a county that had been chronically underinvested in for a long time and has done the hard work of turning the ship around and steering it in the right direction. He has professionalized local government, and made it more transparent and accessible to county residents. He has strengthened our environmental regulations and was also the first Administration to really invest in affordable housing. There is still more work to do and I am excited to build off of the foundation that the Pittman Administration has laid.

One thing I would have done differently would have been to update early in his first term how we require private developers to invest in our transportation infrastructure as they build and to update our impact fee structure to make sure that new development is actually paying for itself. These have both been efforts made late in his second term. If these had been addressed early in term one we could have delivered a stronger policy and them being in place would positively impact how our residents react to the need for more housing. I would have bought Discovery Village.

A: Traffic/Transportation, Education, the Environment.

We need to change how traffic studies are handled during the development process. Currently, the traffic engineers performing the studies work for the developer. The county should be the one contracting to get the traffic studies done. This would give us a more accurate understanding of the infrastructure upgrades that should accompany new development. We also need to invest in local bike/pedestrian connections to help get people out of their cars and the cars off the street. You should have the option of walking/biking to destinations close to your home. We need to pay our teachers assistants, technical support assistants, and other educational support professionals a living wage so we can fill vacancies. We also need to make our pay scale more competitive for our veteran teachers, and to invest in more positions to decrease class sizes and caseloads for our special educators. We need to pursue a true no-net-loss forest policy, create a permanent funding source for land preservation, be leaders in renewable energy generation, and invest in making our communities resilient to climate change and sea level rise while creating local jobs. Public safety and affordability round out my list of priorities.

A: Anne Arundel County was “caught unaware” because wording was changed decades ago in an agreement between us and neighboring counties that share a sewage system — but that change was never implemented. Recently, a neighboring county enforced that decades-old change. The sudden change in enforcement of this agreement meant that Anne Arundel no longer had capacity for additional sewage to enter the pipes connected to this system. Because the agreement with our neighboring counties essentially changed overnight, there wasn’t the ability to responsibly plan for additional sewage capacity — as regularly happens for all of the systems that Anne Arundel County operates.

When elected I will order a review of all similar agreements with our neighbors to make sure that there’s no other decades-old change that could sneak up on us, and will support the work being done on our system to increase our capacity and make us less reliant on our neighbors.

A: Anne Arundel County does not have enough housing that our residents can afford, specifically. I do not believe that we can just build our way out of this crisis if what we are building are luxury condos or single-family homes that start in the mid-$900,000s.

My Administration will work to make sure that what gets built is targeted to the affordability needs of our residents. Voters can trust that I will deliver on this because I’m the only candidate using the Public Campaign Finance system. This means I’m taking no special interest money at all, including none from the development lobby. We need to be innovative with our development, and make it easier to build smaller. To build starter homes and ones that our older residents can age-in-place in. We need to demand that a higher percentage of homes in market-rate developments are affordable. We can do this by modernizing and creating efficiencies in our permitting process. We should treat affordable housing as county infrastructure, and use the bonding authority of the county to create a large pool of capital that can be lent out to help fund the projects that are truly delivering for our residents.

A: What happens on the land happens to the water. The best thing we can do for our waterways and natural environment is to have a firm commitment to building in a way that responsibly balances the economic development and affordability needs of our residents with a firm commitment to environmental stewardship. As the only candidate using public campaign financing I am best positioned to ensure that our environment is prioritized and this balance actually happens.

I will pursue a true no-net-loss forest policy, create a permanent funding source for land preservation, be leaders in renewable energy generation, and invest in making our communities resilient to climate change and sea level rise. When we preserve land, we must be committed to it being open to the public in a way that is sustainable both to the land and to the surrounding communities. That can only occur through robust community engagement in which our communities have a real seat at the table. But public access to public lands — whether our forests or our shorelines — must be increased. As more people experience the joy of being in nature they become more committed to voting for politicians and policies that further environmental conservation.

A: I believe that Steuart Pittman has not lived up to his earlier campaign promises in an equitable fashion. One example is how his administration has remained silent regarding Freetown’s concerns of being exploited by private developers following the County’s ‘apology’ for slavery. It is quite ironic that Freetown was the first neighborhood in Maryland settled by freed slaves, yet despite OPZ’s recommendation in Plan 2040 to maintain the area for neighborhood preservation, zoning changes have been allowed to move forward. Furthermore, the County has abdicated its responsibility to environmental stewardship by approving plans to build on wetlands. While Freetown may be in a district that did not collectively vote for him, the County Executive has a responsibility to represent all districts equally.

A: ​1. Prioritizing Affordability

Affordability is a national crisis felt locally. While some factors are outside local control, we must advance every policy with affordability in mind. From housing to transit, our government must be intentional about reducing cost-of-living burdens on our families.​

2. Infrastructure & Development Balance

The recent development moratorium proves that officials have neglected infrastructure while claiming credit for new growth. Greenlighting projects without developer accountability has led to congestion and overcrowded schools. My “North Star” is reducing classroom sizes to no more than 20 students — a goal only achievable if we prioritize sustainable, Smart Growth policies over rapid expansion.​

3. Public Safety & Community Integration

Improper planning strains essential services, harming response times and resource allocation. Beyond funding, I prioritize better training and integrating law enforcement into our neighborhoods. Consistent patrol units with deep community connections can make the difference between a young person being steered back on track or becoming another statistic. We need a safety model built on trust and presence, not just statistics.

A: ​I would question our zoning and development practices. We need to get back to Smart Growth Principles that balance infrastructure and development. I have been advocating for this for the past 2½ years because recent legislation seriously lacks this balance — so much so that the traffic and infrastructure strains we are seeing now are only going to increase exponentially if we don’t address it responsibly and soon. This is a perfect example of our elected officials wanting to “have their cake and eat it too,” and it is finally catching up with the County. We can do a better job balancing infrastructure and development if there is the genuine will to do so.

A: ​I would continue to strategically advocate for an increase in the housing supply to set our residents — both current and new — up for success. While we must make housing affordable, the work doesn’t stop at simply building supply; we need that supply in areas that are not solely car-dependent. Transportation costs are a significant part of a household budget, and for car-dependent households, that expense is even more burdensome. The regressive nature of car ownership costs particularly hurts our most economically sensitive neighbors. I would incentivize and prioritize additional housing opportunities in transit-friendly corridors and near job centers. I would also like to examine opportunities in existing commercial corridors that are seeing increased vacancies, looking to leverage those areas for additional housing.

A: I have had the opportunity to listen to dozens of hours of public testimony regarding Discovery Village, and I genuinely sympathize with the advocates. It has been both educational and informative. The fact that this site provides the only public access for boat slips in a county with hundreds of miles of shoreline is disappointing; we can do better. We must take a hard look at our zoning and planning requirements to ensure that developers are truly minimizing their footprint. This requires an accurate, honest representation of our wetlands and watersheds. Moving forward, we must leverage developer incentives with much greater accountability to ensure our environment and public resources are protected.

A: I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished over the last eight years. In 2018, I flipped my seat on the council from Red to Blue, giving us a 4-3 Democratic majority. That Democratic coalition has delivered real results, like investing historic levels of funding into our education system, protecting our greenspaces and waterways, and setting our county up for success with a triple A bond rating and balanced budgets. But there’s so much more work to be done.

Under my administration, Anne Arundel County will lead the way on innovative solutions to our biggest challenges like tackling the affordability crisis and protecting our residents from Trump. Recent data shows our county has been voluntarily handing over more undocumented residents to ICE per capita via our County Detention Center than any other large county in Maryland. The lack of attention to detail when it comes to protecting our most vulnerable neighbors from ICE is something I would change on Day One. We also need to move fast to help our residents with the rising cost of living. Our communities are struggling to afford groceries, utility bills are skyrocketing, and housing is becoming more unattainable. The buck has to stop with the administration.

A: We must tackle the rising cost of living, and do so understanding we cannot rely on the Trump administration. That will require investments in strengthening Anne Arundel County’s middle class. Making those investments while offering residents relief from higher tax burdens requires harnessing our growth. We must direct that growth at family supporting jobs, uplifting working families, and delivering high quality public services like world class schools and quick, convenient commutes. This includes:

- Investing in our workforce, especially educators and first responders, and partnering with labor and our community college on career readiness and job pipelines

- Managing smart, responsible development that tackles the housing crisis head on, so our children can afford to stay in the County, and our seniors can downsize here

- Ensuring county government is accountable, effective, and responsive to every constituent need

Fighting for a more affordable, accessible County will be front of mind in all my decisions as County Executive. When I was first elected in 2018, I said no one is coming to save us — we have to save ourselves. Under Trump’s second term, that’s more clear than ever. We must protect county residents from the Trump administration’s harmful policies.

A: The development moratorium exposed a serious failure in communication, forecasting, and coordination within county government and with our regional partners. That kind of breakdown is preventable, and under my administration, we will ensure this never happens again. I would implement a real-time infrastructure and development tracking system that integrates planning, public works, schools, and permitting data so we can identify capacity issues before they reach a crisis point.

At the same time, we must strengthen relationships with neighboring jurisdictions and regional partners who share responsibility for critical infrastructure. Growth does not stop at jurisdictional lines, and neither can our planning. My administration will prioritize regular coordination to ensure we are aligned early, sharing data and planning collaboratively. We would also adopt a clear early warning framework, with defined thresholds that trigger review when development approaches capacity limits in key corridors, allowing us to act proactively instead of reactively. Finally, I would prioritize transparency by publishing regular “growth and capacity” dashboards so residents, businesses, and policymakers have clear, timely information. These tools are a must in 21st Century government, and clear best practices exist that we can adopt. This is about breaking down silos, strengthening regional partnerships, modernizing systems, and enforcing accountability.

A: As County Executive, addressing Anne Arundel County’s housing crisis will be one of my top priorities.

I have been the leading advocate for building more affordable housing in Anne Arundel County, particularly workforce housing, transit-oriented development, and community revitalization efforts. Most recently, I fought off Republican attempts to repeal our Workforce Housing policies — policies designed to ensure that the people who work here can actually afford to live here. As County Executive, I will create a Housing for All plan that will cut unnecessary red tape and reform the permitting process so residential, commercial, and redevelopment projects can move forward more efficiently, without sacrificing community input or smart planning. Streamlining approvals is critical to delivering housing faster, reducing costs, and making projects financially viable. I will also pursue housing solutions, including expanding workforce housing set-asides, creating down-payment and rental assistance programs, and partnering with nonprofit developers and the state to pilot educator housing initiatives near schools and transit. These targeted strategies will help ensure that our workforce can afford to live close to where they work, strengthening school communities and improving student outcomes, while also serving as a much-needed pressure release on our transportation grid.

A: We need to build a more resilient and sustainable future for every community and ecosystem here in Anne Arundel County. As County Executive, I will invest in climate resilience and flood prevention, work to protect our incredible green spaces and waterways, improve our stormwater management systems, expand clean energy and sustainability initiatives, as well as strengthen our disaster preparedness planning. As the Trump Administration pulls back, it is squarely on us to protect our communities and tackle environmental issues head on.

I will prioritize the long-term protection of existing natural areas through strategic land conservation, strong zoning and land-use policies, as well as continued investment in park maintenance and stewardship. Preserving what we already have is just as important as acquiring new land, and that means ensuring our parks and forests are properly funded, staffed, and managed for long-term sustainability and public access. I am also committed to expanding natural areas by investing in green space acquisition, restoring degraded lands and waterways, and advancing tree planting and forest conservation efforts to meet our long-term canopy goals. We must be creative and committed to facilitating public access to our natural waterways when so much of our shoreline is privately owned.

A: County Executive Pittman made progress on a vision of safe, educated, healthy communities. He prioritized community engagement.

His biggest successes came through partnership with the County Council, and I am proud to have worked with the administration on housing, land preservation, infrastructure, and government services. My background and experience make me the right choice to deliver the fresh approach needed now. Residents are concerned about affordability, and about fighting back against a cruel administration. As a Marine and as someone who has experienced hunger and eviction, I know how to lead with compassion and purpose. Our county government isn’t as responsive as it needs to be. As executive, I will build a culture of excellence and customer service. My main goal will be a renewed focus on economic development to grow our tax base and provide revenues needed to build the services that residents demand. We must support jobs and growth in the industry sectors where Anne Arundel holds a competitive advantage. My administration will develop land use and tax policies to boost job and economic growth, providing additional revenues to fill gaps in education and public safety.

A: Economic development: Anne Arundel should be a regional leader in aerospace, cybersecurity, life sciences and logistics/transportation. We must nurture these industries with targeted policies, so we can grow our tax base to provide resources for education, public safety and environment protection. At the same time, we must improve our infrastructure to alleviate traffic concerns and make sure that our services can support the jobs being added.

Environmental protection: A clean environment is a right for residents and an obligation for public servants. Science and data must drive decisions while transparency and measurable outcomes should guide budgetary recommendations. I have a comprehensive plan to clean our waterways, build resiliency and make county government operations more efficient.

Attacks from Washington: From ICE enforcement that goes too far to a gutting and devaluation of federal employees, Anne Arundel is under attack from the federal administration. As county executive, I will make sure Anne Arundel County remains a trusted provider of critical resources and is a force for bringing communities together, not dividing us.

A: The abruptness of the announcement is not acceptable, and reflects poorly on the county’s planning and foresight.

The building moratorium made it clear that we need to be developing contingency plans for worst-case-scenario events, working more closely with our regional partners who share water and sewer resources, and looking for alternatives to existing large-scale treatment plants (meaning smaller facilities where they might make sense). We must immediately convene a regional working group with Baltimore City, Baltimore County and Howard County with high-level participation to negotiate capacity increases and reallocation. Our impact fees must be reevaluated, and developers should immediately be allowed to pay into a fund that would be used for capacity improvements so that projects can proceed. I support the use of public-private partnerships to raise revenues and build improvements such as wastewater facilities.

A: In Anne Arundel County, the average home costs more than $500,000. That is simply unaffordable for a teacher, firefighter, first responder or nurse. When the people who educate our kids and show up in our worst moments cannot afford to live here, it is not just a housing issue. It is a threat to the strength, safety, and stability of our communities.

I have developed a housing plan built around three clear pillars:

•Identifying and promoting the right locations for housing;

•Streamlining the local approval process;

•Leveraging partnerships with the state, nonprofits and others for more construction.

Within each pillar, I have identified common-sense strategies that will work:

•A targeted review of zoning areas to make sure they make sense;

•Identification of surplus property that could be used for housing;

•Legislative solutions that fill gaps, like the Cottage Home plan I championed and adopted so that developers can build homes costing around $200,000;

•Removing unnecessary roadblocks to approval;

•Expedited approvals and fee waivers.

My main goal is to facilitate new and affordable housing options where they make sense, while making sure the environment is protected and infrastructure keeps pace.

A: Growing up poor, learning how to swim became a literal lifeline. Wages I earned as a teen lifeguard supported my family. When I entered the military and served on ships, I saw how water connects us all — particularly in Anne Arundel.

Our historic development patterns are no longer compatible with today’s climate realities. We face pressure from coastal flooding, degraded waterways and greenhouse gas emissions that worsen air quality. As a councilman, I cast the deciding vote to create the county’s largest-ever environmental protection plan – the Watershed Protection and Restoration Program. I took a major political risk in backing new fees, but it was the right thing to do. As county executive, I will make sure that the dedicated revenue is equitably distributed and used for maximum efficiency. Our campaign has developed a detailed plan for environmental protection, built around four principles: Clean waterways; climate resilience; sustainable county operations; and environmental justice and equity. Details are at votepetesmith.com. The Chesapeake and its tributaries will always serve a variety of needs, from commerce and industry to transport and recreation. I will support it all: swimming and sailing lessons for young people; and parkland preservation through Program Open Space.

A: I believe that looking backwards and finding faults is easy. I am concerned with moving this County forward and making decisions that will improve the County, quality of life for its residents and provide a safer community to reside in.

A: 1. School and Public Safety

2. Economic Development

3. Affordable home prices

A: I will be engaged everyday with all departments in the County. Being directly involved with the County Operations would not have allowed this to happen.

A: We have several communities that want revitalization. Working with the private sector to garner funding for the projects with the goal being affordable housing prices. The success of making the American Dream affordable is a combined effort of all parties.

A: I will enforce the laws concerning environmental destruction. I will work with the nonprofit groups that work for a cleaner environment. I will work with the companies that “make a living” from the bay and waterways. Our Bay and waterways are part of what makes Anne Arundel County a great place to live.